"Col. Allen, you are a brave man, and can face the worst. I am told, though I ought not to tell you, that the American rebels have gained several advantages lately, and the British authorities are determined to stamp out the rebellion; so----" He paused. The man was ashamed to utter what he had heard. Gathering courage from Allen's silence he continued: "We are told that no prisoners are to be treated as prisoners of war, but as outlaws and rebels, to shoot whom will be considered a meritorious act." "And the object?" "Can you not see? It is to strike terror into the rebels." "So be it! But, mark me, I speak as a rebel, but also as a man, and I tell you that for every American hanged without due process of law, ten Englishmen shall die. Do not mistake me! I shall be a free man again, and shall make England suffer. The leaders of the Americans, called by you rebels, will know of this murder and will avenge it." The British officer made no reply, but waved his hand to the sergeant, who removed the ill-fated fifteen. By some chance Allen had omitted Eben's name from the fifteen, and while he regretted it at first, he was more than pleased now that the oversight had occurred. When the prisoners were removed to their part of the lower deck, Eben managed to get close to Allen. "You don't think they will hang those?" he asked. "I do not know, my boy. I think they are vile enough for anything." "I heard that officer, who came aboard with dispatches, say that there was a lot of the patriots close here." "Of our people?" "Yes." "That accounts for it, then. They will hang the prisoners as an act of defiance." "Colonel, I have an idea." "What is it, Eben?" "Come closer to me, for I must whisper very softly." Eben managed so that his mouth was very close to Allen's ear, and then he told of his plan. "I can slip over into the water when it is quite dark and swim to land; then I can make my way to the patriots and tell them the straits we are in." "You could not reach the land." "Not reach it? Why, colonel, have you forgotten how I swam across dear old Champlain and then back again?" "I am not likely to forget that." "Then I am sure I can do this little bit." "But they will fire on you?" "If they see me; and that is just what I am going to prevent." "How?" "Never mind that, colonel. Only give your consent and I will succeed, and I think I can save the lives of our friends." "Eben, you are very brave. Can you bear to think of your fate?" "I have thought of it. If we stay here we shall be hanged; if I fail to reach land I shall drown, and I think I would rather drown than be hanged. What say you, colonel?" "My dear fellow, you must act as you think best." "All right, colonel. Good-by; I may never see you again." "Good-by, Eben. Take care of yourself, and may Heaven bless you."