"Ay, lad, I'm allowin' she's the Severn or the Narcissus, both of which made it hot for the commodore in the Patuxent."
"How large are they?"
"The Severn should be carryin' thirty-eight guns, an' the other four less, if I remember rightly."
"I had rather we made our first attempt with a smaller vessel," I said, feeling decidedly uncomfortable in mind now we were so near beginning the dangerous work.
"Bless you, lad, we might as well be overhauled by a frigate as a sloop, so far as the chances of bein' found out are concerned; but we're goin' through this business as slick as we did at the mill."
Darius held the Avenger straight for the enemy, and when we were come within half a musket-shot I heard the hail we had been expecting:
"Sloop ahoy!"
"Ay, ay, sir!" Darius cried.
"What craft is that?"
"An oyster pungy with part of a cargo which we're hopin' to sell, sir. Can we do any business with you?"