"It's no use for you fellows to grumble," Jim Freeman said with a laugh, he having come up just in time to hear the useless words. "The orders are to wait till the Britishers show themselves, an' I reckon neither Lieutenant Frazier nor Darius would like to take the responsibility of doin' anythin' else. You two will make a good thing out of this business, in case the Avenger is burned, eh?"
"We've got a guarantee for more than she cost; but at the same time I'd rather have her than a better one," Jerry said promptly, and I put my hand in his, for he had spoken that which was in my heart.
Then we fell to talking for at least the tenth time of how the work of destruction would be accomplished, and while we were thus engaged Darius came alongside.
"You lads can turn in," he said as he clambered over the rail. "Mitchell has just come up the river with the news that the Britishers are makin' camp less'n two miles below. We shan't see 'em to-night; but they're likely to be here mighty early in the mornin'."
"Some of us must stay up to do the cooking," I replied, thinking of the meal the lieutenant had ordered.
"I'll call you in case Frazier don't change his mind about it, but I reckon he'll be willin' to wait for breakfast."
"Are you going to stay on board?"
"I shall be here off an' on; just now we're goin' to inspect each craft, so's to make certain the flames can be started quickly, for there's no longer any chance but that the fleet must be destroyed."