CHAPTER VIII.
THE DESERTER.
Even after knowing that the deserter was near at hand, we hadconsiderable difficulty in locating him, and not until after making acomplete circle around the swimmer could I see his head.
As we came alongside he grasped the gunwale to rest himself, andasked:
"Are you from the oysterman?"
"Ay, shan't we take you aboard now? The pungy is on the other side ofthe island."
"The canoe would be overturned if I attempted to come over the rail.Paddle into shoaler water, an' I'll try it."
"Tired out?" I asked as we worked the craft toward the shore, he stillholding by the gunwale.
"Nothin' to speak of when its a case of escapin' from the Britishers.I'd tried this a week ago if I hadn't known that the first searchwould be made on the island, an' I didn't dare take the chances offindin' them as would help me off."
We were not many moments in coming to the beach, and then Bill Jepsonclambered over the stern, not being hampered overly much by wetclothing, since he had come off with nothing save his trousers andshirt.
"I was willin' to leave all my dunnage, providin' I could say good byto the bloomin' ship. When we put in here I counted on seein' friends'most anywhere, for I hail from Baltimore way; but Darius Thorpe's wasthe first friendly face I came across. A good honest sailorman isDarius, an' I knew he wouldn't leave me in a hole if it was possiblefor him to lend a hand."
Jepson had nothing startling to tell relative to his escape from theship. When the watch was changed he quietly slipped over the side,dropping into the water without making any disturbance, and swimmingbeneath the surface, coming up to breathe only when it was absolutelynecessary, until he was a full half-mile from the Severn.
As we paddled around the island, putting in our best strokes, for wehad no desire to be found in that vicinity when it was discovered onthe British ship that one of the crew had deserted, I asked Jepson howhe chanced to be aboard the enemy's vessel, and while his storyrelated to a cruel wrong, it was in no wise exciting, or unusual.
Five months before the declaration of war he was taken from anAmerican merchantman on the flimsy pretex of being an English citizen,and since then had led what he called "a dog's life" aboard severalof the king's ships. Never before had he seen an opportunity toescape, and now he knew full well that, if caught, he would be hanged.
Now that we had the man I began to question as to what should be donewith him, for it was certain we must not take the chances of keepinghim aboard the Avenger, and I could well understand that he might notwant to remain if we were to fish in that vicinity.
It seemed almost as if he read that which was in my mind for he saidafter a long time of silence:
"I'm only half free now, for your pungy will be searched if you goanywhere near the Narcissus again, an' the question is, how I am toget to the mainland?"
"We could put you ashore in Maryland," I suggested.
"Yes, an' I'd starve to death before gettin' anywhere, unless you ranfurther up the bay than I allow you've any right to go," he said witha laugh which had in it nothing of mirth.
"What's the sense of stewin' over that part of it now?" Jerry asked."Wait till you get aboard the pungy, an' I dare say Darius will have aplan all worked out."
"He's a good one, is Darius, an' when he settles on a thing it comesmighty near bein' sound. We'll wait, an' I'll spell one of you ladswith a paddle, if you'll give me a show."
"After swimming so far I reckon you'd better lay still," I replied,and from that time until we ran alongside the Avenger not a word wasspoken between us.
If I had expected to see anything affecting in the meeting between thetwo old shipmates, I was mistaken.
Darius, who was on the lookout for us as may be supposed, said when hesaw that the canoe had three occupants:
"So you got him, eh? Well, Bill Jepson wasn't born to be drowned,that's certain."
Then the old man passed us a line, and the deserter said as he wentover the rail:
"I knew I could depend on you, Darius."
"You made a mistake this time, Bill, for if the boys hadn't hogged upagin it, I'd left you to do the best you could, seein's we're downhere on a bit of work for Commodore Joshua Barney, whose fleet is inthe Patuxent river, as perhaps you have heard."
"Well there! I knew you wouldn't be foolin' round here oysterin' whileable seamen are likely in good demand. I'd be well fixed if I couldrun across the commodore just now."
"That's what I've been thinking'. Of course it don't stand to reasonyou can stay here a great many hours."
"I must be off before daylight, an' am countin' on your tellin' mewhere."
"What do you know about the Britishers?"
"Considerable which has been picked up from the marines who've been onduty aft. There won't be any move made for two or three days, an' thenthey're goin' to strike Washington an' Baltimore at the same time. SirPeter Parker goes to our home, an' Captain Gordon will run up thePotomac. Leastways, that's what we of the gun-deck have heard, an' youknow that what leaks through the sentries is most generally to becounted on."
"Ever been up the Patuxent river?" Darius asked abruptly.
"Only two or three times."
"Well that's where you ought'er be, tellin' the commodore all youknow, an' if the three of you agree, here's a plan we'll try."
Darius looked at Jerry and me as he spoke, therefore I understood thatwe were counted as two of the three to whom he referred.
"I'm agreeable to anythin' you figger out, Darius," Bill Jepson saidas he wrung the water from his scanty clothing.
"Well then, Amos an' Jerry shall take you in the canoe, an' start forNottingham within the next ten minutes. Since they left to look foryou I've been fixin' up a sail for the craft, an' with a breeze likethis you ought'er be well across the Potomac by sunrise."
"Don't you need the lads with you?" Jepson asked as Jerry and I lookedat each other in surprise, and, perhaps, displeasure.
"Yes; but not so much as I need to hear from the commodore after heknows what you've got to say."
"The Britishers are certain to search this craft 'twixt now an'to-morrow night, an' seein' the canoe is gone, may smell a rat," thedeserter suggested.
"I reckoned all that in with my figgerin'. If you start for thePatuxent river I shall run over to the Delaware shore an' pick up aboat somewhere."
"They knew how much of a crew you had when the oyster bargain wasmade."
"Well, what if the boys went ashore to go home for a couple of days?That yarn will go down, I reckon, an' if it don't I'll have to takethe chances for the sake of gettin' you to Joshua Barney as soon as itcan be done."
Darius had evidently considered the plan well, and I understood thatnothing would turn him from it unless one of us flatly refused tocarry it into execution, which, considering all the importance ofgetting information to the commodore, I was not prepared to do. At thesame time, the idea of going back to Nottingham in no better craftthan our canoe, was by no means to my liking.
"If you've got it worked out, Darius Thorpe, an' allow it should bedone, I'm ready," Bill Jepson said, "an' it ain't noways strange thatI should be willin' to jump at anythin', considerin' I'm like to go tothe yard-arm if captured now."
The old man looked inquiringly at Jerry, and my partner said slowlymuch as if not being exactly certain what he thought of the scheme:
"I'm willin' to go if it so be you want to keep the pungy here; but'cordin' to my way of thinkin' the chances are against our gettin'there in the canoe."
"You can do it if the wind don't breeze up, an' it ain't likely to atthis time of the year." Then, as if considering the question settledabsolutely, Darius cried out to Jim, "Have you stowed everythin' inthe canoe?"
"Ay, sir, an' I've taken all the provisions for them, so we'll be leftto suck our thumbs when we get right hungry."
Darius not only planned the journey while we were absent; but had goneahead with the preparations as if advised i
n advance that we wouldagree to it.
"Well, there was no use in hanging back, since the thing must be done,and I had sense enough to know that if we were going to make theventure the sooner it was begun the better chance we had forsucceeding, therefore I went over the rail into the canoe, where Ifound a small sprit-sail, a package of food, and one musket withpowder and balls sufficient for two or three charges.
"We've done the best we could by you, lad," Darius called out as hesaw me examining the cargo. "You'll soon be where you can lay in agood supply."
"Yes, if we don't go to the bottom first," I replied just a triflesharply, whereat Darius replied with a laugh:
"I'll trust you for that part of the business. Bill Jepson should be amaster hand with a paddle, an' take it all in all, you're bound topush ahead right fast."
"How are we to find you again?" Jerry asked.
"The commodore will attend to that part of it. We'll stay here foolin'around as agreed upon, for a week--unless we get important news beforethen--, an' if you haven't shown up I'll allow that Joshua Barney setyou about other business."
Jerry and Bill Jepson took their places in the canoe, the latterstepping the small spar to which the bit of canvas was rigged, and asI ran a paddle out over the stern to take the place of a rudder, I wasastonished at feeling that the little craft was making remarkably goodheadway.
Almost at the same moment we started, the pungy was hauled around forthe Delaware shore, and in less than five minutes she was lost to viewin the darkness.
"How is she doin'?" the old sailor asked as he leaned over to watchthe rush of water along the side.
"Better than we could shove her with the paddles," I replied, notfeeling overly inclined to talk very much.
"Then I can't see but that everything is as smooth as grease, an'what's better'n all else, we're leavin' the bloomin' Britishers asternin a way to make my heart glad. The wind is likely to increase beforeit lessens, so we'll be a good bit on our way by sunrise."
"Ay," Jerry said grimly; "but if you've lived in Baltimore you knowwhat the mouth of the Potomac is when the breeze comes strong, an' Idon't allow that this canoe would make any too good weather of it in aheavy sea."
"She should be able to do it all right," Jepson said carelessly, andthen he set about filling a pipe he had borrowed from Darius, as ifthere was nothing in the world to cause him trouble.
After he had lighted the tobacco he must needs ply us with questionsregarding Joshua Barney, to which we could make no very satisfactoryreplies because of our ignorance; but he seemed to think it his dutyto keep a conversation going, regardless of the fact that both Jerryand I showed plainly our disinclination to do very muchtongue-wagging.
When an hour had passed, and the canoe was walking along in rightsmart style, surprising me by her performance under sail, for I hadnever supposed she could be used in such fashion, Bill Jepson saidsuddenly:
"Look here, what's the use of all hands standin' watch? Give me thepaddle, an' I'll steer while you lads get a bit of sleep. I'll callyou when its time to take your trick at the helm."
At first I was inclined to hold my place; but thought differently whenI saw Jerry curling himself up in the bow for a nap, and gave thepaddle to the sailor, saying as I did so:
"I don't count on sleeping very long; but if you should come up to thePotomac before I turn out, it would be a good idea to call me."
"I reckon you think that because I'm a deep-water sailor I ain't fitto be trusted with one of these Chesapeake cockle shells; but blessyour heart, lad, I've always knocked about in 'em, an' you shall seethat I'll handle you tenderly enough."
I laid down in the bottom of the boat, under the thwarts, andcontrived to make myself so comfortable that in less than five minutesI was sleeping soundly.
When next I became conscious of anything there was at least two inchesof water under my back, and the spray was coming over the starboardside at a rate that threatened speedily to founder the little craft.
Jerry, being in the bow which stood higher out of the water, had notbeen disturbed.
"What's the matter?" I asked in alarm, crawling out from under thethwarts with no little difficulty.
"Matter? Nothin' as I knows of," Bill Jepson said as if surprised thatI should have asked such a question. "What made you think anything waswrong?"
"Why we're half full of water, man, and if it keeps coming in at thisrate it'll soon be a case of swimming!"
"It's a bit dusty, that's all; but the canoe is doin' her work like alady. We're well nigh across the Potomac, an' just a hummin'."
The day was breaking, and in the gray light of early dawn I could seethe little craft laboring under her rag of a sail in a manner thatsent my heart into my mouth, although I'm not given to being timorouson the water.
"We must get in some of that sail," I cried, forced to yell at thefull strength of my lungs in order to be heard above the rollickingsea song in which Bill Jepson was pouring forth his musical soul.
"Let her go as she is; I'll answer for it that no harm will be done."Bill said with a laugh as he cut short his song. "We wouldn't be in asgood shape with the paddles, an' that's a fact."
By this time Jerry had awakened, and he, like me, had the idea thatwe were storming through it at a hotter pace than the canoe couldsafely stand; but the sailor insisted that nothing was wrong, althoughhe did suggest it might be a good idea if we baled the craft a bit,and we were forced to act upon his advice in order to save ourselvesfrom being swamped.
The canoe rode more easily when the liquid load had been taken fromher, and I came to the conclusion that perhaps it might be as well tolet Bill Jepson have his way since we were cutting down the miles ingreat shape, and speed was the one thing necessary for us just at thattime.
We were forced to use the baling dishes about every ten minutes beforecrossing the mouth of the river, and then the little craft made betterweather of it, to the great relief of both us lads.
No one would ever have suspected that Bill Jepson was a deserter whowould surely be hanged if the Britishers caught him. He sang, toldstories of a wild and terrible kind, mimicked the officers of theNarcissus, and explained what the Americans would do when the enemycame up the bay, going into the details of the naval maneuvers as ifperfectly familiar with all the defenses, instead of being whollyignorant of everything connected with the war save from an Englishstandpoint.
It was not a very appetizing breakfast which we had that morning, forthe food, stowed in the stern of the boat, was soaked with water; butto lads who had never been accustomed to luxuries a little thing likefasting did not seem to be of much importance.
The breeze, which had been freshening all night, increased with therising of the sun, and Jerry and I, unwilling to suggest that the sailbe reefed, saw the little craft humming along under the guidance ofBill Jepson, when, had we dared assert our authority, she would becreeping with no other motive power than the paddles in the hands oftwo tired boys.
At noon we landed on the southerly side of Hog Point, where I knew afisherman lived, and went toward the house hoping we might be able toget something in the way of provisions, for I had in my pocket themoney which had been paid by the officers of the Narcissus.
Bill Jepson remained in the canoe, to "keep ship" as he said, andJerry and I walked through the small growth of timber nearlyencircling the building, with never a thought of keeping ourselvesconcealed from view; but yet remaining silent for the very good reasonthat we had nothing of interest to say to each other.
Thus it was by mere chance that our approach was almost noiseless, andwhen we were come within view of the dwelling, from whence we couldhear the hum of voices, none of the inmates were aware of ourpresence.
This man--Jenkins was his name--had a wife and one child, as I wellknew, therefore hearing the sound as of several voices, I naturallylooked out from the underbrush before showing myself, for there was inmy mind the thought that he might have a party of Britishers asvisitors.
One m
an, and he the owner of the dwelling, was lying on the grass justoutside the window, talking with another who was seated within thebuilding, whose head and shoulders only could be seen; but one glanceat the face was sufficient to cause me to draw suddenly back as Imotioned to Jerry to advance where he could have a view of Jenkins'visitor.
It was Elias Macomber who sat at the window, talking with his host onthe outside, and we could readily overhear the conversation.
Under ordinary circumstances I hold that an eavesdropper is themeanest kind of a person; but considering all the facts of the case,it seemed just then that it was our duty to learn all we might.
As we came up Jenkins was evidently opposing something which thetraitor had said, for when we were in position to listen, Macombercried sharply:
"I shall watch out for the British fleet, an' board the first vesselthat heaves in sight. I reckon I can tell the admiral somethin' whichhe'll like to hear."
"But, Elias," Jenkins remonstrated, "even though you don't believe inthe war, surely you wouldn't do that which might work harm to yourneighbors?"
"I'm an Englishman!"
"By comin' here an' settlin' down, you turned into an American, orshould have done so. I claim that a man has no right to hold himselfan Englishman when he moves into another country to live, neverexpectin' to go back to the old home. All your interests are here, an'by holdin' true to the United States you are benefitin' yourself."
"That's all rot. I work for what I get here, an' have no man to thankfor it."
"But the laws of the country protect you; all the advantages to be hadfrom the town where you live are yours, the same as others, an' whenyou take them you have no right to do harm to the land which feedsyou."
"It's no use tryin' to argue me out of it, Jenkins, for you don't knowhow I've been treated in Benedict. I'll give the British commander allthe information in my possession, an' it's enough to be ofimportance."
Just then a woman's voice from the inside of the house summoned Mr.Jenkins to some household duty, and I drew back among the foliage yetfurther, dragging Jerry with me.
"We'll stay right here till we get our hands on that cur!" my partnerexclaimed when we were so far from the house that there was no dangerthe words would be overheard, "an' if Commodore Barney's men can'tkeep him a prisoner, we'll turn to an' see what kind of a fist we makeof the job!"
I was of Jerry's mind; but there was nothing that could be safely donein broad day, and we went softly back to the shore that we might holdcounsel with Bill Jepson.
We found the sailor sleeping peacefully on the warm sand; but had nocompunctions about disturbing his slumbers, and after he was fullyawake it became necessary to tell him the story of what we had done inthe Patuxent, that he might the better understand the situation.
"So the spy is here, an' counts on stayin' till the Britishers come upthe bay, eh?" the old sailor said half to himself. "What have you ladsgot in your heads?"
"We're goin' to get our hands on him once more, an' then take preciousgood care he don't have a chance to tell the Britishers what he knowsconcerning the commodore's fleet," Jerry said hotly.
"An' you count on doin' that first of all, eh?"
"Sure; that cur shan't have a chance to give us the slip!"
"But he said he'd stay till the fleet came up."
"Well?"
"That won't happen for three or four days yet, if all I've heard betrue."
"It makes no difference to us when the vessels come. What we want isElias Macomber!"
"What would you do with him, supposin' he was here this minute?"
"Carry him to Commodore Barney, of course."
"Can the four of us get along in the canoe?"
Jerry and I looked at each other in perplexity. It was a fact that thelittle craft would not carry four, particularly when one was aprisoner who might struggle against being taken up the river, and yetit seemed to me as if we were in duty bound to effect the capture.
"Now this is the way it looks to me," Bill Jepson said slowly, as iftalking with himself, "though, of course, I ain't countin' oninterferin' with you lads in any way: What I've got to tell thecommodore is of more importance than the yarn Macomber can spin forthe admiral, an' Darius Thorpe seemed to think I couldn't see the oldman any too soon. Now if this 'ere sneak is goin' to wait where he istill the fleet comes, what's to prevent our keepin' on as we started,an' then comin' back to pull him in? This wind will set us up theriver in great shape, an' within four an' twenty hours we should be atNottingham, unless the town has been moved from where I saw it last."
I understood at once that the sailor's advice was good, and should befollowed, yet it went sadly against the grain to go away from thatplace leaving the cur free to do us harm if the opportunity presenteditself.
Jerry had much the same struggle in his mind as I, but, watching hisface, I soon saw that he was ready to act upon Bill Jepson'ssuggestion, and without waiting for him to give his thoughts words, Isaid:
"Very well, if we're to go up the river first, there is no time to belost. We must paddle the canoe close inshore until we get around thepoint, so that we may not be seen from Jenkins' house, and then we'llpush her for all she's worth."
We no longer remembered that we were hungry; but jumped to the task asif every moment was precious, as indeed was the case if we would makeElias Macomber a prisoner for the second time.
As I had said in regard to paddling around the point, so we did, butonce the canoe was so far beyond that she could not be seen from thedwelling, we hoisted the sail, and I dare venture to say that BillJepson might have run her rail under without hearing any word ofprotest from Jerry or me, so eager were we to be on the returnvoyage.