'n Jack hinted in his talk with his followers the night
before? And so again and again I planned how I might get away.

Early in the afternoon Cap'n Jack came to me. "I want us to crake a bit,
sonny," he said. I did not reply, but I sat down near him in the open
chimney.

"It's time we come to bisness," he said. "You've bin loppin' 'bout for
two months, doin' nothin' much. Well, the booys be jillus, Jasper, and
they want things clear."

"I've done all you've asked me," I replied.

"Iss, so you 'ave, sonny, but I want to maake a man ov 'ee. I've got a
purty boat, Jasper, called _The Flying Swan_. She'll be 'ome soon from
what I 'ope will be a prosperous voyage. I want you to go on 'er as a
soart of maate, to taake command laater on."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "What is this _Flying Swan_ of which you
are the owner? Is she a trading vessel? What does she carry? Besides,
why choose me? I know nothing about sea life."

"I'll tell 'ee," he said. "The _Flyin' Swan_ is used for smugglin' on a
biggish scale. She's manned by as braave a lot of chaps as ever clained
the seams of a deck. Her cap'n es Billy Coad, a man you may 'ave 'eer'd
on, and wawn you would like to knaw. A man of rare piety, Jasper. He and
me be the main owners, by the blessin' of Providence. Ah, it would do
yer 'art good to hear 'im give his Christian experience."

"Smuggling on a biggish scale. What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"Well, dailin' direct weth the furrin' poarts, and at times, when Billy
do see a vessel in the open say, wot do carry the flag of a Papist
country, say the Spanish, well, I doan't deny--but there."

"You mean that the _Flying Swan_ is but little better than a pirate
ship."

"Never call things by ugly naames," replied Cap'n Jack; "besides, I do
look upon this as your main chance of buyin' back Pennington."

"Suppose I refuse?" I suggested.

"You wa'ant refuse, sonny."

"Why not?"

"Well, twudden pay 'ee. We doan't never have that sort wi' we. I'm a man
of paice, I be; but thaise be loanely paarts, my sonny. Nearer than
Lezard Town ther's 'ardly a 'ouse. You wudden be missed much."

"But suppose I were to leave you?"

"Laive us; no, sonny, you ca'ant do that now. You knaw too much."

"How can you keep me? Suppose I were to leave the house now, ay, leave
the county, who could stop me?"

"I could, sonny. Do you think I'm a cheeld? I've got the county
ringed--I've got men everywhere. Cap'n Jack Truscott's gang is