atter, it was not for him to say what were his thoughts
about it.

"But we would tell nobody," Dorothy urged. "Don't you think we
could keep a secret, as well as you can?"

"That is just it, Cousin Dorothy! Don't you see, if I were to tell
you, it would be a proof that I could not keep a secret? And then,
if you told it, I could not blame you for blabbing. I don't say
there is any secret; but if there is, I must keep it."

"I know that you are going into danger, Reuben; else you would not
have all those great guns they say there are, on board."

"The great guns will keep us out of danger, you see. The more guns,
the less danger."

"Come away, Agnes," Dorothy said, with an assumption of
stateliness. "Cousin Roger is altogether too smart for us. Let him
keep his secrets, if he will; and let us go and help mother with
her sewing."

And so, for the last two or three days before the Swan sailed,
there was a coolness between Roger and the girls, as well as
between Diggory Beggs and his wife.

At last the day came when everything was complete, the water casks
filled, and the last packet and bale stored away in the hold; and
even Reuben Hawkshaw admitted that there was nothing else that he
could think of, requisite either for the safety or navigation of
the ship, or the provisioning or health of the crew.

The order was passed round for all the old hands to be aboard
before sunset, that evening, together with those who had been
openly engaged to fill up the vacancies. As for the rest, the
twelve recruiters each received private orders. Three of them were
to bring down the men they had engaged to the wharf, abreast of the
Swan, at eight o'clock; and to go off in the boat which would be
awaiting them there, under charge of Master Standing. Three others
were to come half an hour later. The other six were to bring down
their men at daybreak--so that all would get on board unnoticed.

The last meal at Master Diggory's was but a dull one. The subject
of the Swan and her voyage had, by common consent, been dropped
altogether for the last day or two; and it was not until supper was
over that Mistress Mercy, and the girls, knew that the hour of
sailing was at hand. Then Reuben spoke up:

"We go on board tonight, Cousin Mercy, and shall get up our anchor
and loose our sails the first thing in the morning. I know that you
have been somewhat aggrieved, at not learning more about our
intentions; but it was not Cousin Diggory's