t person should have to do with them. But now I must get
out of sight, or somebody will come and spoil everything."

Big Sam did come aft and told Kate he thought she would come to injury
sitting out in the night air. But she would not listen to him, and only
asked him what time of night it was. He told her that it was not far
from nine, and that she would see her father very soon, and then he left
her.

"It would have been a terrible thing if he had come at nine," she said
to herself. Then she sat very still waiting for the sound of the old
clock.

Dickory Charter had not told Miss Kate Bonnet all that he had heard when
he was stealthily wandering about the ship. He had slipped down into the
chains near a port-hole, on the other side of which Big Sam and the
black-haired man were taking supper, and he heard a great deal of talk.
Among other things he heard a bit of conversation which, when expurgated
of its oaths and unpleasant expressions, was like this:

"You are sure you can trust the men?" said Black-hair.

"Oh, yes!" replied the other, "they're all right."

"Then why don't you go now? At any time officers may be rowing out here
to search the vessel."

"And well they might. For what needs an old farmer with an empty
vessel, a crew of seventy men, and ten guns? He is in trouble, you may
wager your life on that, or he would be coming to see about his girl."

"And what will you do about her?"

"Oh, she'll not be in the way," answered Big Sam with a laugh. "If he
doesn't take her off before I sail, that's his business. If I am obliged
to leave port without his cash-box, I will marry his daughter and become
his son-in-law--I don't doubt we can find a parson among all the rascals
on board--then, perhaps, he will think it his duty to send me drafts to
the different ports I touch at."

At this good joke, both of them laughed.

"But I don't want to go without his cash-box," continued Big Sam, "and I
will wait until high-tide, which will be about ten o'clock. It would be
unsafe to miss that, for I must not be here to-morrow morning. But the
long-boat will be here soon. I told Roger to wait until half-past nine,
and then to come aboard with old Bonnet or without him, if he didn't
show himself by that time."

"But, after all," said the black-haired man, "the main thing is, will
the men stand by you?"

"You needn't fear them," said the other with an aggravated oath, "I know
every rascal of them."

"Now, then,"