This whining gave me a sensation as of nausea, and I turned away in a rage. The idea of such as he doing whatsoever he could to bring us to a prison, so long as all the odds were in his favor, and then fawning like a sick kitten when we had the upper hand! I can see something to admire in an enemy who stands up manfully, however many the chances against him; but when man or lad shows the white feather, I’ve nothing but the veriest contempt for him. Perhaps this comes from the fact of my having felt timorous so many times when everything looked dark; but I can say in all truth that however much of cowardice may have been in my heart, no one ever could say that he saw any signs of it. When Abraham came on deck after having taken the gag from Luther’s mouth, Sam said, as if a happy thought had just come to him: “If yonder Tory is in such a funk, now would be a good time to find out how it was he escaped from prison. That has been in my mind ever since the attack on the sloop at the ferry stairs, an’ I’d give much to have the mystery cleared.” “I’ve got the story already,” Abe replied as a frown overspread his face. “The Tory an’ I have had little else to do than clear up such mysteries as that in which he was concerned, an’ among the first questions I put to him was regardin’ his escape.” “An’ he told you?” I asked eagerly. “He is much too frightened an’ cowardly to do other than I demanded. That cur would betray his warmest friend, if by so doin’ he might benefit himself.” “How did he get free?” Sam cried impatiently. “It isn’t a very pleasant story to hear,” Abraham said gravely, and by the expression on his face I understood that we were to learn of some treachery. “It seems that Master Dyker, Jethro’s father, he whom we have ever believed a good friend to the Cause, was the one who worked the trick, an’ since he did so it is proof that he has been playin’ us false all this while.” Next to my own father, Master Dyker was the one whom I believed true to the Cause, and the fact that he had shown himself to be a traitor was well calculated to make a fellow distrustful of every one around. It seemed so incredible that, after I was somewhat recovered from the stupefaction which came upon me with the information, I asked Abraham if he was convinced the truth had been told, or if Luther Stedman might not be lying for some secret purpose. “There can be no question about it,” the lad said sorrowfully. “I have questioned the Tory so sharply that if he had been lyin’ I must have tripped him up. Since the night when we were attacked by the gang that acted under his orders, I have been askin’ myself how it was they got hold of a sufficient number of boats in which to cross from New York to Brooklyn, when every craft had been secured for use of the army, an’ he has explained that Master Dyker outfitted the party. I have even seen the receipt for money paid by Luther on that date.”