two bells the boat
will be manned to take you off, and the Lord have mercy on you!"

Various were the emotions depicted upon the countenances of the starboard
watch whilst listening to this address; but on its conclusion there was a
general move towards the forecastle, and we soon were all busily engaged
in getting ready for the holiday so auspiciously announced by the skipper.
During these preparations, his harangue was commented upon in no very
measured terms; and one of the party, after denouncing him as a lying old
son of a sea-cook who begrudged a fellow a few hours' liberty, exclaimed
with an oath, "But you don't bounce me out of my liberty, old chap, for
all your yarns; for I would go ashore if every pebble on the beach was a
live coal, and every stick a gridiron, and the cannibals stood ready to
broil me on landing."

The spirit of this sentiment was responded to by all hands, and we
resolved that in spite of the captain's croakings we would make a glorious
day of it.

But Toby and I had our own game to play, and we availed ourselves of the
confusion which always reigns among a ship's company preparatory to going
ashore, to confer together and complete our arrangements. As our object
was to effect as rapid a flight as possible to the mountains, we
determined not to encumber ourselves with any superfluous apparel; and
accordingly, while the rest were rigging themselves out with some idea of
making a display, we were content to put on new stout duck trousers,
serviceable pumps, and heavy Havre frocks, which, with a Payta hat,
completed our equipment.

When our shipmates wondered at this, Toby exclaimed, in his odd grave way,
that the rest might do as they liked, but that he for one preserved his
go-ashore traps for the Spanish main, where the tie of a sailor's
neckerchief might make some difference; but as for a parcel of unbreeched
heathen, he wouldn't go to the bottom of his chest for any of them, and
was half disposed to appear among them in buff himself. The men laughed at
what they thought was one of his strange conceits, and so we escaped
suspicion.

It may appear singular that we should have been thus on our guard with our
own shipmates; but there were some among us who, had they possessed the
least inkling of our project, would, for a paltry hope of reward, have
immediately communicated it to the captain.

As soon as two bells struck, the word was passed for the liberty-men to
get into the boat. I