"What bloomin' idjuts we are to think we must needs wait here till the
Britishers come down the river!" he cried excitedly.

"I thought it was settled that we couldn't well do anything else,"
Captain Hanaford said in mild surprise.

"So it was; but the sun was shinin', with every prospect of a fair
night."

I looked at the old sailor in bewilderment. It seemed as if he had
suddenly taken leave of his senses, for there was nothing to be made
of his words.

"What's crawlin' over you, Darius?" Captain Hanaford asked. "Has
anythin' happened suddenly?"

"Yes, an' that's a fact! Here we are lyin' up here in a nasty storm as
if we was bound to stay, when it's only a case of haulin' the pungy
into the channel, an' lettin' her drift past the vessels below the
fort. I'll wager an apple against a doughnut that we'll go by slick as
fallin' down hill, 'cause it'll be darker 'n Sam Hill to-night; there
ain't any moon to break the blackness, an' unless we come plump on to
the enemy, they'll never be any the wiser."

I could see that the older members of the party believed as did
Darius; but to me it seemed like taking needless chances, when by
remaining in hiding a few days we might set sail without hindrance,
for if our pungy was seen, there could be little doubt but that she
would be sunk off hand.

However, it was not for me to start any argument with my elders who
understood such matters far better than did either of us lads, and I
held my peace, expecting that an argument would ensue.

To my great surprise no further word was spoken regarding the plan;
but Captain Hanaford pulled on his oiled-coat as he said curtly:

"It'll be a good two-hours' job to pull the pungy into the stream, an'
won't be handy work after dark."

Darius and Bill made ready to accompany him on deck, and, to my great
surprise, I found that these three, at least, believed the plan of
trying to drift past the British ships in the darkness one which
should be carried into effect.

I looked at my father; but he appeared to think all was as it should
be, and for the moment I was dumfounded at the idea of taking so many
and such great chances simply to save idling a few days.

When the men went on deck we lads followed, as a matter of course; but
never one of us was called upon to perform any part in the labor.

The creek was too narrow to admit of turning the pungy, therefore it
became necessary to tow her out stern first, and this the three men