Quick as a flash, Tom ran his fingers around the keg, until he found the plug. Working this loose a fine stream of black powder ran out and formed a little mound beside the keg. Tom hastily added more to this and spread it out in a thin line running toward the captain. Tim, grasping his idea, helped all he could to lengthen the thin trail of powder, and they soon had a fuse of considerable length running from the keg to the trap in the gun room. The mutineers were now starting toward the four prisoners, and as they approached to within a dozen yards of the keg, Tom cried out: "Keep back or we'll send this old boat to the bottom. Another step and I'll touch off these powder kegs in front of you!" CHAPTER IV. AN ENCOUNTER. After seeing Fritz scramble under the heap of straw in the corner of the hut, Dick's eyes roamed about the enclosure in search of a place to conceal himself. He could hear the Redcoats returning to the clearing after their fruitless pursuit of the two boys, and he knew that there was no time to waste before getting out of sight. Suddenly he hit upon the best remaining hiding place, an old grain chest in the corner, and quickly raising the lid he climbed inside and lowered it. For awhile all was silent, and just as Dick had decided that it would be wise to get out of his new residence and look about, he heard the indistinct murmur of voices, and heavy footsteps sounded on the cabin floor. "The rebel got out through the chimney," said the first voice. "Go along. He was too fat to get out of there," said the second. "Oh, I saw him, as I told you," repeated the first, "and if you hadn't been asleep on your job you'd have seen him, too." "Well, I don't care how he got out. So long as he's gone we can't help it," the disgruntled trooper replied. "For one, I'm glad he's out of this cozy box. I'm going to camp in here myself." "Ought to be room for four or five of us, I guess," another Redcoat chimed in. "And there's a nice stack of straw for my bed." "Poor Fritz," thought Dick. "Caught again. Well, if I'm able to get out of this I may be able to help him again. I'm afraid coming back here was a bad plan the way things are working out." A dispute had arisen, however, amongst the soldiers as to who was entitled to the heap of straw, and after some scuffling and much wordy war, they agreed to leave the straw where it was, and all slept on their blankets. "Hope Fritz doesn't get up and thank them for leaving him alone," Dick thought. "And now, with this pleasant little addition to our party, however are we going to get away?" The soldiers were soon rolled up in their coverings, and despite the excitement of their recent chase, they quickly dropped off to sleep, as Dick could tell from the constantly growing volume of snores.