cordial detestation of the ship, and believed that, should a fair
chance of escape present itself, he would embrace it willingly.

But the attempt was so perilous in the place where we then lay,
that I supposed myself the only individual on board the ship who
was sufficiently reckless to think of it. In this, however, I
was mistaken.

When I perceived Toby leaning, as I have mentioned, against the
bulwarks and buried in thought, it struck me at once that the
subject of his meditations might be the same as my own. And if
it be so, thought I, is he not the very one of all my shipmates
whom I would choose: for the partner of my adventure? and why
should I not have some comrade with me to divide its dangers and
alleviate its hardships? Perhaps I might be obliged to lie
concealed among the mountains for weeks. In such an event what a
solace would a companion be?

These thoughts passed rapidly through my mind, and I wondered why
I had not before considered the matter in this light. But it was
not too late. A tap upon the shoulder served to rouse Toby from
his reverie; I found him ripe for the enterprise, and a very few
words sufficed for a mutual understanding between us. In an
hour's time we had arranged all the preliminaries, and decided
upon our plan of action. We then ratified our engagement with an
affectionate wedding of palms, and to elude suspicion repaired
each to his hammock, to spend the last night on board the Dolly.

The next day the starboard watch, to which we both belonged, was
to be sent ashore on liberty; and, availing ourselves of this