yawn, and then Jerry's mirth could be controlled no
longer.

"What are you laughing at?" I asked sharply.

"At you, Amos! You haven't made a bloomin' success of it whenever
you've tried to put on airs over Darius; somehow he always contrives
to get the best of you. If you hadn't pulled him up with a sharp turn,
we'd be below havin' a good snooze with the other fellows; but now
we're ashamed to go, consequently we'll camp on deck."

I was angry, and yet I knew he had spoken only the truth. However, it
seemed too late to mend matters, and without making any reply I laid
down under the rail, fully determined to be more of a gentleman in the
future.

There had been in my mind a promise not to close my eyes in slumber
that night; but no sooner was I at full length on the deck than I
crossed over into dreamland, and knew nothing until the report of a
cannon, seemingly near at hand, brought me to my feet very suddenly.

"What's happening?" I cried loudly, and from the after rail Jim
Freeman replied:

"The enemy are comin' into position. They began to show up nearly half
an hour ago; but I thought there was no need to waken you till the
work was begun."

Those who had turned in, as sensible fellows should have done, were
awake and on the alert in due season, while I who believed the safety
of the schooner devolved upon myself, slept until the Britishers were
ready to begin operations.

The day had dawned, although it was a full half-hour before the sun
would show himself. Down the stream, within long range of our fleet,
were eight or ten barges, each carrying a cannon, drawn across the
river in such manner as to make the flotilla a good target, and the
gun which had aroused me was evidently fired for the purpose of
testing the position.

I ran aft to where Jim and his friends stood, asking eagerly:

"What are our people going to do?"

"The word has just been given to start the blaze, and the lieutenant
believes that we can hold the Britishers in check until the vessels
are well afire. We're to form on the shore, and oppose the force which
you see yonder."

Gazing in the direction of Jim's outstretched finger, I could make out
a line of red-coated men on the southerly shore some distance below
the barges, and it was not difficult to guess that they intended to
move up, once an action was begun, to where they could fire at us from
the bank.

The British commander evidently believed we would fight to prevent the