As night approached, the _Poietiers_ signaled the _Caroline_ to keep close, or no protection could be afforded. Captain Carter of the good ship _Caroline_ had been cogitating for an hour or two as to whether he should not try to make his trip alone. He wanted to reach Jamaica, and he had been already so much delayed that he was chafing at his slow progress. So when the _Poietiers_ ordered him to keep close, and perhaps even follow the war ship for a few days longer, Carter put his thumb to his nose and extended his fingers in a most vulgar manner. But then, the captain of the _Caroline_ was not a refined man. He was young, and was a member of a good family, but he had always been a black sheep, and his own friends wondered that he had not turned pirate instead of merchant skipper. He was possessed of a very hot and ungovernable temper, but would go to the extreme of kindness to those he had bullied and ill-used when his temper subsided. The captain of the _Poietiers_ did not see the contemptuous action of his merchant brother, and so signaled again. This time the flags were run up in reply: "All right." It so happened that, dark as the night was naturally, it was made worse and more unpleasant by a thick, damp fog. This was just what the _Lively Bee_ wanted, but it reminded Captain Carter so much of England that he cursed the fog, and muttered some imprecation on the weather and things in general. Then he felt easier. He descended to his cabin, but did not stay there long. He wanted to see that his own special cargo was safe, and for half an hour he was engaged in that occupation. He was like a raving lunatic when he resought his own cabin. His cargo was human. And a pretty piece of humanity it was. With skin as pure as alabaster, with eyes brighter than diamonds, and lips whose color would shame the rubies, the girl stood defiantly in the center of the cabin. She was a prisoner. Carter had never seen so beautiful a woman before, or at least had never seen one whose charms had so smitten his heart. He had met her on land, and at once laid siege to her affections. She was ladylike in her refusal of his affections; he was persistent. She had at last to threaten him with the vengeance of her family if he did not leave her in peace. He was exasperated. Desperation made him determine to have her, by fair means or foul. When he saw she was firm in her refusal to listen to him, he awaited his opportunity, and by means of a bribe induced two fellows to abduct her and take her on board his vessel. She had been kept a prisoner for nearly a month, and Carter wanted to hasten to Jamaica, where he could find some clergyman who would perform the ceremony of marriage, even though the bride was opposed. The young lady had been particularly strong in her language on the night of the fog.