"I was delayed in the village, for your orders were that I must get away without its being known, 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: