British
fleet and Elias Macomber.

The wind held strong, the day was cloudless, and the canoe, clumsy
craft as I had always looked upon her, sailed like a bird. Bill Jepson
insisted on holding the steering paddle, and we were well content to
have him at the helm, for he held her so nearly to the course that our
wake stretched out behind us straight as an arrow.

Under almost any other circumstances we would have made at least a
short stop at Benedict; but now it was out of the question, and we
sailed by at full speed, being hailed by several of our acquaintances
who urged that we come to for a moment, but we resisted all such
entreaties.

I knew that my mother, on being told we had refused even to so much as
have speech with our friends as we passed, would understand we were
on urgent business, and have no thought that I had slighted her.

When, in due course of time, we passed the mill from which had been
taken the prisoners, it bore the appearance of being deserted,
therefore we had good reason for believing that Macomber was the only
one of our capturing who succeeded in making his escape.

It was late in the night before we came upon the fleet, and were
brought to by a hail from the guard-boat.

The commodore was yet with the flotilla on board the Scorpion, so the
sentinels told us; but they were minded to prevent our having speech
with him at that unseemly hour.

Had Jerry and I been alone I believe of a verity we would have been
forced to wait until morning before seeing Joshua Barney; but Bill
Jepson could not be put aside as easily as two lads, and he roared out
as if he had been an admiral of the blue at the very least:

"Tell him that Darius Thorpe has sent word from the lower bay, an' it
must be delivered straight away."

[Illustration: "I remember your face, my man;" said the Commodore.
"Come aboard at once." Page 153.]

In the darkness, when it was impossible to see him, no one could say
that Bill was not a person of the greatest importance, and the
sentinels, judging from his voice, must have concluded that he, or the
man whose name he gave, was some one high in authority, therefore they
not only allowed us to approach the schooner, but went before to
announce our arrival.

The commodore was not the kind of an officer to keep any one in
waiting simply that due respect might be shown to his station; but
came on deck half-dressed, bidding one of the sailors to hold a
lantern that he might see