The Story of Nathan Hale Part 7

HALE

That's good, Pond!

POND

Good, why?

HALE

Because I'm bound for the enemy lines.

POND

What? Not on spy duty, I hope?

HALE

Exactly. Will you give me pa.s.sage to Long Island, and land me in some secluded spot?

POND

Why--yes--if you wish it.

HALE

You can do it without endangering yourself or your boat?

POND

There'll be no difficulty about landing you. There is, however, a British man-of-war, the _Halifax_, in these waters. We have to watch out for her. But it's dark enough tonight to be perfectly safe.

HALE

Good! Can we go at once?

POND

Yes, sir. [_calling_] Bos'n!

BOS'N

Aye, aye, sir!

POND

Get the s.h.i.+p under way for Long Island! Bring her into that secluded cove near Huntington! You know the place.

BOS'N

Aye, aye, sir! [_calling_] All hands on deck! Man the windla.s.s! Weigh anchor! [_etc._] [_mob, setting sails, etc._]

POND

Well, Captain Hale. This is new business for you, isn't it?

HALE

Yes, I've been transferred to Knowlton's Rangers. Our business is to get information. And I am under orders to secure some information that I can get in no other way.

POND

Hm. It's not a sweet business.

HALE

It's in my country's service! It seems that you, too, Lieutenant Pond, are in a new business. How long have you been in the navy?

POND

Two weeks.

HALE

I'm glad I found you here--I might have had some difficulty in convincing a stranger that I was really an officer in the Continental army.

POND

That's true enough. You look--well--more like a country schoolmaster than anything else.

HALE

That's what I hope to pa.s.s for.

POND

How long will you be on Long Island?

HALE

I shall try to be through my business in a week. I wonder if you would meet me at the same place you are going to leave me--say, a week from tonight?

POND

I'll send a small boat ash.o.r.e for you, soon after dark a week from tonight.

HALE

Good! I'll be there--unless--