t Darius proposed we should do, whereupon he cried heartily:

"Take anything I've got, lads, an' if it so be I can lend a hand,
count on me to the finish. I'll risk even the pungy to help a
sailorman out of a hole, an' a good deal more'n that when it comes to
bein' Bill Jepson who's in trouble!"

Now that we were assured of getting what was needed, there was no need
of great haste, and I told the captain the remainder of our story,
even to describing where father and the lads were hiding.

"Whether you get Bill an' Darius out of jail or not, you'll be wantin'
to go down the river, lad, so why don't you bring all hands aboard?
I've known your father this many a day, an' would like to do him a
good turn. We'd be a little crowded, I reckon; but some of you
youngsters can bunk in the hold, an' if the Britishers don't burn the
pungy, she'll be a sight better than a smoke-house."

"What about provisions, captain?" Jerry asked.

"I've got enough an' to spare, unless we're held here a couple of
weeks. I didn't count on doin' any fightin' in this 'ere war; but when
it comes to lendin' shipmates an' neighbors a hand, you'll find that
Bob Hanaford is willin' to go down to his last cent."

I realized what a blessing it would be if we could get father on board
the pungy, where he would have a comfortable bunk to lie in, and such
nursing as Captain Hanaford might give when we lads were absent; but
how to get him down to the boat was a puzzle.

"Supposin' you free Darius an' Bill to-night, what'll you do with
'em?" the owner of the pungy asked, and I replied mournfully:

"We hadn't got as far as that in our plans. Of course they must be
taken out of the city."

"An' the British fleet is loafin' down in the river somewhere 'twixt
here an' the bay," the captain added.

"Ay, but if we can get hold of a boat, it shouldn't be such a hard job
to slip by the vessels on a dark night."

"Would you leave your father behind?"

"Certainly not; he must go with us."

"Then you ought'er have him down here on the river before beginnin'
work. I'll tell you how it might be fixed, lad. Allowin' that there
ain't any more burnin' of houses to-night, I could help him through
the streets, if it so be he can make any fist at walkin'. The other
lads would set out on their own hook, an' it should be we'd come
together on this 'ere craft, unless the Britishers are overhaulin'
everybody that's aboard. I don't know how things may be runnin', for I