The Britisher showed good sound sense when he resigned himself to the inevitable. He must have known beyond a peradventure that we were desperate, and would not hesitate to carry out any threat which had been made, therefore he opened his mouth meekly at the same time that Abraham took the musket from his hands, and we soon had him gagged. Now Abel Grant lowered his weapon and at the same time took up the end of the main sheet, making two or three turns around the Britisher’s head in such a manner that my cap was held firmly in place as a gag. We had wiped the marine out of the problem, and now came the question as to whether there was seamanship enough among us to finish that which had been so well begun. “We won’t be in any great haste about making sail,” Abel Grant said in a whisper. “First and foremost we’ll get this lobster-back into the cuddy; lash him up where he can’t move, an’ that done, I’m allowin’ we’d best drift a full hour, unless we hear some token from the frigate, seein’s how the current and the wind are both workin’ our way.” With three of us to truss up the prisoner the task was not a long one, more particularly since he offered no resistance whatever, but resigned himself entirely to our will, and because of such resignation we treated him with more of tenderness than I had ever believed I could show toward one who wore a red coat. He was bundled into a bunk with a bit of spare canvas under his head for a pillow, and we three stood in the cockpit together, straining our ears to listen for some token from the frigate which should tell that the escape was discovered. Then it was that I thought to ask of Abel Grant a question: “Was your musket loaded?” “Never a bit of it,” he replied with a grin; “but the lobster-back didn’t know that.” CHAPTER VI. THE PRISONER. When, as nearly as we could guess, an hour passed and nothing had been heard betokening pursuit, we on the sloop were in the best of spirits, for, even though a short time before escape had seemed absolutely impossible, it was certain we had shaken off our captors--as Abraham said triumphantly, we had pulled wool over the eyes of the entire British fleet. “Now do I hope that Luther Stedman and his big friend were the ones who gave information concernin’ us!” the lad said with a loud laugh, as if it delighted him to hear the sound of his own voice once more. “They counted on jeerin’ at us when we were in the frigate’s prison, an’ now we are the ones who can do the crowin’.” “Ay, when we shall be actually free,” I added. “Just now the enemy’s fleet lies between us and our friends, and the question is how we are to get past them, for I’m allowin’ that neither you nor Abel count on our cruisin’ ’round at sea, even though we do happen to have provisions for a long voyage.” “It’s enough for me that we have slipped off so nicely, when it was believed we were as helpless as rats in a trap,” and again Abraham gave himself up to mirth.