I could not find Ben Greenway, and I asked one of the men about him, feigning that he owed me for some fruit, and the man looked at another man and laughed, and said that he had been sent for in a hurry, and had gone ashore in a boat." "I cannot believe that," said Kate; "he would not go away and leave me." Dickory could not believe it either, and could offer no explanation.
Kate now looked anxiously over the water towards the town, but no father was to be seen.
"Now let me tell you what I found out," said Dickory, "you must know it.
These men are wicked robbers.

I slipped quietly among them to find out something, with my shilling in my hand, ready to ask somebody to change, if I was noticed." "Well, what next ?" laying her hand on his arm.
"Oh, don't do that!" he said quickly; "better take hold of a banana.

I spied that Big Sam, who is sailing-master, and a black-headed fellow taking their ease behind some boxes, smoking, and I listened with all sharpness.

And Sam, he said to the other one--not in these words, but in language not fit for you to hear--what he would like to do would be to get off on the next tide.

And when the other fellow asked him why he didn't go then and leave the fool--meaning your father--to go back to his farm, Big Sam answered, with a good many curses, that if he could do it he would drop down the river that very minute and wait at the bar until the water was high enough to cross, but that it was impossible because they must not sail until your father had brought his cash-box on board.