Terrence assured Fernando that, so far
as he was concerned, he had no intention of leaving America; but the
matter had to be handled carefully. They were on a thinly populated
coast and Captain Bones had enough English marines to enforce his
authority.
"Then how can we escape?" asked Fernando.
"Lave it all to me!" said the Irishman. As Fernando was incapable of
doing anything himself, he very naturally left it all to his Irish
friend. "Now I want ye to be too sick to travel for a week. By that
time, I'll have the captain all right and snug enough."
Though badly bruised and stunned, Fernando had no bones broken. At any
time within three days after the shipwreck he could have left the barn,
but, following the advice of Terrence, he assumed a stupid state and
refused to talk with any of the officers who called to see him.
Terrence became nurse to the invalid as well as the brewer of punch for
the captain. Only one other person was taken into the secret plans of
the Irishman, that was the negro Job.
Job was delighted.
"Gwine ter run away!" he chuckled, "yah, yah, yah, dat am glorious! I
tell yer, dis chile ain't no Britisher. I tole yer dar ain't no Angler
Saxun blood in dese veins."
Job was installed assistant nurse over Fernando, and when the captain
asked the negro about him, the black face became sober, and Job shook
his woolly head, saying:
"Dun no, massa, spect he am gwine ter die.
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