I was in favor of going ashore where we then were; but Jerry won the day by suggesting that if we ran around on the other side, it would be possible to see if the British came up the bay, and this last was quite important to us in case we were forced to spend much time waiting for a fitting opportunity to catch our game.
After refreshing ourselves with food, we paddled around the point without danger of being seen, because it was so late in the night, and landed at the same place as before, knowing that from there we would have no difficulty in finding the dwelling.
After pulling the canoe up amid the bushes, and hiding her as well as was possible in the darkness, we laid down on the ground, falling asleep almost immediately we had stretched ourselves out at full length, and not until the first beams of the rising sun shone across our faces did we awaken.
It was but natural that we should look down the bay before doing anything else; but we saw nothing to disturb us. A small craft was coming slowly up, for the breeze was light; but to her we gave little or no heed.
We began the day by eating breakfast. Then we saw to it the boat was so nearly concealed by the foliage that she would not be seen save after careful search, and we set out to reconnoiter the premises.
We advanced cautiously, stopping every half dozen paces to listen lest we inadvertently stumble upon the owner of the plantation, or his guest, and after spending half an hour in such slow progress, we came in view of the place.
Elias Macomber was pacing to and fro in front of the dwelling, as if weary of his voluntary confinement, and gazing seaward every few seconds, for from that side of the house it must have been possible to get a full view of the bay.
"We might get our musket, an' rush up on him now," Jerry whispered, and I replied as I believed Darius would have done:
"We don't know how well armed Jenkins may be, nor what he will be willing to do in aid of his friend. My idea is that we should wait here until the owner goes to his work, leaving the traitor with the women folks, and even then the task won't be an easy one, for we must come out in sight of all hands a full three minutes before arriving at the house, however fast we run."
"We should have brought the musket with us on this trip," Jerry grumbled, and I soothed him by saying: