We had our arms full of packages by this time, and it did not take us long to load them into the canoe, after which we paddled among the fleet having a bundle or message for some person aboard nearly every craft in the river. It was not until our work was nearly done that I came upon my father and he received me as if expecting I would come. "When did you arrive at Benedict?" he asked. "Yesterday noon, sir." "You couldn't well have got here earlier because of the wind. I allowed you would join us as soon as possible." "Then you think, father, that I should serve under the commodore, taking the chances of losing the pungy after having paid so much money for her?" "Don't you?" he asked sharply, and I could do no less than reply as he expected I would. Thus it was settled beyond a peradventure that the Avenger and her crew should become a portion of Commodore Barney's flotilla, and I really felt better in mind after the question had been definitely decided. We stopped long enough to give father a detailed account of our adventures, and by the way he slapped me on the back after the story was brought to an end, I knew that he felt right well pleased because I had begun serving my country in such a satisfactory manner. When we returned to the Avenger after our round of visits, we found Jim Freeman and his friends keeping ship in great style. They were looking as proud as peacocks, and I failed to understand the meaning of it all, for ordinarily they were meek lads, until Jim whispered: "The commodore is a mighty nice man." "Ay, that he is," I replied, thinking that Darius had been drilling the crew in our absence to sing the praises of Joshua Barney both in and out of season. "We're goin' to have a chance to do some big things." "Why do you think so?" "Because when Darius gave the word that the pungy had better be hauled down stream a bit an' anchored, the commodore put a stop to it, by allowin' that he wanted this craft where he could put his hand on her." "And because of that you think that we are to play an important part in this portion of the war, eh?" "It looks like it for a fact," Jim replied, strutting to and fro, and I could not but laugh outright, for the idea that we might be called upon to do more than any others seemed ridiculous. Matters began to wear a different look a moment later, however, when an officer came over from the Scorpion, and said that the commodore would have speech with Jerry and me. "Where is Darius?" I asked, looking around without seeing the old man. "He's been aboard the schooner this last half hour an' I've taken particular notice that everybody else is kept out of the cabin," Jim replied. "That's one reason why I'm so certain we'll have a soft time of it while we stay with the fleet."