fail to
come to-night?"

"None whatever, lad, unless some accident has befallen them, for
everything was mapped out as plainly as could be done by words. It was
on Hog island we were to do our first work; one of the sloops was to go
there, while the other, towing all our small boats, should have been off
this point an hour ago."

"What is to be done?" I asked helplessly.

"Nothing save stand here and take our medicine like men. We won't give
over hope until the last minute, for even when the red-coats are in
sight, there may be a chance for us to slip off in the darkness if so be
the boats are at hand."

Then came a weary time of waiting which seemed long because of our
anxiety. I could well fancy there was in the mind of every lad, as in
mine, a picture of the prison into which we would speedily be thrust,
and thus an end be put to all our dreams of glory that was to come while
working for the Cause.

As the minutes passed and we failed to hear any sound from out over the
waters betokening the coming of those who were to meet us, it was only
with difficulty I refrained from crying aloud in my impatience and fear,
and when one of the boys moved suddenly, breaking the silence, I started
in alarm, believing the lobster backs were close at hand.

When two full hours had passed, and we knew beyond a peradventure that
Seth had played the traitor, it seemed as if our time of trial was close
at hand. Hiram paced to and fro along the shore, ceasing either to
return to the building, or make reply when I attempted to speak with
him. All his mind was fixed upon that vague space in the darkness from
out of which he was striving to see that which we so sorely needed, and
then when it did come he was like unto one who has received a cruel
blow. Staggering as if drunken, he said hoarsely to me who chanced to be
standing by his side:

"They are coming, and just in time to save our necks, for I question
whether the red-coats would give us much more of a breathing spell!"

The lads who had been crouching in the lean-to, most like trembling with
fear, now rushed out to where Hiram and I stood knee-deep in the water
as if the enemy was so near that a few more inches of distance might
save us, and there we remained, alternatingly turning landward expecting
to hear the tread of armed men, and straining our eyes into the gloom
to see more clearly the approaching boats.

The first craft which came ashore brought Archie Hemming, and