in spreading through the town, and it was brought on board by one of the sailors of the "Dolphin;" the man told the Captain, without thinking that Miss Halliburtt was within hearing; the young girl uttered a piercing cry, and fell unconscious on the deck. James Playfair carried her to her cabin, but the most assiduous care was necessary to restore her to life.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw the young Captain, who, with a finger on his lips, enjoined absolute silence. With difficulty she repressed the outburst of her grief, and James Playfair, leaning towards her, said gently,—
"Jenny, in two hours your father will be in safety near you, or I shall have perished in endeavouring to save him!"
Then he left the cabin, saying to himself, "And now he must be carried off at any price, since I must pay for his liberty with my own life and that of my crew."
The hour for action had arrived, the loading of the cotton cargo had been finished since morning; in two hours the ship would be ready to start.
James Playfair had left the North Commercial Wharf and gone into the roadstead, so that he was ready to make use of the tide, which would be high at nine o'clock in the evening.
It was seven o'clock when James left the young girl,
