Your brother offered to procure me a horse, but I should
have made bad weather on the craft, and after walking from Bristol
the tramp up to London was nothing. I got to your house in the city
at four; and, finding that you were here, took a boat at once, for
I could not rest until I saw my friend again."
Geoffrey at once took him into the house and set him down to a meal;
and when the party were gathered later on in the sitting room, and
the candles were lighted, Stephen told his story.
"As you will have heard, we made a good voyage to the Indies. We
discharged our cargo, and took in another. I learned that there were
two English ships cruising near San Domingo, and the Dons were in
great fear of them. I thought that my chance lay in joining them,
so when we were at our nearest port to that island I one night
borrowed one of the ship's boats without asking leave, and made
off. I knew the direction in which San Domingo lay, but no more.
My hope was that I should either fall in with our ships at sea, or,
when I made the island, should be able to gather such information
as might guide me to them. When I made the land, after being four
days out, I cruised about till the provisions and water I had put
on board were exhausted, and I could hold out no longer. Then I
made for the island and landed.
"You may be sure I did not make for a port, where I should be
questioned, but ran ashore in a wooded bay that looked as if no
one had ever set foot there before.
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