XV.

I was filled with the greatest exultation by the knowledge which I had

gained through the deserter from the pirates, for not only had I

discovered the whereabouts of the one man in all of the world whom I

felt well convinced had knowledge of the Rose of Paradise, but that man

no longer had a crew of wicked and bloody wretches back of him, but

stood, like me, upon his own footing. Therefore I determined that I

would by some means or other either regain the treasure or perish in the

attempt, for I would rather die than live a life of dishonor such as now

seemed to lie before me. However, I plainly perceived that if I would

recover the treasure I would have to escape from the ship by some means

or other whilst we were upon our passage and near the isle of

Mauritius, for if I lost time by going home and standing my examination,

many things might occur which would lose the chance to me forever:

England might quit the Mauritius, or gather together another crew of

pirates upon his own account, for with such a treasure as the Rose of

Paradise he had it clearly in his power to do that and much more.

At that time our English vessels were used to lay their course up and

down the Mozambique Channel, and not along the eastern coast of

Madagascar; for the Mauritius and other islands which lie to the

north-east of that land belong to the French or Dutch, as those in the

Channel belong to us. Therefore it was necessary to my purpose that I

should persuade Captain Croker to alter his course, so as to run down

outside the island instead of through the Channel, for it was plain to

see that even if I should be able to escape from the _Lavinia_ to Juanna

or to any of the coadjacent islands, I would be as far as ever from

getting to Mauritius, which lieth many leagues away around the northern

end of Madagascar.

So I determined to make a clean breast of it, and confide the whole plan

to Captain Croker from beginning to end, only I would say nothing as to

how I had gained my knowledge of England's whereabouts, for I would not

break the promise which I had given to the deserter, as told above.

As no time was to be lost in following out the plans which I had

determined upon, I requested that I might have speech with Captain

Croker that very night. I told him everything concerning the affair from

beginning to end, adding nothing and omitting nothing. Although so old

and so well-tried a friend, he was cast into the utmost depths of wonder

and amazement at my audacity in proposing that he should alter the

course of his vessel, and at my boldness in daring to tell him my plans

for escaping from the restraint under which I had been placed. He

questioned me closely concerning many matters: as to what led me to

think that England was the present possessor of the jewel; as to how I

proposed to proceed after I had escaped to the land; and as to how I had

become informed of the pirate's whereabouts, concerning which last

particular I would give him no satisfaction.

I knew not what he had in his mind, nor where all these questions

tended, and by-and-by left the cabin, though in a sad state of

uncertainty, not knowing how Captain Croker inclined, nor what might be

his feelings in regard to me.

Nor was my uncertainty lessened for several days, in which time I knew

not what to think, but waited for some sign from him. One evening,

however, the whole matter was resolved in a most simple, natural, and

unexpected manner.

At that time we were about seventy or eighty leagues north of the island

of Madagascar. All the passengers being at supper, with Captain Croker

at the head of the table, conversation began to run upon those pirates

who had much infested these waters of late.

"Why," says Captain Croker, "the presence of the rascals has so affected

me that I have determined to alter the course of my vessel, and to run

outside of Madagascar instead of through the Mozambique Channel, for it

is well to have plenty of sea-room either to fight or to run from these

wicked rogues. So now, if the wind holds good, seeing we are such

friends with the Frenchmen in these peaceful days, I purpose stopping at

the Mauritius to take aboard fresh provisions."

Captain Croker did not look at me whilst he was saying all this, but

studiously kept his eyes upon the plate before him, and presently rose

and left the table.

As for me, I sat with my heart beating within my breast as though it

would burst asunder, for I saw that my fate was decided at last, and

that one of the greatest happenings in all of my life was soon to come

upon me.

In two days, as Captain Croker had predicted, we dropped anchor in the

harbor off Port Louis at about three o'clock in the afternoon. I ate but

little supper that night, my mind being so engrossed upon that which I

had undertaken to do.

We lay about half a mile from the shore, the water in the bay being very

calm and still. I had procured four large calabash gourds, with which I

had made shift to rig up a very decent float or life-preserver, for I

had need of some such aid in my expedition, not being a very expert

swimmer.

In all this time I had said nothing to Captain Croker, nor he to me; but

about seven o'clock, it being at that time pretty dark, he came to me

where I stood by the rail of the poop-deck.

"Jack," said he, in a low voice, "are you still in the mind for

carrying this thing through?"

"Yes, I am," I said.

"To-night?" says he.

"To-night," says I.

"Then God bless you!" said he, and he gave my hand a hearty grip. Then

he turned upon his heel and went below, and I knew that my time for

acting had arrived.

I had not much fear of sharks, for I had seen enough of those cowardly

creatures to know that they rarely or never attack a swimmer or a moving

man, but only a body floating upon the water as though dead; moreover,

at night they are asleep or in deep water, for they are not often seen

upon the surface after the darkness has fairly fallen.

After the captain left me I looked around and saw that no one else was

nigh upon the deck. I took my calabash gourds and entered the boat that

hung from the davits astern. Taking a hint from Captain Leach, I had

secured a coil of line by which I might lower myself into the water,

for if I had dropped with a splash I would have been pretty sure to have

been discovered. Having removed my shoes and stockings, which I wrapped

in a piece of tarpaulin, together with my tinder-box and flint and

steel, all of which I secured upon my head, and having slipped the cords

which bound the calabashes under my arms, I slid down the line into the

water astern.

Having committed my life into the keeping of Providence, I struck out

boldly for the shore, being aided by a current which set towards it, and

directing my course by the lights which glimmered faintly in the

distance. So I reached the beach, and built a fire, whereby I dried my

clothes. Then, having put on my shoes and stockings, which had been kept

pretty dry by the tarpaulin, I walked up the beach in the direction of

the scattered row of houses which, the moon having now risen, stood out

very plain at about a quarter of a mile distant. I found the town to

consist of a great straggling collection of low one-story buildings,

mostly made of woven palm-branches, smeared over with mud which had

dried in the sun. At this time it could not have been much less than

nine o'clock, and all was dark and silent. I went aimlessly here and

there, not knowing whither to direct my steps, until at last I caught

sight of a little twinkle of light, which I perceived came through a

crack of an ill-hung shutter. I went around to the front of the hut,

which seemed larger and better made than others I had seen. Above the

door hung an ill-made sign, and the moon shining full upon it, I could

plainly see a rude picture of a heart with a crown above it, and

underneath, written in great sprawling letters,--

"Le Coeur du Roy."

--From this I knew that it was an ordinary, at which I was greatly

rejoiced, and also what suited me very well was to find that it was

French, for I had no mind to fall in with English people just then, and

I knew enough of French to feel pretty easy with the lingo. So into the

place I stepped, as bold as brass, and ordered a glass of grog and

something to eat.

There were perhaps half a score of rough, ill-looking fellows gathered

around a dirty table playing at cards by the light from a flame of a bit

of rope's-end stuck in a calabash of grease. They laid down their cards

when I came in, and stared at me in a very forbidding fashion. However,

I paid no attention to them, but sat down at a table at some little

distance, and by-and-by the landlord, a little pot-bellied, red-faced

Frenchman, brought me a glass of hot rum and a dish of greasy stew

seasoned with garlic. He would have entered into talk with me, but I

soon gave him to understand that I had no appetite for conversation just

at this time; so after having made a bargain for lodgings during the

night, he withdrew to a bench in the farther corner of the room, where

I presently saw him fall asleep.

If I had hoped to escape from meeting my own countrymen, I soon

discovered that I was to be sadly disappointed, for before I had been in

the place a quarter of an hour I found that at least half the fellows

around the table were Englishmen. They were the most villanous,

evil-looking set of men that I had beheld in a long time, and I could

not but feel uneasy, for I had with me gold and silver money to the

value of between ten and eleven guineas, and by their muttering together

and looking in my direction now and then I knew that they were talking

concerning me.

Presently one of the fellows got up from the table and came over to the

place where I sat.

"Look 'ee, messmate," said he, seating himself upon the corner of the

table beside me; "be ye English, French, Dutch, Portuguese, or what?"

At first I was of a mind to deny being an Englishman, but on second

thoughts I perceived that it would be useless to do so, there being the

scum of so many peoples at that place that I could not hope to escape

exposure.

"Why, shipmate," said I, "I'm an Englishman."

"Where do ye hail from?" said he.

"Over yonder," said I, pointing in the direction of the _Lavinia_.

"Did ye come aboard of the craft that ran into the harbor to-day?"