rning all this over in my mind, and becoming more and more
convinced each instant that it was the wildest scheme Pierre had ever
proposed, when he turned upon me sharply and asked with a note of anger
in his tone:

"Are you afraid to make the venture?"

"There is no lad, no, nor no man either, who shall say I am afraid to do
this or that!" I cried hotly. "I dare do what any other lad may."

"Then come with me, and before daybreak we will be hidden on the
Gloucester shore."

"Before the day breaks you will be a prisoner on board either the
_Guadaloupe_ or the _Charon_, unless one of the smaller vessels chances
to make the capture," I said, "and yet, knowing that such must be the
case, I am minded to follow, so you may have fair opportunity of proving
that this will turn out even more to our disadvantage than did your plan
of getting sight of Saul Ogden to hearten him, and, instead, come across
Abel Hunt."

"It is not well Fitz, that you should harp upon a single failure,"
Pierre said softly, and on the instant I regretted having spoken. "There
was not in my mind any hope we might be able to aid the lad; but I
thought by chance he would see us if we passed his prison, and know we
had not forgotten him. If I had asked you to go out for a stroll because
I was weary with remaining in the cabin so long, you would have followed
quite as readily, and then should we have come upon Abel Hunt even as we
did."

"Forgive me, Pierre, forgive me," I cried remorsefully. "Lead the way,
and I will go with you readily, even though I claim it is a most
desperate venture, but promise faithfully not to throw it in your teeth
however sore the failure may be."

The little French lad was not inclined to waste words after I had
promised to accompany him; but set off at a rapid pace toward where the
skiff was lying, and I followed, having vividly in mind the fact that we
were leaving Uncle 'Rasmus to what might be a most cruel fate, at the
same time believing we had deserted Saul entirely, for there was not in
my mind any hope whatsoever we could succeed in re-entering the town of
York now that the Britishers were keeping such sharp watch.

Even though fortune should favor us in the most remarkable degree, we
surely would not be tempted to come back to this fortified village
during the hours of daylight, therefore were we shutting ourselves out
until full four and twenty hours passed, during which time how much of
disaster might have co