older men engaged in earnest conversation, thus leaving Sanchez
apparently well satisfied with the opportunity alone to assist the
girl. Except to render the sloop completely secure for the night,
there remained little work for us to perform on board. Sam found an
ample supply of tobacco and pipes, and the four of us passed the early
evening undisturbed smoking and talking together. The fellows were not
uninteresting as I came to know them better, and Carr, who I learned
had been transported three years before for robbery, having at one
time been a soldier, was prolific of reminiscences, which he related
with true Irish wit. Sam contented himself with asking me numerous
questions relative to the Duke of Monmouth, whose effort to attain the
throne interested him greatly, and I very gladly gave him all the
information I possessed. So the time passed quickly, and it must have
been nearly midnight before we brought out blankets from the
forecastle, and lay down in any spot we chose on deck.

It was a fair, calm night, but moonless, with but little wind
stirring, and a slight haze in the air, obscuring the vision. The
windows of the great house above, which earlier in the evening had
blazed with lights, were now darkened, and the distant sounds of
voices and laughter had entirely ceased. The only noise discernible as
I lay quiet was the soft lapping of waves against the side of the
sloop or about the piling supporting the wharf to which we were
moored. The others must have fallen asleep immediately, but my own
mind remained far too active to enable me to lose consciousness. At
last, despairing of slumber, and perchance urged by some indistinct
premonition of danger, I sat up once more and gazed about. The three
men were lying not far apart, close in to the galley wall, merely
dark, shapeless shadows, barely to be distinguished in the gloom. With
no longer any fear of disturbing them, I arose to my feet, and