"The 'old idiot' don't want any truck with boys, so keep off or I'll make it hot for you!"
"Listen to me, shipmate, and then perhaps you'll sing a different tune," I said, going close to the companion-way where it might not be necessary to raise my voice. "We are a couple of oystermen from Benedict, in trouble, and are looking for some one to lend a hand."
"Tell me your names?"
I gave the desired information, and added:
"We owned the pungy Avenger, which was burned at Pig Point when the enemy came up the river."
The hatch was opened in a twinkling, and when we descended to the cuddy I was both surprised and overjoyed by seeing Robert Hanaford, an oysterman from St. Leonard's bay.
"Shut that hatch," he said nervously, and Jerry did as he was bidden. "I got caught in the river, like a fool, an' am now expectin' the bloomin' Britishers will burn the craft when they fall short of like amusement in the city. Tell me how you happened to be here?"
I told him so much of our story as seemed necessary, and when I was come to the retreat from Bladensburg, he said grumpily:
"I reckon you two lads an' Darius Thorpe are bigger fools than I am. It was accident that brought me into this scrape, whereas you got into a muss with your eyes wide open. Where's Darius?"
"The Britishers are holding him prisoner, and count on sending him down to the fleet, I suppose."