look of excitement that kept his face
aglow--some mystery alarmed her. At last she learned with terror of the
enterprise afloat to cut out the British ship, and she made the boy's
father promise that Jack should not go with the boats.

"No! no!" he said to the agonized lad. "You are my faithful Lieutenant
ashore, but must stay behind from the attack. Should aught happen to
you, what will come to your mother and sisters when I am gone?" Poor
Jack bit his lip in silence. 'Twas a hard strain on filial obedience,
for his hot young blood had tingled with the thought of what was to
come.

A large barn stood in a lonely place about three miles from the Lockett
house. One night a passer-by would have fancied something strange going
on there. Many a horse was hitched to the trees of the adjacent wood,
lantern-lights twinkled through the crevices, and every few minutes
little groups came up and slipped through the barn-door. When all had
gathered, the tall form of Colonel Lockett arose in their midst, and the
roll was called to see that none was there except those apprised.

"You know what you've come for, friends and neighbors," said he. "We are
about to strike a gallant blow for the good cause. It's not too late for
those to withdraw who fancy the hazard overbold. For half-armed
countrymen to storm a royal ship seems heavy odds of failure. But
courage on one side and panic on the other will right the scales. And
there are no better weapons than yours for a hand-to-hand fight. A
pitchfork with a short handle, a scythe set in a stick, make the best of
boarding-pikes. We need no firelocks. The ship must be taken by
surprise, and carried with a rush. The decks once swept and the hatches
battened down, and she is ours. There is no moon, and the air and sky
betoken a great snow-storm brewing. When that comes, whether to-morrow
night or later, we attack." And so he gave them stirring words, saying
that this feat would ring like the peal of a trumpet.

He proceeded to tell off the boat-crews, appoint the officer of each
division, and give careful instructions.

"And now, old men and beardless boys, it rests with you to do what will
set men's hearts thumping when 'tis known," was his parting, as each
went his way fired with the thought of a gallant deed to be done.

The next night proved propitious. It was a thick, windless snow-storm,
and the white smudge of flakes blinded eyesight better than the blackest
black. An hour after mi