I gave him the best description in my power of what I had seen, taking care to make no reflections on the events of the day. He seemed much interested, and hastily writing a letter, as soon as it was copied, told me to return with it to Captain Hudson. When I got back to my boat I had no little difficulty in collecting my men, and soon after I shoved off I found that they were one and all drunk. As long as they pulled on I said nothing, but in a short time they began to grumble at having come away without more liquor. "What's the odds?" said one. "The shortest way is to go back and get it." "My idea, Sam!" cried another. "If we once get aboard our chance is over." "About, shipmates," exclaimed a third. "Never mind the youngster." "But you will have to mind me, my lads!" I exclaimed, springing up with my hanger in my hand. "You've made a mistake if you fancy that I allow tricks to be played with me." For a short time they were silent, and, hoping that I had cowed them by my promptitude, I again sat down in the stern-sheets. I kept my weapon in my right hand, however, for I was aware how completely I was in their power if they chose to proceed to extremities. I had come away without pistols, so that I had only my hanger to depend on, and they might, if they had acted together, have wrenched it from my grasp and, overpowering me, have hove me overboard. They would then have escaped without much difficulty to one of the nearest American posts and joined the rebels. While I was thinking over this very pleasant subject, and contemplating myself swimming for my life up East River, they again began to grumble. "I'll not pull another stroke!" cried one fellow with an oath. "Nor I! Nor I!" exclaimed others. Two, I remarked, did not speak; and addressing myself to them, I asked if they would join in so rascally and uncalled-for a mutiny. It was now getting very dark, and I could scarcely see the features of the men, so as to be prepared for what they were about to do. The boat lay motionless on the water. If I hesitated I was lost. "Take to your oars and give way, or I will cut you to pieces, you scoundrels!" I shouted, springing up and making a cut with my hanger at the hands of one of the most mutinous. "If you won't use your bands, I'll chop them off. Pull, I say!" I should have been as good as my word had not the fellow taken to his oar, while my blade struck the gunwale of the boat, by which the point was broken. The mutineers now rose in a body and seemed about to make a rush on me. On this, I began slashing away to keep them at bay, cutting them over the hands and arms pretty severely. The two men, one of whom pulled the stroke-oar and the one next him, now sang out that they would obey my orders. "Then we'll heave you all overboard together!" cried the most drunken of the mutineers. "Will you, my man?" I exclaimed, making a cut at him with my hanger. "Then take that first!"