he cold blast that swept down the creek.

"Hush!" said Hapgood. "Don't make a noise; there's a boat coming. Down!
down! Don't let them see you."

Tom and Fred crawled upon the ground to the verge of the creek, and placed
themselves by the side of the veteran.

"I don't see any boat," said Tom.

"I can see her plain enough, with my old eyes. Look up the creek."

"Ay, ay! I see her."

"So do I," added Fred. "What shall we do?"

"Stop her, of course." replied Tom.

"That's easy enough said, but not so easily done. We had better send word
up to the battery, and let them open upon her," suggested Fred.

"Open upon the man in the moon!" replied Tom, contemptuously. "Don't you
see she is under sail, and driving down like sixty? We must board her!"

Tom spoke in an emphatic whisper, and pointed to a small boat, which lay
upon the shore. The craft approaching was a small schooner apparently
about five tons burden. The secessionists of Baltimore or elsewhere had
chosen this dark and tempestuous night to send over a mail and such
supplies as could not be obtained, for love or money, on the other side of
the Potomac. Of course, they expected to run the risk of a few shots from
the Union pickets on the river; but on such a night, and in such a sea,
there was very little danger of their hitting the mark.

Up the creek the water was comparatively smooth; but the little schooner
was driving furiously down the stream, with the wind on her quarter, and
the chances of making a safe and profitable run to the rebel line, those
on board, no doubt, believed were all in their favor.

"We have no time to lose," said Hapgood, with energy, as he pushed off the
boat, which lay upon the beach. "Tumble in lively, and be sure your guns
are in good order."

"Mine is all right," added Tom, as he examined the cap on his musket, and
then jumped into the boat.

"So is mine," said Fred; "but I don't much like this business. Do you
know how many men there are in the schooner?"

"Don't know, and don't care," replied Tom.

"Of course they are armed. They have revolvers, I'll bet my month's pay."

"If you don't want to go, stay on shore," answered Hapgood, petulantly.
"But don't make a noise about it."

"Of course I'll go, but I think we are getting into a bad scrape."

Tom and Hapgood held a hurried consultation, which ended in the former's
taking a position in the bow of the boat, while the other two took their
places at the oars. The m