pable of exerting. I felt that
there was not a moment to be lost. On the deck were a couple of casks,
and a slow match, burning at one end, communicated with one of them. I
cannot say that I thought, and yet I was conscious, that in another
moment I and all on board might be blown into eternity. I know not what
impulse moved me; but, bending down my mouth, I seized the burning match
between my teeth, and, though it much burned my lips and tongue, held it
there till it was extinguished. Then, overcome by the excitement of my
feelings, I sunk down over one of the casks. There I lay for a moment,
almost unconscious of anything. I need scarcely say that the casks were
filled with gunpowder. I should have fainted had not Mr Vernon come
in, and had me carried on deck.

"Your presence of mind has saved all our lives, D'Arcy, and I can never
forget it," he exclaimed. "But we have still more work to do. Lift off
the hatches, my lads."

This order was quickly obeyed. With eager haste he hunted through every
part of the ship. I guessed at length what was in his mind. He was
seeking to discover any property of the Normans, or any articles which
might have been on board the _Ariadne_. It was a moment of dreadful
anxiety. Nothing, however, was to be found which could lead us to
suppose that the _Ariadne_ had fallen into the power of Delano. Mr
Vernon had directed Adam Stallman to get the schooner under way, and to
bring her up alongside the pirate brig, as soon as he calculated we
could have taken possession. She now appeared, and, furling sails,
dropped her anchor close to us. The scuffle on board the _William_ had
attracted the attention of the crews of the vessels lying near, several
boats from which presently came alongside; and it was, I fancy, at first
believed that we were a band of pirates, attempting to cut out a British
merchantman. Mr Vernon explained to them what had occurred, and after
a little time satisfied them that we had full authority for what we were
doing. I can scarcely describe events in the order they occurred. Our
search over the brig having been concluded, and no one else being
discovered, we made inquiries among the pirate crew, to learn who had
laid the plan for blowing up the ship; but one and all denied having any
knowledge of it. Even Delano was taken by surprise when he was told of
it by Mr Vernon.

"Ah! that's the work, then, of that unhung scoundrel, my mate, Dawson,"
he excl