"Michael," said Dyck,
"things are safe enough here, but we've prepared! The overseers,
bookkeepers and drivers are loyal enough. But there are others not so
safe. I'm going to Salem-riding as hard as I can, with six of our best
men. They're not so daft at Salem as we are, Michael. They won't know
how to act or what to do. Darius Boland is a good man, but he's only had
Virginian experience, and this is different. A hundred Maroons are as
good as a thousand white soldiers in the way the Maroons fight. There
are a thousand of them, and they can lay waste this island, if they get
going. So I shall stop them. The hounds are outside the harbour now,
Michael. The ship Vincent, bringing them, was sighted by a sloop two
days ago, making slowly for Kingston. She should be here before we've
time to turn round. Michael, the game is in our hands, if we play it
well. Do you go down to Kingston and--"
He detailed what Michael was to do on landing the hounds, and laid out
plans for the immediate future. "They're in danger at Salem, Michael, so
we must help them. The hounds will settle this whole wretched business.
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