Parting the stalks, he trained the glass on Claggett Chew's ship. It was a fine, rich vessel, that was evident, and swarming with activity. At this hour of dusk, other boats along the river had stopped their commerce for the day and there were none to observe what Claggett Chew might be about. Chris and Amos were the only watchers. The cannon balls and ammunition were taken out in boats and hoisted up in nets. Chris observed everything closely, and saw still other crewmen disappearing with their burdens down the hold. Then something caught his eye and he examined the name along the side through the spyglass. Curious, thought Chris, that all the letters of the ship's name seemed exact except the second and third. Among the other letters of carved and gilded wood, the _E_ and _N_ were not quite as straight in line as the rest. Oh well, Chris thought, it's doubtless a custom of the time for all I know. Putting the glass in his pocket, he rejoined Amos, but as he did so the last two sailors put down their cannon balls and wiped the sweat off their foreheads with their arms. In the ensuing silence the rustle of the rushes as Chris and Amos moved away was plainly to be heard. [Illustration] "What's that?" one man cried out. "Is a spy there? Here--take this club and beat about--we'll catch 'em!" The two men charged into the marsh so fast that Chris barely had time to whisper to Amos: "Hurry Amos--run! I'll be all right. I'll draw them off! I'll meet you where we ford the stream!" Amos safely out of sight, the men came only on a stray dog foraging for rats, wagging its tail and letting out a yip or two as it followed a scent along the ground. "Give it a kick--there--it's only a stray dog," one said. "Oh--devil take it--what do I care?" answered the other, turning back. The dog lay panting at the river's edge. Looking past the ship as it rested, it saw what it thought was snow upon the water and the banks. But it was just thousands of ducks migrating south, and when they rose to move farther away, the sky was overcast and thunderous with their wings. [Illustration] Long after dark, cold, dirty, and quite wet, the two boys reached the house on Water Street. "Where did you go?" Becky inquired, frowning with solicitude at the bedraggled pair. "Oh, no place much," Chris answered, yawning. CHAPTER 17 The following morning while Chris was telling Mr. Wicker of the ammunition being loaded on the _Venture_, Becky Boozer announced a visit from Captain Blizzard and Elisha Finney. "Show them in, Becky," Mr. Wicker told her. To Chris he said, "I wonder what brings them here so early? It must be a matter of some importance. Stay with me, Christopher. I shall present you to the Captain."