"The fact is," continued Swot, "the _Lady Anne_ was on its way to Standgate Creek in the Medway, when it got ashore on the bank of the Thames. Do you begin to take?" "Can't say I do," answered the Resurrection Man. "Is the crew on board still?" "The crew consisted this morning, when I heard about it last, of three men and a boy," returned Swot; "and one of them men is a surgeon. But the _Lady Anne_ has got the yellow flag flying;—and now do you comprehend me?" "The plague!" ejaculated the Resurrection Man and the Buffer in the same breath. "The plague!" repeated Moll Wicks, with a shudder. "Neither more or less," said Swot, coolly emptying his second mug of grog. There was a dead silence for some moments. It seemed as if the spirits of those who had listened with deep attention to the foreman's narrative, were suddenly damped by the explanation that closed it. "Well—are you afraid?" asked Swot, at length breaking silence. "No," returned the Resurrection Man, throwing off the depression which had fallen upon him. "But there is something awful in boarding a plague-ship." "Are you sure the gold dust is on board?" demanded the Buffer. "Certain. My information is quite correct. Besides, you may get the newspapers and read all about it for yourselves." "The thing is tempting," said Moll. "Then, by God, if a woman will dare it, we mustn't show the white feather, Jack," exclaimed the Resurrection Man. "That's speaking to the point," observed the foreman. "You see there's a guard on land, to prevent any one from going near the vessel on that side; and the police-boat rows about on the river. The plan would be, to get down to Gravesend to-morrow, then to-morrow night, to drop down with the tide close under the bank, and get alongside the vessel." "All that can be done easy enough," said the Resurrection Man. "But we want more hands. Of course you'll go with us?" "Yes—I'll risk it," answered Mr. Swot. "It's too good a thing to let slip between one's fingers. If you'll leave it to me I'll get two or three more hands; because we must be prepared to master all that we may meet on the deck of the schooner, the very moment we board it, so as not to give 'em time even to cry out, or they'd alarm the police-boat." "Well and good," said the Resurrection Man. "But you don't mean to go in the lighter?" "No—no: we must have a good boat with two sculls," answered Swot. "Leave that also to me. At day-break every thing shall be ready for you; and I shall join you in the evening at Gravesend." "Agreed!" cried Tidkins. Mr. Swot then took his departure; and the three persons whom he left behind in the lighter, continued their carouse.