The next morning Captain Wilson called to ascertain how our hero and his
companion were, but the room had been darkened, and he could not see
their faces plainly. Easy thanked him for his kindness in allowing
Mesty to attend them, and having received his orders as to their joining
the ship as soon as they recovered, and having promised to be very
cautious in their behaviour and keep out of all scrapes, he wished them
a speedy recovery, and departed.

In little more than half an hour afterwards, Mesty, who had been peeping
out of the shutters, suddenly threw them open with a loud laugh.

The _Aurora_ was under way, with studding sails below and aloft,
standing out of the roads. Jack and Gascoigne got up, threw off the
splints, and danced about in their shirts. As soon as they were quiet
again, Mesty said in a grave tone, "Den why you stay at sea, Massa
Easy?"

"Very true, Mesty, I've asked myself that question often enough lately;
because I'm a fool, I suppose."

"And I, because I can't help it," replied Gascoigne; "never mind, we are
on shore now, and I look for a famous cruise."

"But first we must see what the ground is we are to cruise on," replied
Jack; "so, Mesty, let us have a palaver, as they say in your country."

The two midshipmen got into their beds, and Mesty sat on the chest
between them, looking as grave as a judge. The question was, how to get
rid of the padre Thomaso. Was he to be thrown over the molehead to the
fishes--or his skull broke--was Mesty's knife to be resorted to--was he
to be kidnapped or poisoned--or were fair means to be employed--
persuasion, bribery? Every one knows how difficult it is to get rid of
a priest.

As our hero and Gascoigne were not Italians, they thought that bribery
would be the more English-like way of doing the thing; so they composed
a letter, to be delivered by Mesty to the friar, in which Jack offered
to Father Thomaso the moderate sum of one thousand dollars, provided he
would allow the marriage to proceed, and not frighten the old lady with
ecclesiastical squibs and crackers.

As Mesty was often on shore with Jack, and knew the friar very well by
sight, it was agreed that the letter should be confided to his charge;
but, as it was not consistent that a person in such a state as our hero
was represented to be should sit up and write letters, the delivery was
deferred for a few days, when, after waiting that time, Mesty delivered
the letter to the friar,