thout
interferin' with the work set for us by the commodore; but there isn't
much hope for the sailor if he swims over to the Tangiers an' fails of
findin' us waitin' for him. You say he'll be hanged if they catch him
tryin' to desert. I don't believe I could sleep well nights if we
should leave this place, an' he met with his death."

All hands of us felt much as did Jerry, and after thinking the matter
over a moment Darius said slowly, as if choosing well his words:

"You lads must understand that I'm as hot for helpin' Bill as you can
be; but we're doin' our little part in a war, an' at such times the
life of one man don't count for very much when the good of others is
concerned. To tell the truth, I couldn't really say what we ought'er
do if I studied the thing over for four an' twenty hours. You lads own
this 'ere pungy, an' I allow you have the right to say somethin' as to
what shall be done with her, though you the same as put the craft out
of your keepin' when you took a guarantee from the commodore that so
many dollars should be paid in case she was lost. We'll consider it as
settled, an' now get to work. Swing out the drags, an' we'll let the
Britishers see that we're fishin', even though it ain't noways likely
we'll get much here."

I am free to confess that Darius' words made me a bit uneasy in mind
regarding our deciding the matter, for I knew full well that he had
spoken no more than the truth. It would be hard on Bill Jepson if we
gave him the cold shoulder; but by trying to lend a hand we might be
doing others a wrong.

However, the question had been decided, and there was little sense in
crying over spilled milk, for I was not minded to make any effort at
bringing about a change of opinion, therefore I turned to with the
others that we might appear to be industriously fishing.

Darius stood to the eastward until we were in Pocomoke bay, and there
we stood a good show of getting fifteen or twenty bushels before it
would be time to be at the rendezvous appointed by Bill Jepson.

During all this while we had the enemy's fleets in fairly good view,
for the vessels appeared to be to the northward of New Point; but, as
a matter of course, it could be of little benefit to the commodore to
know how many vessels there were, if we could not give him any idea of
their weight of metal.

It was nearly noon before we got breakfast, and when the meal was come
to an end we had struck some small oyster beds, the