As they were about to enter the gate, George suddenly exclaimed,

“See there!”

The boys looked in the direction George indicated, and saw the blockading squadron, with the exception of two boats, anchored in the creek, just opposite the long dock.  The North Star, a fine, swift-sailing little schooner, was anchored near the middle of the stream, and a boy sat in the stern sheets, reading a book.  The Sampson, a very large sloop-rigged boat, was standing up the creek, under full sail.  These were the “police boats,” and they were taking their stations.

“I wonder where the Sampson is going,” said Harry.

“She’s going to take her station in Duck’s Creek,” said Ben.

Upon hearing this, Harry’s expectations fell again.

“It’s no use,” he exclaimed.  “Charley Sheldon knows too much for us.”

“Not a bit,” said Frank.  “This arrangement is only for to-night.  When we get up in the morning, we shall find the boats all out in the river.”

This immediately reassured Harry; and, after watching the Sampson until she disappeared in Duck’s Creek, he led the way to the house.

After supper, as soon as it began to grow dark, they proceeded to put their plans into execution; but, before they started, Frank said,

“Now, boys, we must watch and see how the trick takes, for I know that there are spies now around that boat-house.  As soon as we get the sham provisions into the boat, one or two of us had better slip down into the willows behind the wharf, and see what course things are going to take.”

“Well,” said Harry, “suppose you and Bill act as spies.”

“Agreed.  Come on, but don’t act as if you suspected anything.”

And he led the way toward the boat-house.

Two of the boys busied themselves in bringing out the sham provisions, and the others brought the Alert alongside, and fastened her to the dock, in front of the boat-house.  Frank and Harry then got down into the boat, and the other boys passed the provisions down to them, and they placed them in such a manner as to take up as much space as possible.  They were soon all stowed away, and covered over with a large sail, as if to keep off the dew.

Ben and George then got into a small skiff that lay at the dock, and towed the Alert out into the middle of the creek, and anchored her.  As soon as this was done they returned, and the smugglers began to amuse themselves by pushing each other about the wharf.  They all appeared to enter heartily into the sport, and kept nearing the willows which extended along the bank of the creek, close to the wharf, and Frank and William, watching their opportunity, concealed themselves, and the others ran toward the house.  They had hardly disappeared, when the smugglers saw several boys steal cautiously around the corner of the boat-house, where they had been concealed, and one of them crept up the bank, to assure himself that the coast was clear, while the others remained in the shadow of the house.  The former, who proved to be Charles Sheldon, the commander of the coast-guards, as soon as he had satisfied himself that the smugglers had gone into the house, called out, in a low whisper, to the others, who were the captains of the divisions of the squadron,