"Stop," said I, for I had reflected whether, after all, there were any grounds for hanging the boy, and come to a conclusion that a jury would have probably acquitted him. "Stop," said I; "you say that what you can tell is of the greatest consequence." "And becomes of more consequence every minute that passes," replied he. "I will tell you everything, and let you into father's secrets. I peach upon father altogether." "Well, then," replied I, "if what you have to disclose proves important, I will do all I can to save your life, and I have no doubt that I shall be able so to do." "No more have I," replied he, "or I would not have come to you. Now then, father came to the back of the island to do a little business with a pirate schooner, as he said just now; and he has very often done it before, as he said just now; but father did not tell you all. When we were in Port Royal, father went to the captain of a king's vessel who is there, having been sent to put down the pirates if possible, and he offered this captain of the king's ship, for a certain sum, to put our friends that we exchange with into his hands." "What, betray his friend the pirate?" "Yes, father agreed that he would come round as he has done this day, and would contrive to chaffer and bargain with him and keep him so late in the bay that the king's ship should come upon him all of a sudden and take him, and this was father's intention, only you have pinned him. The king's ship will be round that point in two hours or thereabouts, so if you are found here you will be taken and handed as sure as I ain't hanged yet. Now ain't this important news, and worth all I asked for it?" "It certainly is, if it is true, boy." "Oh, I'll prove it, for I always goes with father, and he trusts me with everything. I saw the paper signed. The king's ship is called the Vestal, and the captain who signed the paper signed it Philip Musgrave." "Indeed," said I, turning away, for I did not wish the boy to perceive my emotion at this announcement. I recovered myself as soon as I could, and said to him, "Boy, I will keep my promise. Do you stay below, and I will go on deck and plead for your life." "Mayn't I go on deck for a bit?" said he. "What to wish your father good-bye? No, no, you had better spare yourself and him that painful meeting." "No, I don't want to wish him good-bye,--I'll wait till it's over, only I never did see a man hanged, and I have a curiosity to have just a peep." "Out, you little monster," cried I, running up on deck, for the information I had received was too important not to be immediately taken advantage of. "Well, captain, has the boy saved his father's life?" "No," replied I, in a loud voice.