Nuttall snatched up his hat, and went out in quest of Peter Blood.
But where look for him? Wandering aimlessly up the irregular,
unpaved street, he ventured to enquire of one or two if they had
seen Dr. Blood that morning. He affected to be feeling none so
well, and indeed his appearance bore out the deception. None
could give him information; and since Blood had never told him
of Whacker's share in this business, he walked in his unhappy
ignorance past the door of the one man in Barbados who would
eagerly have saved him in this extremity.

Finally he determined to go up to Colonel Bishop's plantation.
Probably Blood would be there. If he were not, Nuttall would find
Pitt, and leave a message with him. He was acquainted with Pitt
and knew of Pitt's share in this business. His pretext for
seeking Blood must still be that he needed medical assistance.

And at the same time that he set out, insensitive in his anxiety to
the broiling heat, to climb the heights to the north of the town,
Blood was setting out from Government House at last, having so far
eased the Governor's condition as to be permitted to depart. Being
mounted, he would, but for an unexpected delay, have reached the
stockade ahead of Nuttall, in which case several unhappy events
might have been averted. The unexpected delay was occasioned by
Miss Arabella Bishop.

They met at the gate of the luxuriant garden of Government House,
and Miss Bishop, herself mounted, stared to see Peter Blood on
horseback. It happened that he was in good spirits. The fact that
the Governor's condition had so far improved as to restore him his
freedom of movement had sufficed to remove the depression under