“Thank you, captain.  That twenty napoleons may help me to get out of an English prison.  I will manage a hiding place for them.  And now I think, captain, we will be off at once—­at least as soon as we have had our dinner.  It’s a good long way across the island to where that schooner was lying, and I shall have to choose a place for my fire so that it can be seen from the top of the hill.”

At dinner Jacques told his comrades that he was going to remain behind and act as signalman for them.  A good deal of regret was expressed by his shipmates, many of whom came like himself from Dunkirk, and had known him from a boy.  Before starting he went to the sailmaker and got him to open the soles of his shoes; he then inserted ten napoleons in each, and the sailmaker sewed them up again.  Then making his clothes into a kit and getting a couple of bottles of wine from the steward, he shook hands with his messmates, and was with Ralph rowed ashore.

On landing they cut two sticks and hung their kits upon these, Ralph taking charge of the lantern, while both were provided with tinder and steel.

They walked for half a mile together, and then Jacques said: 

“Here our paths separate, lad; you can’t miss your way to the top of the hill.  I go almost the other way, for the schooner lies but a short distance from the end of the island.  If I were you I should lie up for a sleep as soon as I get there.  Remember you will not see my fire till two o’clock.  If you do not see it then you must keep watch till morning, for there’s no saying when it may be lit.  As soon as you see it you show a light three times in the direction of the creek.  If you see it answered you will have nothing more to do; if not you must keep on showing the light till you do get an answer.  In the morning you wait till the sun has been up an hour, then come to this spot and wait for me.  I shall start at daybreak, but I have a lot further to walk than you have, so I shan’t be there before you.  If we find your people haven’t come into the harbor we will wait till they do so; then when they find that there is no one there we can show ourselves quietly; but if we got there first they might begin to shoot directly they saw us without stopping to ask any questions.”

Ralph made his way up to the top of the hill, threw himself down under some trees near the summit, and was soon fast asleep.  When he awoke it was already dark.  He lit his lantern, covered it up in his jacket, and took his station at the highest point.  He had plenty to think about.  Another twelve hours and he would be with friends!  He had no reason to complain of the treatment he had received on board the privateer, but had he remained with her he might not have returned to France for a couple of years, and would then have had difficulty in crossing to England; beside, it was painful to him to be with men fighting against his country, and each prize taken instead of causing delight to him as to his comrades, would have been a source of pain.