"In which event I'm afraid we can't be of much assistance to the poor fellow. The Britishers will take good care that their prisoners don't escape." "I'm not so certain about that," Jerry replied stoutly. "In case we have time enough, it should be possible to do somethin'. If we could let him know that we're near at hand I'll go bail he'd cook up some kind of a plan." While thus talking we had been walking at a reasonably rapid pace toward the ruins of the arsenal, and were now arrived so near that it was possible to see the red-coated sentries pacing to and fro in front of the building. At one side a number of soldiers were bivouacked, probably that they might be on hand in case the prisoners attempted to rise against the keepers, and here, there, everywhere were curious ones--perhaps some interested as were we--gazing at the small building where were so many brave fellows, most likely penned up like cattle. "The greater number of those idlers must be townspeople, and since they are allowed to loiter around the buildin' there's no good reason why we shouldn't do the same," Jerry said as I came to a halt, and he had hardly more than spoken before he stepped back very suddenly, pulling me with him. "What's the matter?" I asked in alarm, for at such a time one's fears rise rapidly. "Look at that fellow who is standin' on his tiptoes to look in at the window!" my partner whispered, and obeying, I saw that miserable cur whom we had twice captured, and who had contrived to escape us the same number of times. "Elias Macomber!" I cried involuntarily. "Ay," Jerry replied, "an' now I can read you the whole riddle. Darius came around this way when the prisoners were set free; Macomber saw him, and gave information to the enemy, thus causin' the old man's arrest. Now the villain is tryin' to get a glimpse of the sailor in order to crow over him!" I had no doubt but that the lad had come very near the truth in his guessing; but I did not speculate upon it very long, for the question in my mind was whether we could be of any service to the old man who had served us so truly and faithfully. "What's to be done?" Jerry asked as we stepped behind a clump of bushes in a nearby garden where we might not be seen by the fellow who would have rejoiced if he could have put us in the same place with Darius. At the moment Jerry spoke I had never an idea as to what might be done; but I replied as if the plan was plainly mapped out in my mind: "You shall go back to the smoke-house and tell father and the lads what we have learned. Say that we may not be back until dark; but they are to stay under cover no matter what happens, short of being discovered by the British. I'll watch here till Macomber goes away, for he isn't likely to play at that game all day, and you should be back within an hour."