ork to repair their boat, but as none of them
were carpenters they found it a more difficult task than they had
expected. Spars and oars and sails had also to be formed. No one,
however, was idle, and they made up by diligence what they wanted in
skill. The boat was at last launched and moored between the rocks. All
the provisions they could collect, with a supply of water in such casks
as would hold it were placed on board. They had left the island astern
when a sail appeared in sight, rapidly approaching them from the east.
Deane, supposing she was some vessel bound up the Delaware for
Philadelphia, hove to, purposing if such was the case to take a passage
in her, instead of risking the voyage in their open boat, still
imperfectly repaired. As she drew nearer, she was seen to be a large
ship carrying several guns, yet she wanted the trim appearance of a
man-of-war. No colours were flying at her mast-head or peak, and
altogether her appearance did not satisfy Captain Deane. It was now,
however, too late to avoid her. Already the boat must have been seen by
those on board. Still Deane thought it more prudent to fill his sails,
and to stand away towards the opening which he took to be the mouth of
the river of which he was in search. A shot from the ship told him that
he had been discovered. It was the signal also for him again to heave
to. In a short time the ship got up to the boat, and a voice from her
decks hailed, ordering those in the boat to sheer alongside and to come
on board. There was no use attempting to disobey this order, as they
were already under the ship's guns. Having secured the boat alongside,
Deane and his men stepped on deck. From the appearance of the officers
and the number of men composing the mongrel-looking crew on board, who
seemed to be of all countries and of all shades of colour, the thought
at once occurred to Captain Deane that the vessel was a pirate.

"What have you been about, and where are you going?" asked a man who
stepped forward from among the people on board. Though considerably
older, and knocked about by climate and hardship, Deane had little
difficulty in recognising his former acquaintance Pearson. The pirate
captain looked at him two or three times, but if he had recognised him
for a moment, he soon seemed to have altered his opinion. Jack felt
that the best plan, whether he was right or wrong in his conjectures,
was to tell the whole truth of himself. Pea