^^b- 
 
 LI B RARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 U N IVER.5ITY 
 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 823 
 
 V.I
 
 v\'
 
 THE ADMIEABLE LADY 
 
 BIDDY FANE.
 
 ^HE ADMIRABLE LADY 
 BIDDY FANE: 
 
 HER SURPRISING CURIOUS ADVENTURES IN 
 STRANGE PARTS & HAPPY DELIVERANCE 
 FROM PIRATES, BATTLE, CAPTIVITY, Sz OTHER 
 TERRORS ; WITH DIVERS ROMANTIC 6^ MOVING 
 ACCIDENTS AS SET FORTH BY BENET 
 
 PENGILLY (her companion in ^hsfor- 
 
 TUNE & joy), & NOW FIRST DONE INTO 
 
 print 
 
 1!Y 
 
 FRANK BARRETT. 
 
 Author of ''^ Folly Morrison " '^Honest Davie,'' C^c. 
 
 Vol. I. 
 
 CASSELL & COMPANY, Limited 
 
 LONDON, PARIS, NEW YORK d- MELBOURNE. 
 1888. 
 
 [all rights reserved.)
 
 o 
 
 CO 
 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHArTER I. PAGE 
 
 i am taken out of the pillory and narrowly 
 
 Escape going to the Whipping-Post . . 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 1 AM TAKEN AGAIN BY JacK GeDDES AND OTHERS, 
 
 AND Rescued by Rodrigues .... 19 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 By a Cunning Stratagem I am got out of Jack 
 Geddes' Hands, and brought aboard the 
 "Sure Hawk" 35 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 I come to the Canaries in better Plight than 
 
 I started 45 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 To MY Mortal Peril I overhear a Horrid 
 
 Scheme of Rodrigues and Ned Parsons . 60
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I AM NEARLY UNDONE BY MY SHADOW— NeD PakSONS 
 
 and rodeigues, theie argument, with the 
 Compact that followed 72 
 
 CHAPTER YII. 
 The Perplexity op being neither Thorough- 
 faced Rogcte, Arrant Fool, nor Honest Man 80 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 We are Overcome, and with Barbarous Treat- 
 ment set Ashore and left there ... 96 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 We find Ourselves on a Desert Island, and 
 
 LITTLE Comfort besides 105 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 I Quit the Island and my Friend . . . 120 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 I AM Excellently Served by my Famous Inven- 
 tion, and come to England not much the 
 Worse for it 141 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 Lady Biddy gives me a Word of Comfort . . 151
 
 COMKxNTS. Vll 
 
 CHAPTER Xlir. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The Crossed Heart 162 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 We are Dogged by a Black Ship, to the great 
 
 Discomfort of our Companies .... 172 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 We fall into S ore Disasters op Raging Tempest 
 
 and Bloody Battle 185 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 The Battle ended to our Complete Discom- 
 fiture 198 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 I am Shot out of one Ship and Crawl into 
 Another, with what Advantage may yet be 
 seen 204 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 Greatly put to it to know what to do, 1 do 
 
 Nothing 215 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 1 MAKE Myself Known to Lady Biddy, with 
 
 divers other Matters 225
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 By Goodhap I Discover a Fresh Piece of 
 
 Villainy 241 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 I MAKE A Vow TO SlAY MY LaDY BidDY, IF NEEDS 
 
 BE 250
 
 
 ^ THE ADMIEABLE LADY 
 
 BIDDY FANE 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 I AxM TAKEN OUT OF THE PILLORY AND NARROWLY 
 ESCAPE GOING TO THE WHIPPING-POST. 
 
 As 'tis the present mode to embellish a history 
 with a portrait of the writer, it will not be 
 amiss if I here at the outset give you some 
 hints by w^hich you may see, as in a frontis- 
 piece, the image of that Benet Pengilly who 
 is about to tell you many marvellous things. 
 "What kind of man I am you may better 
 judge when you come to the last page of 
 this history ; my business now is to pre- 
 sent my image as I was ; to which end I 
 would have you picture a man close upon 
 
 B
 
 2 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 thirty years of age, clad in a jerkin and 
 breeches of leather, six foot and some odd 
 inches in height, gaunt and lean as a 
 famished wolf, fierce -visaged, with an un- 
 kempt beard of hair, and a shock ragged 
 as a bush, and both as black as any ink ; 
 a deep - sunk, bloodshot eye, and a swarthy 
 skin, all besmirched with broken egg, filth, 
 and blood. This pretty portraiture you shall 
 frame in the town pillory, which stood over 
 against the Church of St. Mary, in the city 
 of Truro, with this very true description writ 
 under the headpiece • — 
 
 " Benet Pengilly, A Sturdy Rogue." 
 
 And now to begin my story, I must tell you 
 that I had stood in this pillory from sunrise, 
 a sport for all the cowards in the town. I 
 say cowards, for surely those who have courage 
 are never cruel to the helpless, and these — 
 the strongest of whom would have fled before 
 me had I been free — had baited me as curs 
 bait a tethered bull, without any kind of
 
 IN THE PILLORY. 3 
 
 mercy, jeering at me, and making me a mark 
 for any beastliness that came to hand, ay, and 
 sharp stones to boot, as the blood from my 
 lips and cheek testified. 
 
 There were never less than a couple of 
 score of this rabble about me, hallooing and 
 whooping ; for as fast as one left me to go 
 about his business, another took his place. 
 But amongst the constantly changing crowd 
 was one who, seated upon the stone bench 
 where the town porters are wont to rest their 
 loads awhile, never took his eyes off me, nor 
 budged from his place from the time he came 
 hither, which was about ten o'clock, till now, 
 when the sun was past the meridian. He 
 watched me as a surgeon marks the bearing 
 of his subject under the knife; nay, rather 
 'twas as a fiend might watch the torment of 
 the damned, for a hellish smile crept over his 
 face as some insult more cruel than the rest 
 provoked me to a state of desperation. 
 
 This man I had seen before. His name 
 was Rodrigues. 'Twas he who, in the month 
 B 2
 
 4 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 of March, came into Plymouth, his ship all 
 decked out with ribbons, his crew arrayed in 
 lace and cambric, and every mother's son as 
 drunk as a beggar; 'twas he who had set 
 tubs of sherries on the Hoe, staved in the 
 heads, and in sheer wantonness and drunken 
 folly cast the wine right and left with his 
 joined palms ; to say nothing of divers other 
 senseless tricks whereby in something less than 
 two months he had squandered treasure to 
 the value of nigh upon £7,000, and left not 
 enough, when his ship was seized, to pay the 
 King's dues. He still wore the remnants and 
 wreck of his former finery — silk stockings, satin 
 trunks, velvet doublet, and a hat with a 
 feather in it ; but, lord ! so broken, stained, 
 and bedrabbled through his mad frolics that 
 plain homespun had looked rich beside it. 
 
 I have heard that this Eodrigues was of 
 gipsy origin, and indeed he looked fierce and 
 brutal enough for that or anything else. He 
 had a short, curling beard. His hair grew 
 low down on his brows, and fell behind his
 
 RODRIGUES, HIS LOOKS. 
 
 ears in long, wiry ringlets. His eyes were 
 small, but remarkably piercing, and the aspect 
 of his face was very eager and cruel ; but that 
 which made his looks most terrible was his 
 teeth, which were pointed sharp, like a wolf's, 
 so that when he displayed them he looked 
 more like a beast of prey than a natural man. 
 This peculiarity, however, was not due to his 
 birth, but was rather brought about, as I 
 learnt, through living many 3-ears a captive 
 amongst cannibal savages, whose practice it is 
 to file their teeth after this fashio-n. In addi- 
 tion to this disfigurement his ears were slit, 
 and he had a long white scar quartered down 
 his tawny cheek ; in short, he was as ill- 
 looking and horrid a scoundrel as ever I did 
 see. 
 
 'Twas, as I say, high noon, and matters 
 stood thus, when, of a sudden, the clamour of 
 my persecutors was stilled as by enchantment, 
 and the sound of horse with the jingling of 
 harness struck on my ear ; and, casting my eje 
 in that direction, I perceived a company of
 
 6 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 ladies and gentlemen with their servants, all 
 very richly mounted, drawing hither. I took 
 not much heed of them to discern who they 
 were, being callous sick with the pain and in- 
 sult I had suffered so many hours, until they 
 drew near within a stone's cast to see what 
 sport was forward, when Eodrigues, jumping 
 down from his stone bench, and making them 
 a mighty respectful obeisance of his battered 
 hat with its broken feather, my curiosity was 
 pricked, and I once more looked that way. 
 Then my heart sank lower than ever, and I 
 would have been thankful had my face been 
 beat out of all recognition ; for foremost among 
 the company was Lady Biddy Fane, and 'twas 
 clear by the anger in her face that she recog- 
 nised me. Yet, the next moment was I glad, 
 and my heart was lifted up with a savage 
 exultation; for now, thinks I, she will see to 
 what degradation and ruin hath she brought a 
 man of promise by her cruelty. 
 
 I do not think there ever was in the whole 
 world a young woman so beautiful as Lady
 
 PRAISE OF LADY BIDDY. / 
 
 Biddy Fane ; nor is tliere like to be again. 
 Had I not tliouglit so, should I have aban- 
 doned myself to despair because of her cruelty ? 
 -Nay; nor should I have had this history to 
 tell. And yet may there be women as straight 
 and fairly proportioned as she, though none 
 more so ; and others with a skin of that rare 
 pale clearness ; and others, again, with eyes as 
 large and dark and spirited, with sweet lips 
 lined with snowy teeth, with a perfect nose 
 (shapely as any Greek's) and wav}', nut-brown 
 hair; still, I say, you shall not find another 
 one woman in whom are combined the graces 
 of so many together, with a spirit so lofty, 
 noble, fearless, and faithful as hers. I might 
 discourse of her beauty for many pages, and 
 yet fail, for want of words, to do her justice ; 
 but to make an end of this matter briefly, I 
 say again she was incomparable. 
 
 On her right hand was my uncle. Sir 
 Bartlemy Pengill}^ Knight, the same who ad- 
 ventured with Sir Walter Raleigh in the quest 
 for gold upon the Oronoque; and a hale, lusty
 
 O THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 old man lie was, very personable, with shining 
 white hair that curled closely over his head, 
 and a well-clipped beard ; on her left hand 
 was Sir Harry Smidmore, a young man of good 
 parts, as I must acknowledge, albeit I hated 
 him exceedingly, by reason of his standing in 
 better, grace with Lady Biddy Fane than any 
 other of her suitors, and they Avere as numerous 
 as butterflies over a fair garden on a summer's 
 day. Besides these three were many friends 
 of theirs of very good condition; but they 
 enter not mto this history, so enough is said 
 of them. 
 
 Now, the rabble, thinking this company 
 was drawn up for amusement, presently began 
 to make sport of me ; and one caught up a 
 dead cat (which had served before) and flung 
 it at me, and another a cabbage stump, 
 which had likewise served; and a third, find- 
 ing nothing handier than a broken pantile, 
 was about to cast that, when Sir Harry 
 Smidmore, with the flat of his sword, fetched 
 him a clap on the arm that made him think
 
 1 AM TAKEN DOWN. 9 
 
 better of it. Then Lady Biddy, wifh scorn 
 and disgust on lier countenance, turned away, 
 and the whole company followed her thence, 
 whispering together, and all very grave ; for 
 it was known that I was Sir Bartlemy's 
 nephew, and a kinsman of Lady Biddy's, 
 and that I had disgraced them before their 
 friends. 
 
 After them went Eodrigues also, at a 
 brisk pace to keep up with the horse. They 
 had not been gone long w^hen there came 
 two of the sheriif's men with a cord to 
 loose me, whereupon seeing that I was about 
 to be taken from the pillory, the whole 
 rout that were in the square took to their 
 heels as though a tiger were about to be 
 let loose on them; for I was a man of terror 
 for many miles about, and was known as 
 " Ben of the Woods." 
 
 The sheriff's men first freed my hands 
 from the boards, and, making fast my arms 
 about me with their cord, they unlocked the 
 headpiece, and then, having given me a
 
 10 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 draught from a pitcher, for I reeled like 
 one in liquor being taken down, they led 
 me up the High Street to the Dolphin Inn, 
 and so into the great room there, where at 
 a table sat the justice who had condemned 
 me to the pillory, with Sir Bartlemy Pen- 
 gilly, Sir Harry Smidmore, and some others ; 
 and against the wall in the shadow I spied 
 Eodrigues. 
 
 Being brought to the end of the table 
 facing this company, the justice made me a 
 discourse, and the gist of his matter was 
 that, out of respect for Sir Bartlemy, he had 
 taken me from the pillory before my time, 
 and would absolve me from further punish- 
 ment if I would give my word to be of 
 better conduct henceforth and agree to the 
 proposal Sir Bartlemy was about to make. 
 
 Then Sir Bartlemy, pushing aside the 
 bottle that stood before him, leaned forward 
 and addressed me thus — 
 
 " Ben," says he, " I am heartily ashamed 
 of you, and with the greater reason because
 
 MY UNCLE, HIS DISCOURSE. 11 
 
 3'ou are not ashamed of yourself. Look at 
 me, rogue ! Do you see that my eyes are 
 full of tears ? 'Tis for shame that you are 
 my nephew that I weep, and not for pity, 
 for I do assure you, sir " (turning to the 
 justice), " I loved this fellow, and not so 
 long since, neither ; a hrave - looking and 
 comely man he was but a year ago ; of good 
 parts and great promise, whom I had been 
 proud to call my son ; and a brave man he 
 should be by reason that his father endured 
 manfully much hardship in adventuring under 
 Sir Francis Drake, and died beside Sir 
 Richard Grenville fighting those fifteen great 
 gallions of the Spaniard. But what a base, 
 desperate rascal are you " (turning again to 
 me in anger) "to abandon yourself to de- 
 spair, to yield up ever^^thing without a 
 struggle and at the first shot of adversity, 
 bringing dishonour upon your family thus ! 
 Had you but yourself to think of, vaga- 
 bond ? Had your father thought only of 
 his own comfort, would he willingly have
 
 12 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 endured hardship and privation, or sought to 
 face the Spanish guns ? 'Twas the honour 
 and glory of his queen he thought of before 
 all ; and had you truly loved your cousin, 
 you would have set up her happiness before 
 your own, and done naught to make her 
 blush for so base a subject." 
 
 " Ay, surely ! " cries the justice, frowning 
 upon me. 
 
 " Yet must we not be too hard on the fellow, 
 neither," says Sir Bartlemy, turning again to 
 him; "for 'tis not as if he had forsaken a 
 life of pain for one of pleasure, but quite the 
 contrary; for he was light-hearted and gay 
 before this cruel stroke ; and now what creature 
 on the face of this smiling world is more de- 
 plorable ? And, truly, for a man to abandon 
 himself to a life of such desolation and misery 
 as he passes in the woods, his mind must be 
 unstrung, and all its music turned to discord ; 
 and there is naught, I hear, like disappoint- 
 ment in love to unsettle the reason, though 
 nothing of the sort has ever troubled mine ;
 
 HIS PITY AND WRATH. ]3 
 
 for if one lass frowned I'd quickly find another 
 who'd smile ; and I warrant," says he, merrily, 
 with a sly dig at the stout old justice — " I 
 warrant you have often done the same, Master 
 Anthony." 
 
 " Let us go to the point. Sir Bartlemy — to 
 the point," said the justice, severely. 
 
 " That will I with no more ado. Look 
 you, rascal," says my uncle, thumping the tahle 
 and bending his brows on me, " you have done 
 little that I should love you, and much to 
 undo the love I bore you ; yet will I make an 
 effort to save you from disgrace for your 
 father's sake — and something for your own — 
 for, God knows, you are a wretch as much 
 to be pitied as hated; so here to the point. 
 I am bent upon getting that treasure which 
 lies, as we know full well, beyond the Oro- 
 noque, in order that it fall not into the hands 
 of the Spaniard. 'Tis too late for me to 
 make this venture under my own command, 
 though I fain would ; but a worthy commander 
 have I found, and under him you shall take
 
 14 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 service as his lieutenant and second in com- 
 mand, and share the profits of this enterprise 
 in due proportion. 
 
 " Wait ! " cries the justice ; " here surely is 
 a mistake ! You cannot intend to place this 
 fellow taken from the pillory next in position 
 to your commander ! " 
 
 "He is my brother's son," replies Sir 
 Bartlemy, " and I have faith that he will bear 
 himself well when this present distemper of 
 mind shall be blown oif by the wholesome 
 sea gales ; for the rest, this matter concerns 
 the crew of the ship and the commander. If 
 they are willing, should I object ? " 
 
 " But are they willing ? " asks the justice. 
 "There is the point." 
 
 " Here is the ablest man of the crew — one 
 who has sailed with Drake, gone through 
 many perilous adventures, and been himself 
 a master. Hear what he says. Speak up, 
 Rodrigues." 
 
 Rodrigues came out of the shadow, and, 
 pointing his finger at me, says he — " That man
 
 SWEET APPLE WITH SOUR ASPECT. 15 
 
 is worth any ten men of our crew, and such 
 a man a crew needs for master. We want no 
 puppets, but men who can fight and suffer 
 w^ith stiff lips." Then he dropped back into 
 the shadow again. 
 
 I was grateful to this man. Hope — that 
 so long had lain dead within me — sprang up 
 to life, and an eager desire for wild adventure 
 seized upon me. And at that moment the 
 door at the end of the room over against the 
 head of the table opened, and Lady Biddy 
 Fane came into the room; then my imagina- 
 tion, already kindled, blazed up with a mad 
 conception of winning untold gold, glorj^ and 
 honour — all to lay at her feet, with the possi- 
 bility that she might accept them and me. 
 
 But, lord ! there was little in her aspect to 
 encourage such a hope, as she stood there erect 
 and scornful, her pretty brows bent in angry 
 scorn as she looked on me, tapping her silk 
 skirt impatiently with her ridiug-wbip. But 
 this did not daunt my spirit, for I knew how 
 sweet those brows were when they unbent, and
 
 16 TITE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 that her dainty hand was more apt to caress 
 than to strike. 
 
 "While my heart was aflame with this sud- 
 den return of passion, the justice spoke — 
 
 " What says the commander ? There the 
 point is, I take it." 
 
 " Speak up, Sir Harry," says Sir Bartlemy. 
 
 "I will have him for my lieutenant as 
 willingly as I would make him my friend," 
 says Sir Harry Smidmore. 
 
 Hearing this my heart being filled with 
 jealousy rebelled against my reason, for I knew 
 not until that moment who was to be the com- 
 mander of this expedition. 
 
 " Now, Ben," says Sir Bartlemy, " you have 
 the chance to redeem the past — ay, more than 
 that — to make us love you as we never loved 
 you yet. Will you accept the offer freely 
 made by us ? " 
 
 " What ! " says I to myself, " win gold and 
 honours for Smidmore to lay at her feet? 
 Never ! " And so I laughed with a brutal 
 scorn and shook my head.
 
 I "AM IN FOR FURTHER DISGRACE. 17 
 
 " An obstinate, contumacious rascal," cries 
 Sir Biirtleray, with one of those sea oaths 
 which he was more free to utter than I have 
 been to set down here ; " jet," says he, soften- 
 ing in a moment, " must we bear with him 
 by reason of his misfortunes to the utmost 
 limits. I have failed ; plead thou for him, 
 dear girl" (turning to Lady Biddy), "or he 
 must go back again to the pillory." 
 
 " Ay, with all my heart," says Lady Biddy, 
 advancing ; " and, as you love me, sir," bend- 
 ing slightl}" to the justice, "I do beg you to 
 favour my pleading. Send him not back to 
 the pillory, for sure when that, together with 
 my uncle's gentle, kind persuasion, fails to win 
 him to a decent behaviour, 'tis evident that 
 a sharper remedy is needed for his disorder. 
 Prythee, then, dear sir, send him to the whip- 
 j)ing-post; there to be soundly whipped." 
 
 " Why, so I will," cries the justice, cheer- 
 fully, clapping his list on the table ; " for I've 
 heard no better suggestion this bout. To the 
 whipping-post he shall go." 
 c
 
 18 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 ■ " Not alive," I muttered ; and then strain- 
 ing with all my might I burst the cords that 
 bound me, and turned to the door ; whereupon 
 the sheriff's men threw themselves before me. 
 But one I took by the throat and the other 
 by the shoulder, and swinging them together 
 I flung them against the wall with such force 
 that the oak panels cracked again, and they 
 sank to the ground like things of clay. Then 
 I strode out of the room and thence into the 
 pure air, and no one had the stomach to 
 stay me.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 I AM TAKEN AGAIN BY JACK GEDDES AND OTHERS 
 AND RESCUED BY R0DRIGUE8. 
 
 Sir Bartlemy's house was built upon a hill 
 not far from St. Maw's, and looked over Fal- 
 mouth Haven to Penny -come -quick. His 
 estate was mostly woodlands, and skirting the 
 river Fal extended north beyond Philligh and 
 east as far as Tregony. In the midst of these 
 woods had I lived for many months unmo- 
 lested, the worthy old knight, with good in- 
 tent, bidding his foresters let me kill what 
 game I would for my use ; and here had I 
 built me a hut as a shelter against the in- 
 clemency of the weather, thatching it with 
 broom and sods of turf. But 'twas a mistaken 
 kindness on his part, for this sufferance only 
 tended to complete that state of savagery into 
 which I was sinking.
 
 20 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 From cliildhood I have loved the woods, 
 and found delight in studying the secrets of 
 nature — the growth of herbs, the places where 
 they may be found ; the ways of birds and 
 beasts, and the like ; and when my hopes were 
 all cast over, I had fled thither, saying, " Here 
 is a mistress whose smile is not to be wooed 
 in vain ! " And, indeed, for a troubled spirit 
 I know no comfort so soothing as the woods 
 after a spring shower, when all is fresh and 
 sweet, and every little blade of grass seems to 
 smile. For the most part my state was that 
 of utter solitude. Many a day I heard no 
 sound but my own footfall, and saw nothing 
 but the still trees. For weeks and weeks I 
 met no human creature ; yet had I no incli- 
 nation to seek a companion. But at times my 
 nature would revolt against this unnatural con- 
 dition of solitude, and a mad thirst for de- 
 bauchery would seize me. Then with my bow 
 would I kill a buck, and, selling it to those 
 who were ever ready to buy venison of me at 
 a fourth of its value, I would go into Truro
 
 MY HOME IN THE WOODS. 21 
 
 and spend my money in some gross frolic like 
 that which had brought me to the pillory (as 
 I have shown). 
 
 And now, having dwelt long enough on 
 my originals, yet not too long, for I would 
 show truly to what degradation may a man 
 bring himself by self-abandonment, I will 
 continue this history without any further 
 digression. 
 
 To my hut, then, in the wood did I be- 
 take myself after my escape from Truro, re- 
 freshing myself on the way with a plunge 
 in the cool river ; and being arrived at my 
 home, as I may call it, I went to a hollow 
 tree hard b}^ which served me as a store- 
 house, to see if aught was there to satisfy 
 the cravings of my stomach ; but finding 
 nothing save a hare which I had hung there 
 before leaving, and which now stank (for I 
 had been absent best part of three days) so 
 that I could not eat it, hungered though I 
 was, I picked up my bow, which also I kept 
 in this place, and, taking a turn in the wood,
 
 22 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 I had presently the chance to kill a wood- 
 pigeon. Then I built a fire with dry sticks, 
 of which there was no lack at this season, 
 laid my pigeon in the embers, and when it 
 had lain there as long as my patience would 
 endure, I stripped off the skin and feathers, 
 and devoured it, using my fingers for fork 
 and my teeth for knife; and thus having 
 partly quieted my stomach, though I could 
 have eaten half a dozen such small game, 
 but was too tired to seek more, I threw my- 
 self on the earth within my hut, and fell 
 asleep at once, nor did any pricking of con- 
 science trouble me in the least. 
 
 And here I slept on till about eight 
 o'clock in the evening, as I judge, w^hen an 
 unwonted sound awoke me ; for I had con- 
 tracted the habit of sleeping, as it were, 
 with my ears open. But being mighty heavy 
 with sleep I did no more than sit up and 
 glance stupidly through the opening of my 
 hut. I saw naught but a tranquil glow over 
 the west through the still leaves of the
 
 I AM TAKEN AGAIN. 23 
 
 trees ; and a nightingale then bursting out 
 into sonor at no great distance, I concluded 
 there was nothing to fear; and throwing my- 
 self on the ground, in a minute I was again 
 sound asleep. 
 
 Nothing disturbed me after that through 
 the night, but soon after da^^break, as I take 
 it, m)'- ears were assailed by a confusion of 
 sounds, and ere I could spring to my feet, 
 a fellow threw himself upon my chest, 
 another knelt upon my legs, and a third 
 laid strong hands upon my shoulders, and in 
 a trice I felt cords cutting into my arms 
 and binding them to my sides. 
 
 " You escape not this time, Master Benet," 
 growled a voice, and in truth my captors 
 were as good as this fellow's words, for 
 enough cord was bestowed about me as would 
 have trussed up an elephant. My captors 
 were six ; all stout fellows and well armed, 
 amongst whom I recognised one of the men 
 who had served me the day before, and I 
 cursed my folly that I had lain myself open
 
 24 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 to be taken in this way ; for I might have 
 foreseen the pursuit had I given it a thought. 
 However, cursing was of no good ; there was 
 I clapped up and in a fair way to get my 
 punishment doubled, and more than that. 
 And, as there was no likelihood of escape, 
 the only thing left me was to bear my ill- 
 luck with the fortitude of despair. Yet my 
 heart sank as I saw them take up my bow 
 which, I had laid beside me on going to 
 sleep, for I knew I should have it no more, 
 and how could I get food or aught else with- 
 out that when I got my liberty again ? 
 Better to take my life, or rob me for ever 
 of my liberty, than take that by which I 
 lived, thought I. 
 
 They haled me out into the open, and 
 there for the first time this day I spied the 
 gipsy E-odrigues. He was seated on a fallen 
 tree, with his elbows on his knees, and his 
 jaws in his hands, smoking tobacco in the end 
 of a clay pipe ; and now he had his keen eyes 
 fixed on me, watching how I took this new
 
 MY CAPTORS FALL ASLEEP. 25 
 
 buffet of fortune with tlie same look he had 
 worn the day before, when I stood in the 
 pillory. 
 
 I guessed it was his step that had aroused 
 me the foregoing evening, and that he led 
 on the sheriff's men to catch me, which was 
 pretty near the truth of the matter, as I shall 
 presently show. 
 
 To make sure that I should not escape, 
 the men tied me up to a tree ; then they pro- 
 ceeded to regale themselves from a store of 
 meat, with which their wallets were well 
 filled, making very merry with me the time ; 
 after which they consulted together in a low 
 voice ; and, one of them having parleyed for a 
 few minutes with Rodrigues, they all stretched 
 themselves out on the soft sward, and in a 
 short time were asleep and snoring like so 
 many swine, which surprised me somewhat, 
 seeing that now the sun was getting pretty 
 high. 
 
 For some while Rodrigues sat as still as 
 any carved image, smoking his pipe and looking
 
 26 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 at me; then up lie gets, and passing the 
 sleepers as silently as might be, he comes to 
 my side ; and putting first his finger on his 
 lips, and jerking his thumb over" his shoulders 
 with a sly leer to bid me be silent, he pulls 
 a letter from his breast and showed me my 
 name writ upon it. This he thrusts back 
 in his breast, and, after a glance over his 
 shoulder to make sm-e all were still sleeping, 
 he cuts the cords that bound me to the tree 
 with his dagger, and leads me a good stonecast 
 distant, where we might converse in a low tone 
 without being heard. 
 
 Here he again lugged out the letter, and, 
 spreading it out (the seal being already broke), 
 he held it before my eyes to read ; for he had 
 been careful not to sever the cords that tethered 
 my arms to my side. 
 
 It was my uncle's hand and signature. 
 
 " You have read this ? " says I. 
 
 Rodrigues shrugged his shoulders, as much 
 as to say, " I had been a fool else," and then 
 says he, with the utmost assurance —
 
 MY UNCLE, HIS LETTER. 27 
 
 " I was to have given it to you last niglit, 
 but you were sleeping so sweetly I had no 
 heart to wake you. Besides, I thought you 
 would more readily listen to his advice if you 
 ^were in bonds than if you were free." 
 
 " So you betrayed me ? " 
 
 " Not at once. I led the fellows up and 
 down in the moonlight best part of the night, 
 that they might be overcome with fatigue 
 this morning, and so give me the opportunity 
 of some serious conversation with you. Now 
 read what Sir Bartlemy has to say." 
 
 I was m no position to resent this in- 
 solence ; so I did what was next best — 
 swallowed ib, and followed his advice ; and 
 this is what I read : — 
 
 "Nephew Benet, — Yoii are no longer safe in my 
 woods, for I have no power to shield you from the law. 
 Even now the officers are out to apprehend you, and God 
 knows what may befall if you are taken. If you have 
 any feeling for me, any love for your father's memory, 
 or any respect for yourself, you will escape this new 
 shame. My ships lie in the haven ready to depart, and 
 Sir HaiTy is still willing to accept you as his companion
 
 28 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 and friend in the noble enterprise now toward. I do 
 beg and implore you be not a fool and a villain as 
 well, but quickly accept this offer, Rodrigues, who beai's 
 this, does undertake to carry you safe to Flushing, where 
 a boat lies in readiness to take you on board the Sure 
 Hawk, where you shall find all comfort and good cheer 
 to say naught of the loving gratitude of thine old uncle, 
 
 " Bartlemy Pengilly." 
 
 This gentle letter did somewhat move my 
 heart ; and surely its sensibility had been 
 gone be3'ond all recovery had it not responded 
 to so warm an appeal ; and my first feeling 
 was that I would do his bidding. Then I 
 bethought me what a mean and sneaking 
 thing it was, after refusing this offer when I 
 was free to accept it when I was not free ; and 
 what a hang-dog cur I should appear to all 
 the crew when my story became known, and 
 how (under the mask of pity and patronage) 
 Sir Harry Smidmore must scorn me for a 
 paltry fellow. And with that came the re- 
 membrance of Lady Biddy's contempt; and, 
 coupling these two together, I was wrought 
 again with fierce jealousy and hatred ; and I
 
 RODRIGUES GOADS ME ONWARDS. 29 
 
 did resolve that I would die ten thousand 
 deaths rather than give them this food for 
 their scorn. 
 
 Eodrigues, subtly watching me, must have 
 seen the madness in my eye, for he whispered 
 at this point — 
 
 " Sir Hariy is wondrous eager to get you." 
 
 " Curse Sir Harry ! " says I, warmly. 
 
 " Not I," says he, with a quiet laugh. 
 " He'll give me a score of gold pieces if I 
 take you to him ; and no wonder, for he will 
 be well repaid with caresses when he takes 
 the news to Lady Biddy." 
 
 " You'll get no pieces from him, nor he 
 kisses from her, through me, I promise you." 
 
 " Your ears will be cropped for a certainty 
 if you are taken back to Truro." And then, 
 as I made no reply, he adds, " You are 
 minded to break 3^our uncle's heart rather 
 than your own pride." 
 
 " Nay," says I, " there's a way by which 
 I may spare him shame, and myself as 
 well."
 
 30 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " Are you man enough to thrust a knife 
 in your own heart ? " says he. 
 
 " Ay ! " says I, joyfully ; " do but try me. 
 Give but my forearm fair play and lend me 
 your dagger. You shall be rewarded, I warrant, 
 when you tell Lady Biddy I am no more. Or 
 do you thrust it into me if you doubt the use 
 I should make of the knife. I promise you I 
 will not awake a single sleeper with my groans." 
 
 He nodded approvingly, but made no 
 attempt to take me at my word. 
 
 " Life isn't worth much," says he, " to a 
 fool. And 'tis only a fool who thinks there's 
 never another loaf to be got when he's eaten 
 his last crust. Look at me," spreading his 
 arms and surveying his rags — " a prince last 
 month, a beggar to-day. What of that ? I'll 
 be a king next year. And so may you be," 
 he adds, after a pause. But that did not 
 tempt me ; so presently he goes on — 
 
 " If you had seen what I have seen, and 
 if you were as hideous as I am, and as old, 
 3'et you would not talk of ending your life.
 
 RODRIGUES TEMPTS ME WITH FINE WORDS. 31 
 
 If you had seen as I have seen " — speaking 
 slowly, yet with passion, as, through his half- 
 closed eyes, he seemed to be looking at what 
 he described — " a land where the forests are 
 flower gardens, more fair than hand of man 
 can make ; where trees — not like these stunted 
 things, which are but bushes by comparison — 
 where trees, I say, seem hung with precious 
 gems, and waters run on beds of gold and silver, 
 and every rock is dazzling crystal; where rich 
 fruits tempt the appetite they never cloy ; 
 where flying birds are like the flash of gems, 
 and their song more sweet than your musician 
 ever heard in dreams ; where the sun never 
 parches nor cold winds bite ; where the gentle 
 air is brisk as wine and charged with the scent 
 of leagues of flowers : if you had seen that 
 land, I say, you would want to see it again 
 before you died." 
 
 These hints of southern glories I had heard 
 before from my uncle ; though between his 
 speech and this poetic gipsy's there was all 
 the difference betwixt north and south.
 
 33 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " To see this land might tempt you to 
 oblige Sir Bartlemy," says he. Then, after a 
 bit, he continues, " But it does not, I perceive. 
 You know the intent of this enterprise — first, 
 to gratify your uncle's whim ; and, next, to en- 
 rich Sir Harry, that he may wed Lady Biddy. 
 You have no relish to help him that way — 
 to come home with a gruesome face to pull 
 the joybells at their wedding ? " 
 
 " No, by the lord ; that will I never do ! " 
 says I. 
 
 " Then your answer to that letter is 
 'No?'" 
 
 "A thousand times 'No!'" 
 
 "You refuse the offer?" 
 
 "I do." 
 
 " I see you mean what you say," says he, 
 looking me keenly in the eye, " and I am 
 right glad it is so. I am not mistaken in 
 you, Pengilly. I saw there was mettle in 
 you from the first, else I had not taken all 
 this trouble on myself to win you. Had you 
 said ' Yes ' to that letter you would have had
 
 OUR DISCOURSE INTERRUPTED. 33 
 
 me for your enemy, and it would have gone 
 ill with you, I promise. As it is, I am your 
 friend, as I will quickly prove. For, first, I 
 will give you freedom, and after that a voyage 
 to the south ; whence you shall speedily re- 
 turn, your ship deep laden with gold : then 
 shall you have possession of your mistress. 
 All this I promise ; ay, and more, for 3'ou 
 shall, if you will, revenge yourself of the in- 
 sults this proud maid has heaped upon you, 
 and humble the man who would have taken 
 her from you, so that he shall not dare to 
 show his face before her. What say you to 
 this ? " 
 
 I could say nothing on the moment, being 
 greatly perplexed by this unexpected turn; 
 and ere I could command my senses to inquire 
 of Rodrigues how he purj)osed compassing 
 that which he proposed, we were both mightily 
 startled by hearing, at no great distance behind 
 us, the sound of men's voices ; and presently 
 one above the rest set to hallooing "Jack 
 Greddes ! Jack Greddes ! " which was the name 
 
 D
 
 34 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 of that sheriff's man who had bound me as 
 aforesaid. Then on the other side we heard 
 the men who lay asleep rousing each other 
 with a great confusion of sound that showed 
 they had discovered my escape. Thus we 
 stood between the party w^hich had taken me 
 and a second party sent after to help them. 
 And the chance of getting freedom, to say 
 nothing of riches and my sweetheart, looked 
 more unlikely than ever. Yet did we contrive 
 to escape, as I shall set forth in the next 
 chapter.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 BY A CUNNING STRATAGEM I AM GOT OUT OF 
 JACK GEDDES' HANDS, AND BROUGHT ABOARD 
 THE " SURE HAWK." 
 
 The two parties of sheriff's men were distant 
 from each other, as I took it by the sound of 
 their voices, no more than a hundred yards, so 
 that we could not burst away in any direction 
 without hazard of being seen ; and a foolhardy 
 hazard it had been, for Jack Geddes and his 
 party were armed with muskets, and would 
 not have scrupled to use them. Yet how to 
 escape did not appear until Rodrigues (as luck 
 would have it) spied a fairly deep hole which 
 had served at one time for a sawpit, and to 
 this he hurried me, and we both leaped in, 
 and there, in a twinkling, did he scrape aside 
 the loose sawdust that lay at the bottom ; 
 and in the trough thus hastily made, I, seeing 
 D 2
 
 36 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 his intent, threw myself full length, and as 
 quickly was smothered over from top to toe 
 with the sawdust, so that nothing was visible 
 of me. 
 
 By this time the two parties were joined, 
 and there they set up a great shouting and 
 cursing because I was no longer bound to the 
 tree as I had been left. And not only did 
 they curse me, but they cursed Rodrigues as 
 heartily, vowing they would pepper him with 
 their bullets as a faithless villain if they saw 
 him. Whereupon this Eodrigues, laying him- 
 self prone on my body, set up a most dismal 
 groaning, like one in pain, hearing which 
 Jack Greddes and the rest came rushing to the 
 edge of the pit. Seeing him there all alone 
 and doubled up as though he had been broke, 
 half a dozen, in one breath, began to question 
 him how he came there, what was amiss with 
 him, etc. To which he replies with a groan — 
 
 " 'Tis all along of that Pengilly ! I was but 
 dozing, when I heard one cry ' Jack Greddes ' " 
 (here a groan), "and the same moment I
 
 MY PURSUERS THROWN OFF THE SCENT. 37 
 
 saw Pengilly with a miglity wrencli tear himself 
 from the tree. Up I started and after him, 
 when, being but half awake, I threw my- 
 self into this cursed hole, and here have I 
 broke my arm, I do believe. But do you leave 
 me here (where I am as well as elsewhere), 
 and catch the villain. I would not for the 
 loss of both arms miss seeing his ears cropped." 
 
 " Ay ! we will catch him : have no fear," 
 says Greddes ; " scatter yourselves, my fine 
 fellows, and shoot dow^n the rascal if you do 
 but sight him, for we shall suffer for it if he 
 escape us." 
 
 Whereupon the men, more concerned for 
 themselves than for any hurt of Eodrigues, 
 started off like hounds unleashed, and each, in 
 his several direction, bent upon taking me 
 again alive or dead. And it was none too 
 soon, for the sawdust, entering my mouth 
 and nostrils when I breathed, I was pretty 
 nigh choked — to say nothing of the opj^ression 
 I suffered from the cords that pinned my arms 
 and Eodrigues lying upon my back.
 
 38 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 So when they were gone and Eodrigues, 
 standing up and peering over the edge, said 
 that all was clear, I lifted my head, shaking 
 off the sawdust and spitting out that which 
 had got into my throat, and breathed again. 
 
 " Now," said Eodrigues ; " now may we 
 escape, for being all scattered, our pursuers 
 are less likely to take us." 
 
 " Do but cut this cord," says I, " and I 
 warrant not any two shall take me." 
 
 " Ay," says he, "I will cut your bonds 
 with a good heart. But first must you swear 
 to be secret and silent ; nay, you must swear 
 also to be obedient to my direction without 
 question or murmuring, else will I leave you 
 here to fare for yourself." 
 
 I promised him this, for I was in no 
 position to haggle over terms ; yet my promise 
 was not enough for him, but he, taking his 
 dagger by the blade, held it to my mouth, 
 and would have me kiss the cross of it, 
 swearing by that sign as a Christian to obey 
 him in every particular. And this I did, the
 
 WE GET OUT OF THE SAWPIT. 39 
 
 more readily because of the cord which Jack 
 Greddes had knotted so cruelly about my arms 
 that it bit into my flesh to my intolerable 
 hurt. 
 
 Having thus made me take oath, he cut the 
 cord, and I was free ; yet for some time could I 
 not use my arms with any freedom, by reason 
 they were so benumbed and bruised. Never- 
 theless, I managed to scramble up out of the 
 pit after Eodrigues, and thence, I following 
 on his heels, with the stealth of any cats, we 
 pushed our way by bush and briar through the 
 thickest part of the wood, where, at sight of 
 an enemy, we might lie down and be unseen. 
 On we went, Eodrigues leading and keeping 
 the sun well before, for a matter of three miles 
 or thereabouts, without encountering any of my 
 pursuers ; and then, perceiving that if we kept 
 on in this direction we must shortly come to 
 Flushing, which lies (as I have said) on the 
 hither side of the Fal, opposite Penny-come- 
 quick, I twitched Eodrigues by the skirt and 
 gave him to understand this, adding that there
 
 40 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 was not a fisherman there but knew me, and 
 would have me hanged if he could ; and this 
 was true, for I was known and feared all round 
 and about these parts, and held to be a wild man 
 of the woods, very dreadful and dangerous, and 
 a bogey to frighten children withal. 
 
 " I know well enough where I am going," 
 says he. 
 
 "That may be," says I; "yet this is but 
 a stepping out of the frying-pan into the fire, 
 so far as I am concerned." 
 
 Whereupon he taps the handle of his dagger 
 as a sign to me to remember my oath, and that 
 is all the satisfaction I got. 
 
 So on we go again, still keeping the sun 
 before us ; and descending the hill anon we 
 come to the river side, and here Eodrigues 
 stops, looking to the right and left, as if uncer- 
 tain ; then, putting his hand over his mouth, 
 he gives the cry of " Cuckoo ! " as natural as 
 ever I did hear, and straight there comes an 
 answer in the same manner from a thicket 
 further up the river side. Thither we made
 
 WE FALL IN WITH TWO OTHER ROGUES. 41 
 
 our way, but with great care, now being no 
 more than a furlong or thereabouts from the 
 village, screened off by a jutting point of land 
 well timbered; and soon, passing through the 
 said thicket, we came on a little creek, in which 
 lay a boat, wherein sat a couple of seamen as 
 tawny as Eodrigues, but stouter and better 
 favoured, albeit one lacked an eye. 
 
 All about this creek there lay an open space, 
 from which an alley ran up into the wood ; and, 
 lest he should be observed, Rodrigues would not 
 advance beyond the brush, whence he signalled 
 his fellows to know if all were safe. And he with 
 the one eye, rising up and stretching himself as 
 if he were aweary, spied up the alley and all 
 round and about, and then signalled, by winking 
 his one eye, that he could see nothing ; where- 
 upon Eodrigues bade me cross the open quickly, 
 get into the boat, and lie down under the sail 
 that was there. He came not himself, but was 
 gone when I got to the boat and cast my eye 
 round for him. And here I may tell what I 
 afterwards learnt concerning him. He made
 
 42 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FAXE. 
 
 his way back with all speed to the sawpit, and 
 lay there as if he had never budged when 
 the men came back from their search after 
 me, still feigning to be greatly hurt with his 
 arm, though happily assured that it was not 
 broken. 
 
 Meanwhile I, following his direction without 
 knowing what the end thereof might be, got 
 into the boat, and, lying down in the bottom, 
 was covered over with the sail-cloth by one of 
 the mariners, while the other loosed the boat 
 from its moorings ; and this was done none too 
 quickly, for as the fellow was stepping into the 
 boat from untying of the headline, who should 
 come down into the open but John Greddes him- 
 self, as I knew full well by his voice. 
 
 "Hold, there ! " says he, hailing the seamen. 
 " Have you seen a great, sturdy fellow in a 
 leather jerkin pass this way? " 
 
 "Not we," replies one; "and we've been on 
 the look-out for such a man since yesterday 
 afternoon — and a pox to him ! " 
 
 " And, pray, Avho set you to wait for him ? "
 
 WE GET CLEAR OF JACK GEDDES. 43 
 
 asked Geddes, and bis voice told that he was 
 now close by the boat's side. 
 
 " Why, that's my master's business that 
 sent us, and none of yours," said the fellow. 
 
 "Hold your clapper, Ned, and lend a hand 
 with your oar," cries his mate, " for the boat 
 is aground, and I can't shove her off. Yo, 
 ho ! all together ! 3-0, ho ! — there we be ! Now 
 off we go, Pengilly or no Pengilly, for, curse 
 me," says he, "my in'ards will stand this 
 griping of hunger no longer." 
 
 Then there sprang up a dissension between 
 the two seamen and Greddes, who would have 
 them ferry him over to Penny-come-quick, and 
 they would not; and he, laying the stock of 
 Jiis musket on the gunwale to draw the boat so 
 that he might step in, one of them flung it off, 
 while the other fetched him a blow on the head 
 with his oar that laid Master Geddes senseless 
 on his back. Then says the first to the other — 
 
 " Lay to, Ned, for God's sake, or mischief 
 will come of this." 
 
 All this while I lay still under the sail-
 
 44 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 cloth, expecting, for tlie most part, nothing 
 less but to feel Geddes his foot step on to me. 
 But his business being so concluded, I heard 
 nothing more but the dip of the oars, the 
 ripple of water under me, and the working of 
 the rowlocks, until one of the men says to the 
 other, "Pull under her lee, that we be not 
 seen from the shore ; " and the next minute the 
 boat bumped, and the sail-cloth being whipped 
 off, I found that we lay under the side of a 
 fine, high ship. 
 
 "Up you go, comrade, quick," says Ned 
 (he with the one eye). 
 
 Then up the rope steps that hung by the 
 ship's side I sped, and being come on deck 
 was as speedily hustled down into the dark 
 hold below, where they who had followed me 
 down barricadoed me round about with divers 
 barrels, bidding me lie quiet until I should be 
 told it was safe to venture forth. 
 
 And all this time I knew not that I had 
 come as a runaway aboard my uncle's ship the 
 Sure Hawk: but so it was.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 I COME TO THE CANARIES IN BETTER PLIGHT 
 THAN I STARTED. 
 
 AVhen the seamen had hidden me away, so 
 that no man not knowing the ways of the ship 
 could well come at me save by discharging the 
 hold of its stores, one brought me some meat 
 and drink, and then I was left to myself in 
 the dark. For some time all was quiet above, 
 but about noon, as I judge, I heard a great 
 bustle on the decks of pulling ropes and the 
 like, and this continued all day until the even- 
 ing, when the anchors were drawn up and the 
 ship made sail. And the reason of this commo- 
 tion was that Rodrigues, having got away from 
 the sheriff's men, under pretence of seeking 
 relief for his arm, sped him to Sir Bai-tlemy 
 Pengilly to tell him how I had refused his 
 offer, but had nevertheless gone aboard the Sure
 
 46 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FAXE. 
 
 Hawk to escape the law ; whereupon the knight, 
 mightily pleased w4th this turn, ordered Sir 
 Hany Smidmore, who then lay at his house, 
 to lose no time in departing, but to take ad- 
 vantage of the breeze now springing up to set 
 sail as soon as might be ; and the stores being 
 all aboard and the crew in readiness, Sir Harry 
 set about this business at once. When the 
 men stood at the anchor ready to heave away, 
 Sir Bartlemy and Lady Biddy took an affec- 
 tionate farewell of Sir Harry, and bidding him 
 with tears God speed and a happy return, 
 quitted the ship. And so about eight o'clock 
 that evening the Sure Hawk (with her com- 
 panion, the Adventurer) sailed out of Falmouth 
 Haven with me, Benet Pengilly, in the hold. 
 
 When we were fairly out to s,ea, Eodrigues 
 came down to me with another fellow bearing 
 a lantern, and bade me come out, and I was 
 not sorry ; for besides that it was extremely 
 stuffy down there, so that there was no breath- 
 ing with any comfort, the ship had begun to 
 roll and pitch in such a manner that I feared
 
 WE GET FAIRLY OUT TO SEA. 47 
 
 every moment nothing less but to be crusbed 
 by some cbest or barrel being thrown upon 
 me, though, indeed, there was naught to fear 
 in that respect, as I learnt when I became 
 better acquainted with the manner of these 
 things. But, indeed, the sea ran unconscionably 
 high, and the ship laboured painfully all that 
 night and the next day, and after that the 
 next night again was no better, so that it was 
 surprising to me that we had not foundered. 
 Yet that was the last thing I feared, for, being 
 miserably ill and as sick as any dog, I do truly 
 think that had the ship split I should have 
 made no effort to save myself. 
 
 I had been stowed away between decks 
 amongst some bales of goods packed securely 
 in the fore part of the vessel, and here I lay, 
 with no comfort but a stone jar of water, 
 until, waking from a sound sleep, it might be 
 about noon and we now at sea three days, 
 I perceived that the storm had greatly abated, 
 and that my stomach was no longer qualmish, 
 but quickened with a huge hunger — as well
 
 48 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE, 
 
 it might be after my long fast, etc. Then, 
 feeling brisker than I had yet felt since we 
 set sail, I sat up, and a savoury smell sharpen- 
 ing my appetite, I got upon my legs, and so 
 spied half a dozen seamen seated on chests 
 under the light of the hatchway before a 
 smoking mess of pork and pease. Thither I 
 made my way, though not without difficulty, 
 the ship still rolling immoderately, and begged 
 civilly that they would let me eat with them. 
 Whereupon one shoved the victuals towards 
 me that I might help myself, but not a word, 
 good or bad, did any of them speak, which 
 was more noticeable because they had all been 
 laughing and talking till they saw me. Pre- 
 sently a pipe sounded, and they all went up 
 above; then down comes Eodrigues, and it 
 was the first time I had seen him since we 
 were at sea. He had on his sea skirt and 
 large boots all running with water, for it still 
 was exceedingly foul weather, and his hat 
 tied down about his ears with a red kerchief. 
 But he was in good spirits, and asked me
 
 DISCOURSE WITH llODRIGUES. 49 
 
 cheerfully how I did as he seated himself 
 beside me and helped himself to meat;, and 
 having answered his inquiry, I told him how 
 the seamen scowded at me, and begged to 
 know if I had done aught to deserve this in- 
 civility. 
 
 " Why, yes," says he ; " for had it not been 
 to save you from the catchpoles, we should 
 never have ventured to sea in such a rising 
 gale. We have had no rest since we left 
 Falmouth, and like at any moment to have 
 Sfone to the bottom. For aufjht we know, our 
 consort is lost, and all hands with her, not 
 having been seen these two days. And this 
 is a great loss, besides being a bad beginning 
 to our enterprise, and all is set down to your 
 charge. However, it is in your power to make 
 them amends and win their love, and I make 
 no doubt you will." 
 
 " With all my heart," says I, " if j^ou do 
 but show me how." 
 
 " All in good time," says he, tearing with 
 his pointed teeth the flesh off a knuckle-bone
 
 50 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 of pork that lie held in his hands ; "all in 
 good time. We can do nothing yet, but I 
 look to you for help by-and-by, else had I not 
 run all this risk for you. And yet," continues 
 he, after a pause, flinging the knuckle -bone 
 behind him — "yet it might be well for you 
 to make friends with the captain at once. He 
 asked to see you this morning." 
 
 " And who is this captain ? " I asked, my 
 curiosity awakening. 
 
 "Why, Sir Harry Smidmore, to be sure. 
 Did I not tell you ? " 
 
 " No," says I, moodily. 
 
 " Then you might have guessed it." 
 
 And this was true, if I had been in a 
 humour for guessing. 
 
 " I have been trapped and despatched to 
 sea to please Lady Biddy," says I, savagely. 
 
 " Well, you'll bear me no grudge for that. 
 There was no way to save you but by getting 
 you aboard the ship." Then, glancing round 
 to see we were alone, he adds, dropping his 
 voice, " And if Sir Harry Smidmore made to
 
 RODRIGUES GIVES ME A HINT OF HIS DESIGN, 51 
 
 sea with you before you could escape, that lie 
 mi gilt please his sweetheart and keep you and 
 her well asunder, 'twas no fault of mine neither. 
 Don't you like it, Pengilly ? " 
 
 I ground my teeth for response. 
 
 "Would you be even with him for this 
 trick ? " he asked, in the same low tone, and 
 with a sinister leer. 
 
 " Ay, that I would ! " says I. 
 
 " So would I in your place," says he. " If 
 a man served me that way, I'd " 
 
 Here he stopped, and taking up a jack- 
 knife, he stuck it in the deal board that 
 served as a bench, and pressed on it till the 
 blade came out on the other side, and while 
 he did this his sinewy hand grasped the 
 board as if it were a throat, and his lips were 
 drawn back close on his pointed teeth ; then 
 he looked sidelong at me, saying never a 
 word, as if to know how I took this hint. 
 
 " I am no murderer," says I, terrified by 
 his manner as much as by his suggestion. 
 
 " Why, who said you were ? " says he, 
 E 2 
 
 OF »LL LIB.
 
 52 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 with great show of indignation. " Cannot a 
 man by steady endeavour go through a diffi- 
 culty as I have gone through that board with 
 this knife without doing a mischief? What 
 a fool should I be to counsel you to such an 
 end when our true success depends upon you 
 being good friends with our captain. Nay," 
 he adds, "if I thought you would curb your 
 spirit to it, I would beg you to take Sir 
 Harry's hand, when he offers it to you, and 
 accept his friendship." 
 
 " That can I never do." 
 
 "So t thought. Howsomever, you must 
 do him no injury or insult at this present. 
 And, harkye, I know it for a fact that he 
 wants to give into your hand a sum of money 
 entrusted to him by your uncle for your par- 
 ticular use, that you might furnish yourself 
 presently with an equipment worthy of his 
 nephew ; and this you must not refuse to 
 take. Laugh as scornfully as you will, but 
 you must take it, and I will tell you for 
 why. When we get to a port, you will have
 
 A FAIR PRETENCE. 53 
 
 to make the crew merry in return for the 
 hardships they have suffered on your account. 
 You must win them to your side, for we can 
 do nothing else." 
 
 " They shall have every penny I get, and 
 welcome. But tell me what you mean when 
 you say we can do nothing without having 
 the men on our side ? " 
 
 " I mean," says he, " that without them 
 you will get neither riches nor your sweet- 
 heart." 
 
 " And how, having them, am I to win 
 these ends ? " 
 
 " Leave that to me. I have promised the 
 achievement, and if you do but work patiently 
 upon my instructions, I will not fall short of 
 my word. More than this I cannot now tell 
 you, but you shall know more hereafter. For 
 the present, you can do nothing but win the 
 affection of the men, and the captain also." 
 
 All this was a great mystery to me, and 
 I could nohow fathom to the bottom of it ; this 
 only was clear, that I must follow Rodrigues'
 
 54 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 bidding, not only because I was bound to 
 do so in a certain measure by reason of my 
 oath, but also because it was good policy. 
 So when I had refreshed mysell by sousing 
 my head . in a bucket of water, I went above, 
 and, holding on by the bulwarks, was much 
 amazed with the sight of the heaving seas, 
 which I had never before seen as now, all 
 around me, and the way in which the great 
 ship would dive down into the hollow of a 
 wave as if to perdition, and yet the next 
 moment ride upon the crest of it as light as 
 any duck. 
 
 While I was standing here, one of the sea- 
 men came to me, saying that the captain would 
 speak with me ; so I went with him into the 
 roundhouse under the poop deck where Sir 
 Harry was, and very cheerful and bright this 
 young man looked in his sea dress. Then, 
 with a noble, easy air, he begs me to sit down, 
 and, sitting himself, discoursed about the late 
 storm, telling me how we should certainly have 
 been all lost but for the admirable skill and
 
 SIR HARRY ENTERTAINS ME KINDLY. 55 
 
 exertions of the master, Eodrigues (and this 
 every one did allow), and all with perfect self- 
 command and natural civility, as though we 
 had heen the best friends in the world. But 
 he did not offer me his hand to take, and I 
 was glad of this, for I could not have taken 
 it without shame, feeling as I still did towards 
 him. 
 
 " However," says he, " the worst is over, 
 and, please God, the first part of our voyage 
 will soon be made ; then j^ou will be free to 
 do as you hke — either to go back to England 
 or to go on \vith me. For I have not the 
 power to hold you a prisoner, nor have I the 
 wish to keep you with me, except as a friend. 
 That is for you to decide, and I hope, witli 
 all my heart, you will decide to share in tliis 
 enterprise, and return with me a richer and a 
 happier man than ever you could have been 
 had you not sailed witli us. And that your 
 choice may be perfectly free, here is a purse 
 of money that Sir Bartlemy entrusted me with 
 for your use. It will pay your voyage home,
 
 56 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FAXE. 
 
 but if you have need of more for your neces- 
 sities, I shall be very happy to place my purse 
 at your disposal." 
 
 I took the bag of money he offered, thank- 
 ing him for his civility as well as my untutored 
 tongue would allow. Then he rose, making me 
 a graceful bow, and bade the man who waited 
 at the door to take me to my cabin, which I 
 found very neat and properly furnished, with 
 everything necessary to my convenience, and 
 two good suits of new clothes, besides shirts, 
 stockings, etc. 
 
 Eodrigues was mightily pleased when he 
 saw me in my new clothes and with my hair 
 decently combed, and it seemed to me that the 
 seamen eyed me with more respect than they 
 had yet shown me ; indeed, I found that this 
 decency did elevate me in my own opinion a 
 great deal, so that I thought better of myself 
 and more hopefully than I had since the be- 
 ginning of my misfortunes. 
 
 The wind continued very high (but fairly 
 prosperous) for nine da3^s after that, and then,
 
 WE COME TO FUERTEVENTURA. 57 
 
 making the Canaries, we came into water as 
 smooth as the heart of man could desire, and 
 so cast anchor at Fuerteventura. And here we 
 were very busy for three days, repairing the 
 mischief done us by the storm, and all that 
 time we saw nothing of the Adventurer, our 
 consort, which was to have joined us there in 
 case of being separated, so that we gave her 
 up for lost, and I know not who was more 
 cast down about this, Sir Harry Smidmore or 
 Eodrigues. However, on the fourth day the 
 missing ship bore in sight (to our great joy), 
 and by nightfall was anchored alongside of us, 
 but with one mast gone, and so sorely bruised 
 that she looked not the same ship she had 
 been. And it was curious to see how the crew 
 of the Adventurer, coming on board the Sure 
 Hawk, the men did hug each other and weep 
 for gladness. Amongst them all the most joy- 
 ful were Eodrigues and Ned Parsons, the sea- 
 man I have spoken of as having only one eye, 
 and who was master aboard the Adventurer. 
 But what damped Sir Harry's spirits greatly
 
 58 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 was this, that his dear friend, John Murray, 
 who was captain on our consort, had been 
 washed overboard in the storm, and was no 
 more ; and that the men might not see his 
 grief, he went into his own cabin and shut the 
 door, and I think there was no sad heart on 
 board but his. 
 
 Presently Eodrigues came to my side, and, 
 says he — 
 
 " Now is the time to win the hearts of 
 these men. I shall get leave from the captam 
 for them to go ashore ; do you give them some- 
 thing to make merry with." 
 
 I agreed to this with all my heart, and 
 fetching the bag of gold from my cabin which 
 Sir Bartlemy had sent, I bade him distribute 
 every farthing amongst them ; and this he did, 
 giving every man equal share, so that each 
 got over a pound, for there was the value of 
 two hundred pounds in the bag, and the com- 
 panies numbered eight score, as near as may be. 
 When he had thus made the " dividend," 
 as he called it, Eodrigues told them that it was
 
 NED PARSONS. 59 
 
 I who gave the money out of love for them, 
 and the hardships they had borne on my 
 account. Whereupon Ned Parsons cried he 
 would do as much again and a hundred times 
 more for so generous a gentleman, and bade 
 his comrades give me a cheer, which they did 
 with all their lungs, and three times. And I 
 thought this Ned Parsons was a good friend 
 to me, but he was not.
 
 CHAPTEE V. 
 
 TO MY MORTAL PERIL I OVERHEAR A HORRID 
 SCHEME OF RODRIGUES AND NED PARSONS. 
 
 Sir Harry gave leave that all should go on 
 shore who had a mind to, save only such as 
 Parsons and Eodrigues should need to keep 
 on hoard the Adventurer and the Sure Haiok for 
 their protection ; and Eodrigues bade all be 
 gone, saying that he and Ned Parsons would 
 watch the two ships during the night. So 
 the men went off in the barge, one batch after 
 the other, and last of all Sir Harry himself 
 went also to refresh his spirits after the grief 
 of losing his dear friend; and Parsons rowed 
 him to shore. There were then left on the 
 Sure Hawk none save Eodrigues and I. And 
 I being heavy with sleep (it being by that 
 time nine o'clock, as I think) threw myself on 
 my cot within my cabin, and fell off in a doze.
 
 ALONE WITH TWO VILLAINS. Gl 
 
 While I laj'^ there Eodrigaes came to my cabin 
 and saw me by the light of the lamp, as I 
 found out afterwards. 
 
 But presently awaking, I rose up and went 
 out on the deck, feeling the want of fresh air. 
 And indeed the night would have tempted 
 most men to go forth, being very fair and 
 the moon vastly bright, as it is in those 
 parts. 
 
 There was not a soul on the deck, for Rod- 
 rigues, seeing me asleep and all clear, had 
 gone into the captain's store-room to pilfer 
 a bottle of wine ; and so without design I 
 sauntered on till coming, as chance would 
 have it, to the main-mast of the ship, I came 
 to a stand, and leaning my back against the 
 mast so that I faced the moon, I fell to 
 meditating on my lot. Whilst I stood there 
 I heard the dip of oars ; then the chink of 
 glass as Rodrigues set down his bottles right 
 over against where I stood, but on the other 
 side of the great mast, and after that he went 
 to the side and called over, " Come up, Ned.
 
 02 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 I've that will make us merry, though we be 
 not ashore." 
 
 " For all that I would rather be ashore with 
 our mates," replies Parsons in a grumbling 
 voice as he comes up the side. 
 
 " And so we will, man, and many a jolly 
 night will we sjDend with our mates — when 
 we have no secrets to keep," replies Eodrigues. 
 " Here we have it all to ourselves, and need 
 fear nothing if the drink do give a loose to 
 our tongues." 
 
 "Where's Pengilly? He went not ashore," 
 says Parsons, when he had tumbled over the 
 bulwarks on to the deck. 
 
 "Asleep in the coach where you see the 
 light burning, and is sound as a log. Sit you 
 down here, and we shall see him if he comes 
 out, which is not likely." 
 
 So they sat down together on a chest 
 facing the roundhouse, and just on the other 
 side of the mast where Eodrigues had set the 
 bottles, and presently began to drink and talk ; 
 yet still I kept where I was, with my back
 
 THEY FALL INTO A DISCOURSE. 03 
 
 against the mast ; firstly, because the moon 
 seemed to spread a calm over my mind which 
 I cared not to dispel, and after that because I 
 became curious to know what they had to talk 
 about 
 
 " Well," says Parsons, in a more cheerful 
 tone, after taking a drink, " how goes it ? " 
 
 " Famousl}^" replies Eodrigues, clacking 
 his tongue against his teeth and pouring out 
 more wine. 
 
 " Have you sounded the men ? Have you 
 opened out to them of our project ? " 
 
 "Nay; not yet. Nor have you, I hope, 
 or they will blab everything before they get 
 sober again. I bade you keep a still tongue, 
 Ned." 
 
 " And so I have. There's been other 
 matters to think on. A rare time it has been 
 with us to keep the ship afloat. But I did 
 my part of the business." 
 
 " And bravely, I warrant. Tell me how 
 you did it, Ned." 
 
 " I caught him a stroke on the head w4th
 
 04 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 a crow as he was at prayer, and heaved his 
 body out into the sea by the galley port." 
 'Tvvas thus he had cruelly murdered Captain 
 Murray. 
 
 " No one saw you ? " 
 
 " Never a soul. He was missed in the 
 morning, and all think he was washed over 
 by a sea." 
 
 " Well, there's one out of the way. 'Twill 
 be Smidmore's turn next." 
 
 " When ? " asks Parsons. 
 
 " That's as hereafter may be. I'm for 
 leaving everything till we have provisioned at 
 Trinidado." 
 
 " And I'm for going at it at once. Curse 
 this hanging fire when there's prize to be 
 taken, I say. Now Murray is out of the way 
 you will be made captain of the Adventurer, 
 and I reckon I shall be master in your place 
 on the Sure Hawk. We are well armed and 
 ammunitioned, and shall not lack provisions. 
 Then why should we wait till we've been to 
 Trinidado, I want to know ? "
 
 FURTHER DISCOURSE. 05 
 
 " Because we should have to victual again 
 before going round to the South Sea, and we 
 want no one to get wind of our intent before 
 we're ready to fly our colours. It would be 
 folly to spoil the venture for the sake of a 
 week or two. Besides, we know not how the 
 men will take it." 
 
 " How do we stand for men ? " asks Par- 
 sons, in his grumbling tone again. 
 
 " Why, there's Black, and Jarvis, and 
 Kelly, and all those of our old crew who 
 served with us before — they may be depended 
 on." 
 
 " That's thirteen men, and we two make 
 fifteen, all told." 
 
 " These men, though they pretend to be- 
 lieve that we are going up the Orinoco after a 
 mare's nest, are not such fools as to think that 
 I design to end my days tliere." 
 
 " Ay ! " says Parsons with a laugh, set- 
 ting down his cup again. " Nor would the}^ 
 have been fools enough to engage on any such 
 silly venture unless they felt sure something 
 
 F
 
 GQ THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 better was to come of it. Well, there's fifteen 
 — go on." 
 
 " Of the rest there's two score as desperate 
 fellows as ever trod a deck, and ripe for any 
 mischief." 
 
 " Would to Heaven we could have raked 
 up more like them." 
 
 " The rest are fools ; but sturdy, good sea- 
 men, for all that." 
 
 Here I was reminded of what I had pre- 
 viously remarked — viz., that there were two 
 sorts of men in our crew and no third. One 
 set were reckless, dare-devil, cursing rascals, 
 and the other were as simple-minded as any 
 children ; but, as Rodrigues said, every one a 
 hale, good seaman. And this w^as due to the 
 cunning of Rodrigues, who, by reason of his 
 knowing the parts to which we were bound, had 
 been entrusted to choose a crew likely for the 
 purpose. 
 
 " Well," says Parsons, " here are five-and- 
 lifty men to back us at a sign, and a match for 
 all the rest with their captain and your Pengilly
 
 THEY CONTINUE. 07 
 
 as well. Now, here's my plan, Rodrigues, and 
 if you will hear me you shall own that it 
 is better than all your iiddle-faddle of waiting 
 for this, that, and t'other." 
 
 " Well, out with it, Ned. You know that I 
 have never refused to listen to advice, nor to 
 act on it Avhen I saw it was good ; else had 
 we never won our way." 
 
 " That's true, and I own but for your cursed 
 cool judgment we should all have been strung 
 up like so many weazles." 
 
 Over this interchange of civilities they drank 
 another cup and shook hands. Then Parsons 
 started off in hio-h o-ood humour : — 
 
 " Here's how I see it. Sir Harry will make 
 you captain of the Adventurer ; for why? There's 
 no man so fit ; and he'll very like make me 
 master of this ship under him, as being best 
 able to navigate her and the like. The men 
 will be fairly divided between the two ships as 
 heretofore. Now, as soon as we set sail I shall 
 make it so cursedly uncomfortable for the foolish 
 fellows of my crew that they shall pray to be 
 Y 2
 
 68 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 exchanged into your ship. To tliis I sliall per- 
 suade Sir Harry, taking in their place all those 
 men disj^osed to our design." 
 
 " So we get all the simpletons under me, 
 and all the desperadoes under you," says 
 Rodrigues. 
 
 " That's it. And matters being so, I will 
 open out our scheme to my crew, who will jump 
 at it like sharks. Then the first calm night 
 will we order things so that my men shall board 
 your ship after binding Sir Harry, and make 
 prisoner every mother's son : which done, you 
 shall ask the company plump out whether they 
 choose to join in our venture and make their 
 fortunes, or whether they stick to their articles, 
 and will go a searching for gold where there's 
 naught but serpents and fevers. Who will 
 refuse to join us then, eh ? " 
 
 " Sir Harry, for a surety." 
 
 " Then overboard he goes, and away we 
 sail south with joyous hearts, and no more 
 dallying." 
 
 Eodrigues took the time of drinking another
 
 RODRIGUES NOT TO BE TRICKED. G'J 
 
 cup to consider. But little as I knew of this 
 strange matter, I felt sure he would not Jigree to 
 this proposal (being a very subtle, painful man), 
 for if he thus parted with all the men proper 
 to his desperate enterprise, what was to prevent 
 Parsons deserting him and going whithersoever 
 he pleased with his desperadoes ? 
 
 "Yes," says Eodrigues, "your scheme might 
 succeed, but it will be better to turn the tables 
 about so that you send all the dependable men 
 to me, and I send the others to you." 
 
 Parsons made no reply to this, whereby he 
 revealed the secret treachery that was in his 
 mind. But Eodrigues taking no notice of this, 
 though he must have perceived it, continues 
 cheerfully, " No, Ned ; on second thoughts that 
 plan will not do. For taking the men unpre- 
 pared in this way, a score of them may hold on 
 to the hope of getting treasure in Guiana, and 
 so rally round the captain. Then may we have 
 to throw them overboard as well as the captain, 
 which will be a great loss to us. For we can 
 make no great success with small means, and it
 
 70 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY EANE. 
 
 will never do to start short-handecL Besides 
 this," says lie, " the men pressed into our 
 service by the fear of death will never serve 
 us as willing hands would." 
 
 "Why, that is true," says Parsons, who 
 clearly did not relish the idea of his own 
 scheme being acted upon contrariwise. " You 
 alwaj^s had a better head for these matters 
 than any of us. So let us hear how you would 
 act." 
 
 " In this wise," says Eodrigues. " As soon 
 as we set sail from here — you on the one ship 
 and I on t'other — we will secretly show the 
 dullards the folly of seeking wealth in Guiana, 
 when they can enrich themselves tenfold with- 
 out leaving the ship, or encountering any of the 
 hazards and hardships of going a-foot through 
 those fearful wilds. And first will I win over 
 Pengilly, who is ripe for this enterprise. When 
 I am sure of him, Sir Harry shall be got rid of, 
 and then will Pengilly take his place as com- 
 mander, being nephew to Sir Bartlemy, whose 
 ships these are. So without the loss of one
 
 AN END TO THAT MATTER. 
 
 71 
 
 man shall we have gained our way, and all 
 willingly will obey his directions." 
 
 " So far so good," says Parsons ; "but how is 
 this to advance us ? Are we to take for our 
 share no more than what he chooses to give us 
 as his officers ? " 
 
 To this question Rodrigues made no reply. 
 And this silence perplexing me, I cast my eye 
 sidelong to see if they had moved away. And 
 then I perceived what it was had stopped his 
 tongue. 
 
 The moon had shifted during their conversa- 
 tion (of which a great deal for the sake of 
 brevity I have not set down), and whereas at 
 the beginning it had shone full on my face, it 
 now struck me somewhat on my left side. So 
 that there down on the deck I spied my shadow 
 revealed beside the s^reat mast, and Eodrig-ues 
 had spied it also. For before I could turn my 
 head, I felt his long, bony fingers upon my 
 throat, and then the flash of his dagger in the 
 moonlight caught my eye.
 
 CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 I AM NEARLY UNDONE BY MY SHADOW. NED 
 PARSONS AND RODRIGUES, THEIR ARGUMENT, 
 WITH THE COMPACT THAT FOLLOWED. 
 
 Now, I had not stirred a hair's breadth the whole 
 time this Rodrigues and Ned Parsons were dis- 
 cussing their affairs ; and thus was I standing, 
 with my back against the great mast and my 
 feet a couple of spans away from it, when Eod- 
 rigues takes me by the throat, flashing his steel 
 before my eyes, as I have said, and, at the same 
 moment, Parsons, slipping his foot betwixt my 
 legs and the mast, fetches me a trip which brings 
 me plump down on my back. Then, in a twink- 
 ling he throws himself upon me, and had cer- 
 tainly done my business with his jack-knife (both 
 having lugged out upon catching sight of my 
 shadow), but that Eodrigues, catching his arm 
 back, cries —
 
 RODRIGUES SAVES MY LIFE. 73 
 
 " Hold, Ned ! Don't 3^ou see tliat this is 
 none but our friend Benet Pengilly ? " 
 
 " I see well enough who it is," answers Par- 
 sons ; " but he is a sp}'- for all that, and shall pay 
 for stealing on us. Let go my arm, Rodrigues ! " 
 
 But this Rodrigues would not, being just 
 as quick to foresee results as Parsons was to 
 lose sight of them. 
 
 " Don't be a fool, Ned ! " says he. " How 
 could he have stolen on us, and we sitting with 
 our eyes on the cabin ? He was here from the 
 first, and I do not blame him for picking up 
 what we were careless enough to let fall. And 
 what harm in that ? He has but learnt what 
 we intended to tell him. Would you ruin every- 
 thing by spilling his blood, when his loss would 
 draw suspicion on our heads, and set all our 
 mates against us with mistrust ? Had it been 
 another he should have died, and I would not 
 have left the business to you neither ; but the 
 moment I got my hand on his throat I saw it 
 was our friend." 
 
 " That may be," says Parsons; "but, curse
 
 74 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 me ! (adds he) lie shall give me some better 
 assurance that he intends to stand by 'us in 
 this matter ere I let him rise." 
 
 " Nay," says I, " you shall get nothing from 
 me by force ; " and, getting my hands under 
 him, I flung him off like an old cloak, and 
 sprang to my feet. "Now," says I, "what is 
 it you want of me ? " 
 
 All this passed as quick as the words will 
 run,. so that the whole business was not more 
 than a minute or so in the doing. 
 
 " Well done, Pengilly ! " cries Eodrigues. 
 " I like you the better for this taste of your 
 manhood. I never mistrusted a brave man yet, 
 and here's a proof of it now," and with that he 
 sticks his dagger in the deck, and seats himself 
 on the chest, with empty hands, bidding Parsons, 
 as he was a true man and not a born fool, to do 
 the like, which he presently did, sticking his 
 jack-knife in the deck, and sitting alongside 
 of Rodrigues ; and, to show I feared neither, I 
 seated myself betwixt them. 
 
 "Now, Ben," says Rodrigues, clapping me on
 
 THREE OF A ROW. 75 
 
 the knee, cheerf ull}^ ; " what's it to be ? You 
 have heard our design. Do you stay in the 
 Canaries, or go with us to the South Sea ? " 
 
 " What to do ? " I asks; for this question did 
 still perplex me. 
 
 "What to do? Why, to get gold, to be 
 sure." 
 
 " I thought you had decided not to set foot 
 ashore," says I. 
 
 " And so we have ; for what Englishman has 
 ever got gold that went out of his ship to get 
 it? The fools have thrown more gold into 
 Guiana than ever they have taken out of it, a 
 hundredfold." 
 
 " Ay ! And gold is not the only thing they 
 have thrown away," says Parsons, " but many a 
 good and honest Englishman's life as well." 
 
 " For every man that has come home," says 
 Rodrigues, " a hundred have been left behind — 
 slain by Indians, stung by serpents, dead of 
 fevers, or slaves to the Spaniard." 
 
 " And them as do come home are none the 
 better for having gone thither," chimes in
 
 76 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 t'other rascal, " as we do testify ; for here am I 
 short of one eye, and Rodrigues a sight to see." 
 
 " That there is gold in Guiana no one can 
 doubt," says Rodrigues; "but the only men who 
 can get it are the Indians, and their only masters 
 are the Spaniards and Portugals." 
 
 " Then where did you get the treasure you 
 brought to England ? " I asked. 
 
 " Why, from the Spaniard, to be sure, and as 
 fairly as he got it from the Indian." 
 
 " Ay ! and fairer," says Parsons ; " for we 
 got it by straightforward and honest fighting." 
 
 " And if we were more lively in our attack," 
 puts in Rodrigues, " 'twas because their galleons 
 were unwieldy with their weight of gold." 
 
 " I count we do 'em a service to ease them 
 of their load," says Parsons, "for they have more 
 than they can carry with comfort " (this with a 
 laugh at his own joke). 
 
 " Ay ! but our love doesn't end there ; for, 
 look you, Ben, which is the better^— to let your 
 uncle's ships and treasure be cast away in the 
 Orinoco, to lead eight score men to misery and
 
 A RASCALLY DESIGN. 77 
 
 cleatli in those fearsome wilds, or to carry them 
 back home, every man rich for life ? To suffer 
 the Spaniard to carry that gold into Spain 
 for the encouragement of Papistry and devilish 
 cruelty, and the furnishing out another Armada, 
 or to take it away from them for the benefit of 
 our country and the honour and glory of our 
 king ? " 
 
 And in this manner they carried on the 
 argument a long while, one playing the part of 
 marrowbone to the other's cleaver, while I sat 
 in silence and lost in wonder, like one who 
 should of a sudden see a strange new sun rise 
 up in the sky. At length I found the sense 
 to speak, and, says I — 
 
 " But how can we attack the Spaniard when 
 we are at peace with Spain ? " 
 
 "Why," says Eodrigues, "peace there may 
 be in these waters, for that matter; but there 
 is no peace below the line, as every one does 
 know." 
 
 " Nay," says I, " 'tis nothing but piracy you 
 ofEer."
 
 78 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " You may call it what you like," says lie, 
 " but I think it no shame for any man to walk 
 in the shoes of Drake and Candish." 
 
 " 'Tis a hanging matter, for all that," says I, 
 still objecting. 
 
 "A hanging matter for those who fail to 
 take home gold, but a knighting matter for 
 those who do, as witness Sir Francis and others 
 less nice than he. But 'tis the same all the 
 world over, whether a man undertake to find 
 gold or to cure bunions. Ealeigh gets his head 
 cut off for failing, and Master Winter is made 
 a knight. And quite right it be so, for it puts 
 a check on men from hazarding foolishly, and 
 encourages them to push their fortunes with 
 zeal, when the chance is on their side." 
 
 "And this is the long and short of it," says 
 Parsons, bluntly, for argument was not to his 
 taste. " Are you with us, or are you not ? " 
 
 " I am with you," says I, and upon that we 
 joined hands — all three. 
 
 And in thus readily falling in with this 
 villainous proposal 1 was moved, not so much
 
 I CAST IN MY LOT. 79 
 
 by Eodrigues, or his subtle arguments, as by 
 my own fierce and lawless spirit, and a certain 
 brutal craving and lust of blood and treasure, 
 which, Lord forgive us, urges too many of us to 
 cruel pursuits, no whit more justifiable in the 
 eye of God than piracy.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE PERPLEXITY OF BEING NEITHER THOROUGH- 
 FACED ROGUE, ARRANT FOOL, NOR HONEST MAN. 
 
 We stayed at Fuerteventura nine days, and then 
 made sail, bein^ a^ain in orood condition and 
 nothing lacking, and shaped our course for the 
 West Indies. And as Parsons had foreseen, 
 Rodrigues was appointed captain of the Ad- 
 venture)', while Parsons took the place of master 
 on board the Sure Hawlc. This pleased the 
 Adventurer s company vastly, for all looked upon 
 Rodrigues with open admiration, backed up by 
 secret hope ; and, indeed, there was no man 
 more proper for this post. 
 
 No sooner had we quitted our anchorage than 
 we began. Parsons and I, to work upon the 
 minds of those foolish fellows who had to be 
 prepared for that change we intended to bring 
 about. So now Parsons, instead of painting the
 
 WE BEGIN THE MISCHIEF. 81 
 
 glories and delights of Guianii, as lie had done 
 with a very free hand, when inducing them to 
 leave their fishing villages and join our ships, 
 now treated all such glories with derision, telling 
 them they were like all to get a good deal more 
 than they expected, and thrusting his tongue in 
 his cheek with a wink of his one eye at me for 
 all to see. Whereupon these fellows did begin 
 to scratch their heads and think they had been 
 hoodwinked, and led into a business which had 
 been better left alone. And from that he went 
 on to tell of all the horrible beasts and worms 
 there existed in the marshes of those parts ; the 
 ])oisonous fruits in the forests, all so like the 
 wholesome that one never knew whether his meal 
 was to give him strength or burst him open by 
 its venomous swelling ; of the cannibals, whose 
 shoulders grew higher than their heads, and 
 whose arras were two fathoms long ; and such- 
 like wild stories. If any one doubted the truth 
 of what he said, he would appeal to one of those 
 men who had previously voyaged with Rod- 
 rigues, and these, seeing which way the cat 
 
 G
 
 82 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 jumped, confirmed him in eveiy lie, no matter 
 how outrageous. Then he came gradually to 
 talk of Hawkins and Morgan, and fellows of that 
 kidney, exalting them to the skies — in fine, we 
 carried this business so well that by the time 
 we arrived at Trinidado there was not one man 
 aboard the Sure Hawk but that heartily wished to 
 rove the South Sea for gold rather than to seek 
 it in Guiana; yet, for all that, a good half of the 
 crew were staunch and faithful to our captain, 
 and prepared to die with him in the wilds ; nor 
 would they listen to anything in his disfavour, 
 or any project of desertion. And the reason of 
 this was that Sir Harry Smidmore, being of a 
 lively and sanguine temperament, and having 
 unbounded faith in the success of his enterprise, 
 had ever a cheerful and kind word for his men, 
 and neglected not to comfort the company in 
 every possible way, so that he won all the hearts to 
 him that had any decent feeling. Indeed, as the 
 fresh sea air purged away my splenetic humour, 
 and the society of sturdy men inspired me with 
 a wholesome shame of those contemptible
 
 I AM PERPLEXED. 83 
 
 humours which were bred by solitude, I no 
 longer harboured an envious jealousy towards 
 Sir Harry, perceiving plainly how far above 
 mine were his claims to the love of Lady Biddy 
 Fane. Feeling thus with regard to him, I 
 could neither wish to do him a mischief m}^- 
 self, nor to see him come to harm by other 
 hands. Yet ev^ery day it became more obvious 
 that a cruel end awaited him. There was no 
 chance of his forsaking the expedition into 
 Guiana to become a pirate on the high seas, and 
 it was therefore clear that he must be privately 
 got rid of to avoid a mutiny amongst simple 
 good men who were staunch to him. 
 
 I own I was greatly perplexed over this 
 matter, and more than once I was on the point of 
 revealing the conspiracy to him ; for I felt that, 
 if he were murdered, I should, in a manner, have 
 his blood upon my conscience ; but as many 
 times was I deterred from this confession by 
 recalling my oath to Eodrigues, and by a certain 
 sense of honour which may exist even amongst 
 such rogues as we were. And so I was terribly 
 G 2
 
 84 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 put to it all tlie time we lay at Punto de Gallo, 
 revictualling and making the final preparations 
 for going up the Orinoco. 
 
 We lay off Punto de Gallo eight days, and 
 the men of both ships mingling, Ned Par- 
 sons and Rodrigues found occasion to lay their 
 heads together pretty frequently ; and this boded 
 me no good, for Parsons had ever kept a jealous 
 and suspicious watch upon my movements, and 
 must have perceived my growing love for our 
 captain. On the evening of the eighth day, we 
 three being ashore together, and come to a spot 
 free from observation, Rodrigues says — 
 
 " If this breeze holds, we are likely to sail 
 to-morrow; and as we may not get another 
 chance of conversing privily, let us settle what's 
 to be done, and how we are to do it when 
 we are aboard." 
 
 " Ay, we've had enough shill-I-shall-I," 
 says Parsons, in his surly tone. 
 
 " We should have been further off from 
 success if we had gone a shorter way to work, 
 Ned," says Rodrigues, " as you know well
 
 WE FALL A DISPUTING. 85 
 
 enough, though you won't own to it. If we 
 had followed your advice and thrown the cap- 
 tain overboard when we left the Canaries, half 
 the men would have been against us, and 
 looked upon the first storm that came as a 
 judgment on us. 'Tis no good setting men 
 to a task before they're prepared for it. Now 
 there's not a man aboard the Adventurer who 
 is not thirsting to get at the Spaniard." 
 
 " You've had them all to yourself \ but it's 
 another matter aboard the Sure Hawk'' says 
 Parsons ; " there's two score of half-hearted 
 fellows amongst us that were better at home." 
 
 " That's as you think, Ned. What say 
 3'ou, Pengilly ? " 
 
 " The men's hearts are as stout as ours," 
 says I ; " and as ready to meet the Spaniard 
 as any of your crew. I'll answer for them." 
 
 " Perhaps you'll answer for their flinging 
 the captain overboard when the time comes ? " 
 says Parsons, with a sneer. 
 
 " I'll answer for you. Parsons, if there's a 
 cowardly murder to be done ; but for no one
 
 86 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 else on board the Sure Hawk,'" says I. "I 
 warn you, Eodrigues, that if 3^011 attempt the 
 life of Sir Harry, you'll have two score of us 
 to settle, with him and Benet Pengilly among 
 the number." 
 
 " There, didn't I tell 3''ou as much ? " sa3^s 
 Parsons, nudging E-odrigues. 
 
 Eodrigues frowned on him to be still, and, 
 turning to me, says, calmly enough — 
 
 " What do you mean by that, Pengilly ? " 
 
 " I mean this : our captain shall not be 
 murdered," says I. 
 
 " And how can you prevent it, pray ? " 
 asks Parsons. 
 
 " There'll be plenty of time to warn him 
 before you can silence me. Parsons." 
 
 " Didn't he swear secrecy by the cross, 
 Eodrigues ? " 
 
 " Yes, I did," says I ; " but I'll break my 
 oath rather than have murder on my con- 
 science ! " 
 
 " Conscience ! How long have you been 
 troubled with that commodity ? " asks he.
 
 MY DESIGNS SET FORTH. 87 
 
 " Fool ! you be ytill," cries llodrigues, 
 stamping Ids foot. " Haven't you sense enough 
 to see that Pengilly's warning saves us from 
 the very thing that I have dreaded all through ? 
 I know the mischief of having discontented 
 men in a crew." 
 
 "Settle it how you. will," says Parsons, 
 with an oatb, getting up and turning his back 
 on us. " Curse this dodging backwards and 
 forwards, say I ! " 
 
 " If the captain were out of the way, and 
 you took his place, as lawful representative of 
 your uncle, the men would do your bidding, 
 wouldn't they, Benet ? " says Eodrigues, in a 
 friendly tone. 
 
 " No doubt," says I ; " but I will not have 
 any hand in this business if violence is to be 
 done to Sir Harry." 
 
 " Then what do you propose we should 
 do ? " asks he. 
 
 " He lies ashore to-night : why shouldn't 
 we sail without him ? " 
 
 " That's better than ever ! " cries Parsons,
 
 S8 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FAXE. 
 
 turning round. " Leave him here to send a 
 king's ship after us. A plaguey good notion, 
 that," and he burst out into a horse laugh. 
 
 " That won't do, Ben," says Eodrigues ; " as 
 Ned sa3^s, we should have a man-of-war sent 
 after us, and so have to fight English as well as 
 Spaniards. I think I. can offer something better 
 than that ; " and, drawing me aside that Parsons 
 might not hear, he dropped his voice and said, 
 " Supposing, when we are out at sea, we tell the 
 captain of our determination to go roving, and 
 ask him to join us ? " 
 
 " He will refuse : that's certain." 
 
 "Very well; then let us give him one of 
 the ships and let him go with as many of 
 the men as choose to join him. What say you 
 to that?" 
 
 I agreed to this readily ; for it seemed a 
 better way out of the mess than any I had 
 imagined, 
 
 " Good," says he ; " so shall it be. Now, 
 leave me alone with Parsons. He is a self- 
 willed, headstrong fellow ; but I know how to
 
 WE PREPARE TO START AGAIN. 89 
 
 manage him, and I promise you I will make 
 him hear reason." 
 
 So T left them, never dreaming but that 
 Eodrigues, for his own interest, was dealing 
 fiiirly in this business, and speaking his mind 
 honestly. 
 
 That night our captain brought aboard an 
 Indian Cazique named Putijraa for our pilot. 
 This man told us that the true mouth of the 
 Oronoque and the best for us to enter was in 
 the Boca de Nairos, and about thirty leagues 
 south of Punto de Gallo ; and thither it was 
 agreed, the breeze remaining jDrosperous, we 
 should sail the next day. 
 
 When this news was imparted to our 
 company there was a great cheer, and every 
 man set to with a will getting the ship ready 
 that she might sail at daybreak ; and the sky 
 being very fair and clear they worked all night 
 to this end, and there Avas such tumult of men 
 coming on board, shouting of orders, and 
 getting things in their places, that no sleep 
 was to be got.
 
 90 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 A little before daybreak I turned out of my 
 cot, and, going on deck, found tliat some were 
 already aloft shaking out the sails, while others 
 were heaving up the anchor, and all singing 
 of sea songs, and as merry as any grigs. Ere 
 yet the sun had risen our sails filled ; we left 
 our anchorage, and, looking out, I spied the 
 Adventurer, her sails spread, following pretty 
 close in our wake. Then, the light growing 
 amain, I perceived one strange face amongst 
 our company, and then another, and after that 
 a third and a fourth, and so on, till I numbered 
 a full dozen ; yet these men were not so strange 
 to me but that I recognised them as being 
 part of the crew of the Adventurer. Upon 
 this, suspecting mischief, I cast my eye about 
 for those men whom I have spoken of as being 
 staunch and loyal to our captain, and not one 
 of these could I find. In this I saw clearly 
 the villainy of that subtle Eodrigues, who, by 
 thus shifting the crew, ensured his plan against 
 opposition, for not one man now on board the 
 Sure Hawk could be counted on to side with
 
 I PERCEIVE TREACHERY. 91 
 
 the captain in going into Guiana, whereas all 
 would readily agree to ridding themselves of 
 him in order that they might follow their own 
 lawless bent uninterrupted ; meanwhile, by his 
 own persuasion and the influence of the rascally 
 crew on the Adventurer, those simple fellows 
 from the Sure Hatch who still held to an honest 
 course could be easily won over to his purpose. 
 To make sure that the change on board was 
 not due to accident, I sought out Ned Parsons ; 
 but the rascal, seeing me coming, feigned to 
 be mightily busy, so that I could not get a 
 word out of him any way, which served to 
 convince me of his treachery, Gretting no 
 satisfaction from him, I went into my cabiu, 
 and there, sitting on my cot, I turned the 
 matter over in my mind, and, after looking at 
 it this way and that, I resolved I would go 
 and warn Sir Harry of his danger ; for, as I 
 had told Rodrigues, I was prepared to break 
 any number of oaths rather than be a party to 
 a foul murder. And, lest I should be credited 
 with more generosity in coming to this decision
 
 92 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 than I deserve, I will here confess that I was 
 not unmindful of my own peril. For, if it 
 served the purpose of these desperadoes to throw 
 our captain overboard, why should they spare 
 me? T laid no faith whatever in the promises 
 of Rodrigues; nay, I was inclined to believe 
 Ned Parsons the honester rogue of the two. 
 I knew that all he considered was how to 
 advance his own fortune. Had the crew been 
 more difficult to seduce and less disposed to 
 become pirates, then it would have served his 
 turn to carry out his original project, and give 
 the enterprise a fair face by appointing me, as 
 nephew of Sir Bartlemy Pengilly, their general- 
 issimo; but now that it was clear the whole 
 body of men needed no such countenance to 
 their project, it would be expedient to get rid 
 of me as well as Sir Harry. So to the captain, 
 who still lay in his cabin, I went, and asked 
 him if he knew of the change that had been 
 made. 
 
 "Ay, Pengilly," says he, cheerfully; "I 
 ordered it so. Parsons tells me that there is a
 
 I WARN SIR HARRY OF HIS PERIL. 93 
 
 lawless spirit spreading amongst the men on 
 the Adventurer, and he picked out certain of 
 them as being the worst. These Rodrigues 
 begged me to take with us in the Sure Hawk 
 in exchange for those he thought might bring 
 the rest to a healthier way of thinking on the 
 Adventurer y 
 
 " That villain, Eodrigues ! " I exclaimed. 
 "I saw his devilish hand in this. We are 
 lost ! " 
 
 " Lost ! What do you mean by that ? " 
 asks Sir Harr}^ bating his breath. 
 
 " I mean that you have parted with the only 
 honest men in the crew, and have none but 
 ruffians left about you." 
 
 " Nay, you wrong them. Desperate they 
 are, for who but desperate men would dare a 
 desperate enterprise? But they are honest — 
 I'll answer for 'em. They have sworn to follow 
 me, and they will." 
 
 " You will be lucky to get away without 
 such followers," says I; "but, in truth, I doubt 
 if we do ever set foot again on dry land."
 
 94 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 Sir Harry could not speak awhile for as- 
 tonishment. At length he says, speaking low — 
 
 "Are you sure of this 3'ou tell me, Pengilly? 
 Are you honest with me ? " 
 
 " I'll say nothing for my honesty," says I ; 
 " but I'll swear to the truth of what I tell you. 
 There's not a man but is already a pirate at 
 heart ; and they only want a signal from 
 Rodrigues to kill us and hoist the bloody flag." 
 
 Sir Harry started up, and took a pace or two 
 across the cabin ; then, coming to a stand, he 
 turns and says — 
 
 " No, Pengilly ; I can't believe this. Tell me 
 you have tried to fool me, and I'll forgive you." 
 
 "Nay, but you must believe me," says I, 
 " or you cannot escape else ; " and then I laid 
 bare all that I knew, with my own share in the 
 villainous scheme, not sparing myself the shame 
 of this confession. He listened to me patiently, 
 but when I came to an end he says, with 
 passion — 
 
 " God forgive you, Pengilly ; for my ruin is 
 on your head."
 
 AVE KNOW NOT WHAT TO BE AT. 95 
 
 But presently, growing calmer, for I made 
 no attempt to defend myself from this charge, 
 he adds — 
 
 " Take no heed of what I said, Benet. You 
 have done no more nor less than I, or a better 
 man than I, could have done in your place. 
 You risk your life in trying to save mine, 
 whereas j^ou might have made your fortune 
 (though I doubt if you could ever have enjoyed 
 it) by betraying me." 
 
 He held out his hand, and I took it. Then, 
 in a more cheerful and vigorous tone, he says — 
 
 " Come, we are both in the same pickle ; let 
 us see how, perchance, we may get out of it." 
 
 Then we set our wits to work that we might 
 discover how we two were to overcome the craft 
 and force of all those hardy villains that were 
 against us. I was for knocking Parsons on the 
 head, taking the navigation in our own hands, 
 and running the ship ashore, or on the first 
 shoal we came to ; and 1 think Sir Harry 
 would have acted on this design, but that it 
 pleased Providence to give us no chance that way.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 WE ARE OVERCOME, AND WITH BARBAROUS 
 TREATMENT SET ASHORE AND LEFT THERE. 
 
 Of a triifch none are so suspicious as those who 
 should be suspected, and losing sight of this 
 fact was our undoing. 
 
 To begin with, 'twas a silly thing to go into 
 the captain's cabin at that time ; it was still 
 more imprudent to sit there with him discuss- 
 ing our means of escape. For it happened that 
 Ned Parsons, seeing me no longer inquisitive 
 about the shifting of the crews, became curious 
 to know what had become of me, and presently 
 sighted me sitting, as I say, with Sir Harry. 
 Doubtless Eodrigues, in his place, would have 
 taken some crafty means of discovering our de- 
 sign and circumventing it ; but this Parsons 
 was of another kidney, and prone to reflect 
 upon the advisability of his actions after they
 
 WE ARE OVERCOME. 97 
 
 were performed rather than before. Wherefore, 
 at the first sniff of danger, he goes below, col- 
 lects a dozen choice rogues, and these having 
 gone into the armoury and furnished themselves 
 with weapons, slipped on deck, and in a twink- 
 ling rushed into the roundhouse and fell upon 
 us. We were the less prepared for this attq,ck 
 because the fellows, having no shoes to their 
 feet, came on noiselessly along the deck ; and 
 indeed, from the moment we first spied them 
 to the time they were in the coach, there was 
 barely time for Sir Harry to whip up a short 
 sword for his defence, and I a spyglass that lay 
 on the table. Sir Harry ran the first of the 
 party through the vitals, and I managed to lay 
 Ned Parsons' head open with the perspective ; 
 but we could do no more, for we were thrown 
 down by sheer force of weight and numbers, 
 and after that our bootless struggles did but 
 prolong by a few minutes the work of binding 
 us hand and foot. From these bonds there 
 was no escaping ; Ned Parsons himself, with 
 the blood yet trickling down his face and 
 
 H
 
 98 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 grizzled beard, makiDg fast each knot and test- 
 ing its security. When this was done, he went 
 out on the main deck and spoke to the men 
 crowded there, and they replied with a great 
 cheer, and so betook themselves to their work, 
 shouting and talking among themselves with 
 much content. But to make more sure of us, 
 and that all might see we were not contriving 
 our escape, this Ned Parsons hauled us out of 
 the roundhouse into the midst of the deck, and 
 there we lay in the burning sun all that day, 
 and none had the humanity to give us meat or 
 drink, though they for the most part made 
 themselves as drunk as beggars by midday. 
 Nay, when Sir Harry, who had been as kind to 
 these wretches as any man could be, asked one 
 to give him a cup of water, the villain would 
 not, but replied, with a brutal laugh, that he 
 should have more water than he could drink at 
 sundown, by which cruel speech we perceived 
 that our fate was sealed, and that they only 
 awaited the occasion of Eodrigues' coming on 
 board to cast us into the sea.
 
 OUR DESTINY. 99 
 
 The breeze continuing very fresh, we pressed 
 onward ; but towards evening the wind abated, 
 as it does in these latitudes about sundown, the 
 sails flapped against the mast, and the anchor 
 was dropped. 
 
 Soon after this Rodrigues came aboard, and 
 first he consulted with Parsons, who had con- 
 trived to keep more sober than the rest ; then 
 they held a council with all the men in the fore- 
 part of the ship, after which Rodrigues comes 
 to us, with his hat in his hand, as civil as may 
 be, and with a wicked smile on his face that 
 showed all his pointed teeth, so that with his 
 hj'pocritical air he did look more like a fiend 
 than a man. 
 
 " Gentlemen," says he, " I am sorry to tell 
 you we must part. The men, one and all, have 
 resolved to seek their fortunes elsewhere than 
 in Guiana, and lest their design should be dis- 
 tasteful to you and lead to any further break- 
 ing of heads or spitting with steel, they would 
 have me, as being now chief in command, drop 
 you overboard with a shot tied round your 
 H 2
 
 100 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 necks. I have done my best to alter their dis- 
 position, but the most they will consent to in 
 your favour is that you shall be allowed to go 
 your way in consideration of your giving them 
 free permission to go theirs, with a solemn 
 promise on your part that you will hereafter 
 do nothing, if you have the chance, to bring us 
 to the gallows." 
 
 " Do with us what you will," answers Sir 
 Harry. 
 
 " Ay, and be cursed for the villain you are," 
 adds I. 
 
 "As you do not refuse the offer it is my 
 duty to make, I shall hold it you accept," says 
 Eodrigues, taking no notice of me ; " betwixt 
 gentlemen no formalities are needed. It is un- 
 derstood that in accepting your life you agree 
 to the conditions, and this understanding will 
 be as binding on jon to do us no harm — if, as 
 I say, you get the chance — as though jou had 
 put hand and seal to a bond." 
 
 Then making us a bow, he went back to the 
 men, who, on hearing what he had to say, gave
 
 WE ARE SET ASHORE. 
 
 101 
 
 another clieer, and some set about lowering Sir 
 Harry's own barge, while others went below and 
 fetched up all manner of stores to put in it. All 
 being in readiness, we w^ere taken to the side of the 
 ship, bound as we were, and with a rope reeved 
 through a block at the yardarm, we were hauled 
 up and lowered like cattle into the barge that lay 
 alongside. Then for the first time we perceived 
 that the land was distant no more than half a 
 mile or so. After us the Indian Cazique Putijma, 
 whom, as I have said, Sir Harry had brought 
 aboard at Punto de Grallo for a pilot, was made 
 to come down in the barge, and so half a dozen 
 seamen in that boat that had brought Rodrigues 
 from the Adventurer towed us with a line to the 
 shore, the crew giving us a jeer as we sheered 
 off, and Rodrigues (with a bow) wishing we 
 might have a pleasant journey to Manoa, and 
 find a kind reception and store of gold there. 
 
 Having brought us to land and made our 
 barge fast, the boat's crew, with somewhat more 
 humanity than their fellows, bade us good-bye 
 and god-speed, and then pulled off quickly
 
 102 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 back towards their ship, for there was no moon 
 that night, and it was now grown so dark that 
 we could but just descry the two ships lying off 
 in the bay. 
 
 All this time Putijma, who was unbound, 
 had sat in the barge with his knees up to his 
 chin in profound silence; for such is the stoic 
 character of these Indians when overcome by 
 misfortune from which they see no escape. But 
 now Sir Harry, who spoke Spanish, addressed 
 him in that tongue, begging him to cut our 
 cords, and this he did ; but it was yet some 
 minutes ere either of us could move, so benumbed 
 and stiff were we with our long confinement. 
 When I got the use of my limbs and hands, 
 I drew a drachm of liquor from the puncheon 
 among our stores, and gave it to Sir Harry, who 
 was thereby much refreshed. Then did we get 
 out of the boat to exercise our legs, and finding 
 the sand still warm and pleasant with the sun's 
 heat, we lay ourselves down to sleep, there being 
 no better thing to do. But first I got from 
 the boat a couple of muskets, with powder and
 
 DESERTED BY THE CAZIQUE. 103 
 
 ball, and two hatchets, that we might not be 
 unprovided against the attack of wild beasts or 
 cannibals in the night if any such there might 
 come upon us. 
 
 But Putijma never stirred out of the boat, 
 nor could Sir Harry any way cheer him out of 
 his despondent mood ; and the last I saw of 
 him he was still sitting with his knees huddled 
 up to his chin, and so we presently fell asleep. 
 
 We slept soundl}^ and nothing disturbed our 
 slumber all through that night. The sun was 
 some degrees above the horizon when I awoke, 
 and a smart breeze ruffling the sea. Sitting up 
 I looked out for the ships, but they ^vere no 
 longer in the bay ; yet methought I spied one sail 
 on the horizon to the south. Then I got upon 
 my feet and looked for the barge and the Indian 
 Cazique, but trace or sign of either could I see 
 none. I rubbed by eyes and looked again ; then 
 I ran a hundred yards along the shore eastwards, 
 aud again as far to the west ; for I could not at 
 once realise that this man was treacherous to us. 
 But 'twas all in vain ; he was nowhere to be
 
 104 THE ADMIRxVBLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 seen. So I roused up Sir Harry, telling him 
 how the Indian had played us false and gone 
 away with the boat, which was our only means 
 of getting back to Trinidado, and like distracted 
 creatures we ran along the shore a mile one way 
 and a mile the other, hallooing aloud, as trying 
 to cheat ourselves with the hope that Putijma 
 had slipped away by accident, and drifted into 
 some creek. But at length we gave up the quest, 
 and stood gazing before us as still and silent as 
 statues of stone, quite overwhelmed by this last 
 stroke of misfortune. 
 
 And thus were we two poor men abandoned 
 on an unknown coast. I say we two poor men, 
 for now were we levelled to the same degree by a 
 cruel fate, being possessed of no more than a 
 gun and a hatchet apiece besides the clothes we 
 stood in, and with the same dismal expectation 
 of perishing unfriended in a wilderness.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 WE FIND OURSELVES ON A DESERT ISLAND, AND 
 LITTLE COMFORT BESIDES. 
 
 After a while we returned to the place where 
 we lay during the night ; and, looking about 
 US, found that the cruel Cazique had taken away 
 the keg of pow^der, the puncheon of rum, ay, the 
 very bread we had brought for our refreshment 
 on landing ; thus robbing us of our present 
 subsistence and the means of procuring other. 
 Seeing this. Sir Harry threw himself on the 
 sand and sobbed out aloud ; for as yet he had 
 suffered never any hardship or disappointment. 
 But it was otherwise with me, for many a time 
 had I endured privation and known no hope. 
 Yet did it move my heart to see a strong man, 
 and one naturally light of heart, gay, and of 
 high spirit, so abased ; so I sat down beside 
 him, and, laying my hand on his shoulder,
 
 100 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 spoke such comforting words as my tongue, 
 unused to such exercise, could command. And 
 this may seem strange, seeing that hitherto I 
 had borne him no love, but rather jealousy and 
 hatred. But you shall notice that misfortune 
 doth engender kindness in hearts the least sus- 
 ceptible, so that a man who would jostle another 
 and show no manner of kindness and civility, 
 both being strong, would yet bend down and 
 gently succour him who fell across his path 
 from weakness ; for our sj^mpathy is with those 
 weaker than ourselves, and not with those of 
 equal hardiness ; and this, I take it, is the 
 reason of the great love of strong men for weak 
 women, and the wondrous tenderness of women 
 for those cast down by sickness. 
 
 Sir Harry would not be comforted ; but 
 shaking my hand from his shoulder he cries — 
 
 "Ay, 'tis easy to make light of another's 
 burden ! " 
 
 "Nay," says I, "am I better off than you?" 
 
 " Ay," says he, " for you have but changed 
 one form of misery for another. These woods
 
 SIR iiarry's passion. 107 
 
 for you are as good as those you left in Corn- 
 wall ; your prospects here as good as they were 
 there. But I ! what have I not lost by this 
 change ? All my fortune was embarked in those 
 ships ; and with them I lose every hope — fame 
 and riches. — my sweetheart. All ! all ! What 
 now have I? " 
 
 " The hope of getting away from this place ; 
 the hope that — that she may wait faithfully 
 your return." 
 
 "And what if, by a miracle, I get from here: 
 can I hope to recover my fortune ? I must go 
 a beggar back to England; nay, a debtor for 
 the ships of Sir Bartlemy that I have lost. 
 And think you if my sweetheart in pity would 
 make me her husband, I would be her pen- 
 sioner, dependent on her bounty for the bread T 
 eat ? " 
 
 To me this seemed an overstraining of senti- 
 ment; for I would have been content to take 
 that dear girl for my wife, rich or poor ; nay, I 
 could not believe that any sense of dependence 
 or bounty could exist in the union of two who
 
 108 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 love entirely. But I would not contrary him 
 by speaking of this, which he would but have set 
 down to want of decent pride and self-respect on 
 my side. 
 
 " There is no hope — no hope ! " he con- 
 tinues, bitterly. " I am undone by my enemies, 
 and you are one of them — a man I have sought 
 only to help — a base wretch who would not 
 speak a word to save me from my undoing." 
 
 I held my peace, as I had before when he 
 spoke after this sort. For partly I felt that I 
 deserved reproach, and partly I saw that he was 
 beside himself with despair. So I let him be, 
 that he might vent freely all his passion. But 
 he said no more ; and for some while he lay 
 there like one who cared not to move again. 
 Then getting upon his feet savagely, as though 
 ashamed of his weakness, he says — 
 
 " Let us go from this cursed spot." Then, 
 looking about him in bewilderment, " Where 
 shall we go ? " 
 
 Be a man never so wretched, he must ]eat 
 and drink : so I told him we must first of all
 
 WE LOOK ABOUT US. 109 
 
 seek a stream to quench our thirst ; and the 
 land to the west looking most promising, I 
 settled to explore in that direction ; Sir Harry 
 being indifferent so that we got away from this 
 unlucky place where we had been set ashore. 
 We took up our axes and muskets — which the 
 thieving Cazique had left to us because they lay 
 under our hands, as I may say, and he feared to 
 awake us — and marched onwards, keeping to 
 the sand, which was very level and firm, the 
 tide being at low ebb. We kept on this way 
 for best part of a league, and then the shore 
 becoming soft with a kind of black mud, we 
 were forced to seek higher ground ; and here 
 our progress was made very painful and slow by 
 reason of the scrubby growth, which was mighty 
 thick and prickly, so that we were torn at every 
 step. To add to our discomfort, the sun, being 
 now high, shone with prodigious heat upon us, 
 and parched us with thirst. There were woods 
 at hand, but here the thorny brush was so high 
 and closely interwoven that we had to use our 
 hatchets to make any way at all, and then were
 
 110 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE 
 
 we no better off, but worse ; wherefore we were 
 obliged to return to that part where the earth 
 was less encumbered. Some of these brambles 
 had thorns two inches long, and curved like 
 great claws ; and one of these tearing my leg 
 gave me much torment. As the sun rose 
 higher, so our suffering increased, until, after 
 marching best part of two hours, we were ready 
 to drop with fatigue. Fruit there was in 
 abundance, spread out temptingly under our 
 feet ; for nearly every bush bore some sort of 
 apples or grapes ; yet dared we not eat any for 
 fear of its being venomous. Of this venomous 
 fruit I had heard the seamen who had travelled 
 in these parts tell, and how a man eating of it 
 will presently go raving mad ; and I pointed 
 out to Sir Harry, who would fain have slaked 
 his thirst with this growth, that we had as yet 
 seen neither bird nor beast, which argued that 
 this food was not wholesome. 
 
 However, about midday, when we were as 
 near spent as any living creatures could be, we 
 came to a turn in the coast where the character
 
 FIND SOME COMFORT. 
 
 Ill 
 
 of the growth changed ; and here we found a 
 great herb with leaves spreading out on all sides; 
 but every leaf was a good twenty feet long and 
 half a fathom across, so that it gave us ample 
 shade to lie in ; and never was man more con- 
 tent than 1 to get out of the sunshine. To our 
 still greater comfort, Sir Harry presently spied 
 at no great distance a low- growing thicket, in the 
 midst of which grew a fruit that he knew for a 
 pine-nut, which is a fruit bigger than any that 
 grows in England, of a yellow complexion, and 
 scaly without, but of an excellent condition 
 within. Cutting it in half with his knife, he 
 gave me one part, and bade me eat it without 
 fear ; and this I did, though not without com- 
 punction, but I found it truly as he said, both 
 meat and drink, and the most delicious ever 
 man did eat, with no ill effects after. 
 
 We rested ourselves some while, and then 
 being much refreshed continued our journey over 
 very fair ground, but yet keeping very nigh the 
 water ; and so rounding a headland, and facing 
 pretty nearl}^ due west, we perceived another
 
 11.2 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 headland across the water, hut at a great dis- 
 tance, which led us to conceive that we were 
 upon one of the mouths of the Oronoque, which, 
 as we know, disembogues itself by many issues 
 into the sea over a length of an hundred leagues 
 and more along the coast of Guiana. And that 
 this was a river, and not an inlet of the sea, we 
 proved by tasting of the water, which was still 
 running out very troubled ; it was not salt and 
 bitter, but yet too thick and brackish to drink. 
 And now the trees approached the water-side, 
 some hanging over, with thick growth every- 
 where ; and though I know English trees well, 
 and the different sorts of herbs, yet all here 
 were new to me, and I saw none that I could 
 name. For prodigious height and girth I never 
 saw the like of the trees, which were besides 
 wondrous fair to the eye, but painful to get 
 through by reason of their great abundance, 
 and the maze of vines and bramble (as I must 
 call them, knowing not their names) which netted 
 them together. Surely to one come there for 
 pleasure and to satisfy his curiosity, there was
 
 GOOD SWINE ABUNDANT. 113 
 
 on all sides sometliing to please and interest, 
 there being no end to the variety of flowers 
 and fruits, their colours and forms ; but to us, 
 who were mainly concerned to discover where 
 we were situated, w^e did wish best part of these , 
 trees and shrubs further. 
 
 We made our way onwards for two hours 
 more, yet the land on the other side of the river 
 appeared no nearer, for the rivers in these parts 
 have no parallel for volume ; and then we came 
 (God be praised) to a small stream running from 
 the interior, which we found at some little dis- 
 tance inward to be very sweet and good, so that 
 we drank of it our fill. But what pleased me as 
 much as the discovery of this water was the print 
 of a cloven foot in a slough, hard by, which I 
 judged, by the form and size, to be the foot of a 
 swine ; and so it proved, for going still further, 
 but w^ith caution, along the edge of this marshy 
 land, we perceived a whole drove of this cattle 
 stretched out in the warm mii'e, grunting from 
 time to time as pleasantly as any English hogs. 
 Seeing them thus within range, Sir Harry, ere I
 
 114 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 could clieck him, cocked his piece and let fly j 
 and though he killed one dead on the spot, yet 
 was I sorry he had spent his fire on this quarry, 
 for I helieve I might have knocked one on the 
 head and done for him with a hlow of my 
 hatchet ; and now were we left with only one 
 charge of powder and hall to meet any emer- 
 gency. 
 
 We dragged this beast, which was a hoar pig 
 of some ten score, as I reckoned, away from the 
 morass, which I dreaded to stay in for fear of ser- 
 pents or other noxious beasts ; and finding a place 
 near the river high and dry, we resolved to stay 
 there the night, for the day was nearly spent, as 
 were we likewise. Here Sir Harry set about to 
 get some dry fuel and make a fire, the while I 
 skinned our pig, and a marvellous thick hide he 
 had ; and so much the better was I pleased, for 
 I saw that with this hide cut in thongs I could 
 make us a good gin to entrap other swine when 
 we had occasion for them, also a sling for killing 
 birds, and other things necessary to us in our 
 forlorn, destitute condition. Sir Harry got some
 
 WE ARE STRANGELY AWAKED. 115 
 
 dry rotten wood, and grinding a little to powder 
 he set it in the pan of his firelock, and snapping 
 the cock tw^oe or thrice succeeded in setting it 
 burning : then blowing the ember gently. on other 
 rotten w^ood, and that on dry leaves and such- 
 like, he in the end got a flame to put to his bon- 
 fire, and over this on pointed sticks we held 
 some slices cut from our swine's ham ; enough 
 not only for our supper, but to serve us cold on 
 the morrow ; and well it was we did so then, for 
 the next morning the carcase I had hung on a 
 tree overnight was all green, and so foul we were 
 fain to "cast it in the river to be washed away 
 with the current ; but that which we had cooked 
 was sweet and good, though mighty tough eat- . 
 ing. 
 
 But I must tell of the strange way in which 
 we 'were awakened that morning, which w'as by 
 the crowing of a cock, and surely nothing, in 
 this land so full of unlooked-for things, could 
 be more unexpected than this familiar, homely 
 cry. We two started up together at the sound, 
 rubbing our eyes to be sure we were in a strange 
 I 2
 
 116 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 country and not at home in England. But 
 again this bird crowed, and casting our eyes 
 about, there we spied a fine red cock perched in 
 the boughs of a tree with three pullets on one 
 side of him and two on the other, all as com- 
 fortable as you please, and not yet astir, for the 
 day was scarce broke. Upon this we concluded 
 that there must be human habitation near, and 
 overjoyed at the hope of seeing fellow-creatures 
 in a land where we had thought to be all alone, 
 we started to our feet and hallooed wdth all our 
 might, not reckoning that the fellow- creatures 
 might be cruel Indians who might murder us, 
 and mayhap eat us afterwards for our pains. 
 
 However, though we hallooed till we were 
 hoarse and could whoop no longer, answer came 
 there none, except a clucking of the fowls, who 
 seemed to be at a loss what we were crowing 
 so loud about. Yet from the presence of these 
 fowls and the swine — which seemed to us not 
 natural inhabitants of these parts, we clung 
 to the idea that some sort of fellow- creatures 
 were near, and so with a more cheerful heart
 
 WE MAKE OUT OUR WHEREABOUTS. 117 
 
 than I, for one, had yet felt since we were put 
 ashore, we continued our march when we had 
 eaten and drunk to our satisfaction. But first 
 we took of the thongs I had cut from the 
 swine's hide and stretched to dry between two 
 stakes, one apiece to serve as belts in which 
 to sling our hatchets, another which I. had 
 fashioned for a sling, and two or three besides 
 to serve for what occasion might arise. The 
 rest we left behind us, marking well the 
 spot. Our ham steaks we covered up in cool 
 leaves to keep them fresh, and hung them also 
 to the thongs about our middle. 
 
 That night we came to a point projecting 
 into the midst of a vast expanse of water, and 
 seeming to cut the river into two, for we found 
 that there were, as I may say, two currents — 
 one running to the south-east, and the other 
 north-east — so that we concluded we were not 
 on the mainland at all, but upon an island in 
 one of the great mouths of the Orinoco. This 
 was made evident as we proceeded, for still 
 marching with the water on our left hand, our
 
 118 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 faces were turned to the east and not to tlie 
 west, as at first ; and, in sliort, on the third 
 day of our inarch we came again to the ocean, 
 and about midday on the fourth to the very 
 spot from which we had started. 
 
 In all this time we had seen no human 
 creature, nor had we met — thank God ! — with 
 any serious accident, though inconveniences not 
 a few; and not the least of these was a mul- 
 titude of flies and stinging gnats, especially up- 
 wards away from the sea, which were a great 
 plague to us, and especially to Sir Harry, who 
 had the more tender skin, and was tormented 
 to that degree that he could get no peace night 
 or day for the intolerable itching and smarting 
 of their punctures. Nor did we meet any great 
 beast, save a huge water-lizard that is called 
 a cocodrill, which lies in the waters of these 
 rivers and looks like nothing on earth but a 
 log of timber at a distance. Birds there were 
 in plenty, and with my sling I brought 
 down enough for use, and more ; and to speak 
 of all the fruits here were a waste of time.
 
 OUR JOURNEY ENDED. 119 
 
 Suffice it to say that we lacked notliiog to 
 satisfy our appetite, and came to no harm by 
 what we ate of strange things, for we were 
 careful to eat of no fruit or herb but such as 
 we found the swine and other animals feasted 
 upon.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 I QUIT THE ISLAND AND MY FRIEND. 
 
 And now, being come back to our starting-place, 
 we had to consider our position and what we 
 were next to be at. I say we, but in truth I 
 might say I had to consider these things, for 
 Sir Harry seemed to have neither care for the 
 present nor hope for the future, and do what I 
 might to bring him to a more cheerful com- 
 plexion, it was all to no purpose. 
 
 " What is there to do in this cursed island," 
 says he, " but to eat and drink and sleep till 
 we die ? " 
 
 " The more reason," says I, " for devising 
 some means of getting away from this isle to 
 where we may do better." 
 
 He stretched out his hands towards the sea 
 that lay void before us, and laughed bitterly.
 
 SIR HARRY DOWNHEARTED. 121 
 
 "Nay," says I, not to seem discouraged, 
 tliougli, indeed, my hopes were but slight ; " it 
 is not so impossible as you think. Take it that 
 the day we left Trinidado the gale was in our 
 favour, we could but have made twenty or thirty 
 leagues at the outermost. Now, say that the 
 river to the north is three leagues broad, we 
 may j-et, by taking the current at our highest 
 point, contrive to make our way across on some 
 kind of raft, using a bough for paddle. There 
 is nothing lacking to make us a raft." 
 
 " AVell," says he, "say by good hap you 
 cross the river and get on another isle — what 
 then ? " 
 
 " Then," says I, " will we make our way to 
 the north of that island^ and cross to a third, or 
 a fourth, after the same fashion, and so get on 
 till we come to that part of Guiana due west of 
 Trinidado, whence may we with no more diffi- 
 culty cross the strait." 
 
 " Suppose, after all," says he, " that we get 
 to Trinidado — what then? Shall we be better 
 off there than we are here ? We run a fair
 
 122 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 cliance of being captured for slaves by the 
 Portugals, to be sure." 
 
 " Also," says I, " we run a fair chance of 
 escaping them and being picked up by some 
 English ship putting in as ours did to revictual." 
 
 " Allowing that your fondest hopes be 
 realised," says he, " is our case mended ? Is it 
 worse to sleep away our lives here than to be 
 taken into England as a raree show for men to 
 laugh at and women to pity ? No," says he, 
 with more passion than he had yet shoT\Ti ; " no, 
 I say ! It is not better, but a hundred times 
 worse, and I for one will never go back to be 
 scorned for a silly fellow who could not hold his 
 own," 
 
 It was not for me to reproach him, for had I 
 not also abandoned myself under adversity ? I 
 was convinced, and so I am now, that despair is 
 a malady of the mind as much as is ague a 
 distemper of the body; and though men say 
 one should not give way to despair, but should 
 overcome it by an effort of will, yet I say that 
 if the will be attacked by a great shock and
 
 MY OWN CONDITION DESCRIBED. 123 
 
 enfeebled by misfortune, it is powerless to exer- 
 cise its function. For such as suffer from this 
 disease of the mind there is no help from within, 
 but its only succour is from without. Where- 
 fore, the kindly ministrations of a friend will do 
 as ranch to restore health in this case as the 
 help of a doctor in any other. For this reason 
 I bore patiently with Sir Harry in his morose 
 and sullen humours, and sought all I could to 
 divert his spirit from brooding over misfortunes 
 not to be undone. But I think all that I did 
 in this way produced me more good than it did 
 him ; for whereas he continued despondent and 
 dull, I grew more cheerful and humane. I 
 waited upon him like a servant, and this service, 
 with my pit}^ to see a young, fine man so cast 
 down, engendered a feeling of love in my breast 
 such as I had never before felt for any man. 
 Nay, I even looked to getting with him back to 
 England, and seeing him married to Lady Biddy 
 Fane, Avithout any feeling of jealousy, being not 
 only more gentle of heart, but more reasonable 
 of mind than heretofore, thank God !
 
 124 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 At this time we stayed on high ground to 
 the south of our territory, over against that 
 part where we first found the pine-nut ; not 
 only because of the shade we got there from 
 the sun, but by reason that it was adjacent to 
 the stream of good water, and not far from the 
 fen where the swine came to wallow, and where 
 there was abundance of fowl and fruit good to 
 eat. 
 
 While we were here. Sir Harry fell sick of 
 a fever, bred partly, as I think, from his low, 
 desponding spirit, and partly from the vapours 
 that rose from the marshy valley below. When 
 I found he could no longer sit upright and 
 began to wander in his speech, I took him on 
 my back, and, by stages of a dozen yards, car- 
 ried him away from that unwholesome spot 
 right down to the sea-shore, and there, finding 
 an easy slope, I laid him down, and, as speedily 
 as I could, set about making a kind of house 
 to shield him from the sun. The night being 
 fairly light, by dint of many journeys to and 
 fro, and much toil, I planted a dozen stakes in
 
 SIR HARRY SICK OF A FEVER. 125 
 
 the sand, bending them down till they joined at 
 the top, in the form of a great A> and binding 
 them to a cross tree, then I thatched this frame- 
 work with those long and broad palmetto leaves 
 of which I have spoken. Here he lay as com- 
 fortable as might be for one in his burning 
 condition, the sea breeze passing through the 
 shelter and tempering the heat of the sun. 
 
 He could eat nothing ; however, I made shift 
 to stew a fowl in the shell of a gourd, and 
 when the broth was cold I got him to drink 
 it, for he had a perpetual thirst ; and that his 
 drink might be cool and refreshing, I went a 
 score of times during the day almost to the 
 source of the stream, where the water was of 
 the best. Of such fruits as were good also I 
 gave him, particularly the apples from a low, 
 square-boughed tree with egg-shaped leaves, 
 which is called, I believe, guava. 
 
 And now I prayed to God that this man's 
 life might be spared, and that I might not be 
 left alone, which more than all proves the great 
 and good change which had been wrought in
 
 126 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 my heart since the time when I sought but to 
 escape from the society of mankind, and wished 
 harm to all men, and this one above all. 
 
 At the end of seven days' very painful 
 watching, Sir Harry's disorder took a turn, and 
 soon after he began to mend (thanks be to 
 God !) so that he could take meat instead of 
 slops to his diet. Yet was he greatly changed, 
 his skin having lost its freshness and healthful 
 colour, and his face much wasted. Also he 
 was very weak, and for days lay exhausted and 
 "unable to move, yet wdth his eyes wide open 
 and very bright. After a while I persuaded him 
 to rise in the cool of the morning and evening, 
 and then would he take a turn, leaning on my 
 arm. And though he said nothing, I perceived 
 he recognised the love I bore for him, and was 
 -grateful for my care. What pleased me vastly 
 was to observe that a change had been wrought 
 in his spirit ; it seemed as though his sluggish 
 indifference had been purged away. When the 
 fever had quite left him, his eyes continued 
 bright and quick, and there was in his face an
 
 SIR HARRY MAKES A DISCOVERY. 127 
 
 eager expression, telling of an anxiety which 
 only exists where there is hope. But what his 
 hope was he told me not. This encouraged me 
 to believe that he designed leaving the island 
 (where there was, as I could see, naught to 
 hope for), and not dying there, as he had at 
 first resigned himself to. I again began to 
 meditate on the means of reaching Trinidado, 
 but I refrained from opening the subject yet 
 awhile, because he was still too feeble to under- 
 take the fatigue of it. 
 
 One day, when I had returned to the hut 
 by the shore from the inner parts, where I had 
 been planting a snare to catch a pig, I found 
 Sir Harry absent ; but soon after I heard him 
 shoutmg, and, turning my eyes, I spied him 
 running towards me along the sand with some- 
 thing in his hand, which, as he came nearer, I 
 perceived was the stave of a barrel. 
 
 " Look at that," says he, with much emotion ; 
 " there have been men on this island before us. 
 Up in the Avood there is a broken barrel ; this 
 is a stave of it. Men brought it here.'*
 
 128 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " Why, for a certainty," says I, " tliis wood 
 never sprang out of the earth fashioned thus ! " 
 
 "No," says he, "nor did the pigs on this 
 island spring out of the earth." ' 
 
 " What do you mean by that ? " I asked, 
 perplexed by this observation. 
 
 " I mean," says he, " that the men who 
 came here to fetch water in that barrel left the 
 swine and the fowls to multiply against the 
 time they should come here to revictual. I 
 thought as much as I lay there in my sick- 
 ness hearing the cock crow, and now I have the 
 proof. Do you doubt it, man — do you doubt 
 it P " 
 
 " Not a whit," says I ; " and I wonder I 
 have not drawn the conclusion before, for I 
 remember now how Rodrigues told me it was 
 the habit of pirates, who fight shy of towns, to 
 provide for themselves in this wise." 
 
 " Then you think," says he, eagerly, " that 
 they are pirates who came hither ? " 
 
 " Ah, and not honest men ; that is my fear," 
 says I.
 
 A BAD OUTLOOK. 129 
 
 " And I trust they be pirates, and not 
 honest men, if they are to come here again," 
 says he ; " for then may I get back all I have 
 lost, and more to boot." 
 
 " As how ? " says I, not without trouble in 
 my mnid. 
 
 " By the same means my fortune was taken 
 from me — by strategy and force." 
 
 " Surely you would not become a pirate — 
 you, a gentleman of birth and breeding ? " 
 
 " And what was Drake but a gentleman ? " 
 says he J "and Candish : what of him?" 
 
 I shook my head, and heaved a sigh to 
 hear this argument from the lips of my friend, 
 which I had listened to from such a rascal as 
 Rodrigues. 
 
 " Why," says he, in a rallying tone, " 3^ou 
 were not so squeamish aboard the Sure Hawk!' 
 
 " No," says I ; " but I thank the Lord I 
 have not taken His warning in vain." 
 
 He laughed scornfully, as though thinking 
 my peril had made me prayerful, and caressing 
 the barrel stave with his hand, lifted his head 
 J
 
 130 THE ADMIRABLE LADT BIDDY FANE. 
 
 and scanned the sea, as already expecting the 
 return of those pirates we talked of. 
 
 " And is your fortune all you expect to get 
 by becoming a pirate ? " I asked, laying my 
 hand on his arm. 
 
 " What more do I want, forsooth ? " asks 
 he, lightly. 
 
 "Why, sir," says I, "the peace of mind to 
 enjoy it." 
 
 "As for that," says he, "however I get it I 
 warrant it shall bring me more enjoyment than 
 I can expect stopping here, or going back to 
 England a beggar." 
 
 "Are you so daunted by the outset that 
 you despair of getting gold honestly in 
 Gruiana?" 
 
 " Hum ! " says he ; "I cannot see that it 
 is much more honest to take gold from the 
 Ingas of Manoa, who have never done us harm, 
 than from the Spaniard, who has sought to 
 undo us with his flotilla ; but, be that as it 
 may, you will show me how we are to get to 
 Manoa, who are not yet beyond the mouth of
 
 OUR ARGUMENT. 131 
 
 the Oronoque, ere I give that entei*prise the 
 preference." 
 
 " Single-handed we can do nothing, but I 
 will answer for it that my uncle, Sir Bartlemj, 
 instead of being discouraged by our first failure, 
 vnll be more inclined to persevere in it. You 
 know his nature as well as I do. A reverse 
 does but strengthen his determination, as a bite 
 infuriates a bulldog." 
 
 ** That is true," says he ; " he is an English- 
 man to the very marrow of his bones." 
 
 " Well, then," says I, " shall he not fit you 
 out another expedition?" 
 
 "Why, man, how can he? Nearly all he 
 had was united to my fortune in buying the 
 two ships I have lost, and in equipping them. 
 He is a ruined man. Euined by me ! " 
 
 " If he lacks money, other shall be found. 
 He will move heaven and earth to save you 
 from the disgrace of sinking to the level of 
 such wretches as Morgan and Sawkins, and this 
 Eodrigues." 
 
 In this sort I reasoned with him persistently, 
 J 2
 
 132 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 till at length, seeing that I was not to be 
 shaken off by argument, he turns about and 
 says — 
 
 " Look you, Pengilly, I will never go 
 begging in England, even for a second chance 
 to be cast away on this island. I cannot easily 
 consent that another should beg for me ; for a 
 craven I must appear in either case. But since 
 your mind is set on this thing, go you to Eng- 
 land without me ; and if any, for my sake, will 
 make this venture, lead them hither ; then, if I 
 be still here and alive, I will attempt this 
 expedition to Manoa. Nay," he adds, inter- 
 rupting me, when I began to protest that I 
 would not quit him ; " leave me here and go 
 about this business as you \^dll, you shall still 
 be the more generous of the two ; for I swear 
 to you that if the worst pirate that sails the 
 seas comes here I will cast in my lot with him, 
 whether you accompany me or whether you 
 refuse to take part with us." 
 
 Seeing him very stubborn and resolved upon 
 this point, I then began to think seriously of
 
 SERIOUS THOUGHTS OF ESCAPE. 133 
 
 getting away as best I could ; for, thinks I, 
 'twere more humane to leave him here alone, 
 with the chance of bringing him succour and 
 the means of honestly escaping from his soli- 
 tude, than to rest here inactive until perchance 
 there comes some villainous sea-rover with 
 whom he shall take his departure. For my 
 own part, I had now no leaning to piracy ; for, 
 though I loved the Spaniard no more than any 
 other true Englishman may, yet I knew full 
 well that Rodrigues and such fellows would not 
 question closely whether their prey was Spanish, 
 but would pillage and sink any craft that sailed 
 so that it had not the strength to resist attack. 
 
 So, going along the border of that upper 
 stream, which in my ignorance I will call North 
 River, I came upon a great tree that was dead 
 and decayed about the roots, so that it needed 
 but little cutting to make it fall, and that close 
 to the water. This tree was fully three fathoms 
 in girth, and proportionately tall, straight, and 
 fair, decayed only where the humours of the 
 earth had attacked its base, light and very
 
 134 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 proper in all ways to my use. Wherefore I set 
 to work, and, cutting on that side I wished it 
 to fall, I felled it with no very great difficulty. 
 "When it was down I found the upper part 
 sound, as I expected, and not so hard but that 
 with patient labour I succeeded in cutting two 
 lengths, each of five fathoms long. These two 
 lengths I set side by side, the thicker end of 
 one against the thinner end of the other ; then 
 I got me a quantity of those long vines which 
 the Indians call lianas, which are very string}^ 
 and tough as good hemp rope, and with this 
 I bound my timbers together in a hundred 
 places, but separately, so that if by chance one 
 broke the rest would still hold. But I must 
 tell you that for the greater convenience of 
 working these huge logs I launched them sepa- 
 rately into a shallow before I began to bind 
 them about, which was well, for I could never 
 have moved them else. After that I sought out 
 two slight trees of hard growth that were not 
 more than thirty feet high, and, cutting them 
 down, I trimmed them into two poles, each
 
 I CONTRIVE A FLOAT. 135 
 
 four fathoms long. Then, midway in the length 
 of my logs, I made two holes — one in each, 
 and parallel one with the other. To do this I 
 jagged the mouth of my musket barrel about, 
 grinding each jag into a sharp tooth with a hard 
 stone, by which contrivance I made a tool to 
 serve in place of an auger. When I had pierced 
 the logs right through I enlarged the holes by 
 making my musket barrel red hot in a fire, and 
 working it about in the holes. Into these 
 sockets I fitted my two poles, using every device 
 I could think of to make them firm and secure ; 
 and this being done, and both poles standing 
 bolt upright, I turned the logs on their side so 
 as to get the ends of the poles within reach, and 
 these ends I bent until they met, and so bound 
 them together with lianas to make them bite still 
 closer in their sockets, and also to be a support 
 one to the other against the gale, for they were 
 to serve me as a mast. For, by the time my logs 
 were cut, launched, and bound together, as I 
 have shown, I had come to the conclusion that 
 it would be better to venture the whole voyage
 
 136 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 by water, keeping as near as might be to 
 the main, and taking advantage of favourable 
 breezes, rather than to abandon my raft on the 
 other side of the river and make my way onward 
 by land to that point nearest Trinidado, as I 
 had first meditated on, for I knew not what 
 other great rivers there might be to cross, nor 
 how many rafts I might have to make ere I 
 got to my journey's end; and the difficulty of 
 making such a raft, rude as it was, no one can 
 conceive but those who have had a like difficulty 
 to contend with. It cost me four months and 
 ten days of painfnl labour to achieve that which 
 I have set down. 
 
 During this time Sir Harry had not been 
 idle ; and though he could not honestly encour- 
 age me with a hope of bringing my business to a 
 happy issue, yet he helped me with a willing 
 heart, and said nothing which might discourage 
 me neither. But he was as firmly fixed in 
 his intent as I on mine, and rarely worked up 
 the river with me, lest in his absence the ship 
 he expected might come and go away again.
 
 FRIENDLY HELP. 137 
 
 Anything he could do within sight of the sea he 
 did, and this was no trifle. Here every day he 
 provided food for our necessity, and in his spare 
 time he fashioned me a long yard for my mast, 
 and, which was more, he made a shoulder-of- 
 mutton sail — to rig on my mast like a lateen on 
 a zebec — of long reeds very ingeniously woven 
 together. Also he devised two vessels to con- 
 tain fresh water for my use by stripj^ing a couple 
 of hogs from the neck downwards without cut- 
 ting the skin. These skins he turned inside 
 out, scraped off all the fat carefully, and then 
 steeping them in the sea until they were well 
 cured, and afterwards washing them some days 
 in .the stream of fresh water, they were found 
 good and sound, each holding a good hogshead 
 of water. 
 
 Besides this, he cut a vast quantity of pork 
 steaks and cured them in the sun, which may be 
 done without corrupting the flesh if it be laid 
 where the sun is hot and the air dry. Moreover, 
 he saved all the bladders of hogs that he killed, 
 blew them out, and coated them over with a
 
 138 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 sort of pitcli to preserve them from tlie attacks 
 of flies and insects. This pitch comes from the 
 sea of those parts, and is washed ashore by the 
 tide, and being melted before a fire, it is as good 
 a pitch as any in the world. These bladders I 
 tied on to the extremities of long poles lashed 
 crosswise to my raft to serve as a sort of buoys 
 to bear up that side to which the sail inclined, 
 and prevent the raft from capsizing in a sudden 
 squall. 
 
 I bound some bundles of reeds transversely 
 to the logs to serve me as a deck, and many 
 other provisions I made, such as a great stone at 
 the end of a line for an anchor, a paddle to serve 
 as a rudder, etc. In fine — not to weary the 
 reader with tedious descriptions — just ten 
 months to a day from the time we were set 
 ashore all was made ready for my departure. 
 
 And now, taking Sir Harry's hands in mine 
 and pressing them close, I begged him to come 
 with me. 
 
 " Look you," says I, " this offer is not un- 
 premeditated on my part. All through I have
 
 SIR HARRY, HIS STUBBORN PRIDE. 139 
 
 borne it in mind, and for that reason have I 
 measured my boat and all things to serve two 
 rather than one. Here is provision for both and 
 to spare ; the breeze is favourable, and all things 
 promise a prosperous outcome. Do, then, be 
 persuaded by me, dear friend, to share my 
 fate ; if not for your sake and mine, then 
 for those who love you in England and are 
 eagerly hoping for your return." 
 
 He was not unmoved by this address, and 
 the tears sprang in his eyes as he wi'ung my 
 hand in silence ; but he shook his head the 
 while. 
 
 " No," says he, presently ; " no, Pengilly ; 
 you know not the pride of my heart. It would 
 kill me with shame to show myself a beggar 
 there," turning his eyes towards the north. " I 
 am a ruined man — ay, ruined body and soul — 
 for I feel that I am unworthy of your love. 
 Go!" 
 
 "Nay," says T, "let me stay, that my per- 
 suasion may work on you. I left my offer till 
 the last, hoping "
 
 140 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " I know," says lie, interrupting me. " You 
 hoped that the prospect of being left alone, 
 coming to be reviewed suddenly, would shake 
 my resolution. But I have foreseen this. I saw 
 that you were preparing for two to make voyage 
 on the raft. I knew that you were not dwelling 
 cheerfully day by day on the prospect of escape 
 but to excite a desire in me to escape with j^ou. 
 I know what is in your heart, and have just 
 sensibility enough left in mine to value it. But 
 I will not go. I am resolved, and naught can 
 shake my resolution from its centre. Go ; and 
 may God bless you." 
 
 So with a very sad heart I was fain to accept 
 his decision ; and shoving out into the stream I 
 went down swiftly with the current, and had not 
 the courage to look back on that poor lonely 
 man I was leaving behind.
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 I AM EXCELLENTLY SERVED BY MY FAMOUS 
 INVENTION, AND COME TO ENGLAND NOT 
 MUCH THE WORSE FOR IT. 
 
 By making vigorous employment of my paddle, 
 first on one side and then on the other, I con- 
 tinued to keep well in the midst of the river, 
 and the tide then ebbing fast, I was quickly 
 swept across the shallows at the mouth, and so 
 out to sea. 
 
 And now I thought it proper to hoist my 
 sail ; so, laying aside my paddle, I drew up the 
 lateen between my two masts till it was taut, 
 and then making fast the liana found it acted 
 well enough, for at once it filled out very full and 
 fair to the breeze, which was blowing pretty 
 brisk from the south-east. 
 
 But now my difficulties and troubles began,, 
 for I had no exj^erience in the governing of a
 
 142 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 sailing boat, and ere I had got to work at my 
 paddle, my raft veered round before tbe gale, the 
 sail flapping to and fro between the masts, and 
 I had all the pain in the world to get her head 
 round and my sail full again. And when this 
 was achieved, I found a fresh fault, and this was 
 that my buoys were nothing near sufficient to 
 resist the pressure of the sail, so that they dipped 
 deep into the water, the poles to which they 
 were fastened bending to such a degree that I 
 expected nothing less every moment but that 
 they would snap under the strain, and the raft 
 capsize utterly, to my final undoing. Wherefore 
 I was fain to abandon my paddle, and reef the 
 lower part of the sail to lessen the pressure, in 
 which time I again lost the wind ; so back to my 
 paddle and more labour to bring me round once 
 more before the breeze, etc. 
 
 By this time I perceived that the current of 
 the sea and my bungling together had swept me 
 far from the coast, and rather to the south than 
 to the north. And to my great perplexity I 
 found that I could not get the wind in my sail
 
 A SORRY NAVIGATOR. 143 
 
 without drifting still further from the shore to 
 the west; for if I steered to the north, then 
 would the wind go out of my sail, and the craft, 
 losing way, woukl drift with the current to 
 the south, so that if I did nothing matters could 
 be no worse. At last I was constrained to 
 lower my sail altogether and seek to make head 
 against the current by vigorous use of my 
 paddle, first on one side and then on the other, 
 as I say. And, lord ! no man could be more 
 encompassed with troubles than I was, or sweat 
 more to overcome them than I did at this time. 
 At length, from sheer exhaustion, I was fain to 
 give over, and let my raft, without sail or oar, go 
 whither it might. I sat me down on my deck 
 of rushes, and casting my eyes towards the land 
 was dismayed to find it but an indistinct line on 
 the horizon (I having been out to sea now four 
 hours or more), and to the best of my belief 
 I stood further from Trinidado, after all my 
 trouble, than ere I started forth. And let this 
 be a warning to all men that they put not to sea 
 ere they have learned to sail.
 
 144 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 When I had refreshed myself with some 
 water and one of my dried pork steaks (which, 
 that they might not be perished by the sea 
 water, I had hanged conveniently high on one of 
 my masts), I rose up, and with a kind of desperate 
 fary essayed again to make a proper course. 
 Fu'st, I went at my sail once more, and when I 
 found that of no avail, but rather the contrary, I 
 seized my paddle, and worked at it like any 
 galley slave ; and though I could see no improve- 
 ment, yet did I persevere diligently. Then, 
 fancying the breeze was a little abated and blew 
 from another quarter, I went (with a prayer) and 
 once more lifted my sail, but that would not do ; 
 and so (with a curse) I dropped it and back to 
 my paddle. In fine, to cut a long story short, 
 1 wasted ray pains all that day, and had the 
 mortification, as I sat down once more to rest 
 my aching limbs, to find the land no longer 
 in sight ; nor anything else but the water all 
 around me. 
 
 Seeing it was useless to work when I could 
 no longer see for want of light (though not
 
 MT CONDITION NO BETTER. 145 
 
 more useless than before, may be), I lay me 
 down on my reeds (the sea, Grod be praised ! 
 having subsided when the wind dropped to an 
 agreeable calm), and presently fell asleep. 
 
 The next day there w^as no need to experi- 
 ment with my sail, for not a breath of air 
 stirred; so I worked steadily at my paddle 
 pretty nearly the whole day, but I was forced 
 to desist in the noon for some time because of 
 the great heat of the sun, and that while I 
 sheltered myself under the sail, which was, God 
 knows, all the use it ever served me. All that 
 day I heard not a sound but such as I made 
 with my paddles, and the sea was like so much 
 glass extended about me, and a mist all around 
 the horizon caused by the sun sucking up with 
 his great heat the vapours from the water. 
 When the sun set, this mist settled over the 
 whole sea, so that I could see never a star to 
 cheer me, and this made me very sad and 
 prayerful, for it seemed as if a death-pall were 
 being spread over my unhappy being. Then 
 would I gladly have been back with Sir Harry
 
 146 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 on the island; and thinking of him and our 
 miserable estate, both alone, and like to perish 
 without ever again hearing the sound of a cheer- 
 ful voice, the tears began to flow from my eyes 
 as from a woman's ; and I do think I fell asleep 
 weeping. 
 
 About midnight (as I reckon) I was awakened 
 by the freshening of the breeze ; yet nothing 
 could I see. I groped my way along very care- 
 fully to my masts, that I might have them to 
 hold by, for already the sea was rising ; and it 
 was well that I did so, for in an amazingly short 
 space of time the breeze quickened to a gale, 
 and beat the waters so high that I was like to 
 have been swept away by the waves as they 
 burst. I will not dwell on the increasing 
 terrors of that night, for no words can describe 
 the fury of that hurricano, or my dread lest the 
 binding of my logs should be rent asunder and 
 my frail resting-place part under me. And 
 here let me observe that, no matter how a man 
 may desire death at other times, yet in the hour 
 of peril will he ever cling desperately to life.
 
 MY TERRIBLE PLIGHT. 147 
 
 When morning broke, my case was no better 
 than in the night; and looking around me at 
 the billows that threatened every moment to 
 engulf me, I was appalled, and could but say, 
 over and over again, " Grod be merciful to me ! " 
 For a long while I experienced neither hunger 
 nor thirst ; but only great fear and terror ; but 
 when nature began to crave within me, and I 
 looked to see if I could get at my water- vessels, 
 I perceived that they had been washed away in 
 the night, for I had taken no precaution to lash 
 them to the raft for safety. And also 1 noticed 
 that my deck of rushes was clean gone and 
 my outriggers broken. My only comfort was 
 that the bonds of my raft still, for the most 
 part, held good, though the straining of the 
 timbers had loosened them, and it was clear 
 they could support the rubbing of the logs and 
 the wrenching of them but a little longer. I 
 saw that if one or two at the end went, then all 
 must go ; therefore, as I crouched between the 
 masts, I watched these bonds as a man may 
 watch the preparing of a gallows from which he 
 k2
 
 148 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 is in the end to be swung off into eternity. 
 And after my raft had been shot down into a 
 great hollow, and thence rising up, met the 
 fearful buffet of another huge wave, I saw that 
 the end liana was burst asunder. " God be 
 merciful to me ! " says I again, and with the 
 greater earnestness that I felt I might the next 
 moment be in His presence. 
 
 At this moment, above the tumult and rush 
 of the waves and wind, I heard a report like 
 the firing of a small piece of ordnance, and, 
 casting my eye in that direction, I saw, to my 
 vast amazement, a great ship bearing down 
 upon me, and not two fathoms off. And that 
 noise I heard was made by the splitting of her 
 topmast and its striking the side of the vessel 
 as it fell. Scarce had I seen this when the ship, 
 riding down on the wave, ground its foreside 
 against the end of my raft, and the next in- 
 stant I found myself entangled in the wreck of 
 the broken mast with its yard, which still hung 
 to the ship by its cordage. Some of this cord- 
 age passing right athwart me, I sprang up and
 
 SAVED BY PROVIDENCE. 149 
 
 clasped it ; then, though as how I cannot tell, 
 but as I best might, I climbed like any monkey- 
 upwards, getting no more than a dozen or so 
 good thumps against the ship's side, and knock- 
 ing the skin off my knuckles by the way, until 
 I shoved my head above the bulwarks, where 
 already'- two stout seamen were severing the 
 broken mast from the cordage with hatchets. 
 When these two saw me rise as it were out of 
 the grave over the bulwarks, I say, they were 
 stricken with greater terror than the fury of 
 the tempest had inspired, and fell back from 
 their business with gaping mouths and starting 
 eyes ; but as I tumbled over the side and threw 
 myself on the deck, and they perceived I was 
 no ghost, but only a poor shipwrecked wretch, 
 they picked me up and bore me into the round- 
 house to their captain, for I had no power even 
 to stand, being quite spent with my exertion 
 and trouble of mind. 
 
 The captain spoke to me, but I could not 
 understand him," for, as I afterwards found, he 
 was from Holland and spoke Dutch, and I spoke
 
 150 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 to liim witli no better effect, for lie knew no 
 word of English. Nor did any man on that 
 ship speak anything but Dutch, or understand 
 our tongue. I tried to make him comprehend 
 by signs that I had ventured to sea on two 
 logs, but he could make nothing of me till we 
 got to Schiedam (which we did, thanks be to 
 God, in a little over eight weeks), where was 
 a man who spoke English. 
 
 The captain was very humane and kind to 
 me, and for my serving him on the voyage, 
 which I did to the best of my ability and cheer- 
 fully, he paid me at the same rate he paid his 
 other seamen, besides giving me a decent suit 
 of clothes, of which I stood much in need. 
 Through this good man's generosity was I 
 enabled to pay my passage in a galliot to Yar- 
 mouth in England, where, by the good help of 
 Providence, I arrived full safe and sound. 
 
 And there had I yet some pieces to spare 
 for my sustenance and to help me onward to 
 Falmouth.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 LADY BIDDY GIVES ME A WORD OF COMFORT. 
 
 I REACHED Fane Court eighteen months, as 
 near as may be, from . the time our first un- 
 happy expedition set out. 
 
 When I asked for Sir Bartlemy, the hall 
 servant seeing me all dusty with travel and out 
 at heel, told me I must bide my time, as the 
 knight and Lady Biddy Fane were at dinner. 
 
 "No matter for that," says I; "tell him 
 his nephew, Benet Pengilly, is here, and I 
 warrant you will fare better than if jou kept 
 him waiting for the news." 
 
 The fellow started in amaze hearing my 
 name, which was better known to him than my 
 face, and went without a word to carry the 
 tidings of my return to Sir Bartlemy. Almost 
 immediately afterwards my uncle came out into 
 the hall, and as quickly after him Lady Biddy
 
 152 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 — Sir Bartlemy as hale and hearty as ever, 
 and Lady Biddy, to my eyes, more beautiful 
 than before ; but both pale and greatly amazed 
 in countenance. 
 
 " Benet ! " gasps the old knight, and that 
 was all he could say. But he held out his 
 hand, which I took and pressed with great 
 love, for my feelings were much softened by 
 hardship, and I was much grieved to think of 
 the pain I was to give him instead of the 
 joyful news he looked for. Lady Biddy stepped 
 forward, and her face lighting up with hope, 
 she looked for the moment as if she also might 
 be kind to me, and welcome me for the sake 
 of her lover. But of a sudden she checked 
 herself, seeing my downcast complexion, and 
 bating her breath, she says — 
 
 " Where is he ? Where are the rest ? " 
 
 Then says I, with as much courage as I 
 could muster, but with pain that went to my 
 heart — 
 
 " I am the only man who has come back." 
 And with that I hung my head, not to see 
 their grief.
 
 KINDLY ENTERTAINED. 153 
 
 " He is not dead — they are not all lost ! " I 
 heard her say, in a tone that seemed mingled 
 with a silent prayer to merciful God. 
 
 " No," says I ; " Sir Harry is not dead. 1 
 left him out there in Guiana ; but for the rest, 
 if they be lost, 'tis their just reward." 
 
 Then Lady Biddy burst into tears to know 
 that her lover Hved, and Sir Bartlemy, taking 
 her by the arm and me by mine, led us into 
 the dining-hall without speaking. 
 
 By this time. Lady Biddy's emotion being 
 passed, and her pride returning, she took her 
 arm from her uncle's, as if she would not accept 
 of kindness that was equally bestowed on such 
 as I. 
 
 " Sit ye down there, Benet," says my uncle, 
 pushing me to a seat ; " and now tell us all as 
 briefly as you may ; for I perceive that the case 
 is bad (with a plague to it ! ) though Harry live 
 (God be thanked ! ) ; and if there be a tooth to 
 come out, the quicker it's done the better." 
 
 Then I told the bare truth : how Rodrigues 
 and Ned Parsons had led the crews astray and
 
 154 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 set ns ashore, and the means of my coming 
 again to England, in as few words as I could 
 shift with. When I had made an end of this, 
 Lady Biddy was the first to speak. 
 
 " Wliy did not Sir Harry come back with 
 you ? '' says she. 
 
 " He scorns to come back a beggar," says I. 
 " He will never return to England until he can 
 repay his obligations to Sir Bartlemy and ask 
 you to be his wife." 
 
 This gave her great joy, admiring in him 
 that quality of pride which she cherished in her- 
 self, so that her eyes sparkled again, and her fair 
 bosom swelled with a sigh of satisfaction. 
 Presently she turned again upon me, her pretty 
 lips curved with disdain, and, says she — 
 
 " And you left him there in that desert 
 alone ! Content to save your own life, you 
 abandoned him to hopeless solitude. Oh, that 
 I had been a man in your place ! " 
 
 I hung my head again in silence, feeling it 
 were better to bear her reproach than to attempt 
 an excuse ; for I could not trust my tongue to
 
 OUR DISCOURSE. _ 155 
 
 reveal the main reason of my escaping, for fear 
 I should betray his intention of turning pirate ; 
 and this, for the love I bore them, I was 
 resolved to keep secret. 
 
 " Nay," says Sir Bartlemy, coming to my 
 help, but with no great enthusiasm neither ; 
 " never beat the dog that comes home." He 
 paused, and I could fancy his adding to himself, 
 " Curse him, for a mean-spirited hound, all the 
 same ! " Then he continues, in a more hopeful 
 tone, " If he had not come home, how could we 
 have known of Harry's peril ? Come, Benet ; 
 tell me that in coming hither you hoped to get 
 succour for Harry." 
 
 " You might believe that," says I, " of a 
 man with less heart than you credit me withal. 
 I came to beg for help because Sir Harry was 
 too proud to beg it himself." 
 
 " I knew as much," says he, taking my 
 hand and shaking it heartily. Then turning to 
 my Lady Biddy, " And now% my dear, what's to 
 do ? I have no money, and an expense I must 
 be to you all the days that I live now that my
 
 156 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 all is lost, with a plague to those rascals that 
 robbed me ! But you of your plenty will 
 charter a ship to go out and fetch this poor 
 man ? " 
 
 " More than that must be done," says I. 
 " He will only accept such help as will enable 
 him to recover all he has lost." 
 
 There was approval in Lady Biddy's looks 
 when I said this. 
 
 " Odds my life ! he's in the right of it," 
 cries Sir Bartlemy, bumping the table with his 
 fist. " Plague take me if ever I'd come sneak- 
 ing home with my tail 'twixt my legs like a 
 whipped cur that has neither the stomach to 
 bite nor to keep away from his sop. I mean 
 nothing ill with regard to you, Benet," he adds, 
 turning about to me, " for I hold you have done 
 the part of a true friend and a good, and have 
 shown more courage and high spirit in this 
 matter than many another. Well, what's to 
 do, girl, eh ? " — turning now to Lady Biddy, 
 and rubbing his thighs with his broad hands 
 cheerily.
 
 ANOTHER EXPEDITION RESOLVED ON. 157 
 
 Lady Biddy, with not less eagerness in her 
 manner, looked to me, and nodded that I should 
 speak all that was in my mind. 
 
 " As much must be found as has been lost," 
 says I. " For nothing less in men or treasure 
 will suffice Sir Harry to reach Manoa. And 
 with that it is a venture, and naught can be 
 done without God's good help, for never man 
 saw a country so difficult to penetrate or such 
 currents of rivers to mount. And first, money 
 must be raised." 
 
 " Money shall not lack. I will venture 
 my fortune to the last piece," says Lady Biddy. 
 
 "Ay, and so would I, if I had aught to 
 lose," cried Sir Bartlemy. " But you, my girl, 
 may well spare enough for this venture, and 
 yet have as much to lay by for another, if that 
 fail." 
 
 " No time must be lost," says I. 
 
 " Not a moment," cries Lady Biddy, start- 
 ing up as if she had but to fetch money from 
 her strong chest to accomplish all. " You must 
 see about ships and men at once, uncle."
 
 15S THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " Ay," says he, " but wlio is to command 
 them, and carry help to your sweetheart in 
 Gruiana? " 
 
 Lady Biddy looked at him, and he at her, 
 whetting his lips, as one with a dainty dish set 
 before him that he would fain eat of. 
 
 " I'm an old fellow, but there's life in me 
 yet : there's vigour — there's manhood," says he ; 
 " and if I decay 'twill be only for want of use. 
 And I know the seas as well as any man, and 
 I warrant me no crew of mine should take my 
 ship from me, as from this poor lad, who put 
 too great faith in the honesty of seamen. I 
 dream o' nights of ocean seas ; and feather beds 
 I do hate more than any man can." 
 
 " Then why should not you command this 
 expedition ? " says Lady Biddy. 
 
 He tried to look astonished at this design; 
 then putting his beard betwixt his fingers and 
 thumb, and shaking his head doubtfully, he 
 tried to look grave, but his merry eye twinkled 
 with delight at this notion. Yet presently his 
 chap fell, and he looked truly serious.
 
 LADY BIDDY A-GOING. 159 
 
 "My dear," says he, "what am I to do with 
 you ? I cannot leave a young girl alone in this 
 place, and ^^ou have no relative but me, nor any 
 steadfast friend to whom I may confide you, and 
 a scurvy to it. Lord ! I'd have done it, but 
 for this plaguy obstacle." 
 
 Then Lady Biddy, as mad as he and as fond, 
 cries — 
 
 "Do you think I will be left at home to 
 mope, as I have in these past months ? Nay — 
 where my fortune goes, there go I also." 
 
 "And why not?" cries my uncle, banging 
 the table again. "Was there e'er a better gover- 
 nor than Queen Bess, and she was a woman ? 
 And no queen that ever lived had a higher spirit 
 or a braver heart than thou, my dear ! Kiss 
 me, for I love you. Now go fetch the chart 
 from my closet. Benet " (turning to me), " you 
 shall go with me and be my counsel (as much as 
 you may, being but a poor sailor, I take it). 
 We'll set to this at once ; ships must be bought 
 and men got — honest men — and none of your 
 rascals who have come home with gold, and tell
 
 160 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 of getting it from the Ingas." In this way he 
 ran on, till Lady Biddy came in, bringing the 
 chart ; and a very good chart it was, so that I 
 had no difficulty in pointing out the island 
 where we had been set ashore, as I have said. 
 
 Then did this uncle and niece lay out their 
 plans gleefully as any children designing a 
 holiday jaunt — reckoning nothing of the perils 
 and terrors that I knew lay before us. But 
 this sanguine temper was of that family's na- 
 ture. And beautiful it was to see that grace- 
 ful, lovely girl leaning over beside the old 
 knight, following the course he laid down on 
 the card — her face all aglow with eager hope 
 and love, her eyes sparkling, and her rich, ruddy 
 lips sweetly curved in a smile about her little 
 white teeth. 
 
 I know not how it came about — whether it 
 was the pang which shot through my heart as 
 I reflected that this admirable creature was for 
 another and not for me — that for his sake was 
 she hazarding her fortune and life, while, if she 
 thought of me, it was but with scorn ; or
 
 MY DEAR LADY KIND. ] Gl 
 
 whether my body was exhausted by the fatigue 
 it had endured in hastening hither and my long 
 fast (I had walked all night and eaten nothing 
 but scraps of cow-salad torn from the banks), 
 I cannot say ; only this I know, that, while I 
 sat there watching that sweet girl, a great sick- 
 ness and faintness came upon me, so that I had 
 to rise and go to the window for air. 
 
 Then Sir Bartlemy spying me, and how my 
 face was white and the cold sweat standing in 
 beads on my brow, perceived that I was sick. 
 So he brought me a mug of ale and some meat, 
 which were his remedy for all ills. But what 
 did comfort more than these victuals was the 
 kindness that filled Lady Biddy's heart when 
 she saw my case. No angel could have been 
 more tender. And while this mood was yet 
 upon her, she said in my ear — 
 
 "Benet, I did you wrong in my too great 
 haste J for I see now that you have served him 
 with great love, and I must love you for so 
 loving him."
 
 CHAP TEE XIII. 
 
 THE CROSSED HEART. 
 
 When two impetuous streams join and flow 
 together, their course must needs be swift — 
 whether to flow into the sweet and happy valley, 
 or into the dark and horrid gulf. Thus while 
 my uncle occupied himself in one matter, Lady 
 Biddy busied herself in another, and both to 
 the equipment of this new expedition ; so that 
 in an incredibly short space of time all provision 
 was achieved, and we were ready to set out. 
 
 First there were ships to be procured, and 
 seamen to serve them. For better choice. Sir 
 Bartlemy journeyed over to Portsmouth, taking 
 me with him, and a well-stuffed purse, together 
 with a dozen lusty servants for our safe escort 
 through those lawless and dangerous parts 
 which lay betwixt Truro and Exeter, where no 
 man rides safe.
 
 SEEKING OF SHIPS. 103 
 
 Being come without mishap to Portsmouth, 
 Sir Bartlemy found an old acquaintance of 
 his, a broker and a very honest man, and with 
 him we went and examined all those ships that 
 were to sell, choosing in the end two that were 
 after his heart ; excellent fair ships too, sound 
 and swift, that had sailed the seas, one two years 
 and the other four; for Sir Bartlemy would 
 have no new ships, but only such as had stood 
 the test of tempest, and were fully seasoned. 
 
 While this was a-doing I made a discovery 
 which gave me no little concern. The broker 
 would have us look at a French ship, albeit Sir 
 Bartlemy declared he would trust himself in no 
 timbers that had not grown in England ; how- 
 ever, to humour him, we went to the side of the 
 harbour where she lay. But at the first sight 
 of her my uncle turned up his nose, and began 
 to find a hundred faults, finally declaring that 
 nothing good ever came out of France save her 
 wines, and that it would be time better spent to 
 drink a pint of Bordeaux than to go further 
 with the examination of such a cursed piece of 
 L 2
 
 164 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 shipbuilding. With that he invited the broker 
 to crack a bottle in an adjacent tavern, which 
 they did without further ado. But something 
 in the look of this ship arousing my curiosity, I 
 feigned to have no liking for wine, and getting 
 the broker's leave to visit the ship, I hired a 
 wherry and was carried to her. 
 
 La Belle Esperance was her name, and she 
 was painted quite fresh in very lively colours, 
 after the sort of French ships ; but for all that 
 when I got on board my suspicions were stronger 
 than ever ; for the make of the ship (being little 
 altered) was, as I may say, familiar to me. 
 And straight I went into the coach, and so to 
 the little cabin on the larboard side, and there 
 on a certain timber I sought and found this 
 mark, cut deep in the wood: — 
 
 Then I knew beyond doubt that this ship, 
 despite its new name and fresh paint, was none
 
 THE "sure hawk" DISGUISED. 165 
 
 other than the Sure Hawk. For this crossed 
 heart was my cipher (making the letters B. P. 
 after a fashion if looked at sidelong) which I 
 had engraved with my own hand and of my 
 own invention. 
 
 I needed no further proof, but, being greatly 
 troubled, went straightway ashore. And there 
 finding occasion to speak privately with the 
 broker, I questioned him concerning this ship : 
 how long she had lain at Portsmouth, etc. 
 
 " Why, sir," says he, very civilly, " she has 
 been here three weeks, and no more. To tell 
 you the truth, she was a French pirate, though 
 I said nothing of that matter to Sir Bartlemy 
 to add to his prejudice. But she is a good 
 ship, and was taken by some honest English- 
 men trading in spices." 
 
 "And what was the name of their ship 
 who took this ? " I asked. 
 
 " That cannot I tell you," he replies, " for 
 their ship was so disabled in the fight that they 
 had to abandon her and come home in this/' 
 
 "Do you know these men or their captain?"
 
 166 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " No, sir, foi" they were of Hull ; but I be- 
 lieve the captain's name was Adams, for I heard 
 of him yesterday." 
 
 " In what respect ? " 
 
 " It was in this wise. He bought a new 
 ship of a brother broker here — the French vessel 
 being not to his taste, nor big enough for his 
 purpose — and sailed it hence to fit out and 
 victual at Hull, where his crew would fain see 
 their friends; and to Hull we thought he had 
 gone. But my friend having necessity to go to 
 St. Ives, in Cornwall, did there see this very 
 ship, and Captain Adams with his men ashore, 
 all as drunk as any fiddlers ; which amazed him, 
 so that he spoke of it as a thing not to be 
 understood." 
 
 But I understood this well enough, and 
 therefore I laid the whole matter before my 
 uncle, and would have had him go with me to 
 St. Ives, where I doubted not but we should 
 find Captain Adams to be Eodrigues, and so lay 
 him and his rascally crew by the heels, besides 
 seizing his ship for our redress.
 
 MY UNCLE, HIS WEAKNESS. 167 
 
 But niy uncle would not agree to this. 
 " For," says he, " in the first place, it is a 
 tedious business to stir the Admiralty to our 
 profit, and in that time this Rodrigues — curse 
 his bones ! — may get wind of our intent and slip 
 through our fingers ; and, secondly, I hold it 
 best not to stir up a sleeping dog, but to 
 get on while one is safe. Added to which, 
 every moment's delay is as much as a year 
 of suffering to Harry." 
 
 To this I could make no objection, so I 
 agreed to keep what T knew secret. But I 
 perceived full well that my uncle, had he not 
 openly expressed to his friend such contempt 
 for the French ship (as he thought her) would 
 have let Sir Harry wait until he had proved her 
 to be the Sure Haivk and brought Eodrigues 
 to justice, for he was very revengeful when 
 roused, and full of hatred for the man who 
 cheated him ; but because he feared ridicule — 
 having condemned that for worthless which 
 but twelve months before he had bought for 
 the best ship ever built — he would do nothing.
 
 168 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 For which weakness, God knows, he was fnlly 
 punished in the end. 
 
 Our business being brought to an end at 
 Portsmouth, we sailed our new ships into 
 Falmouth Haven ; and their names were the Sea 
 Lion and the Faithful Friend. And here were 
 piles of merchandise waiting to be shipped, for 
 Lady Biddy Fane had faithfully bought and 
 prepared every sort of things in just proportion, 
 as before our going Sir Bartlemy had set down 
 in an inventory ; and none but a capable woman 
 of stout purpose and strong heart could have 
 done so much. 
 
 To work went all to get this store aboard — 
 the very house - servants being pressed into 
 service (such as they could compass), under 
 the direction of Lady Biddy ; yet could not all 
 be done in a day, nor much less than three 
 weeks, and no time lost. 
 
 All this time my mind was exceedingly 
 uneasy, lest Eodrigues should hear of our expe- 
 dition, and seek to do us harm. And with this 
 dread I made inquiries (privateljO if during my
 
 GROWING APPREHENSION. 169 
 
 absence any one had called to see me, and I 
 found that no one had asked for me. This put 
 me in a great taking, for now I felt sure that 
 either Eodrigues or Parsons and his men were 
 at Penzance. For otherwise to a certainty the 
 wdves and sweethearts of those men drawn from 
 Penny-come-quick and Truro to our first venture, 
 hearing as they must of my return, would have 
 sought me for tidings of them. And if they 
 were in communication with those men, then 
 must our enemies know that I had come back, 
 and that another expedition was fitting out. I 
 knew the nature of Eodrigues — subtile and 
 daring wretch ! — merciless in the pursuit of 
 plunder, and bloody as those beasts of prey 
 which will kill, though they be too surfeited 
 to eat, their quarry. 
 
 At length all was ready for our departure. 
 Lady Biddy having paid off all her servants 
 (save a good wench whom she took with her) 
 sent her plate and treasures to a silversmith in 
 Exeter ; and so, to cut this matter short, put her 
 estate in the hands of a trusty steward, and bade
 
 170 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 farewell to her friends. We all got on board ; 
 my uncle and Lady Biddy in the Faithful 
 Friend, which was the larger and better ship of 
 the two, and I in the Sea Lion. For though 
 Sir Bartlemy would have had me with him, 
 and Lady Biddy said nothing to discourage me 
 therefrom, yet did I feel that it would be better 
 that I should not see her, fearing her beauty 
 might stir up the passion in my breast, and 
 lead me again into evil thoughts. 
 
 It was arranged that, the breeze proving 
 prosperous, the next morning we should depart 
 at break of day ; and licence was given to the 
 crew to make merry on board till ten o'clock, 
 that they might start with a cheerful heart. 
 
 Now while the men were rejoicing after the 
 fashion of mariners, there comes a wherry along- 
 side with a woman in it ; and this woman cries 
 out to know if Jack Stone is aboard of that ship 
 or the Faithful Friend. There was no man of 
 our crew with that name ; but this woman being 
 comely and buxom, with a merry face, the men 
 did pretend that Jack Stone was aboard, but too
 
 A BAD START. 171 
 
 drunk to stir ; and with that they asked her to 
 come up and give him a kiss for farewell. 
 
 " Why," says she, coming up the side with- 
 out more ado, " do you start so soon ? Jack 
 told me yesterday you did not set out for a 
 week." 
 
 " We sail at da3^break, sweetheart," says the 
 gunner, taking her about the waist. 
 
 And this is what she had come to learn, as I 
 feel convinced; for as soon as she had heard as 
 much as was to be pumped out of these fuddled 
 fellows, she left them, and was' rowed ashore, 
 never ])aviug again asked after the man she 
 called Jack. Stone. 
 
 The purser being a sober man, I asked him 
 if he knew the woman, and he told me he knew 
 her well for a Penzance w^oraan. 
 
 " Then," thinks I, " Eodrigues has brought 
 his ship round to be near us, and he has sent 
 this woman for a sp3^ From Penzance she 
 has come on this mission, and to Penzance she 
 has returned; and so God help us."
 
 CHAPTEK XIV. 
 
 WE ARE DOGGED BY A BLACK SHIP, TO THE 
 GREAT DISCOMFORT OF OUR COMPANIES. 
 
 We set sail at daybreak witli a fair breeze, and 
 if this had held on, then had we got safely on 
 our way, escaping all danger from our enemy ; 
 but being only a land wind, such as frequently 
 blows towards the sun at its rising, we found 
 ourselves an hour after clearing Falmouth 
 Haven in a little chopping gale, where we had 
 much ado, by tacking this way and that, to 
 make any progress at all, to our misfortune. 
 While we were thus pottering to and fro, a sail 
 appeared coming down the Channel, whereupon, 
 my fears being that way disposed, I took it into 
 my head at once that this was Eodrigues's ship 
 from Penzance, there having been ample time 
 during the night for the wench who had come 
 aboard to take him intelligence of our intent to
 
 NO GOING BACK. 173 
 
 sail. Then I begged Captain Wilkins, an ex- 
 cellent good man as ever lived, to let me have 
 the ship's barge that I might go speak with my 
 uncle; to which request he acceded instantly, 
 and the barge being lowered and manned I was 
 carried to the Faithful Friend. Here, taking my 
 uncle aside, I laid out all that had happened the 
 night before, and pointing to the sail bearing 
 down towards us, I gave him my apprehensions, 
 begging he would put back into Falmouth 
 Haven while we yet might. But this would he 
 not do. 
 
 " What ! " says he, " put back because a 
 sail is in sight ! Why, at that rate might we 
 never get out of Falmouth. Never yet did I 
 put back, for I count it the unluckiest thing a 
 seaman may do ; and in this case 'twere nothing 
 slxort of folly and rank cowardice ; for our foe, 
 if foe he be, is but one, and we be two. You 
 have done your duty, Benet, and therefore I do 
 not scold you for doubting my mettle, your own 
 being much softened no doubt by hardship and 
 suffering. Lord help you ! But go back at once
 
 174 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 to your ship, I prithee, and bid Master Wilkins 
 look to his armament, be sober and prayer- 
 ful, and hold himself ready to lay on to an 
 enemy." 
 
 With this comfort I returned to the Sea 
 Lion, and telling Captain Wilkins my fears and 
 my uncle's decision, he lost no time in charging 
 the guns and setting out muskets, swords, and 
 brown bills ready to every man's hand. Like- 
 wise he mustered the crew when all had been 
 prepared, and gave them out a very good prayer, 
 at the same time bidding the men trust to their 
 own defence as well as the mercy of Providence 
 (should we be presently attacked) and give no 
 quarter. To this address would Sir Bartlemy 
 have added a hearty " amen " had he been 
 present, for it was just after his own sturdy 
 heart. 
 
 The strange sail bore down to within half a 
 mile of us, being a swifter ship than either of 
 ours, and making way where we could none, 
 etc. ; and then she held off on a tack and came 
 no nearer. And though she showed no guns,
 
 PREPARING FOR OUR DEFENCE. 175 
 
 yet could we see she was a powerful sLip, and 
 sucli as, for the value of her, would not venture 
 abroad in these troublesome times without good 
 arms. 
 
 About noon the breeze grew stronger and 
 more steady, and so continued that by sundown 
 we had made in all twelve sea leagues. All 
 this time had the strange sail followed in our 
 wake, standing off never much over half a mile. 
 Then Captain "Wilkins and all on board were 
 convinced that this was an enemy seeking to 
 injure us, and it seemed that Sir Bartlemy was 
 equally of our way of thinking, for by means of 
 his signals he bade us double our watch, keep 
 our lanterns well trimmed, and hold close to him. 
 And this we did, no man taking off his clothes, 
 but every one who lay down having his arms 
 ready to his hand. For my own part, I quitted 
 not the deck all that night ; nor could I take 
 my eyes from the lights on board the FaUhfid 
 Friend two minutes together for thinking of the 
 dear girl who lay there, and whose life and 
 honour were in our keeping.
 
 176 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 We could see no lights in our track at all 
 during the night, whereby we hoped that our 
 enemy — as I may call her — seeing not ours, had 
 fallen away in the darkness ; but when day 
 broke we perceived her still following us, and 
 no further away than before, so that we knew she 
 had been guided by our lamps, and had lit none 
 of her own. In short, not to weary the reader, 
 as she had followed us that night and the day 
 before, so she clung to our heels for four days 
 and nights after. And now being off Portugal, 
 Sir Bartlemy might have run into port; but 
 this he would not do; for, firstly, the breeze 
 continued all this time fairly prosperous ; and, 
 secondly, his bold and stubborn nature would 
 not permit him to swerve from his course, or 
 show fear of any one. 
 
 By this time our company began to murmur 
 because they got no proper rest through con- 
 stant watching, and because (though they feared 
 no mortal enemy) they began to look upon this 
 pursuing ship as a thing without substance — 
 an unearthly sign of impending destruction, a
 
 GREAT UNEASINESS ABOARD. 177 
 
 device of tlie fiend — I know not what, for 
 seamen are ever prodigiously superstitious and 
 easily terrified by that which passes their com- 
 prehension ; and it strengthened their dread 
 that this ship was painted black from stem to 
 stem. Indeed, to a mind reasonably free from 
 superstition, there was something dreadful and 
 terrific in this great black ship following us 
 with so great a perseverance, which put me 
 in mind of some carrion bird with steadfast 
 patience hovering slowl}^ about wanderers be- 
 leaguered in a desert, with some forecast that in 
 the end one must fall to become its easy prey. 
 These six nights did I get no rest, but 
 only a little dog-sleep in the day when my 
 body yielded to the fatigue of watching, my 
 mind being quite disordered with dreadful ap- 
 prehensions ; for well I knew that if by storm 
 we got separated in the day, or by accident of 
 fog or such like lost each other in the night, 
 then would our enemy fall upon us one after 
 the other, and overcome us ; which, though we 
 fought like lions, might well arrive, seeing she 
 
 M
 
 178 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 was SO mucli bigger than either of us, and 
 manned with a greater company, as I could 
 descry through a perspective. My own life I 
 valued not; my fear was all lest Lady Biddy 
 should fall a prey into the wicked hands of that 
 bloody, subtile Eodrigues. What could that 
 dear, sweet creature do to resist him ? What 
 fate would be hers, being at his mercy ? These 
 questions did provoke fearful answers in my 
 anxious imagination, to my inexpressible tor- 
 ment. 
 
 At length, on the seventh day, we being 
 then, as Captain Wilkins told me, off the coast 
 of Morocco, and the wind falling to a calm, I 
 took a boat and rowed to my uncle's ship. 
 And when I got aboard I found the company 
 there in not much better case than ours on the 
 Sea Lion, for every man had a suUen and un- 
 happy look on his face, and from time to time 
 cast his eye towards the black ship that lay 
 behind us, for all my uncle pacing the deck did, 
 rate them most soundly for not going quicker 
 about the business he set them ; swearing at
 
 MUCH CONCERNED FOR LADY BIDDY. 179 
 
 tliem like a heathen Jew, so that one, not know- 
 ing his kind and generous heart, had thought 
 him a very tyrant. 
 
 My first thought was of Lady Biddy, and 
 casting my eye up and down the deck to see if 
 her fair face and dainty figure were there, my 
 limbs shook and my teeth chattered together 
 with the intensity of my desire. But she was 
 nowhere visible. 
 
 " AYell, Benet, what the plague has brought 
 you from your ship ? " asks my uncle, roughly, 
 as he comes to my side. " What do you fear, 
 that you are spying up and down, your cheeks 
 pale, and your lips on a quiver ? " 
 
 " Lady Biddy," says I, with a thickness in 
 my voice, " is she well ? " 
 
 " Ay, and if all on this ship were as stout 
 of heart I should have more reason to be grate- 
 ful," says he. 
 
 " Thank God she is well ! May no mis- 
 chance befall her ! " says I, in a low tone. 
 
 " And what mischance may befall her if we 
 act like men in her defence ? " 
 M 2
 
 180 THE ADMIEABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 I cast my eyes towards the black ship, and 
 then said I to my uncle — 
 
 *' Eodrigues is there, I know." 
 
 " You shall lend me your spyglass, for I 
 think you have seen him, to be so cock- 
 sure." 
 
 " No, sir, I have not seen him ; but I am 
 sure he commands that ship. A painter is 
 known by his workmanship." 
 
 " I know nothing of painting and such 
 fiddle-faddle. Speak straight to the purpose, 
 man," says my uncle, with a curse. 
 
 " Well," says I, " no man but Eodrigues 
 could devise such subtle, devilish means for 
 our destruction." 
 
 " In this holding on yet holding off, I see 
 nothing but the device of a fool or a coward, be 
 he Eodrigues or another." 
 
 " He is neither a fool nor a coward," says I; 
 
 " he values his ship and his men too high to 
 
 attack us at a disadvantage. He knows, as well 
 
 as you do, that this patient following, while it 
 
 muses his company and rests them, is fatiguing
 
 MY UNCLE VERY STOUT OF HEART. ISl 
 
 ours, and sapping the foundation of their 
 courage." 
 
 " I warrant their courage will return to the 
 dogs with the first shot that is fired." 
 
 " Then may it be too late ; for, you may be 
 sure of this, Eodrigues will not fire a ball until 
 he is sure of our defeat," says I. 
 
 " Sure of our defeat ! And pray when may 
 that be?" asks he, firing up with disdain. 
 
 " "When accident helps him either to fall in 
 with his comrade Parsons, or by our getting 
 sundered through some mishap. He has as 
 many men on his ship (as you may plainly see) 
 as we have in both our companies, and more. 
 How are we to combat him singly ? " 
 
 " Why, with God's help and our own good 
 arms," says he, sternly ; but the moment after 
 that he turned his eyes towards the black ship, 
 measuring it; and his silence proclaimed that 
 he could not overlook his peril. Presently, in a 
 more subdued tone, he says, " Well, nephew, I 
 doubt not you had some better intention than to 
 damp my spirits in coming here, so if you would
 
 182 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 offer any ad\ace, out with it, for tlie love of 
 God, and I promise I will listen with as much 
 patience and forbearance as I may command." 
 
 "Sir," says I, "you are making for the 
 Canaries, and there, in all likelihood, is Parsons, 
 awaiting the coming of his confederate, so that 
 we are, as it were, going before the tiger into 
 the lair of his mate." My uncle nodded acqui- 
 escence. " Now, if I might advise, I would have 
 you alter your course, and make for the Wind- 
 ward Isles, and so down to Guiana. Then, if 
 Rodrigues does also alter his course, I should 
 draw upon him, and seek so to disable him with 
 a shot amidst his masts as he should be disabled 
 from following us further." 
 
 "Now, indeed, do jon talk good sense, and 
 such as is after my heart," cries he, joyfully. 
 " This will I do at once ; so go you back 
 and bid Wilkins prepare to shape his course 
 this way." 
 
 But seeing that I yet lingered, as loth to 
 depart, he claps me on the shoulder and says, 
 " What else would you have, Benet ? "
 
 GOOD ADVICE, BUT UNPALATABLE. lS3 
 
 " Why, sir," says T, " I would have you send 
 another with your message, and suffer me to 
 stay here in his place." 
 
 " Why, are you so weak-kneed as that ? " 
 says he. " Well, 'tis in the nature of mice to 
 be timorous ; but I looked for better stuff in a 
 man of our family." 
 
 " Nay," says I ; "if I feared Rodrigues I 
 should not ask to stay here, for 'tis this ship he 
 will attack, knowing, as he must, by our sailing, 
 that our general and leader is here." 
 
 " Why, that is true," says he ; and then he 
 fell into a silence, and looked at me keenly to 
 divine why I wished to staj'" there. After a 
 little while, marking the hot blood in my face, 
 and knowing it was to be near Lady Biddy 
 that I sought this change of ships, he put his 
 hands on my shoulders, and says he, very 
 kindly, and with a little trembling of pity in 
 his voice, "My poor Benet, the best thing 
 3'ou can do for her sake is to go back to your 
 ship and stay not in this. Ay, and for your 
 own sake it were better too. The enemy you
 
 18.4 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 have to overcome is the passion in your own 
 breast, which is more capable to bricg ruin to 
 your soul and sorrow to our hearts than are the 
 guns of Rodrigues to endanger our bodies. Go 
 back, dear fellow." 
 
 And knowing how this passion had before, 
 by its hopelessness, brought me into evil ways 
 and despair of better, I accepted his guidance, 
 and went back to my ship, though with a sore 
 heart. 
 
 And going back I saw my lady standing in 
 the stern gallery of the Faithful Friend. But 
 she did not see me, or, seeing me, made no sign ; 
 for why should she trouble to descry whether it 
 were I or another sitting there ? And clasping 
 my hands together I prayed God (within myselO 
 to dispose of her to her own happiness and His 
 praise.
 
 CHAPTER Xy. 
 
 WE FALL INTO SORE DISASTERS OF RAGING 
 TEMPEST AND BLOODY BATTLE. 
 
 As soon as I was got on board I told Captain 
 Wilkins of our generalissimo's intention, which 
 he heard with much satisfaction, and did 
 straightway communicate with his crew, who 
 thereupon set up a great cheer. About two 
 o'clock, the breeze freshening, the Faithful 
 Friend changed her course and we with her, and 
 for two hours we ran west, though the wind had 
 been more prosperous for making south. Yet 
 did the black ship follow us in this course 
 persistently as in the other, keeping always the 
 same distance in our wake. Then did Sir 
 Bartlemy signal us to open all our ports for 
 the guns to play, and to stand every man to 
 his post, which we -did very cheerfully and as 
 smartly as ever the company on the Faithful
 
 186 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 Friend did. And thougli this preparation might 
 well be seen from the black ship, we could see 
 with our perspectives no such preparation on 
 her, so that the simple would have conceived 
 she had no lower ports for guns, and was an 
 unarmed trader. Then Sir Bartlemy signalled 
 us to stand-to, yet to be in readiness to come to 
 his help if need arose, which we did ; meanwhile 
 he puts about and sails down on the black 
 ship, who kept her ports closed, but stayed 
 his coming patiently. 
 
 Being come within speaking distance, Sir 
 Bartlemy takes his speaking horn and spreads 
 out his ancient ; whereupon the black ship 
 spread hers, which was true English, and every 
 way as good as ours. Then our general through 
 his horn demanded what ship that was and why 
 she did so persistently dog us. To this a man 
 from the black ship replied that she was the 
 Bohin Goodfellow, of Southampton, commanded 
 by Eichard Simons, and a very peaceable trader, 
 bound for Campeachy Bay to barter for dye- 
 wood, and that she meant us no harm, but only
 
 DEVICE FOR GETTING US ASUNDER. 1S7 
 
 sought to have protection against pirates by 
 sailing in the company of two ships so well 
 armed as we. 
 
 " Then," shonts my uncle, "be you like your 
 ship, a good fellow, and sheer off, for we like 
 your room better than your company; and 
 sheer off at once [adds he] or I will pepper 
 your jacket to a pretty tune." 
 
 To show he meant to be as good as his 
 word, he bade his gunner fire a broadside wide 
 of the black ship, which did the gunner very 
 faithfully, hurting no one. " Though, would to 
 God ! " says my uncle, afterwards, " I had been 
 wise enough to fire amongst his rigging for a 
 better earnest." 
 
 The black ship made no response ; but, 
 turning about, held off* before the wind half a 
 mile and no more ; and my uncle, sailing upon 
 her to make her go to a greater distance, she 
 sheered off, keeping always the same distance ; 
 and this manoeuvre was repeated twice or thrice 
 till Sir Bartlemy, guessing she was endeavour- 
 ing to lure him awa}^ from us, and seeing it
 
 188 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 was useless to try and come up to close quarters 
 with a ship that could sail two furlongs to his 
 one, gave up this attempt and rejoined us. Our 
 captain tried to make his men believe that the 
 black ship was what her captain represented, 
 and that he, in still following us — which he 
 did as though he had received no warning, or 
 scorned to accept it — was merely showing a 
 stubborn spirit and not a hostile one, since he 
 had not showed any guns or fired in defiance to 
 us. Some of our better men accepted this ; but 
 there were many who could not stomach it, and 
 openly cursed the day when they had come to 
 sea on this venture. 
 
 So held we on, and my uncle, hoping the 
 black ship would have to stay for water and 
 refreshment at the Azores (for we had gone 
 from our course that if the black ship were 
 indeed bound for Campeachy she might have 
 no further pretext to hang on our heels), and 
 being himself still very well victualled, would 
 not stay there, but, passing them, bore down 
 towards the Bermuthes ; but neither would the
 
 BESET BY TERRIBLE TEMPEST. 189 
 
 black sliip stay tliere, but kept to our heels as 
 perversely as ever. 
 
 Now, being come to the Bermuthes, that 
 befell which I feared, for the seas, which are 
 greatty troubled at those parts, rose prodigiously, 
 and with it there came a most terrible hurricano, 
 which obliged us to run with a single small sail. 
 This gale did so buffet and hurl us about as we 
 could with much pain keep to our course and 
 reasonably near our consort during the day ; but 
 at night it was worse, for no lanterns of ours 
 could be kept burning, nor was any of the 
 Faithful Friend's to be seen, and though from 
 time to time we fired off our petereros for a 
 signal, yet answer heard we none for the raging 
 of the sea. In this terrible tempest we were sorely 
 bruised, our little sail split to shreds, and no 
 chance to rig another, so that we tossed helpless 
 on the water, expecting every moment to founder. 
 But it pleased God to spare us this time. 
 
 I shall not dwell on the horrors of that night, 
 nor of the next day, and the night following, 
 but come briefly to the morning of the thii*d
 
 190 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 day of our tribulation, when, by belp of such 
 sail as we could set, we drifted out of that 
 horrid region and came into calmer waters ; in 
 which time we had been swept an incredible 
 distance ; but, lord ! so broken in our masts, 
 riggings, and elsewhere as it was pitiable to 
 see ; besides three men short of our number, 
 who we counted were washed away in that 
 hurricano. Then looking around could we see 
 nothing of the Faithful Friend, nor of the black 
 ship neither ; so that we reckoned one or both 
 had gone to the bottom. 
 
 To think that Lady Biddy was no more 
 affected me so grievously that I threw myself 
 on the deck, not caring what became of me, 
 and lamenting that I lay not at the bottom of 
 that cruel sea with her. But Captain Wilkins 
 kept a brave heart (God be praised !), and, 
 hoping yet to see our consort again, contrived 
 to set up some sort of sails, fresh rig his rudder, 
 and restore order on board, so that ere long we 
 were making good way towards Trinidado (as 
 we judged), where it had been agreed we should
 
 DREADFUL SOUND OF BATTLE. 191 
 
 in case of separation seek rendezvous. On the 
 morning of the fourth day, ere yet there was 
 full da3dight, but only twilight, as I was stand- 
 ing on the poop deck very raelancholy and 
 dejected, I heard the sound of guns to the south 
 of the course we were making ; and Captain 
 Wilkins, to whom I ran in all speed to com- 
 municate these tidings, did likewise believe he 
 heard this sound ; whereupon he at once shaped 
 our course in that direction, whereby in a little 
 time we were further assured that these sounds 
 were real, and not bred of imagination. The 
 reports were not apart, like signals, but con- 
 tinuous ; so that we knew it was the can- 
 nonading of ships in battle, which stirred every 
 man to make all haste ; and indeed we did all 
 we could think on to speed our ship ; still were 
 we slow, for our want of sail, which made us 
 furious with impatience. 
 
 There was a haze upon the water, so that 
 when the tumult of gmis was loud in our ears, 
 we could see nothing ; but now the sun get- 
 ting up strong over the horizon and sucking up
 
 192 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 the mist, we of a sudden caught sight of the 
 flashing guns, and then of a ship not many- 
 furlongs off, broadside towards us, which we 
 presently descried to be the black ship ; though 
 now her whole side was open with ports, from 
 which her guns shone out like teeth. At the 
 same time we perceived that she was grappled 
 on stem and stem to another ship on the further 
 side, which we doubted not was the Faithful 
 Friend ; upon which we did all set up a pro- 
 digious cheer ; and Captain Wilkins putting 
 about, we passed the black ship at less than a 
 furlong distance, and dealt into her the whole 
 weight of our great guns on that side without 
 getting a single shot in return. The reason of 
 this was that all that ship's company were 
 occupied on the other side plying their cannon 
 and boarding the Faithful Friend (which we 
 recognised in nearing the black ship), as was 
 evident from the rattle of muskets and small 
 arms between the peals of the great guns. 
 
 But after getting this dose from us, they 
 were not long in manning their guns on the
 
 DESPERATE ENCOUNTER. 193 
 
 hither side, as we found to our cost when, put- 
 ting about once more, we sailed down to give 
 him the other broadside ; for their cannon 
 belched out with such fury as laid many a 
 stout seaman between our decks low, besides 
 shooting away our rudder, which rendered us 
 helpless, as it were. 
 
 Seeing this, I begged Captain Wilkins to 
 give me a boat and such of his men as could 
 be spared to go and succour our friends, to 
 which he agreed readily enough, and forthwith 
 lowered our barge ; whereupon I, w^ith a score 
 of hearty fellows, all armed to the teeth, sprang 
 in, and rowed with all our might to that side 
 of the grappled ships where lay the Faithful 
 Friend. Through one of her lower ports we 
 scrambled, one after the other, but I the first, 
 you may be sure ; and there it was all thick 
 with stinking gunpowder smoke, and strewn 
 with dead men, and such as were too sorely 
 wounded to join in the battle above, and no 
 man ever heard greater din than there was of 
 big guns and small, the clashing of steel, the 
 
 N
 
 194 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 trampling on the decks, the shouting and curs- 
 ing of men fighting, and the sad groaning of 
 the hurt, and such confasion as you could not 
 tell one sound from another scarcely. 
 
 This did but spur us on to be doing, and 
 like so many cats we sprang up through the 
 hatchways by the ladders, and so came on the 
 main deck, taking no heed of the poor fellows 
 who lay heaped at the foot of those ladders, 
 nor of the blood that trickled in thick drops 
 from step to step, splashing in our faces as if 
 it had been mere rain water, and lay smeared 
 down the handrails, where many a good man 
 had pressed his bleeding body for support. 
 
 Now, as I sprang on deck, did I find myself 
 in the very midst and thick of these wicked 
 pirates, who were readily to be distinguished 
 from honest seamen by the red skirts which 
 they wear who bind themselves to the regula- 
 tions of their Order. 
 
 Just before me was a culverdine pointed 
 against the roundhouse, into which the crew of 
 the Faithfid Friend (such as were not laid low)
 
 TAKE LIFE FOR THE FIRST TIME. 195 
 
 liad retired, and were there barricadoed, and a 
 fellow stood over against it, blowing bis matcli 
 to fire the piece. And this man I knew full 
 well for a villain of the old Sure Hawk's com- 
 pany, and with the axe in my band I struck 
 bim between the teeth right through to bis 
 neck-joint. He was the first man I had ever 
 slain; but I counted it as nothing, being 
 wrought to very madness with passion, and 
 wrenching my axe from his bone, I turned upon 
 another rascal who was making at my side with 
 his knife, and with a back-handed blow, the 
 hinder part of my weapon crashed his forehead 
 into his brains as you might with your thumb 
 break the shell of an e^^ into the yolk. By 
 this time my good comrades had sprung up 
 behind me to my help, else had my fight soon 
 come to an end; for the pirates, getting over 
 the amazement into which my sudden attack 
 had thrown them, with a shout of rage turned 
 all upon me. Then did we so lay about us that 
 we beat the pirates back into the fore part of the 
 ship, and truly I do think that if those of our 
 N 2
 
 196 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 friends in the roundhouse could then have come 
 to our help we should have won the day ; but, 
 as ill-luck would have it, they had taken such 
 pains to barricado themselves, to prevent the 
 pirates coming at them, that they could not 
 immediately get out to get at their foes, and so, 
 for want of support, were we undone. For there 
 were of the pirates two score, I take it, and 
 more coming to their succour over the side 
 every moment, while we, not counting those 
 who may have fallen, were but one score, all 
 told. 
 
 Foremost among our enemies was Rodrigues 
 himself, who did look a very devil for rage, with 
 the grime of smoke and blood about his face, 
 his white, pointed tusks bared to the gums, and 
 his eyes flaming with fury. His head was bound 
 about with a bloody clout, for he had got a 
 wound, and through the grime of powder-smoke 
 on his face there was a bright channel where 
 he blood still wept. But for all his wounds he 
 fought better and more desperately than any of 
 the rest; and seeing that those in the round-
 
 THE END OF THAT FIGHT. 197 
 
 house were struggling to get out to our help, 
 and that his only chance lay in beating us down 
 ere they succeeded, he threw himself forward 
 with nothing but a long curved knife in his 
 hands. His intention was to settle my business, 
 seeing that I had done him this mischief; and 
 surely he would have achieved it (for I was 
 closely grappled with a fellow, my arms about 
 him and his about me, each seeking to get 
 freedom for the use of the knives in our 
 hands), but that a comrade, seeing my peril, 
 dealt at him with his brown bill, driving the 
 spike into his shoulder. On this, Eodrigues, 
 with a howl of rage, struck out the point 
 from his shoulder, and turning on this poor 
 man with his hooked knife ripped him up from 
 the navel as you might a rabbit. At that 
 moment I threw my man on his back, and in 
 falling on the deck my knife was driven up 
 to the hilt through his loins. Then did I 
 get a terrible blow on the head (from whom I 
 know not), so that I lost all consciousness, and 
 lay like one dead.
 
 CHAPTEE XVI. 
 
 THE BATTLE ENDED TO OUR COMPLETE 
 DISCOMFITURE. 
 
 Now must I speak of what happened on board 
 the Faithful Friend after my discomfiture ; not 
 from my own knowledge — for knowledge had I 
 none, being felled, as I say, like an ox — but 
 from what I afterwards learnt from others. 
 
 Headed by Eodrigues, the pirates cleaved 
 our little company in two, and so surrounded 
 them with great numbers that their case was 
 hopeless, and in short time they were beaten 
 down every man, and left for dead, these heart- 
 less pirates giving no quarter to any. And 
 while these few were being despatched, Eodri- 
 gues, with a following of shouting fiends, re- 
 turned to attack those who were making their 
 way out of the roundhouse, and by the fury of 
 that onslaught did they cut down all those who
 
 GALLANTRY OF CAPTAIN WILKINS. 199 
 
 had got out, and forced them within once more 
 to set up their barricadoes. 
 
 Then, seeing no further danger on board the 
 FaifJifid Friend but such as a round dozen of his 
 . rogues might cope with, he called off the rest to 
 return on board his ship to defend it against the 
 Sea Lion. For Captain Wilkins, having set out 
 two long sw^eeps or galley oars from the lower 
 stern gallery to serve as a rudder, had returned 
 to the attack, and coming cheek by jowl 
 with the black ship, he grappled her in his 
 turn, so that now all three ships were bound 
 together, and thus, with their cannons mouth 
 to mouth did they discharge their shot one 
 into the other with incredible bitterness. 
 
 But here the black ship being but poorly 
 manned — most of her company being on the 
 Faithful Friend — played but the weaker part ; 
 seeing which, Master Wilkins resolved to board 
 her with his men, and so make his way over her 
 decks to the deliverance of his consort. He 
 called his men to clamber the sides of the black 
 ship and escalade her bulwarks. But against
 
 200 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 such an attack was the black ship well provided, 
 for not only were her bulwarks at arms' length 
 above those of the Sea Liofi, but furnished with 
 a devilish device of broken sword blades, spikes, 
 and sharp nails set in long spars and lashed to 
 the side, so that nowhere could a man make 
 headway, or surmount without cruel gashes. 
 While the poor brave men were beating down 
 this defence, Rodrigues and his wretches came 
 pouring back to the defence of the black ship, 
 and while some mowed down the attackers from 
 their high bulwarks with axe and sword, other 
 some were sent below to recruit their fellows at 
 the big guns. Rodrigues himself did direct 
 these pieces, so bending down their mouths that 
 the shot should go through the decks to beat out 
 the side below water. And so well did he thrive 
 in this wickedness that presently, after these 
 great guns had been fired, the Sea Lion began 
 to fill, and the men on board, seeing they must 
 perish by drowning if they stayed in her, for- 
 sook their pieces, and, rushing all on deck, cast 
 aside their arms, fell on their knees, and begged
 
 HELLISH BUSINESS. 201 
 
 mercy of Eodrigues. And let it not be thought 
 they were cowards for this, but put yourself in 
 their place, and consider if the fear of death 
 would not have moved you to the same distress. 
 
 Eodrigues, not wishing to lose all the Sea 
 Lion contained, removed his defence of sword 
 blades, etc., and bade the men come up, which 
 they did, all save Captain Wilkins, who, with 
 his sword in his hand, stood alone on the deck. 
 Eodrigues, taking a musket in his hand, bade 
 this brave man lay down his sword or die ; but 
 he took no notice of this command, whereupon 
 did Eodrigues level his piece and shot him dead 
 where he stood. 
 
 Then Eodrigues sent down a parcel of his 
 men to staunch the leak in the side of the Sea 
 Lion, and this they did by lowering a leaded sail 
 upon the outer side to cover the holes ; after 
 which the water was pumped out and the 
 carpenters repaired the breach more securely, so 
 that there was no further peril of her going down. 
 
 And now being masters of both ships, the 
 pirates made great rejoicing, for though there
 
 202 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 were yet those in the roundhouse of the Faithful 
 Friend who were unfettered, yet were they close 
 prisoners and powerless to recover their ship, or 
 do mischief, except in foolhardy desperation, to 
 their captors. 
 
 To every pirate was dealt out double allow- 
 ance of meat and drink, but the latter not of a 
 strong kind, for Rodrigues knew full well that a 
 drunken bout might prove their undoing. As 
 for the prisoners, they got naught to eat, but 
 only jeers and derision. 
 
 While his men were yet carousing, Rod- 
 rigues goes on the poop deck of the Faithful 
 Friend, and stamping his heel to call attention 
 of those below, he cried out to know if Sir 
 Bartlemy Pengilly was yet alive ; to which Sir 
 Bartlemy himself replied — 
 
 "Ay," says he, "and I hope to live yet 
 to see you hanged, villain ! " 
 
 " Well," replies the other, " you'll not get 
 that chance unless you accept my conditions." 
 
 "I will make no conditions with such as 
 you," cries my uncle.
 
 I COME TO. 203 
 
 *' You bad better, my friend," says Eod- 
 rigues jeeringl}^ ; " 'twill save you a deal of 
 trouble in tlie long run." 
 
 To tins my uncle made no reply but one 
 of his sea oaths, 
 
 "I shall leave you to the better guidance 
 of your company," says Eodrigues, " who, I 
 have no doubt, will bring you to reason when 
 they begin to feel the pinch of starvation. But, 
 mark this, if you hurt only by accident a single 
 hair of my men with the arms you hold so 
 precious, I will cannonade you where you are, 
 and spare not one single life." 
 
 Then calling to his boatswain he bade him 
 whistle his company to their posts, and pointing 
 to the deck, all hampered with dead and dying 
 men, he cried — 
 
 " Look to your comrades ; let not one of 
 your fellows who has a spark of life escape your 
 care. For the other carrion, fling it overboard, 
 no matter whether it be dead or living." 
 
 These words I heard, for at that moment 
 I was waking from my trance.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 I AM SHOT OUT OF ONE SHIP AND CRAWL INTO 
 ANOTHER, WITH WHAT ADVANTAGE MAY YET 
 
 BE SEEN. 
 
 My first feeling on recovering consciousness was 
 of a great weight oppressing me, and this I 
 presently found was due to two dead men lying 
 athwart me, where they had fallen in their last 
 agony. Using all my strength, it was as much as 
 I could do to thrust them off — one fellow lying 
 across my breast with his shoulder against my 
 throat, and the other again across my middle, 
 his arms thrown out upon the first. 
 
 The cause of my weakness was not that blow 
 that had felled me, but the loss of blood from 
 two wounds — one in my thigh, and the other in 
 the thick of my arm — which I had received 
 without any knowledge on my part, and now for 
 the first time discovered by mj^ clothes being.
 
 MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE. 205 
 
 glued to those parts and a great smarting when 
 I struggled to free myself from the weight of 
 the dead bodies. 
 
 Being once more able to breathe freely, I lay 
 back on the deck exhausted and faint with the 
 effort, and slowly brought back to my mind what 
 had happened. The silence on board, save for 
 the sound of revelling from the black ship 
 alongside, told me that the battle was over ; 
 and it needed but little to convince me how the 
 fight had ended ; but, thinking of my dear Lady 
 Biddy, I presently set my hands, all stiff and 
 sticky with blood, on the deck, and raised 
 myself up, looking towards the coach. Then it 
 was I saw Eodrigues and heard him order his 
 men to cast all us poor fellows, whom he termed 
 carrion, overboard, without regard to our being 
 dead or living. Then, once more, a weariness as 
 of death coming over me, I fell again on my 
 back, with a giddiness in my head and despair 
 at heart, which robbed me of all vigour, while 
 the stench of spilled blood made my bowels 
 heave with sickness. The pirates, coming now
 
 20G THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 to clear the deck, took up one poor corpse, 
 lifted him on to the bulwarks, and so bundled 
 him over ; and in this wise three or four more, 
 when, seeing the labour before them, one fetched 
 from below a wooden gangway wherewith they 
 slide merchandise from a wharf down into the 
 ship, which they now thrust through one of 
 the upper deck gun ports, making it fast with 
 cords. This way, with less trouble and much 
 quicker, they shot the " carrion " into the water, 
 taking no heed if some poor wretch but slightly 
 wounded did cry for pity and mercy, except 
 by inhuman laughter and fiendish jests. 
 
 Two or three rascals came and carried off the 
 corpses I had thrust from me, and then I knew 
 my turn was come, and naught could save me, 
 for I had no strength to help myself. And back 
 came those two (who were new hands and so 
 did not recognise me), and one kicking me over 
 on my face, the other took up my legs by 
 the knees, while the first laid hold of me by the 
 shoulders, and so they bore me, like so much 
 butcher's flesh to the cutting board, and flung
 
 FLUNG INTO THE SEA. 207 
 
 rae on to the slanting gangway. By tliis time 
 the slope was all slippery with gore of blood, so 
 that no sooner was I cast on than I slid down 
 like a stone, and shot thence deep into the 
 sea below. 
 
 Now, whether I owed it to the cold, in- 
 vigorating virtue of the refreshing sea, the 
 smarting anew of my wounds in the salt thereof, 
 or the instinct which possesses nearly every 
 creature to make one final struggle for existence 
 in the presence of death, I cannot say ; only this 
 I know that no sooner had the waters closed 
 over my head than energy returned to my spirit 
 and strength to my limbs, and striking out 
 manfully with my arms and legs, I shortly came 
 to the surface of the water, not more than a 
 couple of fathoms from the stern of the Faithful 
 Friend. 
 
 But here was no hold at all, nor could I see 
 that I was much better off than if I had never 
 risen from the deep, till, casting my ej'^es about, 
 I spied a rope hanging over the stern of the 
 black ship and trailing in the sea, w^hich rope
 
 208 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 was part of her rigging (for she also had suffered 
 in the gale, to say nothing of our shot). To 
 this I swam, and being still full of my new-born 
 vigour, I drew on it till it became taut, and I 
 could keep my head above water with no 
 exertion at all. 
 
 Here I rested a bit, all the while searching 
 how I might better my condition, and perceiving 
 that my rope passed over the lower stern gallery, 
 I presently got the rope betwixt my knees, and 
 by passing one hand over the other made a shift 
 to pull myself up, though not without difficulty, 
 for as I drew myself out of the water I began 
 to turn round and round on the strained rope 
 like a joint of meat at the end of a string. 
 However, this was but a trifle of trouble, and 
 hand over hand I climbed up till at length I 
 reached the gallery, where I took another rest, 
 and returned thanks to Grod with as grateful a 
 heart as I could find. 
 
 This gallery, I take it, opened into the 
 steward's room, for through the ports I heard 
 the clinking of mugs and the voices of men
 
 EXAMINE MY CONDITION. 209 
 
 within, and seeing that at any moment some 
 fellow might look out and spy me, I felt it 
 would not do to linger there ; so I went again 
 to my rope, which hung conveniently on one 
 side of the ports, and pulled myself up to the 
 gallery above, which is what is called the cap- 
 tain's parade, that balcony against the chief 
 cabins where the officers alone are privileged to 
 walk. Here, as luck would have it, the wreck 
 of a sail hanging down from the deck above 
 formed a kind of screen, where I might rest for 
 the present secure from observation. With a 
 glad heart I crawled under this refuge, and, 
 sitting down to fetch my breath, I thought it 
 not amiss to look to my wounds. On the crown 
 of my head was a lump as big as a fair egg, and 
 the scalp cut, but no longer bleeding ; in my thicrh 
 was a pike wound about three inches long, but 
 not deep. By tearing off the foot of my stocking 
 and so drawing the other part high, I managed 
 to make a very fair dressing for this wound. 
 The other, which was, as I say, in the fleshy 
 part of my arm, gave me but little anxiety, for, 
 o
 
 210 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 though it still bled pretty freely, I could get at 
 it easily, and, binding it round with my necker- 
 chief, I felt no further concern about it, but 
 only satisfaction to find that my case was no 
 worse. 
 
 Scarcely had I come to this conclusion 
 when I heard the trampling of feet on the 
 deck above, and the sound of voices, with one 
 in a higher tone giving orders. And the first 
 thing these men did was to haul upon the sail 
 which screened me. 
 
 "I am a lost man if I stay here longer," 
 thinks I ; so slipping along still under the 
 sail I came to the little door opening on to 
 the gallery. By happy chance this was not 
 fastened, save by a latch, and seeing, as I 
 peered through the lattice window, that no one 
 was on the other side, I slipped through, and 
 found myself in a prodigious fine cabin ; for this 
 Eodrigues was no common, sluttish jack-sailor, 
 but a man who, when he could afford it, lived 
 like any prince, indulging himself in every 
 extravagant luxury that a voluptuous taste
 
 PUT TO IT FOR A HIDING PLACE. 211 
 
 can conceive. Here was a thick carpet on 
 the floor, and all round the sides ran a sofett, 
 furnished with cushions in the Moors' style, 
 with fine paintings and mirrors above, and 
 a lantern of coloured glass like gems hanging 
 from the ceiling, which was painted as pretty 
 as could be with devices of flowers and cherubs. 
 To the windows were silk curtains of a rose 
 colour ; but to speak of all these appointments 
 have I no time ; only will I say this that 
 never anywhere else have I seen such expense 
 wasted as in the cabin of this scoundrel pirate. 
 Nor had I time or inclination then to take 
 note of all this bravery, being only concerned 
 to find me some hole where I might hide for 
 safety. And now came a bustle on the out- 
 side of the cabin, so that I felt I had but 
 come out of the fryingpan into the fire, and 
 which way to turn I knew not. I could not 
 go into the body of the ship for the men 
 there, nor back into the gallery neither for 
 the men above ; yet to stay where I stood 
 would be as bad as either. 
 2
 
 212 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FAIsE. 
 
 In this pickle T halted till spying an 
 opening on one side between the sofetts, I 
 pushed the gilded panel to. see if, perchance, 
 this were some fantastic kind of door; and, 
 sure enough, it was, giving way readily to 
 my hand, and closing behind me softly with 
 spring-work. And there I found myself in 
 a cabin smaller than the other, but still mighty 
 fine, and fitted up as a bed chamber, with a 
 good cot fixed on one side, hung with safiron 
 taffety. Other door to this chamber was 
 there none ; nor could I see any place of 
 safety but under the cot, whither therefore I 
 did creep — recommending myself to Provid- 
 ence — without further ado, and not a whit 
 too soon neither, for scarcely had I got my 
 long legs well out of sight when the door 
 opened and a boy came in, as I could see by 
 his little bare feet peeping under the valance. 
 
 Putting my eye close to the ground, I saw 
 him go to a polished chest on the other side 
 and fetch from one drawer a clean shirt and 
 a pair of stockings; then from another slop-
 
 TEMPTED TO FURTHER BLOODSHED. 213 
 
 shoes, a pair of trunks, and the like ; till, 
 having set out all that was necessary, he 
 gathered them up in his arms and carried 
 them away, from which I opined that Eod- 
 rigues had yet another cabin where he was 
 about to change his bloody and besmirched 
 clothes for these other. Nor was I far out 
 in this surmise, for in some ten minutes or 
 so the door was flung open, and I caught 
 sight of those same slop -shoes and clean 
 stockings for a moment as he stood by the 
 side of the cot thrusting back the curtains 
 before he threw himself down to rest. As 
 his deep breathing proclaimed that- he had 
 fallen asleep, I was for a while sorely tempted 
 to creep out from my hiding-place and cut 
 the villain's throat as he lay there ; nay, so 
 well could I make out where he lay over my 
 head that, putting the point of ni}^ jack-knife 
 against the sacking, I felt sure that I could, 
 with one forcible thrust, drive it up into his 
 black heart. Yet I could not do this either 
 way ; for, first, my sentiment revolted against
 
 214 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 taking the life of a defenceless man, as against 
 murder — despite his cruel treatment of the 
 helpless wounded and myself — and then my 
 reason forbade me to attempt such a desperate 
 measure, for if Rodrigues died, there yet re- 
 mained forty or fifty desperate villains to over- 
 come, and how was one wounded man by any 
 possibility to accomplish that feat ? To fail 
 in such an attempt would be to provoke the 
 enemy to such a f iiry of revenge that he would 
 massacre every one of those whose release had 
 been attempted. I say massacre, but a yet 
 worse fate might be reserved for Lady Biddy, 
 whose dear sake now did most concern me. 
 With this reflection- 1 gently shut up my jack- 
 knife, and slipped it back into my pocket for 
 better employment.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 GREATLY PUT TO IT TO KNOW AVHAT TO DO, 
 I DO NOTHING. 
 
 The bumping and grinding together of the 
 ships had ceased before Eodrigues came to take 
 rest, showing that the grajDnels were cast off 
 that bound the three ships together ; and now, 
 from the easy movement, I surmised that we 
 were under way, and making for some haven for 
 the greater convenience of repairing injuries, 
 distributing of stores, refreshment, etc., which 
 was indeed the case. On board the Sea Lion 
 Eodrigues had set a sufficiency of men to work 
 her, and on the Faithful Friend a greater number 
 for a like purpose, and to serve as guard over 
 the prisoners in the roundhouse, while the rest 
 lie took with him on board his own ship to lead 
 the way and conduct the prizes he had taken. 
 About eight o'clock that evening (as I judge)
 
 216 
 
 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 we seemed to have come into very smooth water, 
 and then the boy coming to the cabin called to 
 Eodrigues that the master did wish to speak to 
 him ; whereupon Eodrigues sprang up and went 
 out. Then for the first time could I stretch my 
 limbs with ease ; for though the bustle on deck, 
 the hammering of the carpenters, and such noisy 
 business affected his slumbers not in the least, 
 yet did I but turn upon the carpet under his 
 cot, his breathing would show that the sound 
 had alarmed his senses, which was a remarkable 
 thing, but not without parallel, for those who 
 live in peril develop, as I may say, a new sense 
 which never sleeps. Thus had I been con- 
 strained to lie very still (which was doubtless of 
 great advantage to me for the healing of my 
 wounds, but very little to the repose of my 
 bones), for I knew full well that had he found 
 me under his cot he would have slain me there, 
 helpless as I was for defence, without any such 
 compunction as stayed my hand from taking 
 his life. 
 
 So now, as I say, being free to move, I
 
 GET SOME REFRESHMENT. 217 
 
 stretched myself and turned me about with 
 great relief and satisfaction, for here, as I take 
 it, had I been lying on my back without motion 
 the best part of ten hours. Presently I heard 
 the voice of Rodrigues on the deck above, 
 and feeling mighty faint for want of food, I 
 lifted the valance and peeped out. There was 
 just light enough to descry a wine cooler in the 
 comer of the cabin over against the chest I 
 have mentioned, and urged on by my necessity 
 I made bold to wriggle out from my hiding- 
 place and creep over to it. By good chance it 
 was unlocked, and inside were half a dozen good 
 bottles, of which I scrupled not to appropriate 
 the first I laid my hand on ; then to make a 
 good job of it while I was about it, I pried into 
 a cabinet hard by, where by another good chance 
 I lighted on a dish of dried raisins. Well con- 
 tent with this booty, I hied me back under the 
 cot, and rolling up a corner of the carpet to 
 serve as a pillow, I managed to refresh myself 
 to my heart's content. Nay, I think I drank 
 more of that wine (the most excellent that ever
 
 218 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 I did taste) than was good, for despite my 
 determination to keep awake, I unconsciously 
 fell asleep, which was the maddest thing a 
 man in his right senses could have done ; for 
 had Eodrigues come back into that cabin he 
 would surely have discovered me by my hard 
 breathing ; but this (thanks be to Grod !) he did 
 not do ; for having rested himself, he gave per- 
 mission to his crew to relax awhile likewise, 
 himself going on board the FaWtfid Friend for 
 the better custody of the prisoners there, as I 
 believe. 
 
 At this time the three ships, brought all 
 well together, lay anchored within a good bay 
 (as I am told) in an island which I take it 
 must have been one of the Bahamas. 
 
 I was awoke by a bustling in the next cabin, 
 to find the sun streaming full under the edge 
 of the cot valance. I heard Eodrigues speaking 
 there in a tone of command, but what he said 
 my senses were yet too confused to make out ; 
 then I caught sight of the boy's feet again 
 as he entered that one where I lay and set
 
 FURTHER BUSINESS. 210 
 
 something down. And now lie comes very 
 briskly to the cot and sets about stripping it ; 
 that done, he shakes up the bed, turns it over 
 as any maid would, and fetches out from the 
 chest clean sheets, which he lays in the place 
 of those he had stripped off, and so makes up 
 the bed ; after which he sets the furniture in 
 order, and, tucking the foul linen under his 
 arm, goes out. " 
 
 All this while there was prodigious hurrying 
 to and fro over head, tumbling of heavy goods 
 below, creaking of pulleys, shouting of orders, 
 and like confusion, which was caused by the 
 shipping aboard of the black ship all the stores 
 and treasure belong-incr to the Sea Lion and the 
 Faithful Friend, to which this rogue Eodrigues 
 had a fancy. But to think that in the midst of 
 all this pother he took heed to having clean 
 sheets laid in his bed did astonish me beyond 
 all things. 
 
 The bustle continued all the morning ; once 
 or twice the boy came in with parcels, which he 
 set atop of that he had already brought, but
 
 220 
 
 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 nothing else occurred to disturb my medita- 
 tions. And these, as I grew accustomed to 
 the noise around me, were of a very melan- 
 choly sort, not because of the sad outlook 
 concerning my own fortunes, for I may truly 
 say I had grown in a sort callous and indif- 
 ferent to what became of me, but for think- 
 ing of Lady Biddy. I took myself very 
 grievously to task for having slept all through 
 that night like a log while she was in such an 
 extremity. 
 
 " Is this your devotion, wretch ! " says I 
 to myself — " is this your love, that you can 
 slumber in peace while she, hived wp with 
 rude sailors, destitute of common necessaries, 
 is in peril of death at the hands of her wicked 
 persecutors? Have you no bowels of pity, 
 that you could make not one effort to save 
 her, rascal ? " 
 
 In this way I taunted myself, until, falling 
 into a more reasonable state of mind, I bes^an to 
 reason as to what I might yet do in her behalf. 
 I concluded from the shifting of the stores that
 
 GREAT PERPLEXITY. 221 
 
 Eodrigues had determined to abandon the two 
 ships with their crew, for the mere hulls could 
 be of little value to him. Coming to this 
 decision, I was for gettmg away from the 
 black ship and rejoining the Faithful Friend, 
 that I might be near my Lady Biddy ; but 
 what could I then do? Was not this rather 
 a gratification of my own selfish desire than 
 a means of benefiting her ? Was I not simply 
 adding another hungry mouth to that destitute 
 company? With these and a hundred such 
 fruitless arguments did I torment myself ; now 
 preparing myself to get away, now resigning 
 m3^self to stay where I was, getting no nearer to 
 a rational determination in the end than I 
 was in the beginning. 
 
 I was still in this torment when I heard 
 the anchor weighing and the men singing as 
 they are used to do at this business. Suddenly 
 their singing ceased, and I heard a great angry 
 clamour of voices from a distance ; nay, I do 
 think I heard my uncle's big voice above the 
 rest, and then the fellows above replying with
 
 222 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 laughter and derision, so that I knew we were 
 leaving that unhappy company behind, as was 
 the more evident by the bending of the ship 
 before the wind. Then, desperate to think I 
 was being carried away from Lady Biddy, I 
 took resolution to dash through the cabin to 
 the gallery and cast myself into the sea, and 
 to this end I had set my hands and feet against 
 the wall, to thrust my body from under the cot, 
 v^hen the door was thrown violently open, the 
 cabin entered, and the sacking of the bed was 
 pressed down over my head, which made me 
 think that Eodrigues had come again to rest 
 himself. 
 
 Turning silently on to my back I glanced 
 under the valance. At a little distance were 
 the bare feet of the boy ; close to the valance, 
 standing beside the cot, were the feet of a man. 
 Thus they stood immovable for a space, 
 and then lightly they moved away and the 
 door was closed behind them. But the sack- 
 ing above still bulged downwards with the 
 weight thrown on the bed. "Had Eodrigues
 
 A rilESH SURPRISE. 223 
 
 laid there a wounded comrade ? " I asked 
 myself. 
 
 That it was Rodrigues who had entered and 
 left this cabin I was sure, for I now heard his 
 voice speaking low, as if giving orders to the 
 boy, in the one adjoining. 
 
 If it be a wounded comrade he has laid here, 
 then is he badly hurt, thought I, as I lay with 
 my eyes fixed on the sacking ; for there was no 
 sign of movement ; nor was there any sound 
 of groaning or the like. 
 
 Only for a few minutes did matters stand 
 thus, however ; then there was a little movement 
 above, followed by a quick start, and the next 
 instant, in the space below the valance, I saw 
 descend the sweetest little foot that ever man 
 did see, and then its fellow, both neatly shod, 
 after which fell the hem of an envious petticoat 
 that shut them from my sight. 
 
 My heart quite ceased to beat as I asked 
 m3^self, " Who is this woman ? " 
 
 For a moment she stood where she had 
 stepped to the ground, as if looking around to
 
 224 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 realise where she was ; then like any doe she 
 sprang towards the little windows that opened 
 on to the gallery, and looking out, she gave a 
 moan of despair, by which plaintive delicate 
 sound I knew that this dear creature was 
 Lady Biddy.
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 I MAKE MYSELF KNOWN TO LADY BIDDY, WITH 
 DIVERS OTHER MATTERS. 
 
 Scarce liad this piteous moan passed her tender 
 lips when Eodrigues (as I am told), opening the 
 door, made her a mighty resj^ectful reverence, 
 and, says he — 
 
 " Madam, I am delighted you have re- 
 covered of your swoon, and I trust you feel no 
 ill-effect of the rough usage we were forced to 
 exercise in bringing jou hither." 
 
 *' Where am I ? " cries Lady Biddy fiercely. 
 " Wliy have you brought me here ? " 
 
 "You are on board the Bobin Good/ellow," 
 says he gravely, " or as my fellows prefer to call 
 it, the Black Death ; and I have brought you 
 here because I had not the heart to leave you on 
 the Faithful Friend, to endure the hardships 
 to which her company must be reduced." 
 p
 
 226 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " Where is my uncle ? Get you hence and 
 bring him to me ! " she cries, with the same 
 impetuous fury. 
 
 " Tn anything else I shall obey you punc- 
 tually," says he ; " but it is impossible for me 
 to comply with this demand, for Sir Bartlemy 
 Pengilly is in the ship yonder, which we are 
 leaving behind." 
 
 " You gave him your promise that not one 
 of those who were in the roundhouse should be 
 injured in any way if he laid down his arms. 
 It was to save me from the violence of your 
 crew that he submitted himself with the brave 
 men who stood by him." 
 
 " Madam, it was to that very end I gave my 
 promise. Undoubtedly, had your uncle stood 
 out, I could not have stayed my company from 
 firing into the roundhouse and putting an end 
 to the obstinate resistance there, notwithstand- 
 ing you were likely to have fallen a victim with 
 your friends." 
 
 "Would to God we had met that fate, rather 
 than trust to your promises, dastard villain ! "
 
 RODRIGUES, HIS HYPOCRISY. 227 
 
 says she; "for then had there been an honour- 
 able end to their woes and mine." 
 
 " Patience, patience, lady ! " says he, in a 
 tone calculated only to arouse her greater in- 
 dignation. " You are much too young to die, 
 and too beautiful. Trust me, your fate will 
 be a happier one than you can at present con- 
 ceive. When your spirits are calmer you will 
 see that this unfortunate business is due to 
 the impetuosity of your uncle, and that I am 
 the best friend you could have found, in the 
 midst of deplorable circumstances. Your uncle 
 fired the first shot, and the first man who fell 
 in the conflict was on board this ship. Coukl 
 you expect my men to see their innocent 
 comrades slaughtered with indifference, or me 
 to make no effort for their preservation from 
 further mischief? We fought, and having over- 
 come those who would have overcome us, we 
 did all that a magnanimous victor could reason- 
 ably afford to do. We forgave those who laid 
 dow^n their arms, and gave them a ship to 
 continue their journey in. I had promised no 
 p 2
 
 228 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 injury should be inflicted upon you, and for 
 that reason I brought you hither, where, as 
 you see, you will be not ill-lodged, and shall 
 have the best nurture and service the stores 
 and my company can off'er. Had I left you 
 on the Faithful Friend your case would have 
 been different, for the vessel is badly injured, 
 and I fear the company will be sorely put to 
 it for provisions, as, to supply our own wants, 
 we were obliged to take from her stores — a 
 poor recompense for the loss and injury in- 
 flicted upon us. I have been careful to have 
 your personal effects brought hither for your 
 use ; they are here. If anything is short of 
 
 your requirements, or if " 
 
 " Silence ! " cries Lady Biddy, who, turning 
 her back on Rodrigues, had tried to lend a 
 deaf, indifferent ear to his harangue, but was 
 at length by his long-winded perseverance and 
 mock-humility wrought to an intolerable degree 
 of impatience. " Silence ! " cries she, turning 
 upon him and stamping her little foot. " Leave 
 me, or, by my soul, I'll put an end to this
 
 MY LADY GREATLY VEXED. 229 
 
 torment another way," and indeed (as I learn) 
 she did look around in desperation for some 
 instrument wherewith to destroy herself, being 
 very bitterly aggrieved by this hypocrite. 
 
 Again this Eodrigues makes her a low 
 reverence, and with his hand on the door says, 
 " I shall hope to find your spirits easier when 
 I next give myself the pleasure to inquire 
 after your condition. I have had refreshment 
 placed in this next cabin, and should you need 
 anything, you have but to pull the bell. And 
 so good-morning to your ladyship." 
 
 Lady Biddy gave him no reply, but as soon 
 as he had closed the second door after him — 
 turning the key in the outside, she ran to the 
 bed, and casting herself upon it, gave vent to her 
 feeling in an agony of tears. 
 
 And to hear her sobbing above me, yet 
 striving to smother the sound, lest Eodrigues 
 should know that her pride had broken down, 
 would have touched any stony heart. It was 
 so pitiful to my ear that the tears coursed down 
 my own cheeks as I listened.
 
 230 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 Thus she sobbed in a crreat tumult for some 
 
 o 
 
 while, and then her passion softening into 
 mere maiden's soitow, she murmured in a low 
 tone, still smothering her sweet voice in the 
 pillow lest it should be heard, and yet not 
 able to keep quite silent neither — " Oh, my 
 heart ! Oh, my poor heai-t ! " and this she 
 said over and over again — " Oh, my poor heart ! 
 Oh, my heart ! " with mournful tremor, unable 
 to find other words to express the commotion of 
 her feelings. 
 
 Now would I have given anything to be of 
 comfort to her, yet I dared not come forth from 
 where I lay, lest my sudden appearance should 
 move her to cry out with terror ere she discerned 
 who I was, which would have brought Eod- 
 rigues back in a twinkling, and ruined all. So 
 I waited patiently awhile, and when she ceased 
 to make moan, and only sobbed at intervals, like 
 a child exhausted with weeping, I began to 
 gently scratch the tick of the bed with my 
 finger nail, making no more noise than might 
 a mouse nibbling.
 
 SHOW MYSELF TO LADY BIDDY. 
 
 231 
 
 Of this she at -first took no notice, but iiwon 
 I observed she smothered a sob, as if to listen 
 with greater attention, and then by the move- 
 ment above I noticed she had started up as if 
 resting on her elbow ; as I still continued the 
 scratching, she presently made a movement of 
 the clothes, as if to frighten the thing away, for 
 the bravest of women do greatly fear a mouse ; 
 upon which, ceasing to scrape the tick, I said 
 quickly, in a very low whisper — 
 
 " Do not cry out, a friend is here — I, Benet 
 Pengilly ! " 
 
 Then whipped she off the bed, yet making 
 no sound, and I, putting my hands and feet as I 
 have aforesaid against the wall, pushed myself 
 out from my cramped hiding-place, and got 
 upon my feet before her, raising my finger and 
 casting my eyes about for fear of discovery. 
 
 I must have been very villainous and horrid 
 to look upon, my hair untrimmed and hanging 
 about my face in dank wisps clotted with blood 
 from my wound, my clothes in a like pickle, and 
 no cleaner in my flesh than the sea had washed
 
 232 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 me the day before ; but such horrors had she 
 seen that her senses were, as it were, accus- 
 tomed to dreadful images, and she saw me 
 no worse than others, but rather better, for 
 being there a friend where she thought was 
 none but enemies. 
 
 Catching the meaning of my gesture, she 
 went quickly to the panel door and spied into 
 the next cabin, whence she came back light of 
 foot, nodding to assure me all was safe. Then 
 she gave me her hand, and I taking no heed 
 whether mine was reasonably clean or proper to 
 hold so dainty delicate a thing, took it ; and to 
 feel those soft cool lingers clinging tightly to 
 my rough palm did seem to contract every 
 muscle of my back with physical delight. Also 
 was my heart quickly moved with joy to per- 
 ceive in her dear eyes — though they were 
 swollen and red with weeping — a bright beam 
 of hope and satisfaction, whilst the corners of 
 her lips curved with a little smile. 
 
 Coming quite close to me, she whispered 
 eagerly in my ear —
 
 MY POOR LADY OVERWROUGHT. 233 
 
 "You will save me, Benet, won't you? 
 You will be my good friend ? " 
 
 " Ay," says I, as softly as she (if that might 
 be). "With God's help, no harm shall befall 
 you." 
 
 On this she presses my hand a little closer, 
 and then goes again to the door, from which 
 she returns with almost a child's glee to tell 
 me all is safe, and to ask by what miracle I 
 came to her succour. 
 
 This joy in the midst of such trouble and 
 peril, this kindness to me for whom she had 
 shown little liking hitherto, but rather detesta- 
 tion for the most part, w^ill seem unnatural, as 
 being contrary to the proud high spirit and 
 independence of Lady Biddy, and so would it 
 have been at any other time ; but there is none 
 — be he a man and never so strong — but grief 
 and terrible anxiety will reduce to the unresist- 
 ing soft temper of a child : so I do think and 
 thus explain this truth. And, indeed, she gave 
 present proof of weakness, for while the smile 
 was yet on her lips she clasps her hand to her
 
 234 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 heart and sinks down, sitting on the bed as if 
 she could no longer hold her footing. 
 
 Seeing she was faint, I went with all speed 
 and reckless into the next chamber for that 
 refreshment Eodrigues said was set there for 
 her use — than which no madder thing fool ever 
 did, for there were windows opposite the gallery- 
 looking on to the deck, and had one been prying 
 there I must have been seen, for all the two 
 curtains were drawn, there being space enough 
 for one to peep through from the outside if he 
 were so minded. But — thanks be to Grod ! — 
 there was no one spying, and so I got the tray 
 of refreshments from the table where it lay and 
 carried it into the next cabin with no mis- 
 chance. 
 
 This tray I set on the bed beside Lady 
 Biddy, and she ate and drank with appetite, 
 poor sotil, for all the time they had been shut 
 up in the roundhouse — she, with her uncle, and 
 the poor remnant of his company — not onfe had 
 broken fast, for there was neither bit nor sup 
 to be got. Which also is a reason for that
 
 MY SECRET JOY. 235 
 
 behaviour of Lady Biddy's to which I have 
 spoken as seeming unnatural. 
 
 While she satisfied her own cravings she 
 made me eat likewise, whereto I was nowise 
 loth myself, having eaten nothing for many 
 hours but a few paltry raisins. 
 
 As she sat on the bed, I knelt on the ground 
 by her feet for my better convenience in eating 
 and also conversing in that low tone to which 
 we were constrained. So as we ate I told her 
 how I had come aboard and hidden myself, 
 with other matters which there is no necessity 
 to repeat ; and this I did with reasonable calm, 
 but the abounding joy and gladness of my heart 
 to be there alone with that dear lady, kneeling 
 at her very feet, listening to her whisper, feast- 
 ing my eyes when hers were on the refreshment 
 and I dared to do so unseen, no pen can describe, 
 as I doubt also no imagination can conceive. 
 
 After she had eaten and drunk and would no 
 more, being much refreshed and invigorated, 
 I was for taking the tray back ; but here 
 her quick wit appearing where my dulness
 
 236 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 showed, she pointed out the danger, and 
 taking the tray, carried it herself into the 
 next chamber. 
 
 Coming back she seated herseK on a settle 
 that ran along one side of the cabin, and bidding 
 me sit beside her, asked how I meant to contrive 
 her escape, which indeed would have been a 
 poser for me at another time, but did now to 
 my excited imagination appear the easiest thing 
 in the world. For when one's spirits are filled 
 with joy there seems nothing insurmountable, 
 as, on the other hand, in grief we can see no 
 way out of our trouble. 
 
 " Why," says I, " we need not fear but we 
 shall get away safe enough, and shortly too. 
 For, as Eodrigues obligingly told you, the 
 company is short of victuals, and must there- 
 fore lose no time in seeking a port where they 
 can refresh with meat and drink ; besides 
 that, the ship may need looking to for the 
 damage she has got. And being in a port 
 where there are Christian souls, what is to 
 keep us here ? "
 
 PLAN OUR ESCAPE. 237 
 
 "A rascal named Eodrigues," says Lady 
 Biddy, very pertinently. 
 
 " Pish ! " says I. "I have escaped him times 
 enough to know he is a fool, for all his pretence 
 to cleverness. Nay, have I not hid myself 
 under his own cot in broad day ? Not dream- 
 ing but you are helpless, he will think you 
 sufficiently secured if he locks the door and 
 sets one of his rascals to watch it. But the 
 stern gallery is open, and as I got in so can I 
 get out, with the night to give me help and 
 better security." 
 
 " Do you think it will be as easy for me ? " 
 asks Lady Biddy doubtfully. 
 
 " Ay, I shall make it so, please God," says 
 I. " For in the night that I swim to shore will 
 I bring back a boat, and by a ladder of ropes 
 shall you get down into it." 
 
 Lady Biddy here nodded her head in 
 hopeful approval. 
 
 " Once on shore we may hide ourselves 
 safely, I do not question, and Eodrigues dare 
 not waste a long time in looking for us, since
 
 238 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 tlie necessity tliat brought him hither will also 
 bring on Sir Bartlemy. Then dare not these 
 rascal pirates stay, lest they bring themselves 
 to their well-earned gallows." 
 
 Then again Lady Biddy nodded to show her 
 satisfaction, clasping her little hands at the 
 same time, with a sigh in which all her trouble 
 seemed to be wafted away. But in this moment 
 of our confidence on future escape were we 
 brought to consciousness of our present peril 
 by the sudden opening of the door in the 
 further chamber. 
 
 Together we started to our feet, and my 
 first thought was to fetch the jack-knife from 
 my pocket, but Lady Biddy, with that self- 
 command which does animate women above 
 men in the hour of danger to do the right thing 
 and not the foolish one, quickly laid her hand 
 on my arm to keep me still, and putting on as 
 stern an air as any tragic player, went to the 
 little betwixt door to ask Eodrigues why he 
 dared disturb her. 
 
 But no Eodrigues was there ; for it was
 
 CONCERN FOR THE NIGHT. 239 
 
 only tlie little blackguard boy he liad sent in to 
 know if madam would take a dish of chocolate. 
 
 When she had dismissed him, saying she 
 needed no more to-day (it being now pretty nigh 
 sundown, for I have bridged over many things), 
 but would have her breakfast brought the next 
 morning at seven, she came back to me, and 
 we continued to talk of our escape, like any 
 children of air castles, till the light faded. 
 
 And then with some trouble I began to see 
 that I must presently go out of that chamber ; 
 and also I think Lady Biddy grew uneasy as to 
 how I might conduct myself in the darkness 
 of night, and she, so to speak, at my mercy. 
 
 Again the outer door opened ; and this time 
 the boy came to light the hanging lantern. 
 She left the between door open when the lamp 
 was lit and the boy again gone, and by a more 
 cheerful bearing seemed to feel better at ease 
 for this light. 
 
 "Presently," says I, "you will go in and 
 put out that lamp." 
 
 " Why? Is it not more cheerful to have a 
 light? " says she.
 
 240 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " Yes," says I, " but witli that light burning 
 I dare not go througb the next cabin." 
 
 " Through it ! " says she in wonder, and 
 yet with a little fear in her tone; "whither 
 are you going ? " 
 
 " Out on the gallery," says I, " where I 
 shall sleep very safely till the morning." 
 
 This would she not hear of, but would have 
 me lie in her room while she reposed on the 
 sofett in the next ; that would I not allow, and 
 so at length we compromised it in this wise: 
 she kept her own chamber after putting out the 
 lamp, and I, having bolted the door in the outer 
 cabin, lay myself on the cushions there, she 
 giving me her cloak that I might wrap it about 
 me and so seem to be she if by accident she so 
 overslept herself that she could not admit me 
 to the inner chamber before daybreak. 
 
 And so with the cloak that she had worn on 
 her dear body pressed to my lips I fell asleep 
 that night a happier man than ever before I had 
 been in all my life.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 BY GOODHAP I DISCOVER A FRESH PIECE OF 
 VILLAINY. 
 
 I SAY I fell asleep the happiest of men, with 
 sweet, delightful thoughts of that dear creature 
 who lay separated from me but by the thick- 
 ness of a few panelled boards ; ^^et were my 
 senses not so completely lulled to forgetfulness 
 but that they were quick to take alarm at that 
 which menaced her security, for suddenly I 
 awoke, hearing a sound at that door which 
 opened to the deck and which I had, as afore- 
 said, made fast on the inner side. 
 
 Sitting bolt upright I could see naught, for 
 the darkness was impenetrable ; but it was 
 enough that I had ears to know some one was 
 trying the door. Slowly I heard the latch 
 grating as it was lifted in the catch, and then 
 the door creak as it was pressed from without ; 
 but, thanks be to God, the bolt held firm.
 
 242 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 There was no light on the deck, or I should 
 have caught some glimmer through the silk 
 blinds of the windows ; I could see no more 
 than if I had been stone-blind. And the only 
 other sound I heard was a sweeping down of 
 rain upon the deck overhead. Presently the 
 latch fell again, as my strained hearing could 
 well perceive, and then there was a pause of 
 some minutes, when again the latch was lifted 
 slowly, and the door gave a smart crack under 
 the pressure against it. 
 
 At the first sound I had started to my feet 
 and opened my jack-knife ; and thus I stood all 
 the while this attempt was making, with my 
 hair on end and my tongue cleaving to my 
 gullet in a terrible fear, not of the mischief 
 that might befall me, but that in such darkness 
 I might fail to kill him who would harm Lady 
 Biddy. 
 
 The latch fell for the second time, and there 
 was no further attempt to open the door, but 
 for a long while I stood there with my knife 
 clenched in my hand.
 
 ATTEMPT TO FORCE THE CABIN DOOR. 243 
 
 When I came to reason on this attempt, I 
 concluded that Eodrigues had no hand in it, 
 for it was not his manner to go that way to 
 work, but rather some villain of his crew; who- 
 soever it was, that bolt saved his life for the 
 time, for I do believe that had he been power- 
 ful as Hercules, I should have rent him to 
 pieces before he set foot in the chamber where 
 Lady Biddy lay. 
 
 I slept no more that night, you may be 
 sure, nor did I deem it safe to put up my 
 knife until the windows in the gallery becoming 
 faintly visible showed that day was at hand. 
 And now, feeling there was no further danger 
 for the present, I opened the little gallery door, 
 and creeping out into the rain, made a shift to 
 cleanse myself somewhat, and set my hair in 
 order, using m}"" fingers for a comb. 
 
 By the time this was done, and I had gone 
 back into the cabin, and got my coat, etc., our 
 common safety demanded that I should arouse 
 Lady Biddy, which I did by scratching gently 
 against the partition as we had arranged over- 
 Q 2
 
 244 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 niglit, and she replied by scratching the wain- 
 scot on her side. When she was dressed she 
 came out from her room, and I saw the upper 
 part of her graceful figure and her small head, 
 revealed against the light, now pretty well 
 advanced, on the gallery windows. Then stoop- 
 ing low that I might not likewise be revealed 
 to any one peering through the fore windows, I 
 crept into the cabin she had left, which, to my 
 senses, was like any flower garden with the 
 fresh perfume of her breath. 
 
 Anon she came back to that chamber, and 
 giving me her hand, told me (to ray question- 
 ing) that she had slept well; and I told her 
 nothing of what had happened in the night, 
 that no trouble should disturb her repose if it 
 pleased Providence to keep us prisoners there 
 another night. 
 
 Then we fell to discoursing (very low) as to 
 our conduct during the day. With reluctance 
 I advised her to keep in the outer chamber, 
 that Eodrigues might suspect nothing, owning 
 that for our deliverance I saw no better help
 
 WE HOLD COUNSEL. 245 
 
 than to be guided by circumstances as they 
 arose. 
 
 She made no objection to this counsel. 
 *' But," says she, " what shall I do if that villain 
 comes to me?" (meaning Eodrigaes). 
 
 To this I replied (though it went against 
 the grain), that whilst he behaved civilly she 
 would do well to tolerate his visits and listen 
 to what he said. "For," say I, "though you 
 hold the door, and so exclude him for a minute, 
 he can, if he will, burst it open, and by thus 
 bringing about one act of violence may you lead 
 to another. To force we can only oppose force, 
 and his power is out of all proportion to ours ; 
 wherefore it behoves us to use such strategy 
 as we may, for only thus can we live to take 
 advantage of a better opportunity." 
 
 " You are right," says she, with such sub- 
 missiveness in her voice as I had never expected 
 to hear. " I will do as you bid me. But should 
 he overstep the bounds of civility ? " 
 
 " Then," say I, grinding my teeth, " be sure 
 that, whatever may afterwards befall, he shall die."
 
 246 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 Soon after tins the boy raps at the outer 
 door, and brings in Lady Biddy's breakfast. 
 Having set it on the table and placed a chair 
 for her very orderly, he moves as if he would go 
 into the inner cabin, when Lady Biddy, catch- 
 ing him quickly by the arm, cries — 
 
 " Where are you going, child ? What do 
 you want in there ? " 
 
 " Why, madam," says he, " I am but going 
 to make your bed, and set your cabin in order, 
 as my master bade me." 
 
 "Nay," says she, "I can do all there is to 
 be done myself." 
 
 With that she leads the boy to the door and 
 sends him away ; so was I again saved from 
 discovery. 
 
 To make sure that no one was watching her. 
 Lady Biddy pulled up the blinds in the fore 
 windows, and finding she was unobserved, this 
 kind soul, even before she tasted a morsel her- 
 self, whips a portion of her victuals into a dish 
 and brings it to me for my comfort, and sure 
 no food was ever so seasoned to excite the
 
 NEARLY UNDONE BY A BOY. 247 
 
 appetite as this to vvliich her kindness gave its 
 savour. 
 
 As she had brought the dish to me, so she 
 took it away, and at the same time a book from 
 the store of her goods which Eodrigues had 
 caused to be brought into the cabin. 
 
 Seating herself on the sofett, she disposed 
 herself to read, yet with little ability to dis- 
 tract her thoughts, for every moment she ex- 
 pected to see Eodrigues ; and while she was 
 thus employed, the boy comes to take away the 
 dishes, etc., and this being done and the crumbs 
 swept up, he again crosses towards the inner 
 cabin. Whereupon, in a terrible taking, Lady 
 Biddy, starting up once more, checks him — 
 
 "Why will you persevere in entering my 
 chamber," cries she, " when I tell you that I 
 will do all that is necessary there ? " 
 
 " 'Tis no fault of mine," says the child. 
 " My master told me to fetch some clothes of 
 his from the chest, and I must do his bid- 
 dmg." 
 
 " Tell me what you need, and I will get it,"
 
 248 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 says Lady Biddy, going to the betwixt door; 
 and tlien seeing at a glance that I had concealed 
 myself, she adds, in a tone of indifference, 
 " Nay, fetch them yourself," and so goes back 
 with her book to the sofett. 
 
 I had crept to my old hiding-place under the 
 cot when the boy first came into the next cabin, 
 for fear of accident, and now, as I lay there, I 
 could see all that he did. First of all, he went 
 to the chest and duly laid out a suit of clothes ; 
 then taking a quick glance through the half- 
 open door to make sure Lady Biddy was not 
 observing him, he turns about, and going to one 
 corner of the cabin, strips up the carpet, does 
 something to the boards (which I could not see 
 for my position), and then as swiftly turns back 
 the carpet to its place. This done, the little 
 villain shuts-to the drawer of the chest with 
 a bang, and goes out of the room with the 
 clothes in his arms, as if that had been all 
 his errand. 
 
 I lost no time in creeping out and crossing 
 to that corner of the cabin to see what the boy
 
 THE BOY, HIS VILLAINY. 249 
 
 had been about ; and, at a glance, I perceived 
 the whole business as I turned back the carpet. 
 Here, in the boards, was a hinged hatch or trap- 
 door with a ring whereby to raise it, and a bolt 
 to make it secure — ring, bolt, and hinge being 
 sunk in the boards, flush, and neatly done as 
 any joiner's work. The bolt was slipped back 
 so that the trap could be opened from below, 
 and I doubted not that this had been the work 
 of that little villain-boy. Moreover, as I had 
 concluded that he who tried the door in the 
 night was not Eodrigues, so I surmised that 
 this undoing of the hatch was not of his order- 
 ing (since there was no reason for his going 
 about in this fashion), but rather the indepen- 
 dent measures of the boy to get into the cabin 
 for pilfering purposes, or of some one of the 
 crew who had won over the boy to his will for 
 more villainous purpose. For the present I 
 contented myself with shooting back the bolt, 
 returning the carpet to its place, and getting 
 back to my hiding-place under the cot.
 
 CHAPTEE XXI. 
 
 I MAKE A VOW TO SLAY MY LADY BIDDY, 
 IF NEEDS BE. 
 
 About noon Rodrigues came into the cabin 
 where my Lady Biddy sat, with his hair combed, 
 rings on his fingers, and rigged out in a new 
 suit of clothes — as fine as any popinjay. Taking 
 off his hat with a low salute, he observed that 
 the heavy rain was past, and fairer weather 
 might be now expected, and so seated himself 
 with easy insolence near Lady Biddy, who 
 thereupon rose to her feet, and stood calmly 
 waiting for him to announce his business 
 there. 
 
 " I have come," says he, " to know if I can 
 add anything to your convenience or comfort 
 here during the stay which, as I pointed out 
 yesterda}^ circumstances have necessitated." 
 
 " You can make my captivity less intoler-
 
 SUBTILE VILLAINY OF RODRIGUES. 251 
 
 able," replies Lady Biddy, " by letting me know 
 at once when it is to end.'' 
 
 " If this breeze continues we may fairly 
 expect to be at our journey's end in four days," 
 says he. 
 
 "And what do you intend to do with me 
 then ? " asks Lady Biddy. 
 
 " Eather let me ask you, madam," says he, 
 with a hideous smile, " what you intend to do 
 with me ? " 
 
 "I do not understand what you mean by 
 that," replies Lady Biddy. 
 
 " It is for you to command," saj^s he, " and 
 for me to obey in anything that is possible." 
 
 "If I demand my freedom — hberty to re- 
 turn to my friends ! " says she, perplexed by his 
 sophistry, for she knew full well that this 
 seeming compliance was but a mask and a 
 snare. 
 
 " Certainly," says he, still with that hideous 
 smile, *' nothing can be more reasonable ; and if 
 it will give you happiness and promote that 
 better opinion of me, which I hope one day you
 
 252 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY PANE, 
 
 will entertain, I sliall do my utmost to help you 
 to find your friends." 
 
 Lady Biddy knew not what response to make 
 to this fine speech, his promises being' far too 
 good to accept for his true intent ; so she waited, 
 looking at him to continue, but with much 
 disgust and loathing, for there was lust in his 
 face and devilish wickedness in his eyes, as lean- 
 ing back on the sofett he surveyed her person 
 from head to foot, and again brought his gaze 
 slowly up to her face. 
 
 " Pardon me," says he, " your beauty dis- 
 tracts my thoughts from the subject of our con- 
 versation. Where was I ? Ah, yes, Santiago 
 de Leon de Caracas, whither we are now sailing, 
 is an agreeable place. I have friends there. 
 You must know that I am a Spanish gentleman 
 by birth. There is a palace on the side of a 
 hill facing the sea which I think will prove 
 to your taste. You who have lived always in 
 England can have no idea of the beauty of the 
 country. I am sure you will be enchanted 
 with it."
 
 FAIR PROPOSALS. 253 
 
 "What is this country or its palaces to 
 me ? " cries Lady Biddy, beginning to see his 
 drift. 
 
 " You must have a roof to shelter you, and I 
 could offer nothing less than a palace." 
 
 " I ask but my liberty that I may return to 
 my friends in England." 
 
 " As you please," says he, airily. " I think 
 you will change your mind when you see what 
 a lovely place I propose for your home. How- 
 ever, if, after seeing it, you are still minded to 
 return to England, to England you shall return. 
 It will not be far out of that course to run 
 round by the mouth of the Oronoque and take 
 up poor Sir Harry Smidmore, if he be still on 
 the island where the mutineers left him. Nor 
 is there any reason why you should not cruise 
 about in search of your uncle. Sir Bartlemy 
 Pengilly. Thus would your pleasure in going 
 home be unmarred by any anxiety on account 
 of absent friends." 
 
 Once more did he pause to gloat on the 
 perplexity and trouble in that dear face, which
 
 254 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 I warrant was become deadly pale with dreadful 
 apprehension. His delight in her torture was 
 like nothing but the pleasure of some cat that 
 plays with a poor mouse before tearing it with 
 cruel talons. Nay, I have observed that some 
 men of the baser sort do strangely mingle cruelty 
 with that sort of love they cherish, so that you 
 will see such fellows take pleasure in making 
 women weep. 
 
 "For my own part," continues this Eod- 
 rigues, with cool audacity, "it is no matter 
 whether I live in the Indies or in Cornwall, so 
 that I be in your company." 
 
 Thus did this wicked cynic so reveal his 
 intent that Lady Biddy could no longer doubt 
 what was behind. Yet did she strive to control 
 her indignation, with the faint hope that she 
 misjudged his meaning. 
 
 " I do not ask you to go to England," says 
 she. " All I beg is that you set me ashore, and 
 let me make my way home as God shall please 
 to guide me." 
 
 "That is impossible, and I should be un-
 
 HIS MEANING DISCOVERED. 255 
 
 worthy of your respect if I consented to such a 
 course. Beauty such as yours is too rare at 
 Santiago to be set light store by. Believe me, 
 you would never be suffered to leave that city 
 if once you set foot in it. You would become 
 the slave and property of the first who could lay 
 his hand on you. I myself should not dare to 
 take you on shore till a priest had given me a 
 legal right to possess you." 
 
 " What ! " cries she, losing control of her 
 temper; "do you think I will ever consent to 
 become your wife ? " 
 
 " Yes," he replies, " I think you will when 
 you consider the matter calmly." 
 
 And with that he rose, as if to give her 
 opportunity for reflection. But now, her spirit 
 terribly moved with righteous anger, she 
 stopped him. 
 
 " Villain," says she, " do you refuse to give 
 me my liberty ? " 
 
 " If you mean do I refuse to abandon you to 
 such a fate as would be yours in being set alone 
 on shore at Caracas, I reply yes," says he, with
 
 256 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 less hypocrisy and more plainly than he had 
 yet spoken. " If you refuse to be the wife of 
 a Spanish gentleman you shall certainly not 
 become the slave of a mongrel peasant." 
 
 " You intend to keep me an unwilling 
 prisoner on board this ship ? " 
 
 " I do," says he, " in the hope — nay, in the 
 jfirm belief — that you will willingly agree to be 
 my wife by the time we reach England." 
 
 " In England there are gallows for such 
 rascal pirates as you." 
 
 " No," says he, catching hold of her arm 
 ere she could escape his touch, and holding her 
 firmly — " not when they have friends to protect 
 them, and the wit besides to close the mouths of 
 enemies. No one will bring disgrace on Lady 
 Biddy by hanging her husband and the fatber 
 of her children, Eor my sake, to save me from 
 the gallows, you will consent to become my 
 wife. If that be not a sufficient reason, then 
 you will marry me for your own sake. The 
 wife of Don Sanchez Hodrigues de Arevalo may 
 hold up her head in the King's court ; but the
 
 257 
 
 mistress of Rodrigues, the pirate, flung ashore 
 at Plymouth, dare not crawl to show her face 
 in Falmouth. You will see," adds he, freeing 
 her arm, and with a return to his former hypo- 
 critical fair seeming — "you will see that what I 
 propose is entirely to your advantage, and in- 
 evitable as the setting of the sun." 
 
 Thereupon he makes her another low 
 obeisance, turns on his heel, and struts out of 
 the cabin. 
 
 All these particulars did Lady Biddy lay 
 before me when she had bolted the door after 
 Eodrigues his departure and come into the next 
 chamber, which she could well do at that time 
 without arousing suspicion. Many times she 
 paused and could not speak for indignation and 
 offended pride ; nay, I think she would have 
 kept this matter to herself, but that I pressed 
 her to tell all for my better guidance. Tears 
 she had not one, for passion held them back. 
 
 " Does he think," says she, with scorn that 
 scarce permitted her to bate her voice — " does 
 he think that ever I will live to be his slave ?
 
 238 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 I could cut this arm off because his foul hand 
 has touched it. I will die a thousand deaths 
 rather than submit to such injury. Promise 
 nie, Benet, that i£ you hear me cry for help " 
 
 " Fearn ot," says I, interrupting her. " My 
 knife was di-awn, and I stood ready by the little 
 door all the time I heard the muttering of his 
 voice in there. So will I stand prepared when 
 next he comes, and be assured I will have his 
 life if you cry to me." 
 
 " Nay," says she ; " take my life first and 
 his after, for I would not outlive my shame." 
 
 I tried to soothe her mind, which was over- 
 much exalted, and bade her not think of death 
 while any hope remained, but rather trust to 
 my ability to effect our escape" when we came 
 to that port he had spoken of. 
 
 " And now," saj^s I, " do pray go back, and 
 seem to make light of this matter ; for I fear 
 that if he be undeceived in his hopes he may 
 bring the business to an extremity before we get 
 near land. Remember, my lady, 'tis jiot your 
 own honour alone you have to consider, though
 
 I MAKE A FEARFUL VOW. 259 
 
 that be paramount to all, but the peace of Sir 
 Bartlemy and," adds I, with an effort, " your 
 poor lover, Sir Harry. Wlierefore, for their 
 sakes, must we fight this villain with his own 
 weapons — meeting subtlety with subtlety ; and 
 for some little while, if you may subdue your 
 proud spirit, it will be well to let him opine 
 you will in time come round to his way of 
 thinking." 
 
 "I understand you, Benet," says she, calmly. 
 " You fear if he thinks my resolution invincible 
 he may " — she paused, covering her face with 
 her hands, and added, leaving a blank where 
 she could not utter her thought — " before we 
 reach Caracas." 
 
 "Yes, that is what I do fear," says I. 
 
 " I will do my best, Benet," says she, " to 
 follow your guidance, which I see is wise and 
 good. Yet, if I fail — if — if " 
 
 " Nay, I know what you would say ; and 
 here," says I, dropping on my knees beside her 
 — " here I swear that at your cry for help I 
 will slay both him and you."
 
 260 THE ADMIRABLE LADY BIDDY FANE. 
 
 " And with equal sincerity, Benet, I promise 
 you I will not give that signal for my death 
 until it is needed." 
 
 There was no need to explain these words 
 more fully. We both understood that her dis- 
 honour was alone to call for this sole remedy. 
 And, still on my knees, I vowed that I also 
 would not live to bear the memory of her fate. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
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 O'er Many Lands, on Many Seas. By Gordon 
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 At the South Pole. By W. H. G. Kingston. 
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 Cassell's Robinson Crusoe. With 100 
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 Sunny Spain: Its People and Places, 
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 Rambles Round London Town. By C. L. 
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 Favorite Album of Fun and Fancy, The. 
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