“Your father, fearin’ lest I mightn’t take kindly to the job, gave me a hint of what would be done, an’ there’s no likelier spot than this in which to work the traverse. I’ll run the boat alongside near about midnight, an’ you two lads must attend to the rest of the work.” Having said this much old Silas walked away, as if unwilling to speak further on a disagreeable subject, and I sat on the rail aft, feeling more anger against Nathaniel Hubbard because it was he who forced us to such work, than for what he may have done against his country. Alec did not remain long below; in less than half an hour he was by my side, holding up what I soon saw was a key. “With this we can unlock the door of his prison. He is confined amidships in the petty officers’ quarters.” “How are we to get him out secretly?” “That is for us to decide. My brother will aid us so far as may be possible; but he must not take the chances of being known in the business. What does old Silas say?” “No more than that he’ll have a boat alongside at midnight. That is to be the extent of his work, as I understand it.” “How can it be done?” Alec said, half to himself, and it was beyond me to answer the question. In silence we two sat on the rail with eyes fixed upon the deck, trying to puzzle out what would have perplexed older heads than were on our shoulders. CHAPTER XIII. CRUISING. It lacked half an hour of midnight when I saw dimly in the gloom the outlines of a man in a boat on the port side of the brig, and knew that old Silas had fulfilled his promise. Alec and I had moved restlessly to and fro during the evening, sometimes walking together, and again separating for a time, as if courting loneliness; but without having arrived at any decision regarding a method by which the traitor could be secretly released. We had formed plans in plenty; but on discussing them some fatal defect was presented, and midnight was like to find us still undecided as to how the work might be performed. “We will trust to chances,” Alec said finally, after old Silas had made his boat fast and clambered up on the brig’s rail, where he seated himself. “It is not possible to figure out every detail beyond liability of failure, and we can only hold ourselves in readiness for whatever may happen.” This was not an unwise speech in view of the fact that we had racked our brains in vain during four hours or more, and it was with a most profound sense of relief that I gave over the mental effort. “Is it all arranged?” the old gunner asked in a hoarse whisper, when I passed near where he was sitting. “We have agreed upon nothing,” I replied. “At the last moment matters may turn in our favor.” “Does the traitor know what we are figuring on?” “I suppose Alec’s brother has given him a hint of how matters stand.” “Why not lounge around below, and see how the land lays?”