m, and
when it came to such labor of pulling and hauling the commodore lent a
hand as if we had been his equal in station.

And we did work lively, for a fact, hoping to have our anchor down
before any other craft could arrive, therefore no one complained when
Darius called on us for labor which might have been saved at the
expense of three or four minutes in time.

The commander was even more eager than were we, to arrive at the
appointed rendezvous speedily, and we could readily guess that some
big change was to be made in the general plans, although what it might
be we came far from guessing, since all of us, save Darius Thorpe,
believed he was simply running away from the enemy.

Well, we succeeded in doing as we wished in regard to beating out the
remainder of the fleet, for when we came to anchor off the point and
snugged everything down Bristol fashion, there were no signs that a
single craft was following.

Commodore Barney was chafing because of the delay, as could be seen by
the way in which he paced the deck, rubbing his hands from time to
time as he gazed down stream in vain for some token of the laggards.

"It's only a deep water sailor who obeys smartly, Darius," the
commander said, halting in his nervous walk to face the old man, and
Jerry and I, who were seated on the main-hatch, pricked up our ears,
for it seemed positive we were to learn somewhat of future doings.

"These younger men know too bloomin' much, that's what's the matter
with them," Darius said in reply. "I'll go bail that half the crowd we
left at Nottingham believed they knew better'n you when the start
should be made, an' stopped to curl their hair before makin' sail."

Commodore Barney laughed heartily at the old man's growling, and then
said suddenly:

"I count on leaving you second in command under Frazier, and it may be
as well for you to understand matters in case I don't get a chance to
speak with you at any length after the Lieutenant arrives."

"You count on _leavin'_ me, sir? Does that mean you're goin' away
right soon?"

"Ay, when my force comes up. There is no question but that the enemy
is making the attack on our flotilla to cover his designs on
Washington. He can have the fleet if he comes thus far. I hope by
daylight to be on the march for the Wood Yard, where Winder is
encamped, and count to take with me all the men that can be spared,
for force enough will be left behind to destroy the fleet in case the
enemy