"Captain Hawkins," I said, in as firm a voice as I could command, "again
I ask you will you allow Jim Pulley and me to leave your ship and wait
on shore until we can get a passage home?"
"Peter Trawl, if that's your name, I shall do no such thing," he
answered. "If I find you attempting to go on shore I shall put you in
irons."
I knew from previous experience that there was no use in expostulating.
When I told the doctor, he could scarcely conceal his indignation.
"I feel inclined to help you, my lad, at every risk," he said, "but we
must be cautious. Wait until the evening, and then we will see what can
be done."
I thanked him heartily, and promised to follow his advice. Jim was
ready for anything.
The doctor said he would go on shore and then send off a boat which
would wait under the starboard bow, and that we must manage to slip into
her as soon as it was dark.
The captain in the meantime had landed, but returned very shortly with
four tall negroes, whom he had engaged to pull the 'midship oars in the
whale-boats. They are, I should say, first-rate oarsmen, and have a
gentle disposition, ready to obey, and are happy under all
circumstances. Besides the negroes, two boats loaded with fresh
provisions came alongside.
These were soon hoisted on board, when the captain ordered a gun to be
fired and Blue Peter to be hoisted, a signal to all those on shore to
return immediately.
Dr Cockle and the third mate, with the cooper, whom the captain thought
he could trust, had landed.
Presently the captain ordered another and then another gun to be fired
to hasten them, and then to my bitter disappointment he directed Mr
Griffiths to loosen sails and heave up the anchor.
According to Esdale's advice I had begun a letter to Mary, but had not
had time to finish it. Hoping that I should not be missed by the
captain, I ran below to add a few lines and then to close it, under the
belief that I should be able to send it off by a shore-boat. I had to
get out Esdale's ink-bottle and pen, which he had before lent me; the
pen would not write, so I had to search for his penknife, and to try and
mend it as well as I could, but having little experience in the art,
this took me some time. I at last got the letter closed with a wafer,
and directed to the care of Mr Gray, when I sprang with it on deck.
Just then the eye of the captain fell on me.
"Come aft here, youngster," he shouted. "Where have you been away from
your duty?"