"Ten o'clock of a sultry night and all's well!" drawled the nightwatch, recovering his lantern and lighting it.
Then other nightwatchmen came up, and there was more light and less confusion and turmoil. The redcoats were very wroth at the people for letting the "saucy young rebels" escape, and the bluejackets were angry at the rebels for taking their boats, while some of the people were wrathful at both redcoats and bluejackets, and others,–Tories, by the way–were incensed against the others and angry at the escape of the boys.
The latter were now out upon the river in the dark, but going cautiously and steadily on. Dick took the lead and worked his way between the shore and the nearest ship without being discovered, the hubbub on shore not having yet resolved itself into an alarm which the ships could understand. The officers, supposing it to be merely a fight between rival crews or between sailors and people, paid no attention to it, and the boys continued steadily on their way. Then other boats put out, and some one shouted:
"Hallo! there's a boatload of young rebels on the river, trying to escape. Fire upon them and sink the young rascals the moment you see them!"
Now the cause of the fracas on shore was explained, and at once a search for the daring boys was instituted. Lights flashed, hoarse voices were heard calling across the water, and there was as much confusion on the river as there had been on land. One could not see as far as on shore, however, and the means of getting from place to place were not as numerous, and much time was lost in getting into communication one with another.
Dick knew his way and went on as rapidly as possible, and with all caution, passing one ship and making his way toward the next. In the dark, the blue uniforms of the boys could easily be mistaken for the blue jackets or sailors or midshipmen, and Dick relied upon this to help him in his escape. A boat had been lowered, and presently the sound of the boys' oars was heard by the enemy.
"Ahoy! What boat is that?"
"Seen anything of the rebels, sir?" asked Dick, the boys pulling steadily.
"No, not yet. Have you?"
"I've an idea there's a boatload of them ahead of us somewhere, but it's dark as Erebus on the river."