"'T would n't be right to take the ordering away from
Zerubbabel just when there 's a chance for fighting, after he's
done the work all summer," was the captain's explanation of
his conduct; and though his townsmen may have suspected
another motive, they were all too bent on staying at home
themselves, and were too busy taking in sail on the possibility
of having to go about on another tack, to question his
reasons.

If the mountain would not go, Mahomet would come; and
one evening late in November, while the wind whistled and
the rain beat outside the "Continental Tavern," as it was now
termed, the occupants of the public room suddenly ceased
from the plying of glasses and pipes, upon the hurried entrance
of a man.

"The British is comin'!" he bellowed, bringing every man
to his feet by the words.

"How does yer know?" demanded Squire Hennion.

"I wuz down ter the river ter see if my boat wuz tied fast
enuf ter stand the blow an' I hearn the tramp of snogers
comin' across the bridge."

"The bridge!" shouted Bagby. "Then they must be--
Swamp it! there is n't more than time enough to run."

Clearly he spoke truly, for even as he ended his sentence