“Keep to your work, lads,” Gabriel whispered warningly. “The cost of bantering words may be too great, and we cannot afford to receive even the slightest wound if peradventure it can be avoided.” He had the right to take command at that moment, for I question if he had turned his eyes ever so slightly, however great was the provocation; but kept his gaze straight up-stream that we might not deviate from the direct course by so much as a single inch. However, he knew full well that we could not fail of being eager to know whether our pursuers were gaining on us, and said after a brief pause: “Work the paddles as you have begun, and we may give them the slip, even though the odds seem so great against us. I will tell you what they are about.” Then, as we forced the light skiff ahead, literally lifting her on the water, he called out whenever there was any change in the situation, thus picturing to us what we had no time to gaze at. “The soldiers are still running, and have not stopped to reload their weapons--Seth Hastings has turned about as if afraid to join in the chase--I can see no craft along the shore, and yet it must be the redcoats know of one, else why do they continue on foot instead of recharging their muskets? When one of you fellows gets winded, change places with me, for this speed must not be slackened! Now the bloody-backs have halted and are reloading--one has taken aim! Crouch low, boys! Crouch low!” Even as he spoke came the crackling of a weapon. A bullet struck the gunwale of the skiff within two inches of Archie’s hand, and I was dismayed because only a single gun had been fired. If they shot at us in a volley, the agony of anticipation would soon be over, whereas if each fired when he was ready we must be in continual apprehension of being hit. “Look out now, another man is making ready!” Gabriel continued, and a second later came the report of his weapon, followed almost immediately by a third and a fourth, whereat our helmsman shouted as if victory was assured: “Every bullet went wild! They are getting too much excited to be able to take aim! Keep the pace five minutes longer, and I dare venture to say we shall be out of range! Let me spell one of you now!” [Illustration: “‘FIVE MINUTES LONGER AND WE SHALL BE OUT OF RANGE!’”] “Stay where you are!” I shouted hoarsely. “We cannot afford to change places at such a time as this!” I might go on telling of this chase until whosoever may read would be wearied with the repetition of words, and at the same time fail in attempting to portray all the feverish excitement which was ours during the short race, for it was as if I lived an hour in every moment. Although perhaps no more than ten minutes elapsed from the time we swung the skiff out into the current until the soldiers turned back, understanding it was folly to pursue us further, it seemed to me as if the day was already spent when Gabriel cried: