The vessel lay below the city, at an old deserted wharf, probably waiting for us, and her going attracted little attention; only a small crowd of people stood upon the wharf, idlers and friends of the adventurers, who had come to say good-by. My companion had thrown himself upon his face on the bottom of the boat and was sobbing like a child. I listlessly kept up my efforts to attract the attention of the vessel, for, though I had despaired of succeeding, I would not desist until it had passed out of sight. The great ship keeled as she came round to the wind, and lay motionless. A culverin boomed, and lo! a boat put out from her and made for us where we lay. I gave a shout of joy--we were saved. Vane looked up at my cry of astonishment. "What is it?" he asked wonderingly. "Art thou mad?" "We are saved, Bobby!" I cried, and I caught him in my arms and hugged him in delight. "Saved!" He had arisen, calm again. "We had best toss these rogues overboard," he said; "their bodies might excite suspicion. We can get into their boat, and turn this adrift; perhaps it will serve to throw our pursuers off the track." And with my help, he tossed the dead bodies into the river. Two of them were dead, cold, and stiff; the third, whom I had kicked in the face, lay as though dead. We had no time to examine him; alive or dead he must go into the stream, for it would mean certain death to Sir Robert to leave this fellow behind, to tell of his share in my escape. So we cast him overboard. The boat had neared us; a spare, gaunt man, wrapped in a dark cloak, with a worn, patient face, stood erect in the stern, and as he came in speaking distance, shouted to Bobby. "What means this, Captain? I expected thy brother an hour ago, and have lost time waiting for you." "I could not help it, Governor," he answered. "We were set upon by robbers down the river, our men were murdered, and it was only after a hard fight that we saved our lives. We rowed for two hours and more against the stream, as though the furies were at our heels, to catch thy ship." He said nothing as the boat reached us, and we clambered aboard. "It is Governor White," Bobby whispered in my ear. "What wouldst thou have me do with thy boat?" White asked, eying us closely. "Turn it adrift," I answered. "It has done its work." And leaving it, we pulled towards the spot where the ship lay awaiting us. "You must have had a time of it," he said. "Your faces are dripping with sweat, and the blood is all over your doublets." "Such a fight as I have never made before," Bobby replied. "I had given up hope several times, but still we kept on. How camest thou to wait for us?"