but enabled him to give a wide berth to those
who sought to do him harm, and to turn the tables upon them whenever he
saw fit to do so. Without saying another word in protest, the two
negroes stepped into the skiff and made ready to tow the schooner to her
moorings, while the boys faced about and started for the house.

"Jack, what in the name of sense are you up to now?" demanded Marcy,
when he could speak without fear of being overheard.

By way of reply the sailor laughed heartily but silently, and poked his
brother in the ribs with his finger.

"I know you have made the darkeys afraid of you by telling them your
ridiculous stories, and I am ashamed to say that I have backed up all
you have said to them," continued Marcy. "But I don't see why you
stuffed them up that way to-night. It wasn't true, of course."

"All sailors are strictly truthful," replied Jack. "But seriously,
Marcy, I never told a straighter story than I told those blacks a while
ago, when I warned them that some morning they would find a man
missing.

"Jack," said Marcy, suddenly, "what is it that has been taking you out
of the house so much of nights during the last two weeks? Mother and I
have often thought we would ask you, but have as often come to the
conclusion that when you were ready to let us know, you would tell us."

"And a very wise conclusion it was," answered Jack. "By leaving me
entirely alone, you have thrown no obstacles in my way."

"But if you were working up anything, why didn't you take me into your
confidence?" said Marcy reproachfully.

"Because one can hide his movements better than two. Besides, I did not
see my way clearly, and I didn't want to raise any false hopes. But I
think the thing is cut and dried now, and as sure as you live," here he
sunk his voice to a whisper, "there'll be the biggest kind of a rumpus
in the quarter some morning; and if mother happens to be awake, she will
wonder why she doesn't hear the horn."

"Why won't she hear it?"

"For the very good reason that there will be no one there who has a
right to blow it."

"_Jack!_" Marcy almost gasped.

"Well, you wait and see if I don't know what I am talking about,"
replied the sailor.

"Where will Hanson be on that particular morning?"

"I can't tell. I only know that he will be gone, that he will not be
likely to trouble you and mother any more, for a while at least, and
that the whole thing will be so very mysterious that such fellows as