The captain greeted us in friendly fashion, inquiring solicitously after Alec’s health; but after the first words of greeting had been spoken it might readily be seen that he was not anxious we should linger, therefore we took our leave after having been on board less than ten minutes.
Going on deck, we found old Silas bustling around as if charged with the most weighty missions, and I asked him laughingly if there was any chance the Lawrence would go over the bar that day.
Instead of replying in sportive fashion to my bantering, he suddenly became grave as any owl, and hurried away as if afraid he might be tempted to reveal a secret in case he remained with us.
“You may depend upon it that some movement is near at hand, and we are not to be trusted with even so much as an intimation of it,” Alec said laughingly, as we went over the rail into our boat, which had been made fast alongside. “I am not disposed to grumble at being kept in ignorance, so long as we are soon to go out against the enemy, but I would enjoy knowing whether we are likely to miss anything by loitering on shore.”
“It isn’t probable the Lawrence will put to sea without us, after all the promises that have been made,” I said, almost indignant with Alec because he should seem to question my father’s good faith. “I am certain some hint would be given to us if anything of the kind were contemplated. Besides, it isn’t possible the brig could be gotten over the bar in one day.”
This last argument had more weight with my comrade than any other I could have advanced, and at once he lost all care as to what might be going on, bantering me to take a stroll with him along the shore to the eastward, where could be had a good view of the lake without a very lengthy journey.
“Who knows but that we may sight the bold Britishers before those in the guard-boats can do so, and thus gain considerable credit for being sharp-sighted!” he said sportively, and I took the words in good faith.
“We’ll try it!” I replied so earnestly that he was provoked to mirth, and the boat’s head was turned in the direction of Fort Wayne, in front of which fortification we landed when challenged by the watchful sentinel.
Once we were recognized there was no hesitation about allowing us to proceed whithersoever we pleased, and, as Alec had proposed, we directed our course along the shore of the lake.
Now it must be set down here that there was no thought in my mind that we could do more than possibly sight the enemy’s fleet in the distance.