Even after knowing that the deserter was near at hand, we had considerable difficulty in locating him, and not until after making a complete circle around the swimmer could I see his head.
As we came alongside he grasped the gunwale to rest himself, and asked:
"Are you from the oysterman?"
"Ay, shan't we take you aboard now? The pungy is on the other side of the island."
"The canoe would be overturned if I attempted to come over the rail. Paddle into shoaler water, an' I'll try it."
"Tired out?" I asked as we worked the craft toward the shore, he still holding by the gunwale.
"Nothin' to speak of when its a case of escapin' from the Britishers. I'd tried this a week ago if I hadn't known that the first search would be made on the island, an' I didn't dare take the chances of findin' them as would help me off."
We were not many moments in coming to the beach, and then Bill Jepson clambered over the stern, not being hampered overly much by wet clothing, since he had come off with nothing save his trousers and shirt.
"I was willin' to leave all my dunnage, providin' I could say good by to the bloomin' ship. When we put in here I counted on seein' friends 'most anywhere, for I hail from Baltimore way; but Darius Thorpe's was the first friendly face I came across. A good honest sailorman is Darius, an' I knew he wouldn't leave me in a hole if it was possible for him to lend a hand."
Jepson had nothing startling to tell relative to his escape from the ship. When the watch was changed he quietly slipped over the side, dropping into the water without making any disturbance, and swimming beneath the surface, coming up to breathe only when it was absolutely necessary, until he was a full half-mile from the Severn.