T--HOW I ESCAPED AND ENTERED PENNINGTON

An hour later a number of men were in the kitchen of Cap'n Jack's house,
and from the way they talked I knew they meant that the vessel which
they had been watching should that night be destroyed. Never until then
did I realise the utter heartlessness of the gang. They seemed to care
nothing for the lives of those on the ship which they had decided to
wreck. In their lust for gain nothing was sacred to them. As far as I
could gather, their plan was that I should lead Cap'n Jack's horse along
the edge of the cliffs with a lantern fastened to its neck. This to a
ship at sea would seem like the light of another ship. The false light
would thus lead the captain to steer his vessel straight upon the rocks.
Outside was a wild, high sea, the clouds overhead were black as ink, and
not a star appeared, thus the doomed vessel would be at the mercy of the
wreckers. It was Cap'n Jack's plan to have his men in readiness to seize
upon all the valuables of the ship, and that the crew should be drowned.
They had made out that the vessel was bound for Falmouth, but that in
the blackness of the night the crew would lose their whereabouts, and
would eagerly steer toward what they would believe to be the light of
another vessel.

Why I had been chosen to show the false light I knew not, except that
such a deed, by exposing me to the vigilance of the Preventive men,
would bind me more securely. They did not seem to think that I should
fail in doing this. As Cap'n Jack had said, to fail to obey the commands
of the gang meant an untimely death, while to try and escape would bring
upon me the same punishment.

Every man was well primed with brandy, and Cap'n Jack saw that while
each one had enough to excite him to wild deeds, no man was allowed to
drink to such a degree that he became in any way incapacitated for the
work before him.

During the conversation, however, I noticed that Israel Barnicoat spoke
no word. Instead, he kept his eyes upon me. When the conference was
ended, however, and all their plans, which I have barely hinted at,
because in my ignorance and excitement I could only dimly understand
them, Israel spoke aloud.

"Cap'n," he said; "the Squire have never done a job like this afore,
he'll need somebody weth un."

"We ca'ant spare more'n one man for sich a job," was the response.

"It'll need another, I tell 'ee," replied Israel.

"Then thee c'n kip un company," was Cap'n Jac