Commodore Barney's Young Spies

"What is the price?"

"Ten cents a bushel; that's what we ought'er get up to Baltimore, an' I reckon we might knock off a little if we don't have to run there to unload."

Then, without waiting for permission, Darius began giving us fool orders intended to get the pungy under way, and we came lumbering around under the ship's starboard, where we could have been blown into the next world with no more labor than the lighting of a match.

Darius lifted one of the hatches and leaped into the hold ordering us to "bear a hand lively that the gentlemen might taste the oysters," and passing up a basket full, shouting to me so loudly that he could readily have been heard on the ship:

"Pass 'em over the side, Bubby dear, an' be careful how you fool 'round the rail!"

I should have laughed at his manner of speaking but that I knew he was playing a part, and I did my best to obey the command.

The sailors of the ship, eager for anything by way of a change of food, held out both hands invitingly for the fish, and I contrived to swing the basket aboard.

Then it was that I saw an officer take charge of the fish, calling for the after steward to come forward, and a moment later some one cried:

"Where's your captain?"

I sung out for Darius; but he pretended to misunderstand, and replied:

"They can have the lot for eight cents a bushel. Ask 'em if I shall begin takin' 'em out?"

Then it was that I fancied he had some good reason for wanting to remain out of sight, and I looked around in alarm to see what had caused the trouble.

CHAPTER VII.

AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE

Jerry was at the tiller; Jim Freeman and his friends stood near me at the main-hatch ready to obey the commands of Darius, and since all hands of us, with the exception of Josiah Coburn, really were oystermen, knowing no other business or trade, there was little reason for the Britishers to have any suspicions regarding us.

It was evident, however, that Darius had seen something to cause him alarm, otherwise he would not remain in the hold, having a care to keep out of sight while he might be seeing much which would please the commander to hear about.

So far as I could make out, the Britishers regarded us as ignorant fishermen who were trying to earn a very slim livelihood by selling oysters at a price which would hardly pay enough to provide food for a crew the size of ours.

Three or four of the petty officers were making very awkward attempts to open the shells with a marlin-spike, while the idle crew, having nothing better to do, watched the proceedings on their ship as well as aboard our craft.

I was not looking for an explanation of the old man's behavior among the seamen, therefore gave little heed to the old shell-backs who lined the starboard rail from the forecastle-deck to the mainmast.

Gaze intently as I might, it was impossible to see anything which could have caused Darius uneasiness, and I dismissed the matter from my mind with the belief that he remained hidden from view simply to avoid being recognized as an old sailor whom it would pay to impress into his majesty's service.

It was just when I was growing a trifle more cheerful in mind because of having banished the fears which assailed me when the old man leaped so suddenly into the hold, that one of the officers called out:

"Here, you Bubby, come aboard and show us how to open these shell-fish!"

"Will one of your men stand by for our line, sir?" I asked, because the pungy was bobbing around on the small waves ten feet or more from the ship's side, and I was not minded to take the chances of jumping for the rail when there was good possibility of landing in the water.

The Britisher said something to the knot of men forward, and several of them stepped forward, overhanging the rail, while Jerry made ready to pass one of the small hawsers.

I stopped only long enough to get one of our oyster-knives from the cuddy, and by that time the Avenger was alongside the ship, rubbing against the huge fenders which had been swung out.

At the moment there was no thought of fear in my mind because I was thus venturing into the very jaws of the lion; I had it in mind only to play my part well, and believed that by showing the gentlemen how easily the shells might be opened, I would be forwarding our business.

Much to my surprise, when I would have clambered aboard the ship, whose rail towered many feet above ours, one of the sailors leaned far over to give me aid when it was not really needed. He grasped both my hands in a grip as of iron, holding me back when it appeared that he would pull me aboard, and while I was thus hampered, I heard him whisper:

"Tell Darius Thorpe to be to the eastward of the Tangiers this night!"

Having thus spoken, he hauled me inboard quickly, disappearing immediately among the throng of men which literally covered the ship's deck.

"Well, Bubby, have you gone daft?"

This aroused me to the consciousness that I was playing my part very badly, and I quickly went to the after-hatchway where was our basket of oysters around which several officers were standing.

Without speaking I whipped out the oyster-knife, and, using the combing of the hatch as a bench, set about opening the shells as rapidly as the most expert could have done.

The gentlemen were so astonished at seeing me do readily what they had failed at, that I had a good two dozen fat oysters ready for the eating before any one made an attempt at swallowing them.

From that out, until the basket was emptied, I was kept busy, and although I searched with my eyes while thus engaged, it was impossible to single out the sailor who had sent the message to Darius.

When there was nothing before me but shells, and one of the officers asked if my father was going to send more aboard, I thought it would be more in keeping with my part to act like a lad who was eager to receive money for his cargo, therefore I replied that we would send the whole load aboard at the rate of eight cents a bushel.

To this proposition the gentleman agreed, and I called out for the others to begin slinging the baskets up, counting on lending a hand to take them over the rail; but I was not allowed to abandon my job of oyster-opener.

I worked as lively as I ever did in my life, and it surely seemed as if I would not be allowed to go on board the Avenger until the entire cargo had been eaten, therefore I called for Jerry to help me, after our small lot had been dumped on the ship's hold.

Darius did not come out of the hold. He had good excuse for remaining there while we were unloading; but once the pungy was empty I greatly feared suspicions might be aroused by his remaining hidden from view.

Not until Jerry and I had opened a full two bushels, and given one of the cooks a few lessons in the manner of holding a knife to the best advantage while shucking, were we allowed to cease the tiresome labor, for it must be known that we did not claim to be experts at such work.

One of the officers paid us for the cargo, and agreed to take as many every other day while they remained at that station.

As if eager to know how long we might find a ready market thereabouts, I asked if he could tell me when there was a possibility of the ship's being moved; but he shut his mouth as close as any of our oysters, saying that it was enough for us to know that they would patronize us while they remained there, consequently I did not succeed in getting any information for Commodore Barney.

I explained my reasons for asking such a question, by saying that it would be a waste of time for us to sail down the bay when the fleets were not there, because our only other market was at Annapolis or Baltimore, and he said with a laugh:

"When we're not here you can look for us further north, and we will take your oysters wherever we go."

I observed that we were on board the Narcissus, and thus understood that Darius had made no mistake when he gave that name to the ship, therefore my admiration for the old man's knowledge of nautical matters increased, for only an experienced seaman could have thus recognized a craft he had seen but once before.

By setting down so much when our business was concluded, it would appear as if we loafed on the deck of the ship some time, whereas we were given to understand that our room was better than our company immediately the transaction was completed, and in a very few seconds after the officers allowed Jerry and I to cease the labor of shucking, we were aboard the Avenger, getting under way.

"Look at the name they've given that old bargee!" one of the gentlemen on the quarter-deck cried with a laugh as the pungy swung around until the letters on her stern could be read. "These Americans may be hot for vengeance; but I take notice that they're ready to feed the enemy if there's a dollar to be made."

All this seemed very funny to the Britishers, and they cracked many a quip and joke at our expense, as I guessed by the roars of laughter which could be heard so long as we were within earshot.

Darius came on deck once we had filled away; but he kept his hat pulled well down over his face as he walked aft from the main-hatch, and when he had taken the tiller I asked:

"What were you afraid of that you kept under cover so close?"

"It was a mighty snug shave, lad," he replied with a long indrawing of the breath. "I knew one of the men on the forecastle deck, 'cause I was shipmate with him on the privateer Honest Ben, when Joshua Barney was in command. I'm not sayin' that he'd given me away; but I feared he might sing out on seein' me."