But stay! I had something upon my person of some value. I had a watch. It is true it was but a very common one--an old-fashioned silver watch, and not worth much, though it kept time well enough. It had been given me by my poor mother, though she had left me a much better one, which my uncle had appropriated to himself. The old one, of little value, I was allowed to carry about with me, and fortunately it was in my fob at that moment. Would not this bribe Waters, or some other of the sailors, to "smuggle" me aboard, and conceal me there till the ship got out to sea? The thing was not unlikely. At all risks, I resolved to make trial. Perhaps the chief difficulty would be to see Waters, or any of the sailors, apart from the rest, in order to communicate my wishes; but I resolved to hang about the ship, and watch till some one of them should come ashore alone. I was not without hopes that I might be able to steal on board of myself--perhaps after nightfall, when the men had "knocked off" work, and were below in the forecastle. In that case, I need not tell any of them of my design. In the darkness, I believed I might manage to crouch past the watch or clamber over the side and get down below. Once in the hold, I had no fear but that I should be able to secrete myself among so many barrels and boxes as they were stowing away. There were two doubts that troubled me. Would the ship remain in port until night? Would my uncle and his people not be after me before then? For the first time, I was not very uneasy. I saw that the vessel still carried the same placard as on the preceding day--"_The Inca, for Peru, to-morrow_!" It was not likely she would sail upon that day. Moreover, there were still many packages of merchandise lying on the quay--which I knew were intended as part of her lading, from the position in which they were placed. I had heard, moreover, that vessels, when bound for distant parts, are not very punctual in their time of starting. Reasoning in this way, I felt assured that the ship would not sail on that day, and I should have the chances of boarding her in the night-time. But then there was the other danger--of my being captured and carried back home. On reflection this did not appear imminent. They would not miss me on the farm before nightfall; or if they did, they would wait until dark before going in search of me, thinking, of course, that night would bring me home. After all, I had no reason to be apprehensive from this source; and ceasing altogether to think of it, I set about making preparations to carry out my design. I had foresight enough to perceive, that when once in the ship, I should have to remain concealed for at least twenty-four hours--perhaps much longer. I could not live so long without eating. Where was I to get provisions? I had not, as already mentioned, one penny in the world, wherewith to purchase food, and I should not have known where or how to beg for it.