The Minute Boys of York Town Part 13

"Then who will go?" and Pierre looked from Saul to me, and back again to Saul.

I waited while one might have counted five to learn if my cousin was eager for this mission which promised somewhat of danger--very much of peril if he who left the village was seen going in the direction of the American lines, and since Saul remained silent, I said with so much of cheerfulness as I could command:

"I am the one to go. I know well the road from here to Williamsburg, and it may be that my father is among the troops there, in which case I shall have no trouble in getting speech with the French general."

It was quite plain to me that Pierre would have insisted on his right to play the part of messenger between spy and general; but I was not minded to be left in such a delicate position as must be that lad who remained to guard our secret, and without giving him a chance to make protest I continued hurriedly, as if he was indeed my superior and I forced to obey him:

"Let me go, Pierre dear; I am too thick-headed to be left in charge should more dangers arise than already surround us. You have already shown your adroitness in crawling out of narrow quarters, and therefore must remain here."

Up to this time Uncle 'Rasmus had not spoken. It was as if he failed, even after all that had been said, of understanding the true situation; but now it appeared much as if the truth had burst in upon him, for I saw what was like unto a sudden flash of light come over his black, wrinkled face, as he stepped forward to lay his hand on Frenchie's shoulder while he said gravely, and with more of dignity in his manner than I had ever fancied the old negro could a.s.sume:

"Your place is des' here, honey, here wid Uncle 'Rasmus, an' Ma.r.s.e Fitz is de one to go kase dere's a chance he'll meet wid his father. I'se 'lowin' it would do Missey's heart good ef she could get word from Ma.r.s.e straightway frou de chile's lips. Stay whar you is, honey, kase I'se gwine to be needin' you mighty bad."

Why Uncle 'Rasmus was so eager for me to act the part of messenger rather than Pierre, I failed to understand; but it gave me wondrous relief of mind that he did interfere, and the little French lad immediately stepped back a pace or two from the fireplace, as if to say he would make no protest.

Then I, to clench the matter, fearing lest Pierre might reconsider his apparent determination to remain, asked the red-coated spy what message he would have carried to General Lafayette, and when it was his desire the messenger should set out, whereupon he replied by demanding:

"Tell me what you lads saw to-day while taking note of the fortifications?"

I repeated that which Pierre had impressed upon my mind, and in order that little Frenchie should have due credit for the military intelligence displayed, I explained that he it was who had given me my lesson as we walked, and he it was who had surmised that a battery was to be placed here or a redoubt there, whereupon Master Morgan said in a tone of approbation:

"You may set it down that your friend is a keen lad; one who keeps his eyes wide open and understands whereof he speaks. There are many men who could have walked through the town of York this day and not seen one-half, nay, not one-quarter, for you have placed a redoubt here on the right and there on the left, which is as yet hardly begun. How know you, lad, that such works are to be put there?" and the spy turned toward Pierre as he spoke.

"I knew that if my Lord Cornwallis was fortifying this town against a siege he would need redoubts to the right and left of the village near the river, and, indeed, the ground has already been broken for such works."

"You must have seen somewhat of military movements in this short life of yours?"

"My father was a soldier," Pierre said proudly. "I have heard him and his friends discussing their campaigns and sieges until it seems to me I should be able to say with somewhat of reason how a town like this could be fortified."

"I give you credit for stationing the grand battery near the church. To my mind, Cornwallis counted on putting it farther to the westward, but now I can see that you are right." Then, turning to me again, the spy continued, "You will say to the marquis when you have speech with him, that I sent you, not being able to leave the village, as he can readily understand, and, after giving a description of the fortifications, say that much of the information has come through your friend, a little French boy, who seems to have a better idea of military works than a Jerseyman like myself. Let him know that one of his countrymen has been thus keen in finding out the plan."

"When am I to go?" I inquired, and Morgan said quickly:

"As soon as may be now that you have the message. There is no reason why you should linger, and if you go at once I can point out the safest place to make your way through the lines. An hour later I must be in quarters lest suspicions be aroused."

I confess to a weakness of heart on learning that I was to set off on a mission without delay. When I had proposed to act the part of messenger the work was seemingly in the future, and I did not give much heed to the possibility of danger until he set the time for departure so close at hand. Now I could see before me all the perils which might be encountered, and imagined many that might never come my way; but I strove to the utmost to prevent the others from reading by my face that which was in my heart, putting on a bold front as I buckled my belt a bit the tighter, and turned toward the door as if to take my departure.

Morgan rose to his feet, and Uncle 'Rasmus seized both my hands in his as he whispered softly:

"Take care ob yoursef, honey, take care ob yoursef. Make a straight getaway for Williamsburg, an' don' go gallivantin' 'roun', kase dere's danger from de time you leabe here till you get inside de rebel lines."

I had had a certain affection for the old negro before this moment, but now something akin to love came into my heart because of the anxiety he displayed concerning my welfare, and I returned his handclasp heartily, saying in what I strove should be a cheery tone:

"Don't let your heart be troubled about me, Uncle 'Rasmus. I'll pull through without difficulty, for the road is short, and I have had so much of rest this day that I am fitted for travel."

Little Frenchie patted me on the shoulder; but remained silent. Saul stood s.h.i.+fting uneasily from one foot to the other, not attempting to bid me good-bye, nor even to meet my gaze, and I understood that he was saying to himself with shame that he ought at least have striven to act the part of messenger, rather than held his peace, which was much the same as showing that he did not dare make the venture.

I had no time to give further heed to the surroundings. The red-coated spy had taken me by the arm and was hurrying me out of the house, doubtless fearing lest I grow timorous because of parting words, and he prevented the others from following by closing the door quickly behind him.

Moving cautiously and not venturing to speak, he led me a certain portion of the way across the village toward the west, as if I was counting on going to my own home, and when we were come to where a line of entrenchments was but just begun, he whispered softly in my ear:

"There are but three sentinels on this end the line, and you should be able to make your way past them. Go straight ahead until coming to the road which leads to your home, and then strike off to the right for the Williamsburg highway, after which the way is clear unless British scouting parties are abroad. Move cautiously; take plenty of time until you are outside the lines; then see to it that you waste not a single moment, but push forward at your best speed, for the new day is near at hand."

Having said this, and once more pointing out the direction in which I should go to best avoid the sentinels, Morgan turned abruptly, leaving me to my own devices, and during the half-minute I stood there irresolute I felt more desolate and with a greater sense of abandonment than ever before or since, however desperate the situation.

Now was I indeed embarked in the business of spy; now had I set my face on that road which led to a shameful death in case I was taken prisoner, and while I would not have exchanged places with the lad, I regretted that Pierre, not I, had set out to do this work, for I doubted my own ability. In event of being overhauled by the enemy and questioned, I was not so quick of wit and ready of speech as the little lad from New Orleans, and would fall in many a trap of words where he could pa.s.s safely by and with seeming honor.

Fortunate indeed was it, so far as my own good name was concerned, that I did not stand there many seconds in the darkness reflecting upon what might be before me, else had I become so timorous that I believe of a verity I would have gone back to old Mary's cabin, admitting to my comrades that I dare not go further on the venture.

Luckily, however, a sense of shame at my own cowardice urged me forward, and when I heard the footsteps of the sentinel giving token that he had gone toward the other end of his beat, I crept softly along in a crouching posture, even though I might not have been seen in that dense darkness had I walked erect, and, having covered a distance of fifty yards or more, I was come to the road which led toward the Hamilton plantation.

In front of me was the way which, if pursued, would have brought me to those I loved, and to safety for the time being, instead of which I must turn my back upon it, and go on the road where I might reasonably expect to meet with the enemy, for it was not likely my Lord Cornwallis would remain quietly in York Town without striving to learn what his adversaries were doing, even as General Lafayette had striven to ascertain when he sent Morgan to enlist as a British soldier.

It pleases me to be able to say now, that when the moment came to set my face away from home and toward danger, I did not hesitate. Believing I was so far from the enemy's lines that I could safely advance at a rapid pace, I set off at a lope which I knew from past experience I could hold until having traversed the distance from York Town to Williamsburg and back again.

The old adage that he who crosses a bridge before he comes to it is a fool, was proven in my case. From the moment of insisting that I should be the one to act as messenger, there had been before my mind all kinds of dangers to be encountered, and I had vexed myself with the belief that there was hardly more than one chance out of twenty that I could go through in safety, and yet I did, never seeing friend or foe until I was come, as nearly as I could judge, to within a mile of where Morgan had said the Americans were encamped.

Then suddenly, while I was half-running half-walking along the highway, dreaming no evil, came a voice from the thicket on my right, shouting:

"Halt, or I'll fire! Halt, I say!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "HALT, OR I'LL FIRE!"]

On the instant I obeyed the command, my heart standing still as it were with terror, for I made certain I had blundered upon a British scouting party, and one can well fancy the relief of mind which was mine when there came out from amid the foliage a man in the uniform of our own Virginia riflemen, who was followed by two others, and I knew I had been stopped by a friend to the Cause.

By this time, it is needless for me to say, the new day had come, and they could see me as clearly as I could them, therefore I counted on being given a friendly welcome, instead of which he who acted as commander of the squad, and I counted he was a corporal at the very least, asked as if in anger:

"Where are you from in such haste, and where going?"

"From York Town, and with a message to General Lafayette."

"You from York Town?" he cried with a coa.r.s.e laugh. "You from York Town wanting to see the marquis?"

"Ay, that I am," was my angry reply. "Why should I not come from York, and why should a boy of Virginia not carry a message to a general who is serving in the American army?"

"There is no reason why he should not, providing it was being done honestly; but there are Virginians who would go from Cornwallis to Lafayette on anything rather than honest business. If you are acting as messenger, who in the town of York would send you?"

For an instant the name of Morgan trembled on my lips, and then I realized in what danger I might put the spy by thus proclaiming that he had enlisted in the British army, while the man, seeing me hesitate, laid his hand heavily upon my shoulder, as he said in what sounded very like a tone of triumph:

"If you were bent on honest business there is no reason why you should delay in saying who sent you. It looks to me much more as though you were one of the Tory sp.a.w.n that infest Virginia, and were counting on learning what you might concerning our people."

Now indeed was my anger aroused, and I ministered to the suspicions of this zealous patriot by giving way to it. Instead of speaking him fairly, as Pierre Laurens would have done had he been in my place, I must needs fly into a temper, asking if he saw on my face anything betokening a Tory leaning; if he could not recognize an honest lad when he saw him, and all that sort of foolish talk which only made the matter worse, whereas if I had explained on the instant who I was, then would he have had no doubt.

The result of my folly was that not only the man who acted as spokesman, but both his companions, were straightway convinced I was playing the part of a British spy--that I was one of those vile things known as a Tory, who was willing to work whatsoever of harm he might to his own country.

At once I found myself a close prisoner, being seized by both arms and marched in triumph up the road by these men who I must confess were doing no more than their duty, and being given no further opportunity to make explanation.

During two or three minutes I held my peace, the anger in my heart being so great that I could not think clearly, and then, realizing that the truth must be shortly known when I was brought before the marquis, General Lafayette, as in my folly I believed I would be, I set about telling that which had best been told before I gave way to anger.