“Not much I don’t!” was the emphatic reply. “There’s a big difference ’twixt bein’ pulled up with a sharp turn by some of these ’ere Britishers, an’ gettin’ back to the town. Unless they set to work mighty soon, I’ll agree to keep out’er their clutches for quite a spell; but won’t agree that we can send word to New York whenever we feel like it. I’m allowin’, in case we’re left to do as we please, to haul in behind Coney Island when we get there, which is only what any honest fisherman would be likely to do.” Abe and Sam could not but overhear what had been said, and because they took the matter so quietly I fancied both had realized the situation some time before, while I, who was supposed to be the leader, had been the only one who failed to understand what was before us. “I’m reckonin’ we can carry a good bit of news back,” Abel Grant said thoughtfully. “We’ve had a fairly full view of the whole show, an’ should be able to say about how many guns there are in the fleet. Now if we could make a reasonable guess as to where they might be countin’ on makin’ a landin’, the first part of our job would be done in decent shape.” “Don’t you suppose they will sail directly up to the town?” I asked in surprise, for I was so thick-headed as to fancy such a fleet and army could do very nearly what they pleased. “The Britishers ain’t quite sich fools as to think our people can be walked over without kickin’ up any fuss, an’ you’ll see that they go kind’er cautious. Of course they’re likely to land somewhere on Long Island, an’ I’d give one of my ears to say where to a certainty,” and Abel Grant rubbed his chin as if by so doing he could the more readily solve the problem. “Who is to go back with word of what we have seen?” Abraham asked after a brief time of silence. “It seems to me that Abel ought to be the messenger.” “That’s where you’re way out of your reckonin’,” the “admiral” replied quickly and hotly. “I’m in charge of this ’ere fleet, an’ it never’d do to desert my post. Eph can’t leave, seein’s he’s commander of the land forces, so, ’cordin’ to my figgerin’, it lays ’twixt Abe an’ Sam.” I felt confident they would be glad of an opportunity to get away from the trouble that must come to us in case Abel Grant was in the right as to what Luther Stedman and his big friend might do; but much to my surprise both the lads wanted to stay, and if anything had been needed to prevent me from showing the white feather, it would have been the discussion that ensued as to which was entitled to remain in the place of danger. “I’m allowin’ that whoever is to go, leaves as soon after we come to anchor as he can get ashore,” Abel Grant said, interrupting the wordy quarrel between the boys. “You’ll never be able to settle the matter yourselves, without comin’ to blows, so s’posen you let Ephraim name the messenger?” “I wouldn’t be willing to do that,” and I did not really feel as if I had the right to do so.