their oars half a mile beyond the entrance, where, as it was a starlight night, they would assuredly see the ship if she had come to anchor.  As soon as the first dawn commenced they were to row out and meet the ship.  Wrappings of cloth were fastened round the rowlocks to prevent noise, twelve men took the oars, the boat was shoved down into the sea, and they started on their voyage.  The boat rowed but slowly, and it was, Harry judged, past three o’clock when they reached the point they had fixed on off the mouth of the harbor.  No ship was visible outside the port, although there was sufficient light to have seen its masts had it been there.

“We had better go another half-mile further out,” he said.  “Should they take it into their heads on shore, when they see us, to send a fast boat out to inquire what we are doing, it might overtake us before we could reach the ship.”

An hour after they had ceased rowing a faint streak of daylight appeared in the west, and a ship could be seen about three miles seaward, while the shore was nearly that distance behind them, for they had been deceived by the darkness, and were much further out than they had thought.

“It is all the better,” Harry said.  “It must be some time before they think of sending a boat after us, and we shall reach the ship before it can overtake us.”

As soon as it became broad daylight Harry took one of the oars himself, and all save the twelve rowers, and Jacob and William Long who sat in the stern, lay down in the bottom of the boat, where some pieces of matting, used for covering cargo, were thrown over them.  There was not as yet a breath of wind, and the ship’s sails hung idly against the masts.  After three-quarters of an hour’s hard rowing the barge approached her side.  There were only a few figures on the deck.

“Are you the captain of this vessel?” Jacob asked one who seemed to him of that condition.

“Ay, ay,” the sailor said.  “What is the news?”

“I have come off from the island,” Jacob answered, “by orders of his worshipful the governor, to warn you that there is an insurrection among the slaves of the island, and to bid you not to anchor outside, or to wait for your papers being examined, but to enter at once.”

By this time the boat was alongside, and Jacob climbed on board.

“You have brought some troops with you?” he asked, “They will be wanted.”

“Yes, I have eighty men whom I have brought as a reinforcement to the garrison of the island, besides a hundred and fifty prisoners from Waterford, stowed away below the hatches forward.  Hullo! why, what is this?  Treason!”

As he spoke Harry, followed by the rowers, swarmed on board armed with their hoes.  The captain and the men round him were at once knocked down.  The sentries over the fore hatchway discharged their muskets, and, with some of the crew stationed there, made aft.  But Harry’s party had now all joined him on deck.  A rush was made, and the decks entirely cleared.  A few of the soldiers who came running up through the after hatchway on hearing the tumult and noise of the fight were beaten down and hurled below on those following them, and the hatches were slipped on and secured.  Then a triumphant shout of “God and the King!” was raised.