The Minute Boys of York Town Part 18

"We thought you might know somewhat concerning him," I added stupidly, for by the surprise, and even the fear, exhibited by this man I might have known beyond a peradventure that he was all ignorant of what had occurred.

"Is there a possibility he might have gone home simply to please himself?" Morgan asked after a brief pause, and I replied emphatically, knowing full well that whatever might be the faults of my cousin, he would not leave us in ignorance concerning his whereabouts if he had set off solely for pleasure:

"It is positive he would not have gone away of his own accord without having told us."

"Then it stands me in hand to find out what has become of the lad. If by chance he has been taken under suspicion of being a spy, then is my shrift like to be short, for within the past twelve hours it has become well nigh impossible for any one to make his way through the lines."

"What has caused such sudden caution?" Pierre asked as he descended the ladder, having been awakened most like by the sound of our voices.

"Word has been brought in that Lafayette's army is being reinforced by men from the North. It was said last night that another fleet has appeared off the Capes; that there is like to be fighting both on the sea and on the land, and General Cornwallis has come to understand better than ever before the necessity of keeping his situation a secret.

In other words he has locked the stable door after the horse has been stolen, for there is nothing new we could carry to our people even though it were possible for us to go and come at will."

"Do you think a battle may be near at hand?" I asked, and Morgan replied confidently:

"I am not well skilled in war; but would be dumb indeed if I did not understand that before a battle between the two armies can take place, this village will be besieged. Cornwallis is preparing for such possibility, else why is he fortifying this unimportant point so carefully. It cannot be carried by direct a.s.sault, therefore are we like to be shut up in here until the Britishers are starved into subjection, unless, perchance, the fleet which has just come off the Capes proves to be English, and succeeds in driving the French away."

"Is there any reason why Fitz and I should not show ourselves around the village this morning?" Pierre asked suddenly, as if some new thought had come into his mind, and Morgan replied:

"You may do as you will, lad, so that you are careful not to arouse suspicion, and above all, give no heed to me if we come within sight of each other. If it should be that Saul has been taken as a spy, I am thinking you lads will speedily find your way into the guard-house, and it matters not whether you are taken while on the outside, or here in the cabin."

Then Master Morgan opened the door as if to go out, and I would have detained him by clutching nervously at his arm, but he shook me off as he said:

"I must strive to learn somewhat of the situation, because just now a grain, or two more of knowledge may save our lives. To-night, if not before, and in case the three of us are allowed to remain at liberty, I will try to have speech with you again."

He was gone before I could make further protest, and after closing the door I turned to face Pierre and Uncle 'Rasmus.

"Our company of Minute Boys seems to be of great a.s.sistance to the Cause," I said bitterly, for with Morgan's words there had come into my heart the certainty that death stood very near. "Instead of showing that we could play the part of men, we have simply come into this town of York and put a halter around the neck of that honest man from Jersey, for had we remained at home without dreaming of accomplis.h.i.+ng the impossible in the way of winning glory, he would have deserted from the British army in order to carry the information to General Lafayette, and thus be out of danger."

"One would suppose to hear you talk, Fitz Hamilton, that the end had come--that we were doomed beyond possibility of escape."

"And how else can you picture it?" I asked angrily. "With Saul arrested as a spy we are certain of sharing the same fate; even though you may account for his absence in some other way, it seems positive we are to be shut up here with the enemy while our friends are striving to kill all within the entrenchments. If that does not warrant my belief that we are standing very close to death, I would like to know how much more proof may be needed."

"We are yet alive," Pierre said softly and with a shrug of the shoulders, "and as yet at liberty so far as this cabin is concerned. I fail to understand why we may not yet prove ourselves worthy of being called Minute Boys, and succeed in doing something which shall win for us credit, if not honor, from those who are struggling against the king."

It angered me that that little French lad should be hopeful at a time when clouds of danger pressed so thickly and so closely about us, and I turned away from him impatiently, looking out of the window where could be seen the laborers in the trenches, squads of men marching here and there, and officers visiting this scene of activity and that; but all working with one common aim, which was the oppression of our people.

Whether Pierre was as unconcerned as he would have it appear, I cannot say; but if he had put on a mask then was he playing his part well, for he went here and there with a smiling face as he made ready our small store of food for the morning meal, and actually spoke in a cheery tone when he announced that our provisions were well nigh exhausted.

"I allow that we can satisfy our hunger this noon, if indeed we have any desire to eat at that time; but we will go supperless to bed, unless some means for provisioning the cabin can be devised."

I could not believe we had eaten all that store of provisions which we brought from the Hamilton plantation until I went to the cupboard and there saw that Pierre had spoken truly, even within bounds, for if we ate our fill on this morning the noonday meal would be slight indeed.

When I turned from this dismal inspection Pierre was carrying up the ladder to the loft a plentiful supply of cold boiled ham and fried hominy, seemingly a larger portion than he had set aside for our own breakfast, and I asked angrily if he counted on giving that Tory sneak more than we ourselves could indulge in, whereupon he said gravely:

"If any go hungry it must not be the prisoner. We are holding him here, and it is for our honor that he be not allowed to suffer."

"It is for our own safety that he be kept on short allowance," I cried.

"How do you allow we can add to our store now that it is no longer possible, according to Morgan's story, for us to make our way through the lines?"

"It makes no difference how we can add to the store, or whether we spend this day without breaking our fast, the Tory prisoner is to be fed, and I shall see to it that so long as we have a morsel in the cupboard so long shall the greater portion of it be his."

I had never heard Pierre Laurens speak so decidedly, and with such an a.s.sumption of authority, as at this time, and surprise silenced me that the little lad should have taken it upon himself to say this thing, should, or that thing should not be, when, without having actually done so in words, I claimed to be the leader of the company.

Pierre took care to feed Horry Sims before he served out any food for Uncle 'Rasmus and me, and when we sat on the floor near the window breaking our fast, my heart smote me as I took note that he had given both to the old negro and me a portion twice as large as that which he reserved for himself.

The lad was ready to sacrifice his own need to our pleasure, and I would have forced upon him some portion of the provisions which he had given me, but that he resolutely refused to take it, saying he was not hungry; that the news brought by Morgan had driven all thoughts of food from his mind, and such other excuses which I knew had been invented simply to force me to take more than my share.

Fortunately for my peace of mind even at this late day, I refused to eat more than did he, and the keenness of my anger was not yet dulled when I carried the remainder of the portion allotted me to the cupboard, saying in what I intended should be a jovial tone:

"The knowledge that your stomach is set against food has weakened my appet.i.te, and perhaps it will be as well, for we have the more when the time comes for serving dinner."

The old negro insisted that both Pierre and I should go through the town to put ourselves in the way of learning whether any further information had come in from the outside, and declaring that he would take care of Horry Sims providing we brought him down on the floor once more.

I would have refused to act upon this suggestion; but it seemed to please Pierre, and he at once set about getting the Tory cur where Uncle 'Rasmus could overlook him, therefore was I forced to lend a hand.

"Am I to be left here trussed up like a chicken ready for the roasting?"

Horry Sims asked angrily when we had put him once more in the corner of the room without taking undue care as to the handling.

"Your stomach is full; except for your liberty are you better off than either Pierre or I, and you may lie there thanking your stars that matters are no worse for you," I cried, whereupon little Frenchie, as if fearing I might abuse the prisoner of which he was so careful, opened the door and literally thrust me out.

When we were come near to my Lord Cornwallis's headquarters, I noted with surprise that a goodly number of the soldiers, together with a large sprinkling of officers, were pressing on toward the water's edge, and it was no more than natural Pierre and I should follow the throng, excited as we were by seeing the privates throw down shovel or pick without permission, to chase at the heels of their superiors.

Before we were come to the dock it was possible to hear from the distance a dull boom, as if many miles away a heavy cannon had been discharged, and then there came another and another, and I heard those red-coated men nearest me say gleefully:

"Admiral Graves is stirring up the frog-eaters! We may count it as certain that these two rivers will no longer be blockaded by Frenchmen."

Then I remembered what Morgan had said, and understood that the fighting for the possession of this town of York had already begun on the sea; that the British fleet had come down to drive away the vessels under command of Count De Gra.s.se. Once more I grew timorous with understanding that if the Englishmen should be victorious in this naval battle which I doubted not was close at hand, then would it be possible for them to land troops on the river of York or of James at their pleasure, until our forces at Williamsburg were outnumbered ten or twenty to one.

The same thought was evidently in Pierre's mind, and he also must have been fearing that the English sailors might prove superior to the French seamen, for he said in a whisper, drawing me closely to him by clutching tightly at my arm:

"My Lord Cornwallis must be mighty uneasy just about this time, for unless the British fleet can drive away the French vessels, then is he left to the mercy of our people who are coming down from the North to join General Lafayette."

"Ay; but if so be the English succeed, then is General Lafayette's force at their mercy."

"Ay, lad, and it may be a toss-up. At all events, I have it in mind that whatsoever is going on at sea just now decides the fate of this portion of the king's troops. Even though the Frenchmen do no more than hold their own, and prevent the Britishers from driving them out of Chesapeake Bay, then must the day speedily come when my Lord Cornwallis will be crying for quarter."

"With all the fortifications that have been thrown up around this town of York, it strikes me he may hold out many a long hour before being forced to show the white flag," I said bitterly, and the little French lad added cheerily:

"You forget that your people, under the command of my countryman, can work as well if not better with pick and shovel, than have those red-coated servants of the king, and I make no doubt but that there will be as strong lines of entrenchments opposing my Lord Cornwallis, as he has thrown up for his protection."

"And in the meantime we shall be between the two, or what is the same thing, exposed to the fire of our own people, and taking our chances of a stray ball from the redoubt here near the point," I said as my heart shriveled once more under the influence of fear.

CHAPTER X

NEWS OF SAUL