e size of it, lad. I never'd let a shipmate of mine
run his nose into danger when there was nothin' to be made by so
doin'."

"But how would you stop us?" Jerry asked, his anger rapidly giving way
to mirth as he pictured to himself Darius, the man whom we had hired
to help us in the fishing, setting himself up to say what we should or
should not do.

"I'd knock you down, with a belayin' pin if it was handy, but if not,
with my fist, knowin' Joshua Barney would uphold me in bringin' back
at any price the same crew I took away."

I felt certain that the old man believed it his duty to do exactly as
he had said, in case we persisted in going contrary to what he thought
was prudent, and I also came to realize that to his mind the danger
was great, otherwise he never would have spoken in such a strain.

However, I did not let him know what was in my mind; but stood well
forward when we sailed past Benedict, as if I was too angry to have
further speech, and, probably, acted like a sulky school-boy thinking
that I was upholding my dignity.

When we had run past the village, however, and there was no longer any
possibility Jerry and I would attempt to go ashore, Darius humbly
asked us to come aft, and once there he explained in a friendly way
why we, who had virtually bound ourselves to serve under Commodore
Barney, should report to him before attending to pleasure or personal
matters. He also made it plain that at this time, when we knew beyond
a peradventure the enemy was about to make an attack, it was
absolutely necessary every American who had agreed to aid in the
defense, should be ready for duty at a moment's notice.

In fact, he showed us so clearly that he was in the right and we
wrong, that I was ashamed of having given way to the sulks, and told
him so, whereat he said:

"Then we'll drop the whole thing right out of our minds, an' now that
it's over, I'll bet you two or three cents' worth of silver spoons
that we'll be in Benedict on service, sent there by the commodore,
before four an' twenty hours have passed."

I would have asked him how that might be, but just then Jim Freeman
sung out for me to have a look at the cable, which was considerably
chafed, and I did not get an opportunity of continuing the
conversation.

Again we came up to the fleet in the night; but Darius did not hold
any long parley with the occupants of the guard-boat who hailed us,
simply saying as he steered the Avenger straight for