“But the ships may not be here for an hour,” I protested. “So much the better,” he said, “for it gives us the more time.” We released him, and he followed his flying comrades. Whitestone and I looked ruefully after them, but I suggested that we continue our ride to the point. Even with the ships abreast us in the river, it would be easy for us to ride away and escape the British. We rode as rapidly as the ground would allow, and soon reached the point and the deserted battery. I could have sworn with vexation at the flight of our militia. It was a pretty battery, well planted, four trim eighteen pounders, plenty of powder, shot neatly piled, and a flag still flying from a tall pole. Whoever selected the place for the battery knew his business--which does not always happen in the military life. I looked again in the direction of the fleeing militia, but the back of the last man had disappeared. “What a pity!” I said regretfully to Whitestone. “At least they might have trimmed the rigging a little for those British ships down yonder.” “I don’t understand one thing,” said Whitestone. “What is it?” I asked. He took his pipe from his mouth and tapped the bowl of it significantly with the index finger of his left hand. “I can smoke that pipe, can’t I?” he asked. “I should think so!” “So could you if you had a chance, couldn’t you?” “Certainly.” “Those men who ran away could fire a cannon; so could----” “Do you mean it, Whitestone?” I asked, the blood flying to my head at the thought. “Mean it? I should think I did,” he replied. “I used to be in the artillery, and I can handle a cannon pretty well. So can you, I think. Here are the cannon, there’s ammunition a-plenty, and over us flies the brand-new flag. What more do you want?” He replaced his pipe in his mouth, sat down on the breech of a gun, and gave himself up to content. I looked at him in admiration. I approve of so many of Whitestone’s ideas, and I liked few better than this. I was young. “Good enough, Whitestone,” I said. “I, as commander, indorse the suggestion of my chief assistant.” We took our horses out of the range of the guns on the ships and fastened them securely, as we were thinking of our future needs. Then we came back to our battery. Evidently the original defenders had desired the battery to appear very formidable, for in addition to their real guns they had planted eight Quaker guns, which, seen from the center of the river, would look very threatening, I had no doubt. The four guns, genuine and true, were charged almost to the muzzle. “I think they have seen us,” said Whitestone, pointing to the ships. It was a strong fleet--frigates and sloops. It was plain that they had seen us and had not been expecting us, for the ships were taking in sail and hovering about in an uncertain way. Officers in gilt and gold stood on their decks watching us through glasses. “Keep down, Whitestone,” I said. “We must not give them any hint as to the size of our force.”