Anne’s first impulse was to open the cabin door, but she had learned one lesson by her runaway journey—to obey and wait. It was very hard for the little girl to keep quiet, for she could hear her father’s voice, and that of Captain Starkweather, and loud commands in strange voices, and the sloop seemed to be moving this way and that as if it had lost its pilot.

“We are captured by that English boat; I know we are,” Anne whispered to herself.

And that was really what had happened. The English schooner had sent a shot through Captain Starkweather’s fine new mainsail, followed by a command to lay to, and before Mr. Nelson had had time to fasten the door of the cabin, the schooner was abreast of the sloop and in a few moments the Province Town boat was taken in tow by the English schooner, and Mr. Nelson and Captain Starkweather found themselves prisoners.“Leave ’em on deck, but make sure they can’t move hands or feet,” Anne heard a rough voice command, and there was the sound of scuffling feet, and gradually the noise ceased; and all that Anne could hear was a faint murmur of voices, and the ripple of the water against the side of the boat. These sounds gradually ceased, and the frightened child realized that the wind had died away, and that the boats were becalmed. She peered out of the little cabin window and saw that the English boat was very near. The tide sent the sloop close to the schooner, and now Anne could hear voices very plainly.

“Pull in that tow line, and make fast to the sloop,” she heard the same gruff voice command, and in a few moments the sloop lay beside the schooner.

“I could get on board just as easy,” Anne thought, and wondered if her father would tell the English that his little daughter was in the sloop’s cabin.

Poor John Nelson, lying on the schooner’s deck, tied hand and foot, feared every moment that his conquerors would discover that there was another passenger on board the boat. “They would not harm my little maid,” he assured himself, “but there is food and water in the sloop’s cabin, and Anne is best off there.”

Both he and Captain Starkweather hoped that some American vessel might come to their rescue. But now that the wind had died away there was no chance of that for the present.

“A midsummer calm. May be stuck here for twenty-four hours,” Anne heard a grumbling voice declare.

The long summer day dragged by. Anne opened the lunch basket, but had little appetite. At sunset there was a ripple of wind and the two boats, side by side, moved a short distance.

Anne, shut up in the tiny cabin, had come to a great resolve. “Father told me to stay here, but if I could creep aboard the schooner and untie the cords, then father and Captain Starkweather could get free,” she thought. And the more she thought of it, the more sure she was that she could do it.

The twilight deepened, and now Anne ventured to push open the cabin door a little way. The sailors were in the forecastle, but Anne could see a dark figure in the stern of the schooner. She ventured out and softly closed the cabin door. Now, on her hands and knees, the little girl crept across the little space toward the side of the schooner. It looked like a black wall, but not very high above her, and there were ropes; and Anne was used to boats. Grasping a rope she drew herself up, hand over hand, until she could reach the deck-rail. Now she gave a swift glance toward the dark figure at the stern. “I do believe he’s asleep,” she thought, and Anne now pulled herself to the top of the rail and dropped noiselessly to the deck of the schooner. For a few moments she cowered in the shadow, and then looked anxiously about. Near the cabin she could see two black shadows, and knew that they were her father and Captain Starkweather.

Keeping close in the shadow Anne crept along the deck. But, noiseless as her progress had been, Anne had been seen the moment her little figure reached the top of the deck rail. John Nelson’s keen eyes, staring into the summer night, had recognized his little daughter, and instantly realized that Anne meant to help them. He held his breath for fear that some sharp ear had caught a sound, and then whispered to his companion, “Don’t move, or call out, captain; Anne is on deck and will help us.”The little girl was now close beside her father. “Feet first, Anne,” he whispered, and Anne’s eager fingers pulled and worked at the tough knots so securely tied until they loosened, and John Nelson could move his feet. Her father did not dare even whisper again. He longed to tell her to hurry, but dared not speak. Anne was now tugging and twisting at the rope which held her father’s wrists, and managed to loosen it so that he could work his hands free. Then they both began to loosen Captain Starkweather’s cords, and in a few minutes he too was free. The same thought was running through the minds of both men: If a girl like Anne had such courage, why couldn’t two sailors make a prize of this good English boat?

“Go back to the sloop’s cabin, Anne. We’ll follow,” whispered her father. And Anne obeyed. She was not afraid now. How easy it had been, she thought happily, as she slid down the rope to the sloop’s deck, and found herself again in the little cabin.

The dark figure, dozing at the schooner’s helm, did not see the two creeping men who so suddenly were upon him. A twisted scarf over his mouth, and no sound to warn his mates, his hands and feet bound with the very cords that had secured his prisoners, he was left a captive. Then John Nelson and Captain Starkweather sped toward the forecastle; the open hatchway was closed so quickly that the men below hardly realized what had happened, and it was securely fastened before they could help themselves.

“The breeze is coming,” declared Captain Starkweather. “Shall we put back to Boston, John? We’ll not know what to do with this craft in Province Town.”

“A good night’s work this, and Boston folk will be glad to see this English ‘Sea Bird’ come in to her harbor. ’Tis the same craft that has caused so much trouble to fishing boats. I’ll bring Anne on board,” and John Nelson ran to the schooner’s side and called, “Anne! Anne!” A moment later and he lifted his little daughter to the deck of the schooner.

“You are a brave child,” declared Captain Starkweather. “This schooner is really your prize, for ’tis by your courage that we have taken her.”

The schooner’s course was changed, and, the wind increasing, she swept off toward Boston harbor.“’Twill be a good tale for Mr. Samuel Adams to hear,” said Captain Starkweather, “and you will indeed be proud of your little daughter, John. I doubt not but this will be printed in the Boston papers, and news of it sent to General Washington himself.”

It was hardly sunrise when the “Sea Bird,” towing Captain Starkweather’s sloop, came to anchor off the Freemans’ wharf. John Nelson’s hail to a friendly fisherman brought a number of boats alongside, and when he had told them of how the capture was made a chorus of huzzas filled the air. The news was carried to the other vessels in the harbor, and the “Sea Bird” was soon surrounded by small boats. One of these boats pulled for the shore, and its crew spread the news that a little girl and two sailors from Province Town had captured and brought into harbor a fine English schooner. Mr. Freeman heard the news on his way to the wharf, and saw the crew of the “Sea Bird” being marched up the street under a strong guard. The church bells were rung, and when John Nelson and Anne reached shore they were welcomed by cheers.

Rose came hurrying through the crowd.“Oh, Anne!” she exclaimed. “Here is Mr. Samuel Adams waiting to speak to you! You are the bravest girl in the colony.”

“’Twill be a wonderful thing to tell Amanda,” said Anne happily. “Even Amos could hope for no finer adventure.”

“There’ll be prize money,” added Frederick. “I heard my father say that there’ll be a large sum for you and your father and for Captain Starkweather.”

It was a week later when they sailed once more for Province Town. It was decided that it would be safer to leave the harbor at nightfall, when there would be a better chance of the sloop not being recognized and followed by some watchful craft lurking in the lower harbor. This time the little cabin was nearly filled, for Captain Starkweather was taking gifts to each one of his six boys, beside wonderful packages for their mother, and Anne and her father could hardly wait for the time when Uncle Enos and Aunt Martha should see the set of lustre ware, the fine pewter, and the boxes of figs, dates, jellies and sweets which they were taking to Province Town.