Pierre had it all planned out, and, as I believed, in a most skillful manner. He proposed that after Uncle 'Rasmus had left the building, and had gotten say twenty or thirty yards on his road toward the Hamilton plantation, I should bring Horry Sims down to the lower floor, and there set him free with instructions for him to remain where he was a certain length of time, after which he was to go up and release Abel Hunt. Before this could be done I ought to be well toward the enemy's outer works, where I was to remain in hiding until all the Britishers had left their posts. This would give me the advantage of starting instantly the works were abandoned, and even before the last of the army had embarked, therefore was it reasonable to suppose I might gain speech with some of the officers of our army while there was yet time to draw the nets around the fleeing red-coats. "I will go whenever you shall say the word," was my reply after little Frenchie had explained thoroughly the plan. "But what is Saul to do in the meanwhile?" "I am counting that when you start for old Mary's cabin, he shall set off further to the eastward, where he will remain hidden as I propose you are to do, until the works have been abandoned." "And you yourself, Pierre?" "I am counting to wait here only until I see the boatmen return from the Gloucester shore to take on another cargo, and then I shall follow your example, giving no heed, however, to either you or Saul; but bending all my energies toward getting within the lines of our people with as little loss of time as may be." After this there was nothing for me to say, unless peradventure I had some fault to find with the plan, and I lingered only to press each of my comrades by the hand as I whispered: "God grant that we Minute Boys of York Town, as from this instant we will call ourselves, may be able to do that thing to-night which will result in the capture of Lord Cornwallis and all his troops!" Then I crept out from the shattered timbers, not taking overly great care to avoid making a noise for there were none who would pay particular attention to me at that time, and once free of the ruins I walked without undue haste in the direction of old Mary's cabin, knowing that I had ample time to do all which was set me before the way into the American lines would be opened. When I entered the cabin Uncle 'Rasmus was seated by the window, as he ever had been since we came into this place of refuge, patiently waiting for our coming, and surely the old man's heart must have been tried during that long, long day when we failed to give any token of our whereabouts, for he had good reason to fear, because of our continued absence, that some trouble had overtaken us. Yet there was never a word of repining or reproach upon his lips when I showed myself. "Bress de Lawd, honey; bress de Lawd dat you'se come back! Whar's de odder chillun?"