On that morning I had awakened just at break of day, and stood leisurely looking out from the mouth of the cave until, the vapors of the night lifting, showed this portion of the British fleet in motion. It can well be understood that I lost no time in arousing my companions. “I reckon it’s a case of settin’ out for Red Hook as soon as may be, lads!” I cried. “The Britishers are making a move.” Short though the time was before Abraham and Sam stood near me looking out over the water, the three ships had already gotten under way, and I believed we should set off on the instant to find Abel Grant, for this was that movement which we had been detailed to watch. Fortunately Abraham had sharper wit, and when I excitedly urged that he start on the journey without a second’s delay, he said, quietly pointing to the flatboats which were anchored off-shore and being rapidly filled with troops and guns: “Wait until we see in which direction yonder red-coats are goin’, for I reckon the general wants that information as well.” “Suppose I start off ahead to search for Abel Grant nearabout Gowanus bay, an’ by the time he has pulled inshore you will most likely have come,” Sam cried. Abraham favored this proposition; but looked to me as the leader to give the word, and Sam set off at once. Now it was reasonable to suppose that there were others who had been sent down by General Putnam for the purpose of giving timely warning of this movement; but that was no affair of ours, save that I burned to be the first who should arrive with the tidings, and waited with an impatience amounting almost to ill temper, until the ships that were under way came to an anchor in Gravesend bay, and Abraham said, as if well versed in all the arts of warfare: “Now do we know the whole story, lad. I have counted eighteen of yonder flatboats that, well filled with soldiers, are bein’ brought out from their anchorage, an’ these ships have come across to cover their landin’. Look! All the troops appear to be in motion; the encampment is broken up, an’ we may count on it that within the next two or three hours the force yonder will be on Long Island.” Now he was as eager as I to be off, and, leaving all our little belongings in the cave, thinking only of getting on board the sloop in the shortest possible space of time, we set out at full speed, regardless of whether Tory eyes beheld us or not, striking straight across to Yellow Hook, and from there along the line of the shore so that we might catch the first glimpse of the Swiftsure. “We’ve got a good wind for the voyage, and if so be our admiral don’t delay us by havin’ changed anchor-ground, we may possibly get ahead of any others who have been sent here for the same purpose as we,” Abe cried eagerly as we ran.