The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 180: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

564 THE MUTINY ON THE FLYING CLOUD. The boat was still there, with her oars and rowlocks in her just as she had been left. Handing his companion in and instructing her to sit steady, Ned placed his shoulder against the stem of the boat, and with a powerful shove sent her stern foremost off the beach, springing over the bows as he did so. There was a bright moon, nearly full, riding high in the sky, and Ned was rather apprehensive that this movement might attract attention and provoke pursuit. But the men had, for some reason or other, kindled a large fire, round which they were holding their carouse, and the young sailor could only hope that the brilliant blaze would dazzle their eyes, and blind them to everything beyond the circle of its influence. Perhaps it did so, for there was no sign of pursuit. - Ned had never allowed the idea of escape to be absent from his thoughts for a single day since the memorable one upon which the ship had first been seized : but, fertile as he usually was in resource, he had never been able to think of anything practicable except that of seeking a refuge in the treasure cave; . and this scheme was open to so many serious objections that he and Sibyl had agreed together that it must not be adopted except as a very last resource. Now, however, as the dingey approached the ship and Ned gazed admir- ingly aloft at the tall graceful spars and complicated network of rigging, and reflected that at that moment the beautiful fabric was in charge of only one man—and that man friendly to him, as he had long ago ascertained—a daring idea suddenly took possession of him and, without giving himself time to reflect, he there and then resolved upon its execution. CHAPTER XXXVII.—A DARING PLAN. THE wind was blowing moderately fresh from the northwest; but so secure was the anchorage and so good the holding ground that, on arriving on board, Ned was not at all surprised to find that the steward, instead of keeping watch, had gone below and turned in, trusting to luck that, once on shore, nobody would dream of going off again to the ship that night. This arrangement, however, though it might be perfectly satisfactory to the steward, by no means suited Ned, who at once went below and uncere- moniously routed the poor man out of his berth. ‘* Price,’’ said he, ‘‘I have something of the utmost importance to say to you. I have noticed that in the course of conversation, when nobody else has been present, you have frequently gone out of your way to remind me that I am an unwilling member of the piratical crew in the midst of which we find ourselves ; and you have also dropped sundry hints that if ever I hit upon a way of escape you will be more than pleased to accompany me. Now, I want to know exactly what you have meant by this.’’ - “Just exactly what I have said, Mr. Wilson, or rather what you have said,’? answered Price. ‘‘I joined the party because I had no fancy for being left to die on a desert island, like those unfortunate passengers or the poor skipper and Mr. Manners; but I didn’t know then what was before me, sir. I am a peaceable man, I am, and, though I’ve had no hand in any of the bloodshed that has occurred since we sailed from here, I know that murder COPnielaco<