"And if any thing should prevent us coming the day after to-morrow, the evening after that will do p'rhaps?" remarked the Buffer, interrogatively. "Well—we must make that do, then," answered the master. "Good night." "Good night," said Wicks; and he then returned to the _Fairy_. "What can you make of them, Jack?" demanded the Resurrection Man, who was smoking his pipe on the after deck. "They're of the right sort, Tony," was the reply. "The master seems a good kind of a feller: the only other man on board with him is a Black; and he's deaf and dumb. The master sounded me about Mossop; and that shows that he knows what's what. Besides, he hinted that he'd a good thing in view, but wanted more hands, and so he made an appointment for you and me to smoke a pipe with him in the course of two or three evenings, to talk over the matter." "You didn't say much about me?" exclaimed the Resurrection Man, hastily. "Not more than was proper. It's all right—I could tell _that_ with half an eye." "Well, business seems dropping in upon us," observed the Resurrection Man; "but we must be very cautious what we do. And now let's turn in, for we have to get up early, recollect." CHAPTER CLXVIII. THE PLAGUE SHIP. It wanted half-an-hour to day-break, when the splash of oars alongside met their ears; and in a few moments Swot, the foreman, made his appearance. "I've got all ready for you, my boys," said that individual; "a good boat, and two stout chaps to help." "Have they got their barkers?" demanded the Resurrection Man, thereby meaning pistols. "A brace each," replied the foreman. "But they must only be used in case of desperation. There's a false bottom to the boat; and there I've stowed away five cutlasses." "All right!" cried the Buffer. "Now, Moll, you make yourself comfortable till we get back again." "You're a fool, Jack, not to let me go along with you," observed the woman. "Nonsense," answered her husband. "Some one must stay on board to take care of the lighter." "Well, don't say that I'm a coward—that's all," exclaimed Moll. "We won't accuse you of that," said the Resurrection Man. "But now let's be off. Where shall we meet you at Gravesend?" "You know the windmill about a mile below the town," returned Swot, to whom this question was addressed. "Well, close by is the _Lobster Tavern_, and there's a little jetty where the boat can be fastened. Meet me at that tavern at ten o'clock this evening." "Agreed," answered Tidkins. The three men then ascended to the deck. The dawn was at that moment breaking in the east; and every moment mast after mast on the stream, and roof after roof on the shore, appeared more palpably in the increasing light of the young day. On board of the _Blossom_, the Black was busily employed in washing the deck, and seemed to take no notice of any thing that was passing elsewhere.