ry Belle_ a thorough overhauling, then
what? If he found that flag stowed away in some secret place, he'd make
prisoners of us, sure pop."

"If I didn't think it would be of use to you when you come back I would
tie a weight to it and chuck it overboard," said Jack. "On the whole I
think we'd better not try to hide it. The honest way is the best where
Yankees are concerned. I'll put it in the locker alongside our own
flag."

It was about twenty-five miles across the Sound to Crooked Inlet, and
the schooner covered this distance in four hours. Of course Captain
Beardsley's buoys had been lifted and carried away long before this
time, and the only safe way to take the vessel into open water was to
pull her through with the skiff which was towing astern. Although that
would involve three or four hours of hard work, it was not a thing to be
dreaded; but the thought of what they might meet before or after they
got through, almost made Marcy's hair stand on end.

The night being clear and starlight, Marcy had no trouble in piloting
the _Fairy Belle_ into the mouth of the Inlet. Then the sails were
hauled down, the skiff was pulled alongside, and a tow-line got out.

"Now, Julius," said Jack impressively, "stand by to turn over a new
leaf. Quit lying and tell the honest truth."

"Now, Marse Jack," protested Julius.

"I know what you want to say," interrupted the sailor, "but we have no
time for nonsense. I don't care what sort of lies you tell those rebels
round home, but nothing but the truth will answer our purpose here.
We've got to go aboard some ship--we can't get out of that; and while
the captain is questioning Marcy and me, some other officer may be
questioning you. If your story doesn't agree with ours in every
particular, all of us will find ourselves in trouble. Tell them who we
are, where we came from, why we are here, and all about it."

"But, Marse Jack," said the darkey, who seemed to have forgotten
something until this moment, "I dunno if I want to go 'mong dem Yankees.
I don't want to see no horns an' huffs."

"It's too late to think of that now," replied the sailor. "But I will
tell you this for your encouragement: You won't see any horns and hoofs
if you do just as you are told. But if you begin lying, you'll see and
hear some things that will make your eyes bung out as big as my fist.
Crawl over, Marcy, and I will hand you the boat-hook."

Marcy clambered into the skiff followed by Julius, Jack li