“Let me alone!” he shouted.  “We haven’t cheated you.  We promised to carry the provisions all over in one boat, and we’ve done it.”

Harry was quickly dragged out of bed and placed upon his feet, and he was wide awake in an instant, but he stood in the middle of the room, as if bewildered, while the others rolled on the beds, convulsed with laughter.

At length, William Johnson, who was the first that could speak, inquired,

“I wonder what time it is.”

“Wait until I light this candle, and we’ll see,” said George.

“No, no, don’t do that,” said Frank.  “The coast-guards may be on the watch, and, if they see a light in the house, will be getting ready for us.”

And, going to the clock, he opened it, and, feeling of the hands, said,

“It’s about ten minutes to three.”

“What shall we do?” inquired Ben.

“Let us go and see what our friends of the squadron are doing,” said Thomas; “and, if they are not on hand, we can slip over and land our goods.”

By this time every one was dressed, and they crept carefully down stairs and out of the house.

“Hold on a minute, boys,” said Frank.  “I will bet there are spies around that boat-house now.”

“Let’s take them prisoners,” exclaimed Harry.

“That’s just what I was about to propose,” said Frank; “but, in order to do it, we had better divide into two parties, so as to surround the house.”

“Well,” said George, “three of us will go up the road, and cross over by the bridge, and the rest of you can go down the road, and get into the willows behind the mill.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Frank.  “We will meet at the back of the boat-house.”

The boys accordingly separated, and started in different directions.

Frank and his party, which consisted of Harry and Ben, threaded their way through the garden, and across a meadow, until they arrived opposite Mr. Butler’s mill.  Here they crossed the road, and, after a careful reconnoissance, entered the willows, and crawled, almost on their hands and knees, toward the boat-house.  At length they arrived at the place where they were to meet their companions, but nothing was to be seen or heard of them.

“I hope they have not been taken prisoners,” whispered Frank.

“I don’t think they have,” said Ben, “because we should have heard something of it.  They are not the ones to give up without a struggle.  But I don’t see any thing of the spies.”

“Neither do I,” said Harry.  “They must be around the other side of the boat-house.”

“If they are there,” said Frank, “we will soon make them show themselves.”

And, as he spoke, he seized a branch above his head, and shook it violently.

“Oh, that’s no way,” whispered Harry, excitedly; “you will frighten the—­”

“—­sh! there they are!” said Frank.

And, as he spoke, the smugglers saw a boy come cautiously around the corner of the boat-house.  He gazed impatiently toward the willows, and uttered a low whistle.