Perhaps he would never need them at all.
His later visits to the schooner were more from curiosity than from any other motive.

He had a strong desire to learn more about the captain and his ship.

There was no name anywhere upon the vessel, nor could he find any ship's log or manifest or any kind of writing to indicate it.
Neither was the name of the slaver known to him, nor was there any letter nor any kind of paper to disclose it.

It was likely that it would always remain hidden from him unless some day he should wrench it from Adrian Van Zoon.
Robert went into the sea nearly every morning.

As he was a powerful swimmer and the weather remained calm, he was in the habit of going out beyond the reefs, but one day he noticed a fin cutting the water and coming toward him.