IN THE SHADOW
he was to proceed overland to Port au Prince to see to the muster of his troops at that place and march on the capital at a word from me. I was to collect and arm the rest of our army, the recruits for which were at several different points. In the meantime Dessalines was the guest of the Fouchères.'
"‘At La Coupe?'
"‘At La Coupe. There madam must have wormed out the balance of his plans. Fouchère was secretly a Firminist. He came belly to earth to Petit Goâve, where he bribed our captain to take the ship to Gonaïves and deliver her to Jean Jumeau.'
"‘And you?'
"‘When I awoke I was under guard in my room. As yet we had taken no troops aboard. I had previously prepared for treachery, however, and had run wires from my room to a keg of gunpowder laid against the garboard strake on the port quarter. My room, you see, was on the starboard bow; on deck. Ha! ha!'
"‘I admire you,' said I; 'go on.'
"‘When I saw that we were not too far from shore I pressed a button! Of course they had not wit enough to accredit it to me. It was sauve qui peut. She sank in twenty minutes, in thirty fathoms. When the others were gone—there were plenty of boats, for you see we had planned to land troops at Port au Prince—I lowered one of them and ventured forth alone. The Dutch steamer picked me up next day on her way into Port au Prince northward bound. I managed to send a message to Dessalines. Perhaps it never reached him; I have not heard from him since. A good man, Dessalines, but lacking the qualities of a king!' and that,
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