which Mr. Kelly knew to be the
steward's--"and the girl did not jingle her bag for nothing the other
day, when she walked by me: something there, or my head 's a ball of
spun-yarn."

Kelly was transfixed with utter horror and amazement; but fearful lest
some one might perceive him, he crouched under the long-boat, which
afforded him a partial concealment. In this situation, he listened
with breathless anxiety, to the development of their plans, so
murderous that his very blood ran cold in his veins.

When the villains came to the blackest, most awful, portions of their
scheme, their voices were instinctively hushed into almost a whisper;
so that it was only the general outline that Kelly could gather. He
found that it was their intention to wait until some dark, dismal
night, when they would rush on the captain, himself and sister, and
murder them in their beds, rifle them of their money, and take
possession of the ship. It was their design to spare the life of the
mate, whose services they needed as a navigator. After having done all
this, they were to steer directly for the coast of Africa, where they
hoped to dispose of the cargo to the negroes. If successful, they
expected to carry thence to the West Indies a load of slaves--if not,
to abandon the ship entirely, taking with them the specie, and
whatever light articles of value they conveniently could. They
anticipated no difficulty in introducing themselves into some of the
settlements on the coast as shipwrecked mariners; and, as vessels
frequently left the settlements for the United States, they supposed
they might procure a passage without exciting any suspicion.

Kelly was a man of such imperturbable self-command, that he found no
difficulty in repressing every symptom which could indicate his
knowledge of the diabolical conspiracy. It was no part of his
intention, however, to conceal any thing from Capt. Newton; to the
captain, therefore, he made an unreserved disclosure of all that had
come to his knowledge. At first they were at a loss what measures to
take: one thing they thought of the greatest importance, which was to
keep Miss Kelly in entire ignorance of what was transpiring on board.
Some uncurbed outbreaking of alarm would be almost certain, such was
the excitability of her temperament. This, in their present situation,
might be attended with the most disastrous consequences.

The captain determined to eye with particular vigilance the motions of