The Liberty was loaded and ready to embark on the morrow for Texas. The Texan apologized for the wait. They had been delayed by a very special shipment overdue from France. "Tonight you must board her," said the empresario. "I have told the skipper to expect you. Quarters have been arranged. They may be a little cramped, but then, a brigantine is not built for luxury, is she?" Nathaniel told the others—Rebecca, Prissy, Klesko, and O'Connor. Rebecca was excited by the prospect. The novelty of New Orleans had worn off, and she was tired of waiting, ready for the journey to end, eager to begin a new life in a new land. Prissy, on the other hand, was leery of the idea of a sea voyage. Klesko and O'Connor were ready to go. They had spent a lot of time together, with the riverman giving O'Connor a tour of the bars and bawdy houses he knew so well, and they had managed to exhaust the young Irishman's limited funds in the process. Like Prissy, Klesko was less than enthusiastic over the prospect of putting to sea.
