"My suspicions, too, are fully confirmed," observed Benstead. "The moment I saw that feller hanging about us last night, I suspected he was up to no good. But how I managed to pump _him_, when he doubtless thought that _I_ was the soft-pated one! By my short, evasive, or mysterious answers, I allowed him to think that the _Blossom_ was no better than she should be; and then I saw by his manners and language at once, that he was a pirate. But when I dropped a hint about wanting two or three hands for a good thing which I had in view, how eager the chap was to enlist himself and his pal in the business!" "And to-morrow night they are coming to talk over the matter with you?" said Richard, half interrogatively. "To-morrow night, or the night after," returned Benstead. "The pal that the man spoke of is sure to be Tidkins, since our friend Morcar saw the villains leave the _Fairy_ together." "But there were two other men in the boat," observed the gipsy. "You say that they sculled the boat round to the _Fairy_, from some place higher up the river?" said Richard. "Yes. But I could not see where they came from, as it was nearly dark when they got alongside the _Fairy_." "Well," exclaimed Benstead, "it is very clear that those two men who came in the boat, don't belong to the _Fairy_; but that Tidkins and the person who spoke to me last night do. I should think there's no doubt about Tidkins being the pal that the man alluded to." "Not the slightest," said Markham. "And yet, to make assurance doubly sure, we will not alter the plan which we laid down yesterday afternoon when we first came on board the lighter. You, Benstead, must remain spokesman—the master, in fact, of the _Blossom_; you, Morcar, will continue a deaf and dumb Black," continued Richard, with a smile; "and I must keep close in this cabin until the moment of action arrives. If, to-morrow night or the night after, that man should bring Tidkins with him, our object is accomplished at once: if he bring a stranger, our precautions must be strictly preserved, and we must devise a means of seizing the miscreant on board the _Fairy_ or any other lighter to which we can trace him." This advice was agreed to by Benstead and Morcar; and while Richard remained below, the others took their turns in watching upon the deck. But all that day passed; and the pirates did not come back to the _Fairy_—they being occupied in the manner related in the last chapter. Morcar undertook to keep watch during the night; but hour after hour stole away,—another day dawned, and still the _Fairy_ was occupied only by the woman whom the pirates had left behind. That day also passed; and it was not until midnight that Morcar's attention was attracted towards the _Fairy_. Then a boat rowed alongside of the pirate-barge. The night was pitch dark—so dark that Morcar could not see what was going on in the direction of the _Fairy_: but his ears were all attention.