e secured
the release of our friend Robert, and also the carpenter. I daresay
they will be allowed to join us some time to-day."

"Well," remarked Captain Staunton, "that is an advantage certainly;
every man we can secure makes us so much the stronger, and perhaps, if
we could get one or two more, something might be done in the second
night-watch. We might possibly be able to--"

"Take the brig?" interrupted Lance with a laugh. "Not to be thought of
for a single moment, my dear sir. Our friend Johnson is far too
suspicious a man, and has too much at stake to give us any such
opportunity, if watchfulness on his part can prevent it. Why, he has
already anticipated the possibility of such an attempt on our part, and
was good enough to caution me that we should always find him ready."

"Um!" ejaculated the skipper, meditatively, "that is bad news. We have
evidently a difficult man to deal with. I have heard it said, more than
once, that the man who can circumvent a Yankee can circumvent the Father
of Mischief himself. But about this ship-building and fortification
business, do I understand that you regard Johnson's plans in that
respect as favourable to us? Because, if so, I should be very glad if
you would explain; I must admit that at present I can scarcely see how
we are likely to derive any advantage from it."

"Well," remarked Lance, "you must understand that at present my plans
are of the crudest description, they will require a great deal of
maturing before they can be put into successful operation, and in this I
anticipate that you will all be able to afford me the greatest
assistance. Roughly, however, my idea is this. We must choose, if
possible, for the ship-building-yard a spot which is not only suitable
for the purpose, but which will also admit of being effectually defended
by the battery which is to be built. We must secure as assistants as
many as possible of our own men, and when the ship is built and launched
we must contrive somehow to seize and make our escape in her. This plan
will, I admit, involve many months' detention here, but it is the only
feasible way of escape which has, so far, presented itself to my mind;
and my conversation with Johnson this morning has convinced me that we
have nothing to hope for from him. He is glad to have us, and will
possibly be civil to us because of our ability to be of service to him,
but I can see that he is an unscrupulous rascal who will freely m