The others agreed without scruple. One difficulty alone presented itself: the quay stood a good quarter of a mile off, and even in harbour it was rather a stormy night for a swim. As Slap-Jack observed, “it couldn’t be done comfortable without a plank of some kind; but most like, if they waited till dark, they might make free with the skipper’s dingy hanging over the starn!” “’Tis but totting up another figure or two on the score with old Shiney-face,” argued Smoke-Jack, who, considering his profession, was of a frugal turn of mind, and who little knew how completely the purchase-money of his own body and bones had wiped off the chalk behind the door. “Such a voyage as we’re a-goin’ to make will square longer accounts than ours, though I am uncommon dry, considerin’. Just one more spree on the quiet, you know, my sons, and back to duty again as steady as a sou’-wester. There’s no fear they’ll weigh without us, a-course?” “A-course not,” grunted old Bottle-Jack, who could scarce have been half sober yet, to hazard such a suggestion. “The skipper is quite the gentleman, no doubt, and most like when he misses us he’ll send the ship’s pinnace ashore with his compliments.” “Pinnace be blowed!” retorted Slap-Jack; “anyway you may be sure he won’t sail without the dingy;” and in this more reasonable conclusion the others could not but acquiesce. With a smile on his face, the Captain listened to the further development of their plan. One by one they would creep aft without their shoes, unobserved by the anchor-watch, now sure to be on the forecastle (none of the Jacks had a clear idea of the craft in which they were plotting); if any one could put his hand on a bit of grease it would be useful to make the tackle work noiselessly. When they reached the stern, Slap-Jack should seat himself in the dingy, as being the lightest weight; the others would lower away, and as soon as she touched water, shin down after him, and shove off. There was no time to lose, best set about it at once. Captain George whispered in his companion’s ear, “Take my hat and cloak, and go forward to the hold with a lantern in your hand. Make plenty of noise as you pass those lubbers, but do not let them see your face.” Eugène obeyed, and Captain George, blowing out the lights, set himself to watch at the stern windows. CHAPTER XXVI “YO-HEAVE-YO!” It was pitch dark in the cabin, but although under a cloudy sky there was light enough to discern objects on deck or alongside. As Smoke-Jack observed, stealing aft with bare feet, and in a louder whisper than was prudent, “A good pair of eyes might see as far as a man could heave a bull by the tail.” George had determined to give the crew a lesson, once for all, in the matter of discipline, and felt well pleased to make example of the new-comers, who must be supposed as yet ignorant of his system. So he sat in the dark, pistol in hand, at the stern window, which was open, and watched like the hunter for his prey.