"What about provisions, captain?" Jerry asked.
"I've got enough an' to spare, unless we're held here a couple of weeks. I didn't count on doin' any fightin' in this 'ere war; but when it comes to lendin' shipmates an' neighbors a hand, you'll find that Bob Hanaford is willin' to go down to his last cent."
I realized what a blessing it would be if we could get father on board the pungy, where he would have a comfortable bunk to lie in, and such nursing as Captain Hanaford might give when we lads were absent; but how to get him down to the boat was a puzzle.
"Supposin' you free Darius an' Bill to-night, what'll you do with 'em?" the owner of the pungy asked, and I replied mournfully:
"We hadn't got as far as that in our plans. Of course they must be taken out of the city."
"An' the British fleet is loafin' down in the river somewhere 'twixt here an' the bay," the captain added.
"Ay, but if we can get hold of a boat, it shouldn't be such a hard job to slip by the vessels on a dark night."
"Would you leave your father behind?"
"Certainly not; he must go with us."
"Then you ought'er have him down here on the river before beginnin' work. I'll tell you how it might be fixed, lad. Allowin' that there ain't any more burnin' of houses to-night, I could help him through the streets, if it so be he can make any fist at walkin'. The other lads would set out on their own hook, an' it should be we'd come together on this 'ere craft, unless the Britishers are overhaulin' everybody that's aboard. I don't know how things may be runnin', for I haven't been outside this cuddy since the fires began."