Dick did not answer, but he returned the grip, and Bart went aft directly to relieve Jack at the tiller, while the darkness came on rapidly, and with it the breeze increased in force till the cutter careened over and rapidly left the island behind. "Well, Dennis Kelly," said the sailor, as they sat together on board later, with the stars gathering overhead, and faint sounds wafted to them from time to time as they glided rapidly along a few miles from land, "you can only make one thing of it, my boy, and that's piracy; and piracy's yard-arm, and a swing at the end of the rope." "Ah! get along wid ye," said Dinny, contemptuously, "and don't call things by bad names. They're three very plisant fellows, and they've borried the boat and taken us prishners to help them in the cruise; or, if ye like it better, we're pressed men." "But what are they going to do next?" "Divil a bit do I know, and the divil a bit do I care. I've no belts to pipe-clay, and you've no deck to holy-stone. What there is to ate they share wid ye, and they take their turn at the watch. Sure, it's a gintleman's life, and what more would ye have?" "But it's piracy--rank piracy!" said Dick, stubbornly; "and I want to know what we're going to do next." "Well, thin, I'll tell ye," said Dinny; "but it's a saycret, moind." "Well, what?" "It's a saycret, moind," said Dinny, "and ye won't tell?" "Tell! Who is there to tell here?" "Nobody yet; but ye'll keep the saycret?" "Yes," said Dick, earnestly. "What are they going to do?" "Didn't I say I'd tell ye," said Dinny, "as soon as I know?" "Yah!" snarled Dick. "Well," cried Dinny, "how can I tell ye till I know? Why, it's my belief, Dick, me lad, that they don't know themselves." "Where do you mean to go, Abel?" said Jack at last. "Go, my lass--my lad!" he said, correcting himself. "Anywhere. We can't touch port, but we've got a tidy little vessel, not too big to manage, and we must sail somewhere to be safe." "Well, I don't care," came from forward, as Dick raised his voice in stubborn reiteration with Dinny. "I says it's piracy, and if they're ketched, they'll all be hanged." A dead silence fell upon the little group, and at last it was Bart who spoke, as if to himself. "If you helps yourself to a bit o' anything that comes ashore, they says it's wrecking; and if you want a drop o' brandy or a bit o' lace from a furrin boat, it's smuggling; and now, if a man wants to get away, and fights for his liberty, he's a pirate." "For seizing a vessel, Bart," said Jack. "Yes, lad, I know. Well, they may call me what they like. Here we are, and we've got to live." "Where d'ye think they'll sail?" said Dick again, raising his voice, but in ignorance that the words could reach the group by the tiller. "Where shall we sail?" said Jack, who was steering. "I don't know, for all before us seems black; but I've saved my brother and his true old friend, so let fate guide us: the world is very wide."