“You ought to be a Lord Somebody who sailed with the captain on the _Dartmouth_ when that tea was brought over from England,” said Jack. “Guess I will. Jim can tow the raft over to the bank, and those of you who are colonists must hurry across the bridge to the other side. We British will stay here and pile up the cargo of tea and sail the raft across the creek. “When we sail into Boston harbor you must try to keep us out, and that is the way the fight will begin. Whichever side wins can take the raft, and cargo and sail it wherever they like,” explained George. It had not been Jack’s plan to have George take the first ride on the raft, nor, indeed, command the warship, but having said it he could not very well change the order, so the next best plan was to sail with Lord Somebody, with Jim the captain. The captain, so proud of his title and position, forgot about his muddy appearance, and eagerly hauled the cumbersome raft to the bank. “S’posin’ you girls and John be the colonists on the other bank. You must use the guns and anything you can to keep us from landing the tea,” said Jack. As neither Anne nor Martha wished to risk their dry clothes on the tipsy-looking raft, this suggestion met with their fullest approval; but John grew sulky, as he wanted to try the raft. “It’s made of my father’s boards, too!” grumbled John. “What’s that?” shouted Jack, now engaged in loading the ship with chests. “Nothing much! I don’t see any fun in this fight, that’s all,” complained John. “Oh, but there will be! Just wait till we get in that row in Boston harbor! Hurry across and be ready for us,” cried George, who half-suspected John of jealousy, and, at the same time, felt he was guilty of selfishness himself. The tea was stacked in its boxes on the ship _Dartmouth_, and the three, Captain Jim and the English baronets, as passengers, set sail for Boston harbor. On the American side, Martha had found an old apple tree near the bridge, the fruit of which had lain so long on the damp ground that the apples were rotted within and soft as pulp, the skins being the only sound part of the fruit. “Wouldn’t they make fine cannon-balls?” exulted Martha. “Oo-oh, let’s!” cried Anne, and John, coming up just then, felt a secret joy in planning how he would fire those cannon-balls at the men on the ship. So, without a hint of the ammunition being quickly transferred from the apple tree to the site of Boston, the three brave and eager colonists awaited the coming of the tea cargo. CHAPTER VI THE BATTLE OF BOSTON “We’re stuck!” declared Jack, as they tried to shove off from the bank now said to be England. “And every time I push the water comes up over my shoes,” said George, looking dolefully at his soaked shoes and stockings. “Let’s pull them off and fling them over on the bank,” suggested Jack.