in'
there, but somehow thought it would be better fun to see the thing
through 'cording as they'd planned it.

"Wal, then she went off switchin' and mincin' up to the deck agin, and a
flirtin' with the cap'n; for you see 'twas 'greed to let 'em play their
play out.

"Wal, Tom he lay there a waitin'; and he waited and waited and waited,
till he 'most got asleep; but finally he heard a stirrin' in the box,
as if the fellah was a gettin' up. Tom he jest crawled out still and
kerful, and stood-up tight agin the wall. Putty soon he hears a grunt,
and he sees the top o' the box a risin' up, and a man jest gettin' out
on't mighty still.

"Wal, Tom he waited till he got fairly out on to the floor, and had his
hand on the lock o' the door, when he jumps on him, and puts both arms
round him, and gin him a regular bear's hug.

"'Why, what's this?' says the man.

"'Guess ye'll find out, darn ye,' says Tom Tooth-acre. 'So, ye wanted
our ship, did ye? Wal, ye jest can't have our ship,' says Tom, says he;
and I tell you he jest run that 'are fellow up stairs lickety-split, for
Tom was strong as a giant.

"The fust thing they saw was Mr. More hed got the widder by both arms,
and was tying on 'em behind her. 'Ye see, madam, your game's up,' says
Mr. More, 'but we'll give ye a free passage to Boston, tho',' says
he: 'we wanted a couple o' prisoners about these days, and you'll do
nicely.'

"The fellers they was putty chopfallen, to be sure, and the one in
women's clothes 'specially: 'cause when he was found out, he felt
foolish enough in his petticuts; but they was both took to Boston, and
given over as prisoners.

"Ye see, come to look into matters, they found these two young fellows,
British officers, had formed a regular plot to take Cap'n Tucker's
vessel, and run it into Halifax; and ye see, Cap'n Tucker he was so
sort o' spry, and knew all the Maine coast so well, and was so 'cute at
dodgin' in and out all them little bays and creeks and places all 'long
shore, that he made the British considerable trouble, 'cause wherever
they didn't want him, that's where he was sure to be.

"So they'd hatched up this 'ere plan. There was one or two British
sailors had been and shipped aboard 'The Brilliant' a week or two
aforehand, and 'twas suspected they was to have helped in the plot if
thngs had gone as they laid out; but I tell you, when the fellows see
which way the cat jumped, they took pretty good care to say that they
hadn't