mmocks slung under the trees
during the heat of the day. I made myself useful about the house, helped
the old woman to chop wood, drew water for her, attended to the plants
in the little garden round the house, trained the creepers up the
veranda, and lent a hand at all sorts of odd jobs, just as a sailor will
do.

"When, ten days after we arrived, the ships got ready for another
cruise, I was afraid they would take me with them, and I lay awake at
nights sweating as I thought over the fearful deeds I should have to
take part in; but the captain gave me no orders, and to my delight the
men embarked and the ships sailed away without me. I found there were
some forty men left behind, whose duty it was to keep a sharp lookout
and man the batteries they had got at the entrance to the cove in case
any of our cruisers came in sight.

"The man who was in command was a Spaniard, a sulky, cruel looking
scoundrel. However, he didn't have much to do with me; I took my turn at
the lookout with the rest of them, and besides that there was nothing
to do. The men on shore had all been in one or other of the ships when I
was taken; for I found there were about a hundred and sixty of them, and
a quarter stayed at home by turns, changing after each cruise, whether
it was a long or short one.

"The captain's wife often spoke to me now; she would come out and sit in
the veranda while I was at work. She asked me what part I came from, and
where I had sailed, and what friends I had at home. But she never said
a word to me about the capture of the ship. She always looked sad now,
while she had been cheerful and bright while the captain was on shore.
In time she got quite friendly with me, and one day she said, 'Peter,
you will have to go to sea next time, what will you do?'

"'I must do as the others do, God forgive me,' says I; 'but don't think,
ma'am, as ever I shall do it willing. It may be years before I gets a
chance, but if ever I does I shall make a run for it, whatever the risk
may be. I speaks free to you, ma'am, for I feel sure as you won't say
a word to no man, for it would cost me my life if they thought that I
wasn't with them willing.'

"'I will not tell any one, Peter, you may be sure,' she said; 'but I do
not think you will ever have a chance of getting away--no one ever does
who once comes here.'

"Well, in time, lad, she lets out bit by bit a little about herself. She
had been on her way out to join her father, who wa