s fixed on a boat to run off with, and we
shall easily be able to launch her, and will have her ready near those
rocks to the left there exactly at midnight, when he and I will be
waiting for you under your tower. He wants to know if that old rascal
of a pirate locks you up every night as he did us. Pretend to be
speaking to my sister here."

Marianna got another kiss. Perhaps, in that respect, Master Raby rather
overdid his part; but he was a young actor, and as his captain had
ordered him to do so, he was not to blame.

"I fear so," answered Ada. "Lady Nina will give him the key."

"If not, we must go the whole hog, as the Yankees say, and pick the
lock, or we shall have to lower you out of the window. We are not going
to be stopped by anything. You must prepare a line of some sort to haul
up a rope by, which we will bring in case of necessity. No one will
suspect us; for we have been working away at the mistico all day, and
she isn't off yet; in fact, we took care she shouldn't be, for there is
every prospect of a calm, and a pulling-boat will answer our purpose
much better. The pirates, if they trouble their heads about us, think
we are going to try and get away in the mistico; though my belief is,
they don't intend to let us; and I should not be at all surprised but
what they'll go this evening and rip off a few planks, or bore holes in
her bottom, to prevent our escaping, lest we should betray the position
of this island. However, Miss Garden, be of good cheer, whatever our
skipper--I beg pardon, Captain Fleetwood--undertakes is sure to be right
in the end."

"Tell your captain, Mr Raby, that I will be prepared," whispered Ada,
looking away from where he was standing. "Tell him, that I have no fear
for myself; but do try and caution him to be careful of himself; and
allow me also to thank you for your generous zeal in my service, and to
entreat you to be cautious."

"Oh, as for me, Miss Garden, I like the fun of the business," replied
the midshipman bluntly. "I would do anything, too, to serve the
captain; and as for him, he's never rash, and you must not think that
he, or any of us, wouldn't gladly risk ten times the danger we now run
to serve you. So now I must be off again, to tell my companions that I
have found my sister. There, Miss Marianna, I think I've kissed you as
much as the most affectionate of brothers would be expected to do--I'll
give you a few more when I come back."

And away