Ned, this is worse than I should ever have thought of
you."

"It _is_ a bit bad, isn't it? And I've been thinking what's to be
done--for father's sake, you know. If 'twere broken to him gently, at
once, as nobody but you can break it, why then, he might give me the
money to repay Culverson, and send me back to Barbadoes by the next
ship, and nothing need ever come out. I'm thoroughly penitent, so help
me, heaven, and quite willing to go back."

"And incur other debts of honour, and obligations of chivalry," says
Phil.

"I'll see the cards in hell first, and the women too, by gad!" whereat
Mr. Edward brought his fist down upon the table most convincingly.

He thought it best to spend that night at the tavern; whither Phil
went in the morning with news of Mr. Faringfield's reception of the
disclosure. The merchant had listened with a countenance as cold as a
statue's, but had promptly determined to make good the thousand pounds
to Mr. Culverson, and that Ned should return to the Barbadoes without
the formality of bidding the family farewell. But the money was to be
entrusted not to Mr. Edward, but to Mr. Faringfield's old clerk,
Palmer, who was to be the young man's travelling companion on the
Southward voyage. At word of this last arrangement, Edward showed
himself a little put out, which he told Phil was on account of his
father's apparent lack of confidence. But he meditated awhile, and
took on a more cheerful face.

It happened--and, as it afterward came out, his previous knowledge of
this had suggested the trick he played upon Phil and Mr.
Faringfield--that, the same day on which the next Barbadoes-bound
vessel sailed, a brig left port for England. Both vessels availed
themselves of the same tide and wind, and so went down the bay
together.

On the Barbadoes vessel, Ned and Mr. Palmer were to share the same
cabin; and thither, ere the ship was well out of the East River, the
old clerk accompanied Ned for the purpose of imbibing a beverage which
the young gentleman protested was an unfailing preventive of
sea-sickness, if taken in time. Once in the cabin, and the door being
closed, Mr. Ned adroitly knocked Palmer down with a blow from behind;
gagged, bound, and robbed him of the money, and left him to his
devices. Returning to the deck, he induced the captain to put him, by
boat, aboard the brig bound for England, which was still close at
hand. Taking different courses, upon leaving the lower bay, the two
ves