a young knave, too, to be out in a stolen boat, against orders. I never
once thought how well I had been served for my disobedience.

I had an uncomfortable journey upstream, for I was very wet from my
sousing. I loitered at the Tower to watch the garrison drilling with the
big guns. Then I loitered about among the ships, reading their names, or
even climbing their gangways to look at their decks. I lingered a long
time at the schooner La Reina, partly because she was much the prettiest
ship in the Pool, but partly because I was beginning to dread Ephraim.
I wondered whether Mr. Jermyn was on board of her. I was half tempted to
climb aboard to find out. I clambered partly up her gangway, so that I
could peer over the rail. To my surprise, I found that her hatches were
battened down as in ships ready for the sea. Her cargo of oranges, that
had smelt so sweetly, must have been a blind, for no ship, discharging
cargo the day before, could be loaded, ready for sea, within twenty-four
hours. Indeed, she was in excellent trim. She was not too light to put
to sea. No doubt, I said to myself, she has taken in ballast to equal
the weight of oranges sent ashore. But I knew just enough of ships to
know that there was some mystery in the business. The schooner could not
be the plain fruit-trader for which men took her. As I looked over her
rail, noting this, I said to myself that "here is another mystery with
which Mr. Jermyn has to do." I felt a thrill of excitement go through
me. I was touching mysterious adventure at half a dozen different
points. I felt inclined to creep to the hatchway of the little cabin, to
listen there if any plots were being hatched. It was getting duskish by
this time, it must have been nearly seven o'clock. Two men came up the
cabin hatch together. One of them was Mr. Jermyn, the other a shorter
fellow, to whom Mr. Jermyn seemed extremely respectful. I wished not to
be seen, so I ducked down nimbly into my boat, drawing her forward by
a guess-warp, till I could row without being heard by them. I heard Mr.
Jermyn calling to a waterman; so very swiftly I paddled behind other
ships in the tier, without being observed. Then I paddled back to my
uncle's boat-house, the door of which, to my horror, was firmly fastened
against me.

CHAPTER III. I LEAVE HOME A THIRD TIME

I must have made some little noise at the door, trying to get in. At any
rate, Ephraim, who was waiting for such a signal, came forward