CHAPTER XX.
DODGING THE ENEMY.
As I have said, Captain Hanaford shoved his tiller hard over, throwingthe pungy around until her nose struck the mud, and it was a questionof getting her off the bank in the shortest possible space of time,unless we were minded to lay there when the action began, for none ofus doubted but that an engagement was close at hand.
"It's a case of runnin' back up the river," Bill Jepson saidnervously, "An' the sooner we get about it the better."
Darius was not of the same opinion, as was shown when he said, afterwaiting a moment to learn if any other had an opinion to express:
"I'm willin' to agree that we're bound to put back a bit, so's to beout of the way when the iron begins to fly; but I don't hold that weshould run very far off until findin' out how things are goin' toturn."
"You might settle that question after the pungy is afloat," my fathersaid grimly. "Just at present we're in a bad place if there's to beany firing done, and when we're off the mud you'll have plenty of timein which to discuss the situation."
"That's about the size of it," Captain Hanaford added emphatically,and then he ordered us lads into the small boat that we might pull thepungy's bow around.
Any one who has ever run an oysterman such as we have in theChesapeake, knows that when a craft of that build takes ground ever solightly, it is not a simple matter to float her, especially whenthere's no cargo that can be shifted to bring the stern down and thebow up.
We lads worked our prettiest with the paddles after making fast to thevessel's nose, and, finding that we were making no headway, the threeable-bodied men began pushing with poles which are kept aboard forsuch purpose, until she slid slowly into deeper water.
Then it was a case of clawing away from the fort, which was not easy,since the wind that had brought us down so finely, now blew directlyin our teeth, and the pungy was a master-hand for sliding off when youtried to tack.
As a matter of course it was necessary to stand over toward theopposite shore, which was not a pleasant piece of business since itcarried us within view of the enemy; but we had no choice in thematter.
"If we get back as far as Alexandria by sunset we'll be doin' mightywell, unless you bring her around an' try to slide up," Bill Jepsonsaid grumblingly; but she did not make any better headway because ofhis being disgruntled.
"We'll have to take things as they are, matey," Darius said grimly."If the old hooker won't carry us out of harm's way, we can take tothe shore at any time, which is a bit of consolation you'd better keeppasted in your hat."
"This breeze will fine down within an hour," Captain Hanaford said asif speaking to himself, "an' then it'll be a case of anchorin', nomatter where we----"
He did not finish the remark, for at that moment it was as if theearth and sky had come together with one deafening crash; thenfollowed three or four reports like unto peals of thunder near athand, and those of us who chanced to be looking astern, saw the fortactually leap into the air, while from the mass of earth and stonecame a shower of fragments such as literally obscured the light of thesun for an instant, after which it fell upon us with a crash thatcaused the pungy to rock to and fro like an egg-shell.
While one might have counted fifty I stood dazed, unable to understandwhat had happened, and bleeding from a dozen scratches caused by thefall of fragments which absolutely covered the deck of the pungy to adepth of two or three inches. Then I understood that the fort had beenblown up, Captain Dyson believing he could not hope, with the smallforce under his command, to withstand an assault from the fleet.
As we afterward came to know, his instructions from the War Departmentwere to the effect that he should destroy the fortification ratherthan take the chances of its being captured by the enemy; but whatseemed strange to me then, and does now, was the fact that he had notfired a single gun in defiance. Surely he might have discharged hispieces once, in the hope of doing a little damage, before setting amatch to the magazine.
Of all our party in the pungy, not one escaped more or less severebruises or scratches, and the wonder is that the vessel was not sentto the bottom off hand.
However, we were yet afloat, and the river was open for the passage ofthe Britishers, therefore it may be understood that we could notafford to spend many minutes in speculations upon what might or mightnot have been done.
Within three minutes from the time of the explosion, Darius and BillJepson were in the small boat making fast to the bow of the pungy, andwhen Captain Hanaford shouted to ask what they counted on doing, theold sailor replied:
"There's a creek half a mile further up stream, an' if you can getany headway on this apple-bowed lugger, we may be able to hide beforethe Britishers come in sight."
It was absolutely certain that we could not hope to escape by sailing,because any four-oared boat in the British fleet would have overtakenus in a twinkling, therefore, unless it might be possible to hide, wewere in a bad scrape, from which I saw no relief save at the expenseof abandoning the pungy.
How we worked to push the vessel through the water! Darius and Billplied the paddles with every ounce of strength in their bodies, whilewe on deck trimmed the sails to a nicety, shifted everything movableto bring her into better trim for sailing, and even swung the two longsweeps outboard.
We five lads manned the enormous oars with which the pungy wasprovided to help her around, or when she drifted too near inshore, andI dare venture to say that we did quite as much toward forcing thecraft ahead as the two old shell-backs did by towing.
Fortunately for us, the Britishers did not appear to think itnecessary to move up the river swiftly, knowing full well that all thetowns above were at their mercy whenever they arrived; but the fleethove to off the ruins of the fortification while some of the officerslanded to ascertain the amount of damage done. It was this last whichgave us the opportunity of which we stood so sorely in need, otherwisewe were taken prisoners beyond a peradventure.
By dint of pulling and paddling we contrived to get the pungy into thecreek of which Darius had spoken, before the enemy came in sightagain, and then it was a case of hauling her so far inland that shewould be hidden from view by the foliage.
It can well be supposed that we did not waste any time at this lastwork; the perspiration was running down our faces in tiny streams whenthe craft was finally as far up the narrow water-way as she could betaken, and then all hands were so exhausted that we threw ourselves onthe deck to regain breath and strength.
All the while that we had been in strenuous flight my father stood atthe helm, thus giving Captain Hanaford the chance to aid us, otherwisethe task would not have been accomplished so quickly.
But even when we were thus snug, unless, perchance, the Britisherstook it into their heads to search the river banks, our work was by nomeans done.
It was now necessary that we should know if the enemy went up stream,and after we had rested no more than five minutes, when a full hourwould have been hardly enough to put me in proper trim again, Dariussaid:
"Come, Amos, you an' I will stand the first watch. Bill an' Jerry canspell us in a couple of hours."
"What do you count on watching?" I asked curtly.
"The Britishers, of course. We'll paddle down to the river, an' laythere till the fleet goes one way or the other."
It would have been a long watch had we remained on duty until theentire fleet sailed in one direction; but as to that we were happilyignorant, and I took my place in the canoe believing the enemy wouldsail past our hiding place in a very short time.
We allowed the canoe to drift down the creek until we were come withina few yards of the river, and then, well hidden by the undergrowth, wemade ourselves as comfortable as possible where we could command afull view of the channel.
"It doesn't appear to be as easy to get back home as we counted on," Isaid, by way of starting a conversation, and Darius repliedconfidently:
"This 'ere stop won't put us back very much, though it'll make a powerof extr
a work, for I count to be slippin' down river within a coupleof hours at the longest."
Then the old man fell silent, and I was not disposed to wag my tongue,because of looking ahead to the meeting with mother and the children,which now seemed so near at hand.
We had been on watch an hour or more when the enemy appeared. Theschooner was leading the way slowly, being towed by boats, with themen taking soundings every fifteen or twenty yards in order to showthe channel to the two frigates close astern, and another hour went bybefore the three vessels had passed our hiding-place.
Then we watched eagerly, expecting to see the rocket-ships andbomb-vessels appear; but they did not heave in sight, although itseemed to me as if they should have been close behind the larger shipsin order to take advantage of the labor being performed by those onboard the schooner.
When half an hour had passed, and the river, so far as we could see ineither direction, was free from craft of any kind, Darius bestowed aresounding slap upon his leg as he cried angrily:
"What an old fool I am, to be sure! In two years more, if I keep onrunnin' down hill, I won't be able to tell my own nose from somebody'selse, even when it's pulled."
"What's the matter now?" I asked in surprise.
"What's the matter, lad? Can't you see that only part of the fleet isgoin' up stream? If the other ships counted on leavin' anchoragethey'd been in the wake of the frigates. We're shut in here betweentwo ends of the British force, an' likely to stay quite a spell."
There could be no question but that he was right, and I sat staring athim like a stupid, the dreams in which I had been indulgingdisappearing like mist before the morning sun. Of a verity mother andthe children were further from me than when we had crouched in thesmoke-house at Washington with General Ross' army close at hand.
"What _can_ we do?" I asked at length.
"That's a question easier asked than answered," the old man replied asif he had come to an end of his ideas. "While your father is woundedbeyond the power of walkin', we're anchored to the pungy, so tospeak."
"What would you do if he was in good shape?"
"It couldn't be such a terrible tough voyage to strike across thecountry from here to Benedict, leavin' the pungy in the creek till theBritishers get tired of foolin' around in the Potomac; but it's no useto spend breath on what can't be done. Our crew will hang together,whatever comes. Let's go an' report; it won't do us any good to stayhere."
We paddled slowly back to our comrades, and when we had told them thesituation of affairs they were in as much of a muddle as had beenDarius and I.
"There's no tellin' how long the frigates will stay 'roundWashington," Captain Hanaford said, and then, as a sudden thought cameto him, he added, "I'm gettin' the best of this scrape, I reckon. Ifthe pungy was where you lads found her, she'd fare badly when thebloomin' Englishmen get where they can make mischief."
"I'll stay here and keep ship, while the rest of you walk across lotsto Benedict," my father suggested; but Darius refused to hear any suchproposition, declaring as he had when we were in the canoe, that ourparty should hang together to the last.
"So far as bodily harm is concerned, we're safe here till the cowscome home," the old man said thoughtfully, "an' that oughter make usfeel reasonably good, seein's how, one spell, it looked a deal likebein' killed, or stayin' in a British prison-ship. We're a mighty poorcrowd if we can't manage to lay still a week or two."
It did really seem as if we had reason to be ashamed of grumbling whenmatters had been so much worse, and I mentally resolved that I wouldmake the best of the situation, even though we were forced to remainin hiding a full month.
My father did his best at cheering us by saying, and with a deal ofreason in his speech, that the enemy would not dare remain shut up inthe river very long, lest the American fleet come to the mouth of theriver and blockade him, or with a superior force, force him tosurrender.
"It's Captain Gordon of the Sea Horse, who is in command," Bill Jepsonsaid, "an' you can count that he won't be caught nappin'."
"Then we can reckon on bein' free to leave this creek within three orfour days at the outside, and after that it'll be a question ofdodging the Britishers into Chesapeake bay, which shouldn't be a hardtask."
Taking this view of the matter, and knowing we had provisions inplenty, all hands began to look at affairs in a more cheerful light,with the result that ours was soon a jolly party, with but one aim,which was to make the time pass as pleasantly as possible.
During the remainder of that day we talked of all that had occurredsince Commodore Barney left Pig Point, and speculated upon the resultof an attack upon Baltimore.
That night we turned in without standing watch, and next morning camea light, drizzling rain which forced us to keep under cover unless wewere willing to toddle around on the wet decks, which was notparticularly cheerful amusement.
By three o'clock in the afternoon we had talked until our tongues weretired, and every topic of conversation was exhausted. Then we fellsilent, with none too pleasing thoughts for company, until Dariussprang to his feet with an exclamation that aroused us all.
"What bloomin' idjuts we are to think we must needs wait here till theBritishers 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 fairnight."
I looked at the old sailor in bewilderment. It seemed as if he hadsuddenly taken leave of his senses, for there was nothing to be madeof his words.
"What's crawlin' over you, Darius?" Captain Hanaford asked. "Hasanythin' happened suddenly?"
"Yes, an' that's a fact! Here we are lyin' up here in a nasty storm asif we was bound to stay, when it's only a case of haulin' the pungyinto the channel, an' lettin' her drift past the vessels below thefort. I'll wager an apple against a doughnut that we'll go by slick asfallin' down hill, 'cause it'll be darker 'n Sam Hill to-night; thereain't any moon to break the blackness, an' unless we come plump on tothe enemy, they'll never be any the wiser."
I could see that the older members of the party believed as didDarius; but to me it seemed like taking needless chances, when byremaining in hiding a few days we might set sail without hindrance,for if our pungy was seen, there could be little doubt but that shewould be sunk off hand.
However, it was not for me to start any argument with my elders whounderstood such matters far better than did either of us lads, and Iheld 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 greatsurprise, I found that these three, at least, believed the plan oftrying to drift past the British ships in the darkness one whichshould be carried into effect.
I looked at my father; but he appeared to think all was as it shouldbe, and for the moment I was dumfounded at the idea of taking so manyand such great chances simply to save idling a few days.
When the men went on deck we lads followed, as a matter of course; butnever 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 itbecame necessary to tow her out stern first, and this the three mendid quite handily, with Darius and Bill Jepson in the boat, andCaptain Hanaford on deck, to keep the branches of the trees fromfouling with the rigging.
Half an hour before sunset the little vessel was at the mouth of thewater-way where she could be put into the stream with but a smallamount of labor, and Captain Hanaford ordered Jim Freeman and DodyWardwell to turn to at getting supper.
While the meal was being prepared the captain and the two old sailorstalked about the probable location of the enemy's ships, and when theconver
sation was come to an end I learned that they counted on lettingthe pungy take her own course, after rounding the point on which thefort had been located.
It was to be a piece of blind luck all the way through, and I made upmy mind that if the vessel was afloat after we passed the ships, itwould be a sure case of interposition of that divinity which watchesover fools.
I seemed to be the only one, however, who was borrowing any trouble onaccount of the proposed venture, and it can well be fancied that Iheld my peace, although I did a power of thinking.
When supper had been eaten, and the last spark of fire in thecook-stove extinguished lest it should be seen by the enemy, allhands went on deck.
Of a verity the night was black enough, if that was the only thingwanted to insure success. Standing at the tiller I could not even makeout the loom of the mainmast, and as for saying whether the pungy wasin the stream or the river, it was impossible.
Darius and Bill Jepson went about their portion of the task, however,as if it was broad day.
The pungy was pulled out into the current, the old sailors came overthe rail, and we were fully committed to the venture.
I had supposed that some portion of the sails would be spread to giveus steerage-way if nothing more; but in this I was mistaken. A squareof white canvas could be more readily seen in the darkness than theentire hull of the pungy, which was painted black, therefore we wouldgo through with only the empty spars to give an alarm, if so be theenemy caught a glimpse of us.
We had hardly more than started when the rain began to fall heavily,and Bill Jepson said with a chuckle of satisfaction:
"Everythin' is workin' our way. There ain't a barnacle aboard theships that'll stand up an' take all this water when he can keephimself dry by seekin' the shelter of the rail."
"But suppose we run plump on to them?" I asked in a whisper.
"Then it'll be a case of doin' some tall an' lively hustlin', lad, an'no man can say what ought'er be done till we're in the scrape."
"Can you make out the shore on either side?" I asked.
"Yes, by stoopin' low so's to sight the sky over the tree-tops, youcan contrive to get an idee of whether we're in the middle of thestream; but you can't do much more."
"I might stand on my head without being able to tell which was landand which water."
"I reckon that's true," Bill said with a laugh; "but when you'veknocked around at sea as long as I have, you'll learn to see throughink, bottle an' all."
"Stop that noise!" Darius whispered harshly. "You're not even tobreathe loud from this out, an' walkin' across the deck will maketrouble with me for the man or lad who does it."
Thus it was that each fellow felt obliged to remain wherever he stoodwhen the order had been given. We could well understand the reason forsuch caution, and were not disposed to go contrary to the command.
I peered into the gloom intently, hoping I might distinguish theshadows of the trees ashore; but it was impossible, and from thatmoment I remained with my eyes shut, as one involuntarily does whenthe blackness is intense.
How slowly the time passed! I tried to get some idea of the minutes bycounting up to sixty, allowing that number of seconds had gone by; butfailed in so doing because my anxiety was so great that I did not keepthe reckoning.
It seemed as if an hour had fled, although the current should havecarried us among the fleet in less than half that time, when I wasstartled by hearing a voice close by my side, apparently.
"It's a bloomin' nasty night, matey."
"Right you are," was the reply. "It's jest my luck to be muckin''round here when the lads from the other ships are havin' high jinksin one of the Yankee cities."
Then it was that I realized we were within a few yards of a ship, andby some stroke of good fortune had missed fowling her.
It surely seemed as if they must see us, although I could not make outeven a shadow of her, strain my eyes as I might, and in case we werediscovered, the end would come very rapidly, as I then believed.
From that moment it was as if I did not breathe, so fearful was I ofgiving some alarm which would betray our whereabouts.
The pattering of the rain on the water raised no slight noise, andthis was favorable to us. Our tiller had been lashed, so that theremight be no possibility the rudder-head would creak in its socket,and every rope was brailed to guard against its flapping.
Had ours been the ghost of a ship and those on board a phantom crew,we could not have glided down stream more silently; but the dangerwhich had been ever present in my thoughts was that of coming incollision with one of the ships.
We had already passed the first in safety; but there were threeothers, and in fear and trembling I admitted to myself that we couldnot hope to slip by them all.