“We had better go off unarmed and hungry, than not go at all,” I replied quickly, at the same time glancing toward Gabriel in the hope that he might read in my face somewhat of the distrust which was in my heart; but, honest even to a fault as he was, he failed to take the hint, and on the instant began arguing with me as to why we should delay our departure for at least eight and forty hours. All the reasons for delay which Gabriel and Archie brought up were good, and not to be combated by me justly, for it seemed little less than folly for four lads to set off empty-handed, with no plausible pretext for such a journey, and take every risk of being arrested by the first of the king’s troops whom they might come across. Gabriel claimed that by delaying no more than four and twenty hours we could enlist a full dozen lads, and in the meanwhile, perhaps, gain possession of arms, all of which I knew to be true. Archie insisted that even though we were able to join General Marion as we counted on, it would be a sorry reception we should receive, for, without weapons and lacking food, we might be an incumbrance rather than assistance to the cause. I fancied that Seth, after listening to these well-founded arguments, and as it seemed to me turning them over fully in his mind, was unduly eager for delay, all of which I attributed to his desire to play us some trick which would prove our undoing. Therefore did I insist all the more strongly that we set off without the delay of a single minute, urging the matter so vehemently that it was as if they grew weary with trying to convince me of my own folly, and agreed to start whenever I should say the word. Then it was that I showed myself a fool beyond question, for, having gained the point, I should have carried out the plan fully even as I had shown myself eager to do; but at the last moment, when there was no refusal on the part of my comrades, and even Seth Hastings seemed willing to abide by the decision, I played the simple. Having suddenly grown timid at the thought of setting off without so much as would serve to sustain life during four and twenty hours, I proposed that we separate to gather up such food as might be got at immediately, meeting an hour later at the place where Archie said the skiff was hidden. I, who had been so suspicious, and the only one to distrust Seth, had in the very moment of persuading my comrades to do as I desired, given him every opportunity to play the traitor, for surely an hour was as good as four and twenty if he was disposed to work us harm. However, in my thick-headedness I failed to take heed of this fact, even though to this day it puzzles me to understand how I should have been such a blunderer, and believed that he, like the other members of the party, would spend all his time collecting so much in the way of provisions as might serve to save us from actual suffering.