“You lads may sleep now, trustin’ that your prisoners won’t be tampered with by me. I have never had any love for Tories, believin’ the people of a colony should hang together at a time like this, for men that will work harm to neighbors in favor of a king they’ve never seen an’ who doesn’t give a rap whether they live or die, are poor cattle.” “We’re not a little bit afraid you’ll do anythin’ that ain’t straight an’ above-board,” Sam said sleepily, and then, rolling himself into a more comfortable position on the locker, the lad’s eyes closed in slumber. Within a couple of minutes I followed his example, and when next I was conscious of my surroundings, Abel Grant stood looking down into the cuddy as if in there was to be seen some strange animal. It goes without saying that I was called upon to relate the whole story immediately he saw my eyes were open; but I refused to begin until after he had told us of his trip to New York, and Seth aroused Sam that he might hear the conversation. “There’s nothin’ to be told, lad,” Abel Grant said irritably, for he was in a hurry to hear how we had got hold of Luther and Ezra. “I repeated all that Abraham told me, an’ explained to the general why one of you Minute Boys hadn’t made the report. He allowed it was jest as well for me to come, an’ much the same as said he was expectin’ the Britishers would begin landin’ men on the Long Island shore mighty soon. It’s the early news of anythin’ like that he wants, an’ I’m told to say you’re to count the minutes precious till he’s been told. I didn’t stay above five minutes at headquarters, so that’s all there is to my yarn. Now let me have yours.” I wasn’t chary of going into the details when I told of how Sam and I had been captured, and the way in which we had turned the tables. The story was a long one, and when finally I was come to the end Abel asked like a simple: “Wa’al, now what’er you goin’ to do with ’em?” “Deliver them over to General Putnam.” “Do you know that he wants ’em?” “I reckon that can soon be learned. At all events, if we’re to be of any service spyin’ upon the fleet, they can’t be left at liberty, otherwise the Minute Boys will wind up their career in prison aboard one of the king’s ships.” “You’re right in that, lad, an’ I was a fool for askin’ the question. I’m allowin’ you’ll start for the Narrows agin’ ’long ’bout sundown?” I explained that Abraham would leave his post of duty when the night was so far come that it would not be possible to see anything on the opposite shore, and we would be there to take his place at sunrise. “Then it’ll be him who’ll deliver the prisoners to the general. We’re goin’ to have quite a stiff little breeze to-night, ’cordin’ to all the signs, an’ I can set him across in short order after he comes aboard.”