across Elias Macomber," I urged, not minded to go
empty-handed on such a perilous voyage.

"It is too late to fool around with spies now," Darius said sharply.
"They've done us all the mischief possible, an' it's a case of
standin' before an open enemy."

I had no desire to argue further within hearing of the commodore, and
scrambled down into the boat, where my comrades were seated ready to
begin the voyage.

Now indeed was Darius the leader of the party, and after the
conversation in regard to the muskets, I was prepared to obey him
without a murmur.

It is a large canoe which will carry six people comfortably, without
sign of being overloaded, yet the boat we were in did it, and I would
not have hesitated to put in a couple more had it been necessary,
while she paddled as easily as a craft half her size.

"It's a great little boat," Darius said approvingly as we began the
voyage with a burst of speed which absolutely surprised me. "I reckon
we could show our heels to the best that can be found on the river."

"Where are we goin'?" Jim Freeman asked, impatient to know more
regarding our purpose.

"That's what I can't say, lad. We'll run down till we see somethin' of
the Britishers, even though we come off the Tangiers again; but I'm
thinkin' we'll do well if we make Hog Point this trip."

Jim would have asked more questions; but that Darius cut him short by
saying gruffly:

"There's a decently good reason for believin' that the enemy may show
himself any minute now, an' if we don't want to get into trouble it'll
be safe to hold our peace. There'll be plenty of time for
tongue-waggin' later."

It can be fancied that we remained silent after such a remark and the
old man kept four of us at the paddles constantly, himself doing twice
as much work as any other, while the helmsman occupied that post only
in order to rest himself, the steering blade being shifted from one to
the other accordingly as we grew tired.

For the fourth time we passed Benedict without making a stop, but on
this occasion I made no protest, and when we had run a mile further
down the river we came upon a pungy belonging to our village, the
master of which was evidently doing his best to get all the speed
possible out of the craft.

"Better put back!" he shouted nervously, and Darius gave the word to
cease paddling as he asked:

"What's the news?"

"The Britishers are comin' this way thicker'n spatter, an' I made up
my mind it wa