Long stay in the room enabled him to penetrate its dusk a little, and he saw that its light and air came in normal times from a single small porthole, closed now.  Nevertheless a few wisps of mist entered the tiny crevices, and he inferred the vessel was in a heavy fog.  He was glad of it, because he believed the schooner would move slowly at such a time, and anything that impeded the long African journey was to his advantage.

A period which seemed to be six hours but which he afterward knew to be only one, passed, and his door swung back for the third time.  The face of Miguel appeared in the opening and again he grinned, until his mouth formed a mighty slash across his face.

“You come on deck now, you Peter,” he said, “captain wants you.”

Robert’s heart gave a mighty beat.  Only those who have been shut up in the dark know what it is to come out into the light.  That alone was sufficient to give him a fresh store of courage and hope.  So he followed Miguel up a narrow ladder and emerged upon the deck.  As he had inferred, the schooner was in a heavy fog, with scarcely any wind and the sails hanging dead.

The captain stood near the mast, gazing into the fog.  He looked taller and more evil than ever, and Robert saw the outline of a pistol beneath his heavy pea jacket.  Several other men of various nationalities stood about the deck, and they gave Robert malicious smiles.  Forward he saw a twelve pound brass cannon, a deadly and dangerous looking piece.  It was extremely cold on deck, too, the raw fog seeming to be so much liquid ice, but, though Robert shivered, he liked it.  Any kind of fresh air was heaven after that stuffy little cabin.

“How are you feeling, Peter?” asked the captain, although there was no note of sympathy in his voice.

“Very well, sir, thank you,” replied Robert, “and again I wish to make my apologies for deserting, but the temptations of New York are very strong, sir.  The city went to my head.”

“So it seems.  We missed you on the voyage to Boston and back, but we have you now.  Doubtless Miguel has told you that you are to help him a couple of days in his galley, and you’ll stay there close.  If you come out before I give the word it’s a belaying pin for you.  But when I do give the word you’ll go back to your work as one of the cleverest sailormen I ever had.  You’ll remember how you used to go out on the spars in the iciest and slipperiest weather.  None so clever at it as you, Peter, and I’ll soon see that you have the chance to show again to all the men that you’re the best sailor aboard ship.”