Before we reached the hatchway the boat was alongside and an officer climbed quickly on deck, where he was met by the sergeant. "The Governor sends his compliments to Captain Cahill, and wishes him to send the prisoners he took to-day to the frigate for examination," said the officer, and as he spoke I recognized him as Captain Foy's under-lieutenant whom I had met several times before at Harrison's house. I called to him before anyone could stop me, and the next instant we were shaking hands before the astonished soldiers. "You have come in good time, Mr. Jones," I said, "and for Heaven's sake get us clear of this vessel and its lunatic skipper." He laughed heartily as the sergeant came up and saluted. "This way, if ye plase," said that soldier, and he led him aft. A few minutes later the sergeant came forward, accompanied by Mr. Jones of the _Fowey_, frigate, and we were ushered over the side just as the lookout, forward, struck off three bells. "'Twas a narrer escape, me son," whispered the sergeant to Will as he went over the side. The next minute we were on our way to the frigate. CHAPTER VI "It's all very well for your lordship to laugh," said Will, an hour later, after we had been served with an excellent meal, washed down by delicious wine, at the Governor's cabin table, "but had you been busy with other matters to-night, we would have been comfortably buoyed in the mud at the bottom of the river." "He is an uncommon rascal, that Cahill," laughed Dunmore, "but, my dear Byrd, you should not take arms against His Majesty's Governor, even in fun. Ha! ha! It would have been droll, 'pon my word, ha! ha! May the Lord roast me if it would not have been a joke to have seen you three gentlemen buoyed in this most muddy stream. It is a revelation, Byrd, a revelation, sir, from Providence. A sign of the times and an omen for you to take advantage of without delay. It is an insight into the future and should hurry you to take up arms in His Majesty's just cause. Think of it, if it had not been for his Majesty, the King--as represented by myself--you would have been at the bottom of the river to-night to remain there, perhaps, through all eternity; for I take it that the angel Gabriel would have to blow a mighty blast to lift you out of this most sticky Virginia soil." "But if it hadn't been for His Majesty, the King, as represented by that truculent skipper on the schooner over there, we might now be dining in the charming company of Miss Judkins and Miss Carter, to say nothing of the mistress of Judkins Hall," said Barron, smiling at Dunmore with a beaming face. "And have lost the honor of dining with his excellency, the Governor," I put in hurriedly, for I thought I perceived an uncomfortable look gather on his lordship's countenance. The two officers present, Captains Foy and Graham, also began to look a trifle annoyed.