“I reckon I shall have to go for her, though my legs ache after so much walkin’,” Sam said grimly. “The sloop can’t get in here, no matter how long we wait, an’ an hour from now there will be more Tories around than will be pleasin’ to the sight.” He hurried away without loss of time, and I sat down on the sand with the prisoners, relieved at having got them thus near New York; but anything rather than comfortable in mind regarding the reception we might meet with from General Putnam. Sam came back with his father’s skiff, and we boarded the sloop without having been seen, as I believed, by any enemy from the time our journey was begun. Seth Hartley did not need to be told that the Tories were prisoners, after seeing that their hands were tied; but he asked no questions. “I’ll have breakfast ready in short order,” he said, at once setting about the work, “an’ I’m guessin’ you can get solid comfort by stretchin’ out in the bunks, for you must have traveled far an’ fast. Did you meet Abraham?” I told him of our running across the lad on the trail, and explained in fewest words possible why we had the Tories with us, asking his advice by saying: “Sam an’ I are tired, an’ about that there’s no mistake, but we don’t know how to arrange for a rest without first makin’ the prisoners fast in some way.” “Why not give them all the cabin? You can sleep as well on deck in this weather, an’ we’ll carry the stove into the cockpit. By makin’ the cuddy hatch fast, you’ll have the lads secure enough.” As he proposed so we did, he having first carried on deck all the provisions that might be needed, and then Sam and I stretched ourselves out on the locker in the cockpit, enjoying the chance to rest our limbs as we had never enjoyed anything of the kind before. That Seth appeared to take especial care not to ask any question the answer of which would give information as to what we had seen or heard, I set down to a desire that he might not be suspected of betraying secrets, therefore took good heed to avoid speaking of what had been done, save in a general manner; but my mind was so full of anxiety regarding our right to take prisoners that I could not but give words to the thought. “I don’t understand how you could have done different than bring the lads here,” the marine said thoughtfully. “Settin’ them free would only have been to offer another chance for workin’ mischief.” I did not expect he could set all my doubts at rest, therefore this answer satisfied me, and I put the matter from my mind in order the better to enjoy that which was at hand. Verily the food was delicious on that morning, and we ate of it--Sam and I, like lads who had been fasting eight and forty hours. Then, after suggesting that it be done, Seth carried into the cuddy a plentiful breakfast, with cold water in abundance, and after closing the hatch again and fastening it with the iron bolt made for that purpose, he said: