erceived that the locality was just the proper
place in which to learn and teach the art of navigating the Turtle. He
examined the region well, and then called the men together.

They were staunch, good-hearted fellows, accustomed to long pulls in
northern seas after whales, and that they were patriotic he fully
believed. The Turtle was drawn up under the grassy bank, where the
long sedge half hid, and bushels of rock-weed and sea-drift wholly
concealed it, and then, in a few carefully-chosen words, David
Bushnell entrusted it to the watch and care of the boatmen.

"I am going to leave it here, and you with it, until I return," he
said. "Guard it with your lives if need be. If you handle it, it will
be at the risk of life. If you keep it _well_, Congress will reward
you."

The mystery of the whole affair enchanted the men. They made faithful
promises, and, in the glorious twilight of the evening, rowed David
Bushnell across the beautiful stretch of Sound that to-day separates
Charles Island from the comely old town of Milford.

As the whale-boat went up the harbor, a sailing vessel was getting
ready to depart.

Finding that it was bound to New York, David Bushnell took passage in
it the same night.

Two days later, with a letter from Governor Trumbull to General
Washington as his introduction, the young man, by command of the
latter, sought out General Parsons, and "requested him to furnish him
with two or three men to learn the navigation of his new machine.
General Parsons immediately sent for Ezra Lee, then a sergeant, and
two others, who had _offered_ their services to go on board a
fireship; and, on Bushnell's request being made known to them, they
enlisted themselves under him for this novel piece of service."

Returning to Poquahaug (the Indian name of Charles Island), the
American Turtle was found safe and sound. Here the little party spent
many days in experimenting with it in the waters about the island; and
in the Housatonic River.

During this time the enemy had got possession of a portion of Long
Island, and of Governor's Island in the harbor--thus preventing the
approach to New York by the East River.

When the appalling news of the battle of Long Island reached David
Bushnell, he resolved, cost what it might of danger to himself, or
hazard to the Turtle, to get it to New York with all speed.

To that end he had it conveyed by water to New Rochelle, there landed
and carried across the country