"Where's your captain?"
I sung out for Darius; but he pretended to misunderstand, and replied:
"They can have the lot for eight cents a bushel. Ask 'em if I shall begin takin' 'em out?"
Then it was that I fancied he had some good reason for wanting to remain out of sight, and I looked around in alarm to see what had caused the trouble.
CHAPTER VII.
AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
Jerry was at the tiller; Jim Freeman and his friends stood near me at the main-hatch ready to obey the commands of Darius, and since all hands of us, with the exception of Josiah Coburn, really were oystermen, knowing no other business or trade, there was little reason for the Britishers to have any suspicions regarding us.
It was evident, however, that Darius had seen something to cause him alarm, otherwise he would not remain in the hold, having a care to keep out of sight while he might be seeing much which would please the commander to hear about.