n saw him rowed away to the
_Greenwich_ with the most inexpressible pleasure.

The _Cassandra's_ boat lay alongside of the _Greenwich_ for maybe half
an hour, at the end of which time I was surprised to see Captain Leach
re-enter her, and direct his course to the Ostender, which lay a little
distance beyond. He remained aboard of her for about the same length of
time that he had stayed with the _Greenwich_, after which he climbed the
boat for a third time, and directed his course for the _Cassandra_
again.

I was standing upon the quarter-deck when he came aboard, and he
approached me with a countenance expressive of the utmost mortification
and chagrin.

"Captain Mackra," said he, "I find that by a most unfortunate sequence
of events I can find a berth neither aboard the _Greenwich_ nor the
Ostender, so that nothing remains but for me to force my unwelcome
presence upon you for the balance of the voyage."

I own that I was very much disappointed by these words. However, nothing
remained but to put the best face possible upon the matter. "Sir," said
I, as graciously as I could contrive to speak, although I am afraid that
my tone was expressive of my disappointment, "it was at your own
suggestion that you quitted the _Cassandra_; your berth, sir, is still
ready for your occupation."

He said nothing further, but indicating his acknowledgments with a bow,
proceeded directly to his cabin.

VII.

As I was in such a ferment of spirit for all this time, and so fearful
of an attack from the pirate craft, having continually in my mind not
only the treasure, but also the helpless women intrusted to my keeping,
it might occur to the reader to ask why I did not send both it and them
to such a place of safety upon the land as the king's town offered to
English people beset as we were. I may now say that I had considered it,
and had perceived that more than one difficulty lay in the way. In the
first place, I could not send the ship's boat to the king's town,
because that in passing the cape to the northward they would come within
a mile or less of the pirate craft, from which they might not hope to
escape without molestation. Secondly, I could not send them across the
country, because it would require not only an escort such as could be
ill spared at this juncture, but also an efficient leader, who might be
spared even less readily. Besides this, I could not tell what dangers
such a party might encounter, not only