’May the good God take care of my dear boy!’ sighed poor Catalina, much
depressed. She was feeling that her responsibilities were almost too
great, and she heartily wished the Marquis would come back and take care
of his children. Happily, till now Felipa had not fretted too much,
though the poor girl was beginning to show signs of fatigue and anxiety.
She was far more delicate than sturdy English Etta, whose spirits soon
reasserted themselves and made her inclined to forget the dangers that
still existed.
In the meanwhile Carlo waited impatiently in his cell for the time when
he should hear the steps of a pirate coming to release him; for now,
having thought the question out, he had come to the conclusion that he
had best take the matter quietly. Not being a prisoner on parole, he was
free to escape, and perhaps he should soon find some opportunity of
doing so. Once free, he believed that the faithful Andreas could hide
him in the woods till such time as peace was restored. He had leisure
now to make many reflections as to the future; but at last he heard
footsteps in the passage outside. His heart beat fast, though he tried
to appear cool. He could not guess the time of day, but he felt sure it
was not far off sunset, when at last his door was hastily opened and a
man told him roughly to get up and follow him. Carlo did so. He was a
little stiff, and almost blinded by the light; but it seemed like a new
life to be breathing once more the fresh air, and to feel the warm glow
of the sunshine through his chilled veins. At the end of the passage he
found several other men awaiting him; but they did not pinion him as
before--an insult Carlo would have found it difficult to forgive.
’Quick, young Señor, this way; we have no time to waste. We want no
idle vermin among our crew.’
It was fortunate for Carlo that Etta had prepared him for this new
bondage, or he might have refused to follow the buccaneers out of Santa
Teresa. As it was, however, he would not obey quite silently or without
protest.
’Where are you conducting me?’ he asked, ’I demand to be taken to my
father.’
’Very likely, sirrah; but those are not our orders. Marry! it’s best to
ask no questions when one is Captain Morgan’s prisoner, else some
inquisitive knaves have learnt what it means "to swing like a skipper."’
Carlo thought this advice wise, and followed it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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