es will not suspect anything wrong with a craft they know so well.
We can get quite near the fleet without challenge, and trust to luck to
run the gauntlet of the ships afterwards."

The plan was accepted at once and it was agreed to attempt the escape
that evening, when the moon would give enough light to sail by, but not
too much to allow close observation. There were two difficulties in the
way, Raft and the Doubtmen. The first was happily disposed of. Pipe
approached the prisoner in his hearty sailor fashion. He saw at a glance
that the smuggler was in a better humor than on the evening before.

"Mornin', shipmate," said Pipe. "We're going to leave these quarters
this evening, and take a little cruise toward the inlet. We have need of
your craft for a convoy and want to make matters as easy for you as
possible. We give you your choice; stay here tied to that tree until
your friends at the head of the island can find and release you, or go
with us on the Fringe. If you choose the first, you must lose your
yacht; if the second, we promise you that when we are safe alongside a
Nattie ship, or in the Brownie camp, you shall sail off unmolested. What
say you?"

Raft twisted himself into a more comfortable position, pulled upon the
cords that bound him, and answered, "Well, Bow'sn, I might as well say
thank'ee at once. I choose number two. It's not a pretty thing for a
free rover like me to be lashed up here like a sailor on a man-o'-war
seized up for a flogging. An' d'ye think I'd trust those fellows on the
Point to cut these cables and set me free? If it suited their own
interests they might; otherwise Raft might go to Pluto for all them. As
to giving up the Fringe"--here a tear started into the smuggler's eye,
"not if I can help it, Bow'sn! Why, I love that pretty thing more'n my
life. She's as dear to me as your daughter is to you. Aye, aye, Sir!
I'll save the Fringe, bless her pretty timbers! So heave ahead, as soon
as you're a mind to. One cruise with a Brownie skipper won't hurt, I
reckon. 'Specially as a fellow can't help it."

That matter being arranged, the boat-building was hurried up, and as the
skiff was nearly finished, it was launched as already described. Camp
was then broken, and the whole party embarked in the boats and pulled
around the island, keeping close under the shadow of the overhanging
willows, to the point where the Fringe lay. Faith and Sophia were placed
aboard the yacht, and Raft, still b