He walked slowly on, as if merely taking a leisurely stroll, but as
soon as he was out of sight of the sentinel and others, he changed to
a swift pace, and turning, headed toward the prison-ships in the bay.

"Now for business!" he murmured, grimly. "I'll have the patriot
prisoners out of that old hulk before many hours, or I'll know the
reason why!"

He hastened onward, but paused frequently and listened intently. He
did not want to meet any force of British soldiers then for it would
have been awkward work explaining his presence.

He was fortunate, however, in that he did not encounter any redcoats,
and in considerably less than an hour he was at the shore, near where
the prison-ships were anchored.

"Now the next thing is to get aboard the hulk," was Dick's thought.

This would be difficult, for the reason that there was a sentinel on
the deck. To reach the hulk and climb aboard without being seen by
this sentinel was a task that would be hard to accomplish. But Dick
did not hesitate. He was brave, and eager to rescue his brother and
the other patriot spies and soldiers, and so he located an old boat,
got in, and then pulled slowly and carefully toward the prison-ship,
which could be faintly seen looming up a couple of hundred yards
distant on the water.

Dick felt that the chances were that the sentinel would have his
attention directed toward the shore, and so he made a half-circuit and
approached from the other side. He rowed slowly and cautiously, making