and there are many inquisitive ones in Benedict."
My heart gave a great bound. So it was Elias Macomber who was playing traitor, for even though he was born in England, the United States was his home by adoption, and to our people he was bound in honor.
If Darius could only get weapons so that we might capture the boat's crew, what joy would be mine to carry the base hound to Commodore Barney as a prisoner!
Elias was speaking in a low tone and rapidly to some one – whom I had no doubt was a British officer – , and I could only catch a word here and there; but it was enough to let me know that he was reporting all he had heard concerning the movements of the flotilla.
"At Nottingham yesterday," I heard. "Thirteen barges an' pungies, with the schooner Scorpion. Five hundred men all told. Well armed, an' knowin' how to use their weapons."
It was by such fragments of conversation as set down above that I knew Elias Macomber was giving all the information in his power to the enemy, and I resolved that some day he should pay the penalty of the crime, even though I was forced to pursue him single-handed.
When all the story had been told the officer asked:
"Can you give us a place on the river where we may lay by during the day? I am minded to have a look at the boats before going back to make report."
I bent forward eagerly to hear the reply:
"At a mill, five miles above here, you will find a friend by name of Essek Harland. He can give you all that may be needed."
"You shall go with us to make certain he takes us in."
"Very well, sir; but in that case I cannot get back home before morning."
"You should be able to pull eight miles with a current in a few hours, and I will pay for the hire of a boat."
"Very well, sir," Macomber replied in a tone of content, and I laughed inwardly with joy, for he would be our prisoner to a certainty if he came down the river alone.
Then the word was given for the oarsmen to resume their work, and we heard the light splashing of water as the boat was pulled up-stream.
After that all was silent once more, and Jerry came tip-toeing aft to whisper in my ear:
"Do you think Darius managed to give them the slip, or did they capture him?"
"It seems to me that the officer would have told Elias if he had taken a prisoner," I replied, and such fact gave me great satisfaction. "At all events he must be here soon if nothing has happened to his disadvantage."
Even as I spoke the canoe came out of the shadow, gliding lightly and noiselessly as thistledown, and we knew that Darius was safe, for the time being at least.
"Did you run across the boat when you went down?" I asked in a whisper as he came over the rail, and he stood silent as if with surprise.
"Didn't you see a boat?" Jerry asked impatiently, and the old man replied:
"I met with nothing either goin' or comin' an' I've brought back two muskets with a mighty small lot of powder an' ball; but it's better'n nothin'. What do you mean by a boat?"
Then we told him what we had heard, and when I mentioned the name of the traitor, he brought his hand down on his leg with a resounding thwack that might have been heard some distance away, as he said incautiously loud:
"We'll have that snake, lads, if we don't do anythin' more, an' he shall have a chance to see how the commodore looks when the Britishers come up the river!"
"Then it is for you to take command of the Avenger, Darius. The boat has not been gone from here above ten minutes, therefore it is likely to be some time before the traitor comes down stream."
"We won't wait here for him, lads. There's breeze enough stirrin' now to send the pungy against the current, an' we'll push ahead."
Sheltered by the trees as the vessel had been, we were ignorant of the fact that a night breeze was springing up, until the Avenger swung out into the stream, and then we found it as Darius had said.
The little craft could make about two miles an hour against the current, which, as I reckoned, was about what the boat could do with a couple of men at the oars, and I suggested to the old man that there was danger we might over-run our game.
He gave heed by sending all hands, save me, into the bow as lookouts, and steered a zig-zag course, which reduced our speed a full third.
"I don't believe I've ever heard of this Essek Harland you tell about," the old man said to me in a whisper, and, understanding that he desired all the information I could give concerning the miller, I replied:
"He's of much the same kidney as Elias Macomber, except that he was born in this country. A mean native of North Carolina, who starves his slaves, and makes them work twice as many hours as they should. He runs the mill, and it is said that all those who carry grist to him keep a sharp watch lest he take out too much toll. If he hides the Britishers, or gives them any information, it will be because they pay him, for he will do any mean thing for money."
"Have you ever heard it said whether he was for or against the war?"
"No, and I haven't heard his name spoken for a year or more. It would make little difference with him which side he was on, if the opposite party offered money they could buy him."
Then we fell silent again during half an hour or more, when Darius said:
"You shall tell me when we are within a mile of the mill; it won't be safe to run any nearer unless we have overhauled that snake of a Macomber."
I was so well acquainted with the river as to know every crook and turn for at least ten miles above Benedict, and when it seemed certain the pungy had run three miles or more, I kept a sharp look-out on the banks in order to comply with the old man's request.
It was just when I believed we were close upon the spot where the Avenger should be stopped, that Jerry came tip-toeing aft, waving his arms to attract our attention.
"Macomber has hove in sight!" Darius whispered. "Take the tiller, an' head her for his canoe!"
As he spoke he darted into the cuddy, returning a few seconds later with two muskets, and these he carried with him well forward.
I strained my eyes in vain for a view of the canoe, which should be coming right fast, with a favoring current, and had not yet made her out when Darius hailed:
"In the boat there! Whereabouts are our people?"
The old man had disguised his voice, and the traitor must have believed that we were a party of British coming to join those whom he had piloted, for he paddled alongside fearlessly, as he replied:
"Up the river half a mile or so."
"Can you show us the way?"
"Ay, that I can; but it will delay me in – "
He ceased speaking very suddenly, for at that moment Jerry incautiously came toward the port rail, and even though the night was dark, it was possible to see that he was neither a British soldier nor sailor.
Quickly he seized the paddle to shove off; but Darius thrust the muzzle of a musket in his very face, as he cried sharply:
"Pass
