f the
ships can be floated!" Macomber said with a laugh which was not
pleasant to hear.

"Which is more'n you can say for yourself if there's any danger of the
Britishers comin'," Darius retorted. "You're our meat, Master Traitor,
an' will stay in the same keepin' till we've settled our part of what
you call old scores."

Then the word to buckle down to the paddles once more was given, and
the Byard boys pulled their craft around to follow in our wake.

An hour later we were alongside the Scorpion again, and this time it
was not necessary to parley with those on the guard-boat, for, on
recognizing us, they sheered off, leaving our canoe to go where we
pleased.

Neither did the guard on the schooner hesitate to arouse the
commodore, and within one minute after arriving, Darius was explaining
to the commander all that had taken place at Benedict.

"It must be they counted on coming further up the river," the
commodore said half to himself when the story was come to an end, and
Darius took it upon himself to add:

"I allow there wouldn't have been any stop if the fleet hadn't gone
ashore; then the men were landed to prevent you from makin' an
attack."

"That seems reasonable; but they'll be here soon enough, for it is to
this place they must come in order to strike the direct road to
Washington."

Then it was that Darius bethought himself of what Macomber had said,
and he repeated the words, adding in conclusion as he laid his hand on
the prisoner's shoulder, for as yet we had not left the canoe:

"We've brought this cur back, sir, an' hope he won't find it as easy
to slip away a second time. He left Benedict to spy on you, as we saw
from the other side of the river, so we gathered him in."

The commodore looked at the man as one would at a snake, and then said
curtly:

"You'll have to keep him on board your vessel, Darius. Our facilities
for taking care of prisoners are not what they should be. Do
whatsoever you will with him, so that we can make certain of putting
our hands on him when the matter is to be settled. You had better take
up your quarters on the pungy, and if you're needing provisions, my
cook will supply you until rations are dealt out."

Then the commodore turned on his heel, returning to the cabin, and we
pulled around the fleet hunting for the Avenger.

Not until after getting speech with the officer in charge of the
guard-boat did we find the craft, and when we came alongside Jim
Freem