guide me to the camp of these
lads."

Jake led the way, and when a little after daylight they approached the
camp the Lieutenant said to him:--

"I don't want to make any mistake in this business. You go ahead to
the camp and see if the lads are there. That'll throw 'em off their
guard, and I'll come up in five minutes."

"But Lieu--" began Jake, remonstratingly.

"Hold your tongue, and do as I tell you, or I'll string you up to a
tree, you rascal."

Thus admonished, Jake walked on in fear and trembling to the camp. As
he approached it he observed the unusual stir which was going on, and
wondered what it meant, but he did not for a moment imagine that Sam
had guessed the truth.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE SEA FIGHT.

When Jake entered the camp it was fairly light, and as Sam looked at
him he caught a glimpse of the file of soldiers in the thicket, three
or four hundred yards away.

He knew what it meant.

"We're about to leave this place, Jake," said Sam, as the boys stowed
the last of their things in the boat, "we're about to leave this
place, and you're just in time. Get in."

"Well, but where--" began the culprit.

"Get in," interrupted Sam, who stood with one of the rifles in his
hands.

Jake hesitated, and was indeed upon the point of running away, when
Sam, placing the muzzle of his gun almost against Jake's breast,
said:--

"Get into the boat instantly, or I'll let daylight through you, sir."

There was no help for it, and Jake obeyed.

Sam quickly cast the boat loose, and as he did so, the Lieutenant
discovered his purpose, and started his men at a full run toward the
camp.

Sam pushed the boat off and, taking his place in the stern, took the
helm.

"Hoist the sail, quick!" he said; and the sail went up in a moment. A
strong breeze was blowing and the sail quickly bellied in the wind.

"Lie down, every man of you," cried Sam, but without setting the
example. A moment later a shower of bullets whistled around his ears.
He had seen that the soldiers were about to fire upon him, and had
ordered his companions to lie down, confident that the thick solid
sides of the boat would pretty effectually protect them.

As for himself, he must take the chances and navigate his boat. The
soldiers were not move than fifty yards from him when they fired but
luckily they failed to hit him.

"Now for a run!" he exclaimed. "Before they can load again, I'll be
out of range, or pretty nearly."

The br