“I ain’t jest certain how the trick may be worked; but with everythin’ shut in by the smother, it seems as if we might turn it to our advantage. I reckon it’s best we don’t make overly much talk here, for if the marine hears us whisperin’ he’ll guess, unless his head is thicker than I allow for, that we’ve got some scheme afoot.” So far as I could judge, it made little difference whether he suspected anything or not, for surely so long as we were made fast to the ship, and he remained aboard to see that we did not attempt to change the position of affairs, we were powerless. After sitting still while one might have counted twenty, Abel whispered to me that I was to open the hatch, and stand at the head of the cuddy stairs talking on whatsoever subject came to my mind, with himself and Abraham, regardless of what answers they might make. “It’s just to show yourself, an’ see to it that the bloomin’ marine don’t get overly suspicious,” he said in conclusion, and then began crawling over the stores into the very forepeak of the sloop. Wondering what sort of a plan he might have in mind when it seemed certain none could avail us, but yet knowing that he must have settled upon something, I obeyed, opening the hatch only so far as was needed in order to peer out, when I saw that there could be no mistake as to the fog storm. Never had I known the gray vapor so dense; turning my head I could see only dimly the outlines of the ship, astern of which we rode within fifteen or twenty yards, and despite the gravity of the situation I could not have restrained myself from smiling at the disconsolate figure of the marine who, enveloped in oil-skins, was humped up in the stern-sheets as forlorn a royalist spectacle as a Whig could possibly wish to see. “I reckon we haven’t lost anythin’ by bein’ forced to tail on behind your vessel,” I said in a friendly tone, thinking it was as well to enter into conversation with the guard as with my comrades. “In this smother there’ll be no fishin’, an’ even if we had put out, it would be a case of gettin’ back under the lee of the island again.” “I wish you an’ all the bloomin’ colonists in this blasted country had been sunk before ever I enlisted to come over here an’ show you your duty to the king,” the marine growled, wiping off the drops of water which were trickling down his nose, with the sleeve of his coat. “Well, there’s one thing about it,” I said laughingly, and if anything could give a fellow comfort it was the picture of that unhappy lobster-back, “we colonists didn’t ask you to come, an’ would have been well content had you staid at home, if this is the way we’re to be used.” “I can’t see but what you are havin’ the best of this business,” he growled. “In what way?” “You can stay snug in the cabin while I’m under orders to sit here with this blasted fog drenchin’ the life out of me.” “Why don’t you come below?” “Because my orders were to stay here.”