Tom looked at him quickly, eagerly.
“What do you mean by that,” seizing his uncle by the arm; “do you mean that——”
“That is just exactly what I do mean,” said the seaman. “Inside of an hour your father is to be transferred from the hulk in which he is held prisoner to the frigate Benbow, which you see lying over there,” pointing to the vessel of war nearest the shore. “She is to sail to-morrow for England, and Lord North has issued orders for the captain to bring your father and some other wealthy prisoners with him.”
“Yes, yes,” said Tom, his voice husky with anxiety. “And your plan is——”
“To attack the boat that carries them from the hulk to the frigate. I have, as I said before, almost the entire crew of the Defence here in her pinnace and gig; and each man of them is armed for desperate work. There is room in the boats for some of your friends if they care to join us in this little affair; we cannot have too many, as there is no knowing what sized crew will man the boat; and with, perhaps, a marine or two for good measure.”
Tom despatched Cole back to bring up the remainder of his band; and when they advanced and learned what was going forward they, to a man, volunteered to help. The first thing to do was to see to Laura’s safety; Captain Deering sent one of his men for a fisherman’s yawl which he knew was drawn up on the sand a short distance below. The fisherman was an ex-member of the Defence’s crew and a stout friend of his old captain; so when he and one of his grown sons appeared with the yawl he readily agreed to row Laura to the schooner, the whereabouts of which was carefully explained to him.
Tom, after the boat containing the girl and the two friendly fishermen had pulled away in the direction of the schooner, detailed two of his men to lead the horses to a point some miles below on the shores of the bay. Then he and the others placed themselves under the orders of Captain Deering and his first mate, who was in command of the second boat.
“Now, lads,” spoke the skipper of the Defence, “I guess there’s no use telling you that you are bound on a dangerous cruise—not a very long one, but such a one as will need us to keep the starboard and larboard watch both on deck all the time.”
“Douse the lantern!” said the mate, gruffly. He was a thick-set, hardy looking man, about his captain’s age; he had an eye like a hawk and a way of casting it about every now and then that at once dubbed him sailor. The captain instantly blew out the lantern.
“Anything moving, Mr. Jackson?” asked he.