a
raft; but I expect they'd rather do that and take their chance of bein'
picked up than go down with the ship; and if you're willin' to face the
job, _I_ am too, sir, and there's my hand on it."

I took the fellow's proffered hand and grasped it warmly.

"You are a good fellow, Simpson, and a true British seaman, whatever
your past may have been," said I, "and I accept your proposal, which I
can see is made in perfect good faith. Now, it seems to me that all
that we have to do, in the first place, is to get on board yonder ship.
The question is: How is it to be done without the knowledge of any of
the _Francesca's_ people?"

"Well, sir," said Simpson, "I don't think as there'll be any great
difficulty about that, so far as I'm concerned; and I don't think there
need be much with you neither, if you wouldn't mind changing your rig
and shiftin' into some togs of mine, so as these chaps of the
_Francesca_, won't recognise you. Then, when the next boat comes from
the ship, we'll tumble down into her and offer to give two of the others
a spell; they'll be only too glad of the chance to get a little relief
from the job of pullin' backwards and for'ards and the handlin' of a lot
of stuff, and, once aboard the ship, we can stow ourselves out of sight
until they leave her for good and all."

"Very well," said I, "that seems as good a plan as any, and we will try
it. Let me have some of your old clothes, Simpson--a flannel shirt and
a pair of canvas trousers will do--and I will shift into them at once.
And there is another thing that occurs to me. If we could manage to
secure a little further help it would be so much the better. Now, if I
am not mistaken, a good many of the crew of yonder ship joined the
_Francesca_ this afternoon as the only means of saving their lives. We
must get hold of a few of them, if we can, and, by means of a few
judicious questions, find out whether they would be willing to throw in
their lot with us and take their chance of ultimate escape, rather than
become slavers and pirates. With only half-a-dozen stout, willing
seamen a great deal might be done to better the state of affairs
generally."

"You are right, sir, it would make a lot of difference, and I'll see
what can be done," answered Simpson. "And now, sir, shall I go and get
you the togs? I s'pose that whatever we do might as well be done at
once?"

"Certainly," said I, "the sooner the better. I can see no object in
delaying ou