“Ay, for the next three days, if thereby we can keep the more secret our movements. Do you know of any place nearabout that will serve us?” “On the other side of this hill is a sort of cave made by takin’ out rock for a fort at Red Hook, an’ I dare say we could find there somethin’ in the way of a shelter, although in case the lobster-backs were on our trail, it wouldn’t be difficult to smoke us out,” and Abe pointed in the direction of the old quarry, as we lads called it, although hardly more than a year had elapsed since it was first opened. “Then if so be you’re willin’, we’ll take to cover without delay. Don’t make the mistake of thinkin’ that I’m tryin’ to take command of this party,” Seth Hartley added quickly, mistaking the expression on my face. “I’m ready to do whatsoever you shall think best; but at the same time am beggin’ you, for your own safety, to follow my advice.” How could we do other than as he suggested? There could be no question but that he was in the right, and surely if Abel Grant was already on board the prison ship it mattered little whether we arrived within one day or ten, for if there was to be a successful issue of our plans, it could only come about through our keeping secret every movement. Abraham led us by the most direct course to what had been called a quarry, although it was little more than an excavation, with huge fragments of rock lying everywhere about, amid which could be no difficulty in hiding ourselves, and, save by accident, there was little fear either Tory or Britisher would come that way. We were not obliged to spend many moments in searching for what was desired. On going straight into the quarry we came upon the place where evidently the last blast had been made, and the rock shattered by the powder had not yet been removed. There we found a space no larger than the cuddy of the sloop, where we would be sheltered from view of any save those who might make an exhaustive search, and I question if there was a better hiding place on the island, for such as we. “This is snug enough,” Sam said as we crawled in and began clearing away the smaller pieces of rock to admit of our sitting down with some degree of comfort; “but the trouble is that we’ve got fifteen long hours to spend here.” “Ay, fully that,” Seth said cheerily, “for if you are correct as to the distance between us an’ the bay, we ought not to set out again before midnight, therefore I’m countin’ that we can spend the time profitably since the sleep we should have gotten last night is yet to be enjoyed.”