pointed to twelve; then they allowed
their tired tongues to rest, and lay for a long time, each occupied
with his own thoughts, and, finally, one after the other fell asleep.

The hours passed on, and nothing was heard but their gentle breathing.
Suddenly Harry, who always talked in his sleep when any thing exciting
was going on, turned over in bed with a jerk, and began to mutter
some unintelligible words. All at once, raising himself to a sitting
posture, he sang out, at the top of his voice,

"Starboard your helm there, George--starboard your helm; bring her
around quick. The Alert can show as clean a pair of heels as any boat
about the village."

In an instant the other boys were awake, and Harry continued to shout
his directions, until several hearty thumps on the back caused him to
change his tune.

"Let me alone!" he shouted. "We haven't cheated you. We promised to
carry the provisions all over in one boat, and we've done it."

Harry was quickly dragged out of bed and placed upon his feet, and he
was wide awake in an instant, but he stood in the middle of the room,
as if bewildered, while the others rolled on the beds, convulsed with
laughter.

At length, William Johnson, who was the first that could speak,
inquired,

"I wonder what time it is."

"Wait until I light this candle, and we'll see," said George.

"No, no, don't do that," said Frank. "The coast-guards may be on the
watch, and, if they see a light in the house, will be getting ready
for us."

And, going to the clock, he opened it, and, feeling of the hands,
said,

"It's about ten minutes to three."

"What shall we do?" inquired Ben.

"Let us go and see what our friends of the squadron are doing," said
Thomas; "and, if they are not on hand, we can slip over and land our
goods."

By this time every one was dressed, and they crept carefully down
stairs and out of the house.

"Hold on a minute, boys," said Frank. "I will bet there are spies
around that boat-house now."

"Let's take them prisoners," exclaimed Harry.

"That's just what I was about to propose," said Frank; "but, in order
to do it, we had better divide into two parties, so as to surround the
house."

"Well," said George, "three of us will go up the road, and cross over
by the bridge, and the rest of you can go down the road, and get into
the willows behind the mill."

"That's a good idea," said Frank. "We will meet at the back of the
boat-house."

The boys accordi