"Therefore this wretched man knew nothing of the wreck of the 'Britannia'; he had just heard of it from Glenarvan's account.Since his abandonment, he had become, under the name of Ben Joyce, the leader of the escaped convicts; and if he boldly maintained that the wreck had taken place on the east coast, and led Lord Glenarvan to proceed in that direction, it was that he hoped to separate him from his ship, seize the 'Duncan,' and make the yacht a pirate in the Pacific."Here the stranger stopped for a moment.His voice trembled, but he continued,--"The expedition set out and proceeded across Australia.It was inevitably unfortunate, since Ayrton, or Ben Joyce, as he may be called, guided it, sometimes preceded, sometimes followed by his band of convicts, who had been told what they had to do.
"Meanwhile, the 'Duncan' had been sent to Melbourne for repairs.It was necessary, then, to get Lord Glenarvan to order her to leave Melbourne and go to the east coast of Australia, where it would be easy to seize her.
After having led the expedition near enough to the coast, in the midst of vast forests with no resources, Ayrton obtained a letter, which he was charged to carry to the mate of the 'Duncan'--a letter which ordered the yacht to repair immediately to the east coast, to Twofold Bay, that is to say a few days' journey from the place where the expedition had stopped.It was there that Ayrton had agreed to meet his accomplices, and two days after gaining possession of the letter, he arrived at Melbourne.
"So far the villain had succeeded in his wicked design.He would be able to take the 'Duncan' into Twofold Bay, where it would be easy for the convicts to seize her, and her crew massacred, Ben Joyce would become master of the seas.But it pleased God to prevent the accomplishment of these terrible projects.
"Ayrton, arrived at Melbourne, delivered the letter to the mate, Tom Austin, who read it and immediately set sail, but judge of Ayrton's rage and disappointment, when the next day he found that the mate was taking the vessel, not to the east coast of Australia, to Twofold Bay, but to the east coast of New Zealand.He wished to stop him, but Austin showed him the letter!...And indeed, by a providential error of the French geographer, who had written the letter, the east coast of New Zealand was mentioned as the place of destination.
"All Ayrton's plans were frustrated! He became outrageous.They put him in irons.He was then taken to the coast of New Zealand, not knowing what would become of his accomplices, or what would become of Lord Glenarvan.
"The 'Duncan' cruised about on this coast until the 3rd of March.On that day Ayrton heard the report of guns.The guns on the 'Duncan' were being fired, and soon Lord Glenarvan and his companions came on board.
"This is what had happened.
"After a thousand hardships, a thousand dangers, Lord Glenarvan had accomplished his journey, and arrived on the east coast of Australia, at Twofold Bay.'No "Duncan!" ' He telegraphed to Melbourne.They answered, '
"Duncan" sailed on the 18th instant.Destination unknown.'
"Lord Glenarvan could only arrive at one conclusion; that his honest yacht had fallen into the hands of Ben Joyce, and had become a pirate vessel!
"However, Lord Glenarvan would not give up.He was a bold and generous man.He embarked in a merchant vessel, sailed to the west coast of New Zealand, traversed it along the thirty-seventh parallel, without finding any trace of Captain Grant; but on the other side, to his great surprise, and by the will of Heaven, he found the 'Duncan,' under command of the mate, who had been waiting for him for five weeks!
"This was on the 3rd of March, 1855.Lord Glenarvan was now on board the 'Duncan,' but Ayrton was there also.He appeared before the nobleman, who wished to extract from him all that the villain knew about Captain Grant.
Ayrton refused to speak.Lord Glenarvan then told him, that at the first port they put into, he would be delivered up to the English authorities.
Ayrton remained mute.
"The 'Duncan' continued her voyage along the thirty-seventh parallel.In the meanwhile, Lady Glenarvan undertook to vanquish the resistance of the ruffian.
