"We shall have to make a change, Steve," said his father. "Just hunt out some old clothes from the lockers down below. They will serve a double purpose. We shall be more comfortable, and then, in case of our meeting another ship sailing under French colours, we shall pass all the easier."
That night, as the darkness began to get deeper, the ship was anchored close in to the southern bank, and remained swinging to her cable there till the dawn came again. Then she went on her course again. And so, without incident, the sea was reached, the island now known as Prince Edward Island sighted, and finally the bleak slopes of Cape Breton Island.
"If monsieur would allow us to escape in the boat within the next few hours we could reach our friends in Louisbourg," said the sailor who had spoken for his comrades before. "The wind is fair for us, and we should not have a long pull."
Steve and his friends at once agreed, the boat was pulled alongside, and food and water lowered. Then Mr. Mainwaring presented each of the six sailors with a small sum of money and sent them down to the boat. They pushed off, waved their adieux, and put out their oars. Then the tiller of the big ship was put up again, the sails filled, and she bore away to the far end of the island. Rounding that, and giving the land a wide berth, the party aboard saw a ship stealing along close to the island. At her fore flew the fleur de lis of France, and sighting the boat out in the offing, her head was turned and she came surging out towards Steve and his friends.
"She is a big boat. It would be hard if we were to see the inside of a French prison after all our trouble," smiled Mr. Mainwaring. "But I doubt that she will have the courage to come far, for if my information has been correct, the British fleet must be hereabouts. They have been blockading the mouth of the river since the winter broke up. Ha! Steve, what do I see?"
There was a white dot away in the far distance, a dot which might have been a bird. But it held the same position steadily, except for the fact that it grew gradually bigger, proving that it was a ship approaching. And presently a huge eighty-gun frigate, with the British ensign at her mast-head, came into clear sight and ranged up alongside the captured Frenchman. A gun was fired, and hardly had the boom been heard when a boat dropped from the side of the frigate, a smart naval officer tumbled into it with his crew, and, being joined by another individual, raced across the water. They were alongside in five minutes, and a ladder being lowered the naval officer and his companion came aboard.
"A party of seven. So far so good," exclaimed the officer, running his eye over Steve and his friends. "Is this the ship we were to expect?"
"It is," answered Mr. Mainwaring promptly. "Allow me to introduce the party, general. I am Mr. Mainwaring, though somewhat altered, I fear. And here are my son, Hunting Jim, Mac, Pete, Silver Fox, and Flying Bird, all old friends and staunch companions. I have to thank you for picking us up. My friends, this is General Wolfe."
"Indeed, I fancy the term picking you up hardly meets the case. You seem very well able to look to yourselves, and, if my observation is correct, have been fairly comfortable."