thus
recognized a craft he had seen but once before.

By setting down so much when our business was concluded, it would
appear as if we loafed on the deck of the ship some time, whereas we
were given to understand that our room was better than our company
immediately the transaction was completed, and in a very few seconds
after the officers allowed Jerry and I to cease the labor of shucking,
we were aboard the Avenger, getting under way.

"Look at the name they've given that old bargee!" one of the gentlemen
on the quarter-deck cried with a laugh as the pungy swung around until
the letters on her stern could be read. "These Americans may be hot
for vengeance; but I take notice that they're ready to feed the enemy
if there's a dollar to be made."

All this seemed very funny to the Britishers, and they cracked many a
quip and joke at our expense, as I guessed by the roars of laughter
which could be heard so long as we were within earshot.

Darius came on deck once we had filled away; but he kept his hat
pulled well down over his face as he walked aft from the main-hatch,
and when he had taken the tiller I asked:

"What were you afraid of that you kept under cover so close?"

"It was a mighty snug shave, lad," he replied with a long indrawing of
the breath. "I knew one of the men on the forecastle deck, 'cause I
was shipmate with him on the privateer Honest Ben, when Joshua Barney
was in command. I'm not sayin' that he'd given me away; but I feared
he might sing out on seein' me."

"What is his name?"

"Bill Jepson. He's a Baltimore man; but whether he's there owin' to
fallin' in with a press-gang, or on account of his own free will, it's
hard to say, though I never believed Bill would willingly have served
the king."

"He wants you to be to the eastward of the Tangiers this night," I
said, and the old man started as if he had been struck by a bullet.

"How do you know, lad?"

Then I told him when the sailor had had speech with me, and again
repeated the message.

"That shows as how poor Bill was pressed into the service," Darius
said sympathetically, "an' now he's countin' that an old shipmate will
lend a hand."

"Which of course you will do!" I cried hotly.

"We must make some kind of a turn to favor him; but we're here on the
commodore's business, an' the question is whether we'll be warranted
in doin' what may turn all the plans upside down. Bill reckons to slip
over the side, an' swim ashore. If w