CHAPTER XIII.
BURNING THE VESSELS.
It seemed to me much like disastrous defeat to burn the flotilla on the approach of the enemy, without making any effort whatsoever to defend it, and for the time I believed that Darius and all those who bragged so much about Commodore Barney's fighting qualities, were making idle talk, otherwise he would have attempted to hold his own, no matter how great the odds against him.
At the time I failed to realize that our fleet of small boats amounted to nothing, as compared with either city which the British was threatening, and that the commodore never showed himself to be a better fighter than when he allowed the enemy to spend their time with a lot of boats of little value, while he was marching his men across country to aid in the defense of Washington.
One can readily fancy that we lads were not much inclined for sleep when Darius brought word that we might turn in.
It was definitely known that the British were only two miles away, and would make no prolonged halt until after striking a blow at our fleet. In fact, it was possible they might approach within an hour, the halt having been called only to make us believe they would not attempt to do any mischief during the night.
We gathered aft, but with no desire to go below, and stood there leaning far out over the rail with eyes and ears open for some token of the coming foe.
It was possible to distinguish even in the gloom a boat which was pulled from one craft to another, stopping only a few seconds at each vessel, and we knew the lieutenant and Darius were making their rounds.
Again we questioned the wisdom of waiting until the enemy was close at hand before beginning the work of destruction, never realizing how important it was to keep the Britishers at the task of destroying the fleet so long as possible that the defenders of Washington might have opportunity to make ready; but we actually grew impatient because the torch was not applied at once.
Before Lieutenant Frazier brought the inspection to a close, one of the men who had been sent to spy out the enemy's movements, came aboard the Scorpion to make a report. From him we learned that the British were really encamped for the night, and there seemed little possibility any move would be made before daylight.