Though there appeared to be no one in the streets, for all the idlers had gone down to the wharf, there were people in the houses. Among the latter was Miss Susy Wellington, who had pulled an oar in the Marian. She had gone home to change her wet dress for a dry one, and saw from her chamber window the capture of Paul Bristol by the ruffians. She had heard something in the boat about Paul's battle with Major Billcord and his son, and she had some idea of the occasion of the assault upon the son of toil. While Mad Twinker and his fellow-ruffians were hurrying their prisoner to the creek, she hastened down to the wharf. On her way she stopped at Bissell's store, where she had worked with Lily Bristol. She learned that her employer had gone off in the sloop again, and that some of the Chesterfields had just hired the four-oar boat. She continued on her way, and soon saw the two students in her employer's boat, pulling rapidly towards the head of the bay. When she reached the end of the wharf she waved her handkerchief to the Marian, and beckoned with all her might with her hand. Dick Short gave the order "Stern all!" and the barge backed up within hail of the fair oarswoman. The coxswain asked her if she desired to pull an oar in the barge again. "We are waiting for Paul Bristol, and he ought to be on board by this time," added Dick. "If he don't come, you can take his place." "No, I thank you, Mr. Coxswain," replied Miss Susy, and she proceeded to detail what she had seen from her window. "Paul a prisoner!" exclaimed Dick, thoroughly aroused by the intelligence. "Stand by! Give way lively!" He ran the Marian under the stern of the Gildrock, and reported the astounding intelligence to Commodore Chester. "A prisoner!" exclaimed Oscar, startled by the news. "Where is he now?" "Do you see that boat near the head of the bay? Two of the six fellows who captured Paul were sent for the boat, while the others took him in that direction." "This looks like serious business. The Chesterfield barges both lie between us and that small boat," continued Oscar Chester. The Gildrock was hauled around so that the commodore could confer with Thad Glovering. The details were repeated so that all the students in the three barges heard the whole story. "It looks as though the rascals were going to bring Paul off in that boat, and put him on board of the Racer or the Dasher," which were the names of the two Chesterfield barges. "Then, if we pull up there in a hurry, we may be able to get him away from them," added Thad Glovering. "On the other hand, if the fellows in charge of the prisoner see our barges coming, they will put Paul ashore." It was a difficult point to settle. CHAPTER XIX. A DEADLOCK AT THE HEAD OF THE BAY.