sooner the better," General Wolfe said. "Every day is of
importance. But how do you propose to get back again, that is,
supposing that everything goes well?"

"I propose, general, that I should conceal myself somewhere on the face
of the heights. I will spread a handkerchief against a rock or tree, so
that it will not be seen either from above or below, but will be
visible from the ships in the river. I cannot say, of course, whether
it will be near Cap Rouge or Quebec; but, if you will have a sharp
lookout kept through a glass, as the ships drift up and down, you are
sure to see it, and can let me know that you do so by dipping the
ensign. At night I will make my way down to the shore, and if, at
midnight exactly, you will send a boat for me, I shall be ready to swim
off to her, when they show a lantern as they approach the shore. Of
course, I cannot say on what day I may be in a position to show the
signal, but at, any rate, if a week passes without your seeing it, you
will know that I have failed to make my escape, or that I have been
killed after getting out."

Chapter 19: A Dangerous Expedition.

The details of the proposed expedition being thus arranged, the captain
left the cabin with James, and the latter paced to and fro on the
quarterdeck, while the captain sent for the boatswain and directed him
to pick out four men who could swim well, and who were ready to
volunteer for desperate service.

While the captain was so engaged, James saw a naval officer staring
fixedly at him. He recognized him instantly, though more than four
years had elapsed since he had last seen him. He at once stepped across
the quarterdeck.

"How are you, Lieutenant Horton? It is a long time since we last parted
on the Potomac."

Horton would have refused the proffered hand, but he had already
injured himself very sorely, in the eyes of the squire, by his outburst
of ill feeling against James, so he shook hands and said coldly:

"Yes, your position has changed since then."

"Yes," James said with a laugh, "but that was only a temporary eclipse.
That two months before the mast was a sort of interlude for which I am
deeply thankful. Had it not been for my getting into that smuggling
scrape, I should have been, at the present moment, commencing practice
as a doctor, instead of being a captain in his majesty's service."

The words were not calculated to improve Horton's temper. What a
mistake he had made! Had he interfered o