The prizes they captured were all rich ones, and the dangers of a pirate's life were but few. Luiga loved a wild life, and so stirred Bob's blood that the two became, not only fast friends, but prospective partners in a piratical cruise to be undertaken when the war with England was at an end. Every leisure hour of the day and night the two were together, and Luiga gained such power over the powder-monkey that he felt he could do as he liked with him. "How are we to get a fast schooner?" asked Bob one evening. Luiga looked mysteriously wise as he whispered: "Take the one that suits us best." "But that would be stealing," suggested Bob, whereupon Luiga winked his eye and laughed. Bob's face turned crimson, for he was not yet quite so hardened as to contemplate deliberate theft, though he was prepared to devote his life to it as a pirate. "I know a vessel which would just suit," suggested Luiga. "Do you? Where?" "Can you keep a secret?" "I swear I can." "Then I will tell you. This is the very boat." "But----" "I know. You stole it from the English; why not let us steal it from the Americans? We would fight the English until the war was over, and then the vessel would be our own." "I don't understand," said Bob half-hesitatingly, for he did not wish to be considered anything but smart. Luiga proposed a grand scheme of mutiny. The _Regina_ could be easily seized, with its cargo, and taken to the West Indies, where the tin could be disposed of and the cruise of the piratical craft commenced. Bob listened attentively, and really appeared to agree to every particular. "What is the tin worth?" asked Bob. "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Luiga. "Tin is valuable, but there isn't so much of it." "Not much?" "No; there might be bullets underneath the tin." And Luiga winked mysteriously. "When could we seize the ship?" asked Bob. "The very first dark or foggy night. I have spoken to four of the crew of the _Regina_ and they have agreed to join." Tempest, with that generosity which characterized his every action, had given the prisoners their freedom, and they had made use of it to plan a mutiny. As far as was known, Bob was the only American in the secret. Bob had sworn not to reveal the scheme, and he wanted to keep his oath, but he was equally determined to frustrate the mutineers, even if he had to forswear himself. He could write a little, and made up his mind to reveal the plot to Tempest in that way. But when he thought of all he would be compelled to write he grew despondent, for it would take too long. Bob stole a piece of paper from the captain's desk, and a pencil. Writing was pretty hard work. He sat down at the desk, and found it necessary to rest his head on his arm, so that his mouth would be on a line with the point of the pencil. Then his tongue had to be between his lips, else how could he write? Bob, as we know, had another peculiar habit; he could not think without scratching his head.