ster
Tim, also thought this a safe occasion to insult me, coming up close
before me and peering into my face, as if I were already so much
carrion. Nor had I the spirit to resent his insolence.

Captain Sims now led the way out of the house, holding Rupert by the
arm, while I followed with my friend. The rest of the crew swarmed out
after us, but old Muzzy sharply ordered them back, taking only two men
to pull the oars, for we had a long way to row before the buoy could
be reached.

It was a miserable voyage for me, sitting there in the stern, not
three paces from Rupert, shivering in the cold night air, and perhaps
from fear as well, as we dropped slowly down the river, past the black
piles of the landing jetties and the sleeping ships. Our course was
lit only by the stars, save where a ship's light cast a sickly gleam
upon the water as we approached it, and faded away as we rowed on. The
whole way I never once opened my lips, but the others talked together
in low voices, turning themselves away from me in the same manner as
if I were a convict being led to execution. And as for my own
thoughts, they were distracted enough, especially when I called to
mind my dear mother and my good and upright father, and how little
they imagined the business in which I was now engaged. These
reflections so softened me that I believe if my cousin had made the
least move towards a reconcilement my whole wrath would have melted
away. But no doubt he had made up his mind that only my death could
restore his authority amongst the ruffians whom he led.

At last our dreary passage was ended, and we were arrived at the place
agreed on for the encounter. We had towed down a smaller boat in our
wake, and this they now fastened to the buoy, and we stepped into it,
Rupert at the bows and I at the stern. Then the boatswain gripped my
hand for the last time, whispering to me to beware of Gurney's
upper-cut, and so they bade us farewell and rowed off quickly in the
darkness, like men who would avoid the sight of a murder.

So there were we, left alone in that frail compartment, out there upon
the heaving water, with nothing but death in our hearts. I had but
time to breathe a prayer, which I did with some misgiving as to how it
would be received, when my cousin drew his cutlass and stepped into
the centre of the boat. I rose to meet him with my weapon in my hand,
and we stood there facing one another, with only the width of the seat
between us