FEEDING THE ENEMY.
It was evident that Commodore Barney did not propose to spend any more
minutes with us explaining the proposition he had made, and, indeed,
it really was high time he attended to others, for no less than four
gentlemen of importance in Nottingham had sent a request for an
interview.
When the commander arose to his feet, after settling the question as
to whether we should be prepared to defend ourselves in case the
occasion required, I started up the companion-way stairs, beckoning
for Jerry to follow.
Darius Thorpe, although he had been only a sailor, understood somewhat
of manners among people of gentility, and he saluted properly--which
we had forgotten to do--while awaiting an opportunity to ascend the
stairs.
It was as if we no longer had an existence, so far as Commodore Barney
was concerned. We were not yet out of the cabin when he called an
orderly to say that he would see such or such a man immediately, and
began turning over papers on his table without even glancing in our
direction.
Once on board the Avenger I stopped to face my comrades, thinking that
now has come the time we should discuss the matter which was of such
vital importance to ourselves; but Darius said impatiently:
"Why do you stop here, lad? Give the word for gettin' under way, so
the commodore may see we know how to obey in sailorman fashion, an' if
there's any talkin' to be done we'll have plenty of time for tongue
waggin' while runnin' down the river."
"But surely you're not proposing that we shall start without knowing
where we are going, or what is to be done?" I cried, showing quite as
much impatience as he had.
"That's jest what I do propose! We can whittle out a plan while the
pungy is slippin' down stream, as well as if she was made fast here."
"But what about Jim Freeman and his party?"
"There's no reason why they shouldn't go with us; six isn't any too
many for the crew of an oysterman."
"But do you count on taking them without first explaining the
situation? It strikes me that when a fellow sets about that which may
put his neck in a halter, he is entitled to something by way of an
understanding."
"If that's all which blocks our makin' sail, I'll soon put an end to
it," and Darius beckoned to Jim and his friends, who were standing
well forward that they might not seem to be listening to that which
possibly was not intended for their ears.
The lads came aft quickly, knowing full well by the expression on our
faces that something serious was afoot, and the old man said bluntly:
"The commodore wants us to spy on the British fleets. If we're caught
on their anchorage, or nosin' around the ships, pretendin' to be what
we're not, its a case of hangin', an' salt won't save us. If you lads
want to stay aboard, takin' the same chances we do, well an' good; if
not, you'd better go ashore in quick order, for we shall be under way
mighty soon."
"Shall we be helpin' the government the same as if we stayed aboard
one of the vessels to do our share of fightin'?" Jim asked, and Darius
replied:
"Yes, an' a good deal more. If you were taken prisoner after bein' in
a fight, it's only a case of goin' to jail on one of his majesty's
ships; but if you're taken while on such work as has been given out to
us, it's a hangin' for sure, with you at the loose end of the rope."
No one could say that Darius had not put the matter plainly, and I
expected to see Jim draw back; but to my surprise he said stoutly:
"I reckon we fellows can stand it if you do; we'll stay, an' the
commodore shan't have a chance to say that we didn't hold up our end
of the business."
Surely I could make no protest of any kind after Jim had announced
himself so firmly, and, in order to make it appear that I was really
eager to set forth on this dangerous expedition, I said quickly:
"Cast off there! Darius, take the tiller! Tail on the halliards,
lads!"
We got under way in fine style, and as the pungy swung around with the
current, I saw my father waving his hat from the craft to which he
belonged, and thus knew he understood we were bound on some service
for the commander.
Nor was he the only one who bade us a mute adieu. Half the members of
the fleet made some quiet demonstration in token of good wishes, and
just then it seemed almost a fine thing to be thus voluntarily going
into extraordinary danger for the benefit of one's friends and
acquaintances.
I am well aware that by writing down all my thoughts I have pictured
myself as a weak-kneed lad, and one who delighted in making a show of
authority, as has been seen when I was disgruntled because Jerry or
Darius took it upon themselves to say that this thing or that should
be done, without first consulting me, and yet I hold it is only fair I
give the same plain dealing concerning myself as I try to in the case
of my companions.
Now, however, as we were setting out on a cruise from which not one of
us might return, I was more than glad to surrender up to Darius the
charge of the Avenger, and I was determined that he should keep it,
taking whatsoever of honor might come to the commander, contenting
myself with being simply a member of the crew who would ever strive to
obey all orders promptly, whatever might be the situation. And in so
doing I counted myself to be wise.
The old man remained at the helm speaking not a word, and chewing
vigorously as we worked the pungy down the reaches in face of a head
wind, not very strong at that, but the current favored, therefore we
had the satisfaction of knowing that with all our pulling and hauling
we were doing better than two and a half miles an hour.
I had expected Darius would propose that we hold a consultation as to
our future course; but he gave no sign of so doing and Jerry finally
asked:
"Where are we headin' for?"
"Fishin'."
I turned away, thinking the old man had given an idle answer to evade
questions; but Jerry was not to be turned down so readily, and he said
with a laugh:
"We've given over the fishin' business for quite a spell, I reckon.
'Cordin' to my way of thinkin', an' seein's how this cruise may turn
out to be anything rather than a picnic, I allow that all hands should
know what is to be done."
"That's my idee to a dot, lad, an' I'm tryin' to think up some kind of
a plan so that when you fellows begin to figger, I can put in my oar
with some show of sense."
"But where do you reckon that we're bound for?"
"Fishin', lad. Where else can we be bound?"
I turned again, understanding now that the old man was serious, and
asked him if he supposed we could do any spying on the British fleet
while we were wasting time getting oysters or fish.
"Didn't the commodore allow that we should keep right on bein'
oystermen?" Darius asked with just a shade of impatience. "How do you
expect we can sneak around the British fleet unless we've got some
excuse for goin' there? It was in Joshua Barney's mind, the way I
looked at it, that we might sell oysters to the fleet, which would
account for our bein' among the vessels, an' to do that we've got to
put in a cargo."
It was plain enough, now that the old man had spoken of it, and I
understood that we had a bit of dredging before us in order to make
ready for the more important portion of the work.
"But after we get a load, Darius? Shall we sail boldly down the bay,
asking the Britishers to buy?"
"That's what I've been tryin' to make out. All of you can figger it
'cordin' to your own idees, an' then we'll talk it over."
Surely this was putting it fairly, and we tried to follow the old
man's advice, or, at least I did; but without arriving at any
satisfactory conclusion. The only plan I could put together was that
we first get our wares and then blunder ahead trying to sell them,
trusting to luck for the rest.
We were a silent crew for some time, as each fellow tried to think up
some brilliant scheme, and then, when midnight was nearly come, we had
arrived off Benedict.
"Why not go ashore for an hour?" Jerry suggested, and all of us gladly
agreed, I in particular, because I wished to see my mother once more
now there was no petulance in my heart on account of her willingness
to have me go into danger.
Darius had no relatives, or even very near friends, in the village,
therefore he volunteered to keep ship, and Jim Freeman set us ashore
in the canoe, taking two at a trip, after which each fellow went his
way.
My mother was overjoyed at seeing me so soon again, even though I
aroused her from sleep to open the door, and asked so many questions
that I could do no less than tell her all which had happened since I
last saw her.
She was frightened at learning what we were about to do, and showed it
plainly; but never a word did she speak against the project.
"If it is your duty, Amos, I have nothing to say, although I wish most
heartily that others had been pushed forward into danger, and in thus
speaking I am selfish, for then some other mother's heart would ache.
Be as prudent as you can without being cowardly, my boy, and may God
be ever with you. It is believed in the village that Elias Macomber
has gone to join the British, because he has not been seen since last
night; but if he should escape, Amos!"
"There is little fear of that, mother," I replied confidently.
"Commodore Barney is not the man Darius has pictured him, if he allows
such a villain to escape."
After this we talked of family matters until I went up stairs to look
at my sisters and brother who were asleep. Then the visit was come to
an end, and I went out into the night with a heavy heart; but
determined that my family should have no cause to blush for me.
I was the first to arrive at the shore, and, lying at full length in
the canoe, I waited until my comrades returned from their visit.
Jerry and Jim came in company, and appeared to be excited over
something, therefore to draw them on without asking any questions, I
repeated what my mother had said concerning Elias Macomber.
"Ay, that was the talk in town this forenoon," Jerry replied; "but now
people are saying that he came back just before sunset--"
"Back here to Benedict?" I cried in amazement.
"Ay, Jim's mother saw him as he went by her house on the way to his
own. She saluted him, but he made no reply--"
"But to be here he must have escaped!" I interrupted, unable to hold
my peace. "The commodore would not have set him at liberty without
telling us!"
"That goes without sayin', an' now what shall we do?" Jerry asked as
if he had some plan in mind.
"What can we do, except to get away before he brings some of his
cronies down here to make a row?"
"Jerry wants to catch him over again," Jim replied, since my partner
did not speak. "If he's alone in his house it wouldn't be such a
dreadful hard job, surely not as compared with what we did at the
mill."
It seemed as if our own safety demanded that we give some especial
attention to the traitor, and I proposed that we consult with Darius
at once.
This was agreeable to my companions, and we boarded the Avenger
without delay, rousing the old man to bitter wrath when we told that
Elias had escaped.
"Somebody will smart for bein' so careless!" he cried. "Joshua Barney
ain't the man to overlook anythin' of that kind. Do you allow there
may be traitors in the fleet? It looks mightily like it when a coward
like Macomber can give 'em the slip inside of twelve hours, for if he
was seen in this town at sunset, he must have been at liberty by noon,
ay, even before we got under way!"
"Jerry thinks we might catch him again, by going at once to his home,"
I said, impatient to make the attempt or set sail, for I was not easy
in mind at lying there while the villain was free.
"And Jerry is right!" Darius, exclaimed, darting into the cuddy and
returning in a twinkling with the old muskets. "See that these are
well loaded, lads, an' if we can lay hands on that cur again, I'll
attend to it that he don't walk off like a gentleman at large within
any very short time."
Well, we found the weapons in fit condition for immediate use, and
paddled ashore in a hurry, finding Josiah and Dody waiting for us.
They also had heard that Elias was in the village, and we knew beyond
a peradventure, even if we had not been certain before, that the cur
had slipped away from those who should have guarded him with their
lives.
It was not a long walk to Macomber's house, and on arriving there we
found the building closely shuttered as if deserted; but we were not
for taking outside indications as facts.
Although knowing full well that we were not proceeding in accordance
with the law, since we had no authority for forcing an entrance into a
dwelling, we burst open the rear door, and made thorough examination
of the place.
The household goods were tossed and tumbled about as if some one had
lately been there having little time to spare; but no living thing
could be found.
The traitor had no children, therefore flight with his wife would be
comparatively easy, and I was convinced that he had gone down the
river intending to claim protection from the enemy.
"That's what he has done!" Darius said emphatically when I gave words
to my belief. "It stands to reason that he went away in a boat, an'
there's just a chance we may come up with him yet! Let's get on board,
lads, an' if the Avenger knows how to sail we'll bring it out of her
this night."
Then we returned with all speed to the shore; but I had little hope we
could overtake the traitor, because he had at least three or four
hours the start, and a canoe might be paddled twice as fast as the
pungy would sail with such a light wind.
Darius, however, seemed certain we would overtake him, and urged us
lads to greater speed or more severe exertions until the little vessel
was under way, gliding down the river but little faster than the
current would carry a canoe even though no paddles were used.
So eager in the chase was Darius that he would not allow either of us
to go below, but insisted that all hands remain on the lookout, lest
we over-run the game, and losing no little time as he swung the
Avenger in close to this bank or that where the overhanging foliage
afforded a hiding place for a small boat.
Not until daylight did we arrive off St. Leonard's bay, and it goes
without saying that we had seen nothing of our traitor, neither had we
come across a craft of any kind.
"He's bound now to go on until he overtakes the British fleet," Darius
said angrily when the coming of daylight revealed the shores to us.
"We'll have the best of him once we're out of the river!"
"You can't keep up the chase much longer if we count on gettin' a
cargo of oysters," Jerry suggested, and the old man declared that he
would never throw over a dredge until it became certain that Macomber
had really escaped us.
But after some reflection he was willing to take back his words,
knowing we could not go very far into the lower bay without some
excuse for being there, and also realizing that we must never pursue
Elias within sight of any vessel of the fleet, otherwise he might give
such information as would cut short our career in this world.
With the coming of the new day the wind came out of the west with a
force that gave promise of providing the pungy with a goodly sized
bone in her teeth, and in case Macomber was no more than two hours in
advance there was yet some possibility of overtaking him.
We usually dredged for oysters off Hog Point, or Parker's creek,
therefore in a short time we would be on the fishing grounds, unless
we took the risk of standing across the mouth of the Potomac on the
chance of seeing the traitor, and I did not believe he would venture
to make that long stretch while the breeze was so strong.
By the time we arrived at the mouth of the river there was no
necessity of discussing the situation, for the chase had surely come
to an end.
However great his need of coming up with the British, Elias Macomber
knew too much to trust himself in a canoe on the open bay while the
wind held as it did, and we knew beyond a peradventure that if he had
not already gained the fleet, he was hiding on shore somewhere.
It would be folly to spend time in such a needle-in-the-haystack
business as looking for him on shore when we had no clue to guide us,
as even Darius was forced to admit, and, therefore, we set about the
work in hand, which was the dredging of oysters enough to give us
excuse for seeking out the enemy.
It seemed to all of us that we were in more danger through information
which Elias might give, than we would have been while playing the spy
with him safely cared for on one of the vessels of Commodore Barney's
flotilla, and we went about the work as if it was possible to feel the
chafing of British halters around our necks.
We began dredging exactly as we would have done had we been trying to
get a cargo for the Baltimore market, and never a sail did we see
during all that day, a fact which told us that the enemy was not yet
ready to open his campaign.
Not until well into the night would Darius allow that we had a
sufficient quantity of oysters to warrant us in finding purchasers,
and even then there was no more than fifteen bushels aboard.
"It will do for a starter," Jerry said when Jim Freeman proposed that
we spend one more day dredging.
"But the first Britisher we came across would buy as many as we've
got," Jim objected, and Jerry replied with the air of one who has
thoroughly turned the matter over in his mind:
"So much the better. We shall then have established ourselves in the
business, and can come back for another cargo. There will be less
suspicion of us the second time."
"I reckon you're right, lad," Darius said decidedly. "We can't expect
to gather much of any news the first pop, an' if we get acquainted, it
will be a long step in the right direction."
As a matter of course, the old man's opinion settled the question, and
we hauled around for a run down the bay, double reefing the mainsail
and jib, as was proper when you take into consideration the fact that
we had the same as no cargo aboard to give the pungy stiffness.
Up to this time neither one had made any proposition as to how we were
to begin operations, and I naturally concluded that we would sail
boldly up to the first craft we saw, asking if we could sell them
oysters, therefore I suggested, when we were standing off on a course
that would bring us on to the Tangier Islands:
"If we keep up this rate of speed, we may come upon the enemy while it
is yet night."
"Ay, lad, an' I'm thinkin' it would be a good plan."
"But people don't go out sellin' things before daylight," I said with
a laugh.
"I'm countin' on bein' properly interduced," Darius replied with a
grin. "If we're hailed, an' ordered to lay by till mornin', we shall
have one ship's crew that'll listen to us."
I did not understand this explanation more than if it had been given
in Latin; but the others appeared to be satisfied, and I held my peace
rather than display ignorance.
We kept our course a couple of hours, and, then, directly in a line
with the Tangiers, I saw the loom of what appeared to be a large ship.
"There's one of the fleet," I said in a whisper to Darius, who was at
the tiller, and he replied in a matter-of-fact tone:
"Ay, lad, I'm allowin' she's the Severn or the Narcissus, both of
which made it hot for the commodore in the Patuxent."
"How large are they?"
"The Severn should be carryin' thirty-eight guns, an' the other four
less, if I remember rightly."
"I had rather we made our first attempt with a smaller vessel," I
said, feeling decidedly uncomfortable in mind now we were so near
beginning the dangerous work.
"Bless you, lad, we might as well be overhauled by a frigate as a
sloop, so far as the chances of bein' found out are concerned; but
we're goin' through this business as slick as we did at the mill."
Darius held the Avenger straight for the enemy, and when we were come
within half a musket-shot I heard the hail we had been expecting:
"Sloop ahoy!"
"Ay, ay, sir!" Darius cried.
"What craft is that?"
"An oyster pungy with part of a cargo which we're hopin' to sell, sir.
Can we do any business with you?"
"Heave to, an' lay alongside until daylight."
"Very well, sir," the old man cried, and then he let fly a lot of
orders to us of the crew which would have shamed a landsman to utter,
for of a verity no sailor could have understood them.
However, by giving no heed to what he said, we brought the Avenger
into position; but I soon saw that the tide was setting us away from
the Britisher, and suggested that we let go the anchor.
To this the old man would not agree.
"Obey orders if you break owners," he said with a grin, and I knew he
had some reason for thus being so foolish.
However, to make a long story short, we remained hove to until day
dawned, and then we were within a cable's length of a large ship,
while a mile or more further up the bay was the vessel that had first
hailed.
"Ahoy on the sloop!" came from the second ship, and Darius replied in
the tone of a countryman:
"Ay, ay, sir."
"Why are you loafing around here?"
"We came down to sell some oysters; but the chap on t'other craft told
us to heave to, an' we've been driftin' 'round here ever since. I
dunno whether we ought'er go back to him, or try to sell you what few
bushels we've got."
"When did you take them?"
"Last night. Oh, they're fresh enough, if that's what you're thinkin'
of. Don't you want to try 'em?"
"What is the price?"
"Ten cents a bushel; that's what we ought'er get up to Baltimore, an'
I reckon we might knock off a little if we don't have to run there to
unload."
Then, without waiting for permission, Darius began giving us fool
orders intended to get the pungy under way, and we came lumbering
around under the ship's starboard, where we could have been blown into
the next world with no more labor than the lighting of a match.
Darius lifted one of the hatches and leaped into the hold ordering us
to "bear a hand lively that the gentlemen might taste the oysters,"
and passing up a basket full, shouting to me so loudly that he could
readily have been heard on the ship:
"Pass 'em over the side, Bubby dear, an' be careful how you fool
'round the rail!"
I should have laughed at his manner of speaking but that I knew he was
playing a part, and I did my best to obey the command.
The sailors of the ship, eager for anything by way of a change of
food, held out both hands invitingly for the fish, and I contrived to
swing the basket aboard.
Then it was that I saw an officer take charge of the fish, calling for
the after steward to come forward, and a moment later some one cried:
"Where's your captain?"
I sung out for Darius; but he pretended to misunderstand, and replied:
"They can have the lot for eight cents a bushel. Ask 'em if I shall
begin takin' 'em out?"
Then it was that I fancied he had some good reason for wanting to
remain out of sight, and I looked around in alarm to see what had
caused the trouble.