“Well, that’s comfortable at any rate,” said the marine, “and you needn’t trouble yourself in future, Leonard Hust, to repeat your dreams to me, especially if they are personal.”

“Never mind, man, it was all a dream, no truth in it, you know.  Come, old boy, take another drink for companionship, and then good night to you, and I’ll turn in.”

The marine greedily drained the rest of the bottle, and with swimming eyes thanked Leonard for his kindness, bade him good night, and with an unsteady step resumed his musket and his walk upon the forecastle.  In the meantime, Charles Bramble, who was an expert swimmer, had got out of gunshot and even sight of the ship, or rather where his head could not be discovered from the ship’s deck, and was nearing the shore very fast.  He had secured, as he proposed, sufficient clothing upon the back of his neck, and in an oil cloth covering, so as to keep it dry, to equip himself quite comfortably on landing, and in these garments he was soon dressed again, and making his way through the town to the mission house, where he knew Helen Huntington and her mother to be, and where he knew, also, that he could find at last temporary lodgings.

He had no longer any fear that his brother would resume the charge concerning him before the court—­bad as he knew him to be, he did not believe that he would do this, though he doubted not that he would have managed to have kept him in confinement, and perhaps to have carried him thus to England, partly from revengeful feelings towards him, and partly to keep him out of the presence of her whom he so tenderly loved.  But, lest his brother should be betrayed by his feelings into any extremity of action concerning him, he resolved at once to write him a note, declaring that their relationship was known, and that should any further persecution be offered, the same should at once be made public to the oppressor’s disgrace.

With this purpose, he hardly awaited the breaking of day before he possessed himself of writing materials, and wrote and despatched the following to his brother: 

“Captain Robert Bramble,—­About the same time you receive this note, you will also be made aware, doubtless, of my escape from durance vile in your ship.  The purpose of my sending yon this is not to ask any favors at the hand of one who was never actuated towards me even in childhood by a brother’s regard, but whose sole desire and purpose have been to oppress and injure one related to him by the nearest ties of relationship.  My object is rather to let you know that any further attempt to arraign me before the court will lead at once to a public declaration of the fact that your are my brother, a relationship which necessity alone will compel me to publish to the people of Sierra Leone.  Charles Bramble,

“Alias captain will Ratlin.”