skin
being cut by that means into diamond-shaped pieces. By the time the
punishment is over the man will be covered with blood and greatly
exhausted.

I had been keeping very quiet for the last few days in order to avert
suspicion. I had been examining the old shackles, and found two that
would release me from the bar at any time. One was quite large. By
taking off my shoe I could squeeze my foot from the bar. The other
shackle must have been an odd one, as it had extra large eyes, and would
slip nicely over the knob at the end of the bar. I laid them on the deck
to have them handy, then I sent for the corporal to take me to the
water-closet. When I returned I picked up the shackles that I wanted and
placed them over my ankles. When he had gone I put all the other
shackles away out of reach so there could be no mixing up. My mind
rested easy then. I was having a chance to go before the flogging,
instead of after, as the lieutenant proposed. At last, the day for my
punishment was set. The captain had come on board the frigate and my
conduct was reported. I was brought before him and the charges read to
me. Orders were given to have me flogged with the "Thieves'"
cat-o'-nine-tails at eight o'clock the next morning. "Four dozen lashes
on the bare back." The "Thieves' cat" meant two knots in the tail
instead of one. I was to receive extra punishment for a crime I never
committed, but the finding of the shirt in my bag had been sufficient.

CHAPTER IX

THE ESCAPE

When the corporal took me below again I asked him to let me get some
clean clothes from my bag. I selected a pair of white duck trousers and
a white shirt. I wanted the lightest suit that I could get. The corporal
probably thought that I intended dressing neatly for the whipping in the
morning. I was very particular in putting the shackles on my ankles, the
one with the large eyes going on the left leg, so as to be at the knob
end of the bar. The big one went on the right leg. I could not prevent
myself from grinning while he was so carefully locking the end of the
bar. He gave the lock an extra pull, to satisfy himself that it was
fast, and walked off. My hammock, instead of being lashed up sideways,
as customary, was merely rolled loosely and left on deck, so that I
could spread it out for sleeping at night-time. I made a sort of lounge
with it and took life easy, for the time being. At nine in the evening,
the midshipmen and clerks got into their h