"Where away, comrade?" queried the sentinel at the east side of the
encampment.
"Oh, out for a little walk for exercise," replied Dick, carelessly.
"All right. The Countersign is `The King Rules'."
"Thank you," said Dick. "I'll not forget."
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.
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