human
I suppose we shall not stay in Holland more than a week.
gpt
No, I hope not. Lowington is afraid we shall all get sick if we stay here long.
human
Havre is just the place for us. It has an open harbor, and we can go to sea from there without any difficulty. Besides, there's another thing that will favor us.
gpt
What's that?
human
All the fellows will go to Paris when the ship is there, and we can have a first-rate chance to operate while they are gone.
gpt
I don't know about that. Our fellows will all want to go to Paris with the rest. I want to go there myself,
human
We may as well give it up, then,
gpt
We must see Paris, anyhow.
human
I'll tell you what we can do. We can run round through the Straits of Gibraltar, and up the Mediterranean to Marseilles. From there we can all go to Paris.
gpt
That will be a long cruise,
human
No matter for that. The longer the better.
gpt
How far is it?
human
Not less than two thousand miles. We could go in ten or fifteen days, added Perth, warming up as he anticipated the pleasure of the runaway cruise.
gpt
After we get into the Mediterranean, we can run along the coast of Spain, go into port as often as we like, and have a first-rate time generally.
human
But don't you suppose Lowington will follow us?
gpt
No matter if he does. We can beat the Young America on a wind from Monday morning till Saturday night. If we find the ship is overhauling us, all we have to do is to hug the wind, and we can give her the slip.
human
We haven't money enough to pay the expenses of such a trip,
gpt
There's plenty of money in the Josephine. But we don't need much. The vessel has a year's provisions in her hold.
human
Salt junk and hard tack,
gpt
That will do very well while we are at sea; and when we get to Spain we can buy things cheap. Besides, our fellows are going to raise some money on their own account,
human
How's that?
gpt
Every one of the Knights wrote home to have their folks send them some money at Paris,--or every one but you and Munroe; and the game was played out with you and him, for you had some sent to you in London.
human
Yes; and Lowington got it,
gpt
We fixed it all right. We shall find loose change enough on board of the Josephine to keep us happy till we get to Paris, by the way of Marseilles, and then we shall be rotten with stamps.
human
But don't you expect to be caught some time or other?
gpt
No matter if we are. We must be ready for that; but we will be jolly while we have things our own way.
human
It's no use to talk about it yet,
gpt
It won't be more than a week or ten days before we shall be ready to make a strike. You know we must all cut up so as to be left on board.
human
Yes, and some one will be left on board with us, just as it happened at Cowes.
gpt
It won't be Fluxion, anyhow; for he has been transferred to the Josephine, and we can come it over any other of the professors. However, we must feel our way, and the first thing we have to do is to get left on board.
human
Humph! That's easy enough,
gpt
We must make a sure thing of it next time; but it won't do to run away with a boat again. Hush up! There comes that old stick-in-the-mud from the Josephine,