Part 4 (1/2)
Bill therefore had to wait till he couldto drop asleep, he lay perfectly quiet for soered away forward, as if still drowsy, to make it be supposed that he was about to turn into his ha that he was unobserved, he crept up by the fore-hatchhere he found dick, as in the watch off deck
At first he thought of consulting dick, in whoenerally the best, o at once to either the first lieutenant or the captain
”If I go to Mr Saltwell, perhaps he will think I was drea, and tell ht to hio to the captain at once; perhaps the sentry will let et him to ask the captain to see me He cannot eathim a cock-and-bull story, he won't punish me; and I shall at all events have done ood deal besides, as he made his way aft till he arrived at the door of the captain's cabin, where the sentry was posted
”Where are you going, boy?” asked the sentry, as Bill in his eagerness was trying to pass him
”I want to see the captain,” said Bill
”But does the captain want to see you?” asked the sentry
”He has not sent for ot to tell him,” replied Bill
”You et the e, if he will do it,” said the sentry
”But they ot to say,”
urged Bill ”Do let me pass,--the captain won't blame you, I am sure of that”
The sentry declared that it was his duty not to allow any one to pass
While Bill was still pleading with him, the door of the inner cabin was opened, and the captain hio on deck
”What do you want, boy?” he asked, seeing Bill
”Please, sir, I have got soht to know,”
said Bill, pulling off his hat
”Let me hear it then,” said the captain
”Please, sir, it will take some time You may have some questions to ask,” answered Bill
On this the captain stepped back a few paces, out of earshot of the sentry
”What is it, boy?” he asked; ”you seem to have some matter of importance to co the prisoners, and had heard the A to get the Frenchmen to rise with the's countenance showed that he felt very much disposed to disbelieve what Bill had told him, or rather, to fancy that Bill was mistaken
”Stay there;” he said, and he went to the door of the cabin which he had allowed the American skipper to occupy
The berth was empty! He ca the inner cabin, he found the French captain seated at the table
”Monsieur Saint Julien,” he said; ”are you cognisant of the intention of the American captain to try and overpower my crew?”
”The proposal was made to nation; and I did not suppose that Captain Gregory would make the attempt, or I should have informed you at once,” answered Saint Julien