efore the feast was ready to be eaten Darius returned, and a single
glance at his face was sufficient to show that the good news was true.

"They've gone, an' there's no mistake about it," he announced, as he
sprang over the rail lightly as any boy. "I went to the place where
the troops were encamped, before bein' willin' to believe they'd
turned tail so suddenly. Now I'd like to know if that very friendly
gentleman Elias Macomber, has been left behind, or if he followed the
force? If he's in this city I could make it mighty interestin' for
him."

"Never mind the sneak, Darius!" my father cried. "There is no need for
you to punish him, because if the British go away he'll find it very
uncomfortable around here, and that's enough to serve the cur out for
all he has done."

Darius did not appear to think that Macomber's misdeeds could be
atoned so easily; but he kept his opinion to himself, and joined us in
what was at the same time a feast of rejoicing and thanksgiving.

Not until the meal was come to an end did we begin the discussion as
to how we should get home, and then Captain Hanaford opened the
question by asking:

"Now, lads, are we to run up stream into the mud, or take our chances
of findin' the British fleet 'twixt here an' the bay?"

Darius immediately proposed that we strike out for the Chesapeake,
using the same argument I had, that since the retreat of the soldiers
there was little chance the vessels would make any effort at running
past Fort Washington.

Bill Jepson, who could not be blamed for feeling a bit nervous at
going any nearer a British vessel of war than was absolutely
necessary, believed that it would be safer for us to go back to
Benedict by land, keeping at a respectful distance in the rear of the
enemy; but his plan was not considered, because it would be impossible
for my father to travel on foot, and I, at least, was not disposed to
part company with him.

We spent a full hour discussing the situation, and then it had been
decided that we would run boldly down the river, nearly all of us
feeling confident that there were no longer any British vessels to
block our way.

There was nothing to delay us in making the start as soon as the river
should be clear of the tokens sent by the storm, except Darius' desire
to make systematic search for Elias Macomber; but to this all of us
objected so strongly that, much against his will, he was forced to
give over the idea.

For my part I