morning of the 31st of August, a week
after Washington was devastated, when that officer, in a dignified
reply, reminded the vice-admiral that the wanton destruction by the
British of Frenchtown, Frederick, Georgetown, and Havre de Grace, and
the outrages at Hampton by the same people, had occurred long before
the destruction of Newark."

COMMODORE BARNEY'S YOUNG SPIES.

CHAPTER I.

CAPTAIN JOSHUA BARNEY.

It is two years since what we called the "War of 1812" came to an end,
and I, Amos Grout, once owner of the oyster pungy, Avenger, propose to
set down here that which happened to my friend, Jeremiah Sackett, and
myself, during the year of grace, 1814, when, so others have said, we
did good work for our country, although at the time neither of us was
more than fifteen years old.

This I do for two reasons, first because I am proud of what we two
lads succeeded in doing, and hope that at some day, when, mayhap, both
Jerry and I are dead, other boys may read of the part we played, and
be encouraged thereby to work out their own plans for the good.

Secondly, because I would have it known that through a scheme of his,
two boys, living on the shore of Chesapeake bay, succeeded in doing
what experienced men might have failed at, and I am eager to have
others realize my friend's worth.

So much for the reason as to why I, a seventeen-year boy, with none
too many advantages in the way of book education, am thus attempting
to write a tale for others, and now, that whoever should chance to
read this may feel acquainted with us, it is for me to introduce my
friend and myself in regular story-telling shape.

We lads lived in Benedict, Charles County, Maryland, near the mouth of
Indian Creek, when the war broke out, and while many of the people of
our town were not pleased with the idea of fighting the Britishers
again simply to establish the rights of our American seamen, Jerry and
I were hot in favor of it, for, in 1810, my friend's brother Tom was
taken by the king's officers out of his vessel while she was off the
capes, on the false ground that he was born in England. The poor
fellow was forced to serve in the English navy three years, leading a
dog's life, as can well be imagined, since he would never say that he
was willing to serve his majesty to the best of his ability.

Therefore it was that when we invested our savings in a small
sloop-rigged pungy, with the idea of making a living by fishing,