As had been agreed upon, we headed straight across for the Jersey shore, and I dare venture to say that every pair of eyes on deck were strained to catch the first view of a possible enemy as soon as we had come out from the shelter of the land. Save for the twinkling lights well up in the inner harbor, we saw no sign of any craft until having got well out into the bay, and then my heart came into my mouth when a small brig appeared, as if she had leaped up out of the water. That she had been well down on the other shore I understood at once, and her seemingly sudden appearance was due to the fact that she had hauled around, thus presenting her broadside, but I was none the less startled and alarmed. “Can she be one of the Britishers?” I asked in a whisper of Seth, believing she was much too small for a war vessel, and he replied softly: “There are three such craft in the fleet; small brigs carryin’ from four to six guns, an’ intended to do guard duty at a time like this when there’s a big stretch of water to be patrolled.” “It looks much as if she had come around to have a look at us,” I suggested, putting no faith in my own statement, and therefore I started again when he said promptly: “That’s exactly what she’s about, lad, an’ we shall be called upon to heave to for a visit, or get a fair idea of how skillful her gunners may be.” “We might as well surrender at once, as to let them come aboard, for with a prisoner in the cuddy, an’ a British marine on deck, we can’t stand very close inspection,” I said, striving to hold my voice steady. “Are you willin’ to take the chances of tryin’ to show your heels?” he asked almost in a whisper, as if my reply might be of the greatest importance to him, and Abraham, who had come aft to report the brig, replied sharply: “Of course we are! There’s nothin’ else to be done. I’d rather take the chances of bein’ sent to the bottom than give over the plan to help Abel Grant. It would be death for him, if we were overhauled now, an’ so it would be for you, Seth Hartley,” he added as he suddenly came to realize what discovery would cost our marine. “Ay, lad; but that isn’t to be reckoned against your safety--” “Our safety!” Abe cried, his voice sounding loud and shrill on the night air. “What safety is to be found in a British prison? I’d rather go to the bottom with the sloop, than aboard the Good Hope as prisoner! Besides, to heave to now would insure the freein’ of Luther Stedman, an’ that shan’t come about while I’ve got breath enough left to protest.” “What do you say, Sam?” I asked, minded that each member of our little party should have a voice in the matter. “I believe as does Abe; we’ll go through accordin’ to the agreement made with Barney Nelson, or lose our lives in the tryin’. Besides,” he added in a hopeful tone, “I’m not so certain but that the sloop can do a little more than stand her own with yonder Britisher while the wind holds as now.”