ooking up at
the thoughtful face of his master, Chris longed to be able to stay
safe at home. The imminent journey, so far and perhaps so perilous,
seemed suddenly too much for him. Mr. Wicker had taken the river
charts and rolled them up, and now turned to the Captain and first
mate.

"Captain Blizzard, and you, Mr. Finney," he said, "should water casks
be seen going on board, the whole of Georgetown will know you mean to
sail. I therefore ask you to so contrive it that the casks be hidden
in bales or boxes so that they seem to be anything but what they are."
He tapped the rolled charts thoughtfully on the palm of one hand. "Our
only chance to steal a march on the _Venture_ will be to sail at least
a day before her." The two men listening nodded in agreement. "There
is one other thing. Your orders for where you are to anchor, once
near China, will be secret, and carried on the person of this boy." He
laid one hand on Chris's shoulder. "He has a task of utmost secrecy to
carry out and will require your help, encouragement, and silence."

Captain Blizzard and Mr. Finney looked solemnly at Chris who looked as
solemnly back.

[Illustration]

"Not only that," Mr. Wicker went on, "but his presence on the ship
must not be known until the _Mirabelle_ is well to sea." He glanced
down meditatively at Chris. "I shall arrange to bring him aboard
somehow, and give you your sailing orders later."

He strode over to the window looking out to his gardens and the trees
where the apples showed their russet cheeks.

"Leave me these charts for yet a little while, and I shall ponder on
our plans," said Mr. Wicker. He turned. "See that the water casks are
taken on at once, Captain, and hidden, and make a place for
Christopher, here," and at a beseeching look from Chris he added with
a smile, "and Amos."

No sooner were the Captain and Mr. Finney gone than Chris spoke up in
great excitement. "Mr. Wicker, sir, I have a plan! May we look at the
river charts again?"

Master and pupil spread out the charts once more, and Chris pointed
eagerly.

"Look, sir! Here is the sandbar, and here"--he put his finger
down--"the _Venture_. Or she was, yesterday. Now sir, the sandbar
being just below and ahead of the _Venture_, once the _Mirabelle_ has
slipped by, wouldn't it be too bad if something happened to make the
_Venture_ drift with the tide and run aground?"

He looked eagerly up into Mr. Wicker's face and saw in it the
reflection of h