le.

"Nothin' to speak of when its a case of escapin' from the Britishers.
I'd tried this a week ago if I hadn't known that the first search
would be made on the island, an' I didn't dare take the chances of
findin' them as would help me off."

We were not many moments in coming to the beach, and then Bill Jepson
clambered over the stern, not being hampered overly much by wet
clothing, since he had come off with nothing save his trousers and
shirt.

"I was willin' to leave all my dunnage, providin' I could say good by
to the bloomin' ship. When we put in here I counted on seein' friends
'most anywhere, for I hail from Baltimore way; but Darius Thorpe's was
the first friendly face I came across. A good honest sailorman is
Darius, an' I knew he wouldn't leave me in a hole if it was possible
for him to lend a hand."

Jepson had nothing startling to tell relative to his escape from the
ship. When the watch was changed he quietly slipped over the side,
dropping into the water without making any disturbance, and swimming
beneath the surface, coming up to breathe only when it was absolutely
necessary, until he was a full half-mile from the Severn.

As we paddled around the island, putting in our best strokes, for we
had no desire to be found in that vicinity when it was discovered on
the British ship that one of the crew had deserted, I asked Jepson how
he chanced to be aboard the enemy's vessel, and while his story
related to a cruel wrong, it was in no wise exciting, or unusual.

Five months before the declaration of war he was taken from an
American merchantman on the flimsy pretex of being an English citizen,
and since then had led what he called "a dog's life" aboard several
of the king's ships. Never before had he seen an opportunity to
escape, and now he knew full well that, if caught, he would be hanged.

Now that we had the man I began to question as to what should be done
with him, for it was certain we must not take the chances of keeping
him aboard the Avenger, and I could well understand that he might not
want to remain if we were to fish in that vicinity.

It seemed almost as if he read that which was in my mind for he said
after a long time of silence:

"I'm only half free now, for your pungy will be searched if you go
anywhere near the Narcissus again, an' the question is, how I am to
get to the mainland?"

"We could put you ashore in Maryland," I suggested.

"Yes, an' I'd starve to death before g