CHAPTER V.
WITH THE FLEET.
The British sailors did not make any talk on returning toconsciousness and finding themselves bound hand and foot. The officer,however, after recovering from the bewilderment which appeared to havecome over him because of having been taken prisoner in such anunceremonious fashion, protested against being tied like a criminal.
"Will you give your word to make no attempt at escape?" Darius asked;but this did not suit the Britisher, for most likely he was reckoningon a rescue by those of the people who favored the king, and therewere not a few of such vermin on the Patuxent river.
"I refuse to give my parole, save to an officer of the American armyor navy," he said stiffly, and Darius replied cheerily:
"Then you see that we've got no other course save to deal out the samedose for all, 'cause we're not countin' on losin' any of you."
"What are you goin' to do with me?" the miller asked, and I took iton myself to make reply:
"You'll get the same treatment as Elias Macomber, and however harsh itmay be, you won't have it as tough as is deserved. These others areprisoners of war; but you two are traitors and spies, therefore mustexpect to fare according to your deserts."
"That's about the size of it, Amos," Darius said as he went from oneto another of the prisoners to make certain they were securedproperly, and in condition to travel. "I reckon, lad, that we might aswell be gettin' the crowd down to the shore, for unless the wind hasdied away entirely Josiah Coburn should be here mighty soon."
"How would it do to take along a supply of meal?" Jerry asked. "If itso be that we don't come up with the fleet by noon to-morrow, we'd beshort of provisions, with so many to feed."
"Right you are, lad. We'll take from Essek Harland's meal-chest asmuch as may be needed, an' surely he can't make any complaint when hegets his share."
While Jerry was rummaging around to discover the miller's store, wegot the prisoners down-stairs, finding it no slight task because twoof the sailors, in a spirit of pure mischief, refused to walk, and wewere forced to tote them like so many barrels of flour. By the timethey were at the foot of the stairs, however, both were willing toprovide their own means of transportation, for we did not handle themwith any too much care.
Essek Harland whimpered and whined like the cur that he was, until wecame to suspect he might be making a noise in order to give an alarmto somebody in the vicinity, when Darius reduced him to silence bythreatening to put a gag in his mouth.
We had no more than got in fairly good marching shape when Josiah cameup with the Avenger, the wind being strong enough to push her alongabout as fast as a man could walk.
Then well on to an hour was spent before the prisoners and the mealwere stowed in the hold of the pungy, and I counted that it was neardaybreak when we started up the river toward where Commodore Barney'sfleet was supposed to be.
It struck me that we should meet with a warm reception from thecommander, when we delivered up to him the Britishers and thetraitors, for by capturing the spies we had delayed the coming of theenemy for a few hours at least.
And in thinking of this I came to ask myself how we were to presentourselves? Whether as lads who wanted to make a bargain to supply thefleet with fish, or as recruits? Ponder over it as I might, it wasimpossible to come to any satisfactory conclusion, and I decided thatbefore committing myself in any way I would ask the advice of myfather, whom I was likely to find on some of the vessels belonging tothe flotilla.
It was Darius who broke in upon my perplexing thoughts by asking:
"Well, what do you think of it now, lad? We couldn't have done the jobany browner if we'd had on board a full cargo of rifles an'ammunition."
"Ay, Darius, it has been well done because you were on hand; but Iquestion if another might have worked the scheme as well."
"There are thousands who'd make less bungle of it," the old manreplied, and I could see that he was well pleased because of beingpraised, even by a boy. "All that's needed is a little backbone; butif the other fellow happens to have more'n you've got, then things areapt to go wrong."
"Thanks to your arrangement of the affair, the enemy didn't have achance to show his pluck; but we'd have been in a bad box if youhadn't made the Britishers believe, for a minute or two, that we weretheir friends."
Darius laughed heartily as he thought of the brief conversation withthe sailors, and then said with a chuckle:
"If I'd only known the name of a vessel belongin' to their fleet, we'dbeen right on top of 'em before bein' found out; but as it was we gotwell alongside when the trouble began."
Then Jerry came aft to take part in the conversation, and we spent agood half-hour praising each other and chuckling over the good fortunethat had been ours.
We might have continued at such pleasing occupation a very long while,but that day began to break, and there was too much work on hand toadmit of further foolishness.
Darius gave up the tiller to me, and went below to look after theprisoners, returning five minutes later with the British officer, who,much to my surprise, was no longer fettered.
"This gentleman has decided that he can give his parole to us as wellas to brother officers," Darius said by way of introduction. "He haspledged his word to make no attempt at escape, therefore we will givehim the liberty of the ship."
"Which won't mean much for one who has been accustomed to the luxuryfound on board some of his majesty's vessels," I added, trying to showthat I had some semblance of good breeding. "An oyster pungy isn't themost beautiful craft in the world."
"Very true," the officer replied with a friendly smile; "but there isa vast difference between the hold and the deck of an oysterman."
"Yes, I can fancy that to one unaccustomed to such things, the Avengerseems like a foul ship below."
"So your vessel is named the Avenger?" and the gentleman looked at mequizzically. "Isn't that rather high-sounding for a peacefulfisherman?"
The officer was so different from what I had fancied a Britisher mightbe, and had such a friendly air, that I made no hesitation in tellinghim how the pungy got her name, and after the explanation he ceased tolaugh at it.
"I can well believe that some of your people have been abused," hesaid in a kindly tone; "but there are always two sides to a story, andthe commander of one of the king's ships may believe that he is doingabsolutely that which is right and just, when in your eyes he commitsa most grievous wrong."
I had sense enough to understand that if I attempted to argue with theofficer on the causes of the war I should speedily find myself in deepwater, therefore I made reply:
"It is not for me to measure words with such as you, sir. I know thatJerry's brother, who had never stepped foot on other than Americansoil, was forced to serve in one of your ships, being carried forciblyand secretly away, to the great distress of all who cared for him."
"And in that case his majesty's officers did a most grievous wrong,"he said frankly, and then as if to turn the subject of conversation,he asked, "When do you expect to come up with Barney's fleet, for Iunderstand you are in search of it?"
"If the wind holds, we should be there by noon, providing CommodoreBarney is yet at Nottingham."
With this the gentlemen turned away to take note of what was beingdone, for Darius had brought the three sailors on deck, they alsohaving solemnly pledged themselves to refrain from attempt at escape.
Jerry was making preparations for cooking breakfast, which would be nosmall job with so many to be fed, and Jim Freeman was helping him. Itwas to be a good wholesome meal, better than we of the Avenger hadenjoyed for many a day; because there was to be a plentiful supply offried ham with corn-dodgers, which last Jerry could make better thanany person I ever knew, except my mother.
The British sailors were taking things comfortably, being seated onthe deck well forward, and apparently enjoying the sail up the river,even though they were going as prisoners rather than passengers whocould come or depart at will.
Darius r
emained in the hold some time, and when he showed himselfagain as if his work was done, I asked what he had been about.
"I've been makin' them two sneaks fast to a stanchion, where theywon't have any too good a time. I reckon we've got to treat 'emsomewhere near decent, though it goes mightily agin the grain. How isbreakfast comin' on? I could eat the toughest mule that ever walked!"
Fortunately for him Jerry announced at this moment that the meal wasready, and Darius would have it that I should eat in the cuddy withthe officer; but I insisted he was the one who could best do thehonors aboard the Avenger, when we had seamen as guests, and literallyforced him to act the host.
Dody Wardwell and Josiah Coburn were detailed to feed the prisoners,including the curs in the hold, and Jerry, Jim and I ate on the deckaft, where I could at the same time keep the pungy in the channel.
Jim brought out some of the stores he had taken from home, and we ladshad a veritable feast, with the cause of success to give flavor tofood which could not be improved upon even though it had been servedon a king's table.
It is needless for me to set down all that was said during theforenoon when we sailed very slowly up the river, chatting in friendlyfashion with our prisoners--meaning such of them as were allowed toremain on deck--, or discussing our plans for the future amongourselves, and as we did this last we almost unconsciously reckonedJim and his friends as belonging to the pungy. In fact, after whatthey had done toward helping out on the night's work, it was no morethan right they should be allowed to consider themselves as a portionof the Avenger's crew, if so be their desire ran that way.
It was half an hour past twelve o'clock when we came in sight of theflotilla anchored off Nottingham, and seemingly blocking the riveruntil it would have been difficult for anything larger than a canoe topass through.
"Where shall we find the commodore among all that crowd of vessels?" Iasked in perplexity, and Darius replied promptly:
"He's like to be aboard the Scorpion, unless havin' gone ashore. Atall events, it's there we should look for him."
Fortunately for us, the schooner was anchored nearer down stream thanthe remainder of the craft, and there was no difficulty in running theAvenger alongside.
"You shall do the talking, Darius," I said as Jim Freeman passed ahawser, and his friends dropped the sails.
"I'll look after that part of it so far as tellin' Joshua Barney whoyou are; but after that you'll take the tiller, for the owners of avessel are the ones to show themselves."
Just then a kindly-faced gentleman came from the schooner's cabin andlooked about as if asking how we dared to make fast alongside. He wasone whom I would have picked out for a good friend, rather than adesperate fighter, therefore my surprise was great when Dariuswhisked off his hat, made a great flourish as he bowed in sailormanfashion, and said:
"We're here to report for duty, an' it please you, Commodore Barney,though you wasn't more'n a captain when I sailed under ye. We'vebrought a few British prisoners, an' a couple of traitors."
"Why, bless my heart, its Darius Thorpe!" the commander cried as ifwell pleased at seeing the old sailor, whereupon Darius bowed again,grinning with delight until it seemed as if he would split his mouthfrom ear to ear.
"It's the same old shell-back, sir, only he's turned oysterman, bein'too stiff in the joints for much deep-sea work."
"When your joints grow stiff, Darius, I shall begin to look aftermine; but up to the present time they're fit for a hornpipe almost anyday. Is that your craft?"
"No, sir; she is owned by these two lads," and he pointed to Jerry andme.
"And you have taken prisoners on your own account?" the commodoreasked, looking directly at me as he advanced nearer the rail,therefore I felt called upon to reply.
"It was really Darius who took the prisoners, sir," I made answer. "Heplanned the work, and did most of the execution; the rest of us simplyobeyed his orders, with the result that we have this officer," and Ipointed to the gentleman who was standing well forward as if to beout of ear-shot, "with three sailors, all on parole. In addition,there are, in the hold, two men living on the river, whom we foundgiving information to the enemy, and aiding them in their spying."
"Come aboard, and let me hear the particulars," the commodore saidkindly, and yet the words were a command.
I beckoned to Jerry, and, observing it, the commander said:
"Come with the lads, Darius Thorpe, it may be that I have particularneed of you."
We three clambered on to the schooner's deck, following the commodoreinto the cabin which was not fitted up very much better than ourcuddy, save that it had a fair-sized table with chairs, and here weseated ourselves as comfortably as if about to have speech with ourequals.
"Now tell me how it happens that you are on the Patuxent river takingprisoners here and there without due warrant from the government atWashington," the commodore said with a smile, and I began byexplaining why we started in search of the fleet, not forgetting tomake mention of the fact that we had hoped to find a sale for fish oroysters.
Then I gave a detailed account of all that had happened to us, windingup by saying:
"We count that you'll take the prisoners from us, sir, because wehaven't overly much food for so large a number, and if it so be youcan buy such as we can catch, it shall be at whatever price you set."
"Do you think, lad, that I would encourage you to spend your timefishing when you have already shown yourselves capable of biggerthings? I can use Darius to good advantage, and I doubt not but thathe may need you and your vessel. Are you minded to serve your country,lad?"
"Ay, sir, if it so be she needs me; but lads like Jerry and me may beof more service as fishermen than as soldiers."
"Regarding that I am not so certain, because of the proof you havebrought; it strikes me that your pungy and her crew will well serve myturn. You may deliver the prisoners to an officer whom I will sendaboard, and later in the day we will have another chat."
Then the commodore arose to his feet in token that the interview wasat an end, and we lads went out, Joshua Barney saying to Darius as hewent up the companion-way stairs:
"Since your joints are so stiff it may be a good plan for you to stayaboard the sloop during the remainder of the day, and then you'll beon hand when I'm ready to see you."
I was both surprised and pleased to know that the old man stood sowell with the commander, I had looked upon Darius Thorpe as abroken-down sailor; but Commodore Barney appeared to have a fardifferent idea on the subject.
Darius was actually puffed up with pride when he gained the deck ofthe Avenger. His face was as red as a beet, and his mouth open so widethat I could have tossed a quart of oysters into it without spillingone.
"Well, lads," he cried, turning on Jerry and me insistently, "you'veseen the biggest man in this country, an' what do you think of him?"
Neither Jerry nor I could do less than praise the commodore, for hehad treated us in a friendly fashion; but although we spoke our mindsemphatically, declaring that he was a very pleasant gentleman, Dariuswas not satisfied.
"I tell you he's the greatest man in the country," he repeated, and Iam not certain but that he would have insisted on our saying the sameover and over again if an officer from the schooner had not come toreceive the prisoners.
The officer and the sailors went over the rail on being told that theywere to change quarters; but it was necessary that the traitors bebrought from the hold, and I proposed that Darius and Jim Freemanattend to such duty, for I had no desire to set eyes on Elias Macomberagain.
"Let's you and I deliver some of these packages and messages withwhich we are charged," I suggested to Jerry. "By so doing we shallmeet many old friends, and I would, if possible, have speech with myfather before seeing the commodore again."
"Why?" Jerry asked as if in surprise, when we went into the cuddy toget the articles which were to be delivered.
I was at a loss to make reply. It would not be pleasant to tell thelad that I wanted my fathe
r's advice before agreeing to serve underthe commodore, since he might believe that to be a coward's trick,therefore I said after some hesitation:
"It is for him to say what I shall do; surely a fellow's father shoulddecide anything of this kind."
"But your mother the same as told you to come."
"Ay, and I am here; now I will see my father, which is but natural. Donot spend so much time in idle words for I would be out of the pungybefore those curs are brought from the hold."
We had our arms full of packages by this time, and it did not take uslong to load them into the canoe, after which we paddled among thefleet having a bundle or message for some person aboard nearly everycraft in the river.
It was not until our work was nearly done that I came upon my fatherand he received me as if expecting I would come.
"When did you arrive at Benedict?" he asked.
"Yesterday noon, sir."
"You couldn't well have got here earlier because of the wind. Iallowed you would join us as soon as possible."
"Then you think, father, that I should serve under the commodore,taking the chances of losing the pungy after having paid so much moneyfor her?"
"Don't you?" he asked sharply, and I could do no less than reply as heexpected I would.
Thus it was settled beyond a peradventure that the Avenger and hercrew should become a portion of Commodore Barney's flotilla, and Ireally felt better in mind after the question had been definitelydecided.
We stopped long enough to give father a detailed account of ouradventures, and by the way he slapped me on the back after the storywas brought to an end, I knew that he felt right well pleased becauseI had begun serving my country in such a satisfactory manner.
When we returned to the Avenger after our round of visits, we foundJim Freeman and his friends keeping ship in great style. They werelooking as proud as peacocks, and I failed to understand the meaningof it all, for ordinarily they were meek lads, until Jim whispered:
"The commodore is a mighty nice man."
"Ay, that he is," I replied, thinking that Darius had been drillingthe crew in our absence to sing the praises of Joshua Barney both inand out of season.
"We're goin' to have a chance to do some big things."
"Why do you think so?"
"Because when Darius gave the word that the pungy had better be hauleddown stream a bit an' anchored, the commodore put a stop to it, byallowin' that he wanted this craft where he could put his hand onher."
"And because of that you think that we are to play an important partin this portion of the war, eh?"
"It looks like it for a fact," Jim replied, strutting to and fro, andI could not but laugh outright, for the idea that we might be calledupon to do more than any others seemed ridiculous.
Matters began to wear a different look a moment later, however, whenan officer came over from the Scorpion, and said that the commodorewould have speech with Jerry and me.
"Where is Darius?" I asked, looking around without seeing the old man.
"He's been aboard the schooner this last half hour an' I've takenparticular notice that everybody else is kept out of the cabin," Jimreplied. "That's one reason why I'm so certain we'll have a soft timeof it while we stay with the fleet."
"Don't stand there chewin' things over in your mind," Jerry saidimpatiently as I loitered near the helm. "It strikes me that when thecommander of a fleet sends for a couple of lads they should step outright lively."
Jerry was right, and I meekly followed him to the commodore's cabin,where we saw Darius hob-nobbing with Joshua Barney as if they were twoold cronies.
We lads saluted in as sailorly a fashion as was possible, for we werenot well up on such manners, and the commodore said abruptly as hehanded me a folded paper:
"Here is a guarantee from the government, through me as the commanderof the naval forces in this section, that if your vessel is capturedor destroyed by the enemy while you are under my orders, you are to bepaid the sum of four hundred dollars."
I was dumfounded. Of course it was pleasing to know that we would bepaid a good price in case we lost the Avenger; but why such anarrangement should be made at this time was way beyond me, untilDarius said:
"Wouldn't it be a good idee, sir, if you was to tell the lads what isexpected of 'em? I'm not allowin' they'd go contrary to what I said;but it would be pleasanter all around if they got the business fromyour lips."
"It shall be as Darius says," and the commander half-turned in hischair to face Jerry and me. "I propose that you shall continue to actas oystermen; but without spending much time at the labor. In otherwords, I want information from the enemy, such as you can gather, andhave spent considerable time explaining where and how you maycommunicate with me. That part of the business need not be repeated.This much you should know: Darius has said that you would do, so faras possible, whatever I might set for you. Now I want your pungy todrop down the river at once; you are to act as if engaged in thepeaceful occupation of fishing for oysters, and try to sell your cargoto the enemy. In other words, lads, you are to spy out the dispositionof the British ships when they advance, for I am convinced that as yetthey remain in the lower bay."
If I had been faint-hearted before, what shall be said of my conditionnow? In plain words, the commodore proposed that we turn spies, and ifwe were caught while thus engaged, we would make a speedy trip to thenearest British yard-arm with a rope around our necks!
Jerry did not appear to realize the dangers of the undertakingproposed, and when the commodore suggested that we had better getunder way at once, he started toward the companion-way as if about toembark on some pleasure excursion.
"Are we to take on any weapons?" I asked, remembering the crippledmuskets, and how dangerous it might be to discharge them.
"Oystermen do not carry modern arms," Joshua Barney said curtly. "Goexactly as if you were performing your regular work, as indeed youare, except that the price received for your wares does not cut anyfigure."