the barn."

"I do; I couldn't leave Redfield without squaring accounts with Squire
Walker."

"Where are you going, Ben?"

"To Boston, of course."

"How shall we get there?"

"We will go by the river, as far as we can; then take to the road."

"But this is George Leman's boat--isn't it?"

"Yes."

"You hooked it?"

"Of course I did; you don't suppose I should mind trifles at such a
time as this! But he can have it again, when I have done with it."

"What was the use of taking the boat?"

"In the first place, don't you think it is easier to sail in a boat
than to walk? And in the second place, the river runs through the
woods for five or six miles below Pine Pleasant; so that no one will
be likely to see us. We shall get off without being found out."

"But the river is not deep enough. It is full of rocks about three
miles down."

"We won't mind them. We can keep her clear of the rocks well enough.
When I was down the river last spring, you couldn't see a single rock
above water, and we don't draw more than six inches."

"But that was in the spring, when the water was high. I don't believe
we can get the boat through."

"Yes, we can; at any rate, we can jump ashore and tow her down,"
replied Ben, confidently, though his calculations were somewhat
disturbed by Harry's reasoning.

"There is another difficulty, Ben," suggested Harry.

"O, there are a hundred difficulties; but we mustn't mind them."

"They will miss the boat, and suspect at once who has got it."

"We shall be out of their reach when they miss it."

"I heard George Leman say he was going a fishing in her to-morrow."

"Did you? Then why didn't you say so before?" retorted Ben, angrily.

"Because you didn't tell me what you were going to do. How could I?"

"Never mind; it is no use to cry for spilt milk. We will make the best
of it."

"We are in for it now."

"That we are; and if you only stick by me, it will all come out right.
If we get caught, you must keep a stiff upper lip."

"Never fear me."

"And, above all, don't blow on me."

"Of course I won't."

"Whatever happens, promise that you will stick by me."

"I will, Ben."

"That's a good fellow, Harry. On that, we will take a bit of luncheon,
and have a good time of it."

As he spoke, Ben drew out from under the seat in the bow a box filled
with bread and cheese.

"You see we are provisioned for a cruise, Harry," added Ben, as he
offered the contents of the box to