haven't been outside this cuddy since the fires began."

I told him that Jerry and I had not been interfered with on the
streets, and I believed he could go where he pleased, provided it was
not too near the encampments.

"Then I'll try it, lads, an' start for your hidin' place within an
hour. Can you give me the bearin's?"

The captain was reasonably familiar with that portion of the city, and
there was no doubt in my mind but that he could find the smoke-house
without any difficulty.

Then we overhauled his spare rope in the hold, selecting a length of
half-inch manilla which had been used no more than enough to make it
pliable, and carried it to the cuddy.

It would not be safe to lug the rope through the streets in the
daytime, lest some over officious person should insist on knowing what
we proposed to do with it. We would be forced to take a long walk in
order to fetch it; but that was of little consequence compared with
the additional security such a plan seemed to afford.

Then we separated, Captain Hanaford agreeing to be at the smoke-house
within an hour, and when Jerry and I went over the side of the pungy
it was with lighter hearts than when we came on board.

It is true that the most dangerous portion of the undertaking was yet
to be performed; but everything had turned so favorably for us since
we set out in search of Darius, that we could not but feel a wonderful
degree of courage regarding the remainder of the task.

Jerry was so well pleased that he would have talked about what we were
to do even on the street; but I insisted that we should hold our peace
until it was impossible any one could overhear us, and in silence we
made our way toward the place of refuge.

It is needless for me to attempt to describe the joy of our comrades
when we told them of the friend we had met, and the plans which had
been laid.

My father showed plainly by his face the relief of mind because of the
possibility that he might have different quarters.

"I haven't grumbled, because I knew you lads had about all you could
stagger under," he said when we told him that Captain Hanaford was
bent on trying to get him aboard the pungy. "I can't stay in this
place very much longer, without taking big chances of going under, for
the wound needs careful attention; but if I can be with Bob Hanaford
everything will come around shipshape, because he knows by experience
what a gunshot hurt is like."

"Do you think it will