CHAPTER XVI. THE BITTER AND THE SWEET.
"Yes, it is the courier sure enough," Philip said, "and he is probablygoing to Burgoyne's camp with a message from General Clinton. If wecould capture him, we might find out what Sir Henry proposes to do."
"We wouldn't unless we had better luck than when we caught him the timebefore," Dan replied grimly.
The lieutenant laughed. "You are right; but we'll hope for better luckthis time."
"How are you goin' to get him?" Dan asked a moment later. "It don't lookas if he was comin' ashore right away."
"Probably not for several hours," Philip replied. "I suspect he passedthe night at the house of Beverly Robinson, near West Point, for he hadthat Tory's name on his list. Likely he is intending to take his dinnerwith Isaac Neale, another Tory living five or six miles above us. We'llfollow and see; if I'm correct, we'll plan to seize him there."
Master Preston was now opposite the lads, and paddled swiftly by,unconscious of his danger. They waited until he had disappeared around abend in the river, and then went in search of their companions. Then itwas they arranged for Late and Joe to stay well in the rear with thehorses, while they kept the courier in sight.
Now and then a curve in the shore-line forced them to mount their horsesin order to keep pace with the voyager; but when they were come within ahalf-mile of Isaac Neale's house, the steeds were hidden in the woodswhile all four scouts went up the trail on foot.
Snugly hidden behind one of the Tory's barns, they watched MasterPreston as he came ashore and went up to the house.
"It lacks an hour of noon," Philip said, looking at his watch, "and themen are doubtless at their work. It is a good time to capture thecourier, and we'll set about it at once."
He gazed intently at the house. It was a two-story building, standingbare and alone.
"I wish there were two more of us," he added; "but we must do the bestwe can. Joe is to take a station where he can watch the south and eastsides. Late is to stand guard over the north and west ends. Dan and Iwill enter the house. Now!" and he led the way at full speed.
By the time Philip and his comrade were at the door, the other lads wereat their stations. The lieutenant and Dan entered without ceremony, tofind the courier in the act of ascending the stairs. Recognizing theminstantly, he ran swiftly, the scouts at his heels, into the nearestchamber, the door of which he quickly closed and fastened.
Philip and Dan threw themselves upon the barrier, forcing an entrancejust in time to see Master Preston go out of the window. Dan ran back,down the stairs and out of the main door; but Phil followed thefugitive, intending to leap after him. But that act was unnecessary, forMaster Preston was already in the clutches of Late and Joe.
Philip noted that the man had been injured by the jump, and had lost notonly his hat, but the hair from his head.
"He wore a wig!" Philip cried in surprise. "There is where he hid hisletters," and he hastened downstairs to where the prisoner lay.
"You have me this time," the courier exclaimed as he caught sight ofPhil.
"And your papers," the latter replied, picking up the wig to find apocket on the inside where was a small, thin, sealed package.
"That is what I meant," Master Preston said with a groan. "Now you knowwhere I concealed the messages when you captured me before."
"Where are you injured?" the young officer asked, stooping beside hiscaptive.
"He broke his leg when he jumped," Late answered.
"When I struck the ground, you mean," the courier added with a faintattempt at a smile. "But for that I should have escaped."
"Not much," Joe interrupted, "for I had my rifle trained on you, an' inanother minute would have fired."
"Shall we carry him into the house?" Dan asked.
The women of the family had already gathered near, some cryinghysterically, others looking on with pale and frightened faces. Theeldest, Mistress Neale as her words proved, said somewhat timidly:
"Yes, take him into the house, good sirs, and I'll send one of the girlsfor her father, who is in the field. He will know just what to do."
"Much as I regret it," the leader of the squad replied gently, "I amforced to ask you to delay sending for Master Neale." Then to Joe, hesaid, "Bring up the horses," and to Late, "Keep guard here."
Philip and Dan lifted the injured courier, carrying him up to thechamber, where he was laid on the bed.
"I trust, Master Preston, that you will not be overlong in recovering,"he said as he turned to leave the unfortunate fellow.
"A few weeks here will pass more pleasantly than months, perhaps, in thedungeon of a fort," Preston replied. "You are kind to leave me with myfriends."
Before gaining the outer door, the boys heard him say to Mistress Neale,who was striving to relieve his suffering:
"There goes the smartest Yankee I have fallen in with since I came tothis country. Burgoyne will be whipped, and it is largely due to him."
"Who is he?" she asked.
"The son of General Schuyler," was the answer.
The words could be heard in the yard, where the daughters of MistressNeale were still waiting. The eldest, a fair girl of sixteen orseventeen years, turned and gazed at the young officer, who was mountinghis horse, with a look of admiration, and as he rode away said to heryounger sister:
"I don't care if he is a rebel, he is handsomer than any British officerI ever saw."
Joe, who was nearer her than either of his comrades, heard theconfession, and it was a long time before he ceased teasing his chiefabout the "Tory sweetheart."
Four or five miles up the trail Philip opened the letter he had takenfrom the wig of the courier. It read:
"New York, October, 1777.
"To General John Burgoyne,
"Commanding His Majesty's Army in Northern New York,
"Honored Sir:--Your message, and also that of Lord Germain, reached me two weeks since by the hand of Master George Preston. He had been apprehended and held by the rebels for months, yet succeeded in keeping and at length delivering to me the messages entrusted to his care, an unusual exploit, for which he deserves the highest commendation. On receipt of them I immediately undertook to comply with your request and with the order of the war secretary, but, after reaching and capturing the forts known as Clinton and Montgomery a few miles up the river, I was compelled to abandon the enterprise. I regret greatly, therefore, to inform you there is no hope of my forcing the passage of the Hudson this season. I would suggest that you entrench yourself in some suitable place where you can maintain a defense during the winter, and doubtless in the spring I shall be able to come to your aid.
"I remain your obedient servant,
"Henry Clinton,
"Commanding His Majesty's Army in Southern New York."
Handing the missive to his companions in turn, Philip said:
"It would have done no great harm if we had not captured Preston."
"It looks to me as though it would have discouraged Burgoyne a littlemore," Dan added.
"I guess he is blue enough now," Late suggested.
"He is if matters have worked after the style they were goin' when wecame away," Joe added.
"Still, this letter confirms our report, and is from a source thatcannot be doubted," Philip said cheerily. "General Gates need no longerfear a foe in his rear."
"An' will have no excuse for not advancing," Dan Cushing declared.
The lads finished their journey without other incident, and on theevening of October sixth arrived at Bemis Heights. In a few minuteslater the commander-in-chief had heard their report and received theletter from Sir Henry Clinton. The latter interested him greatly, and heinsisted on hearing a full account of how it came into his scout'shands.
"Your father was right, lieutenant," he said graciously wh
en the storyhad been told. "I could not have sent one better fitted for the missionthan yourself. With no enemy to attack us in our rear, we can give ourundivided attention to those in front. I will soon issue an order for anattack."
But on the following morning such a step was unnecessary. At an earlyhour, prompted by a threatened famine, General Burgoyne directed that aforaging force, numbering fifteen hundred, break through the westernline of skirmishers and scour the surrounding country in search of food.This movement was immediately detected by the Continentals, and,mistaking it for the beginning of a general attack on the part of thered-coats, they prepared for battle.
Leaving the breastworks they dashed down the hill upon the enemy'sfront. It was an attack which the British could not withstand, and theygave way before it. Rallying, however, a little later, they drove theassailants back.
To and fro they struggled, sometimes the British, sometimes the patriotshaving the best of the contest. So evenly balanced were the contendingforces that the same cannon changed hands five times. Finally thepatriots succeeded in holding the piece, and their colonel leaping uponit cried:
"I now dedicate this to the American cause." Then he ordered it wheeledaround, and, having been loaded with British ammunition, it wasdischarged again and again into the ranks of its former owners, becomingan important factor in driving them from the field.
At the same time an extraordinary flank movement was being executed.General Fraser, with the finest corps of the English army, fell upon theleft of the Continentals. Colonel Morgan's riflemen drove the attackingparty back, and they in their turn charged impetuously upon the Britishright. During the entire day there was no hotter fighting than thatwhich centered at this point.
Upon the heights stood an interested spectator. It was Colonel Arnold,who, though deprived of his command, had not yet left the encampment. Ashe watched the progress of the battle he could no longer restrainhimself. Mounting his horse, he rode at breakneck speed toward the leftfield. General Gates immediately ordered one of his staff officers tofollow and recall the daring officer. But the aide could not overtakehim. Into the thickest of the fight, and on to the head of his regiment,the impetuous colonel rode. His men recognized and received him withcheers; then, rallying, they followed him in a charge before which thered-coats wavered like grain before a tempest.
Colonel Morgan had already discovered that General Fraser was theinspiration of the British forces, and, selecting some of his bestmarksmen, he directed them to make the intrepid commander their specialtarget. Soon Fraser's horse was shot under him; but he refused to retirefrom the field. Mounting a fresh steed he again placed himself at thehead of his men, and a few moments later fell, mortally wounded.
This turned the tide of the battle. Though General Burgoyne in persontried to rally his men, his efforts were vain. Driven from theirentrenchments by Arnold's troops, they became demoralized and, afterfiring a single volley, turned and fled.
In this last charge a bullet shattered Colonel Arnold's thigh, and hefell from his horse just as Major Armstrong, who had been sent to recallhim from the field, reached his side. He obeyed the order; but four mencarried him, and he left behind a shattered foe, and a victorious army.
Night fell, and the patriots remained in possession of the field. TheBritish fled, intending to cross the Hudson and return to Fort Edward.Their loss was about seven hundred, while that of the Americans was butone hundred and fifty.
General Gates, who had remained in the camp all day, then made a movewhich is to his credit. Discovering, notwithstanding the heavy fog whichhad set in, the attempt of Burgoyne to recross the river, he sent out aforce to prevent his escape. All the next day there was heavyskirmishing, and then the harassed Britisher, leaving his baggage andwounded, set out on a night march for Saratoga. On the ninth he encampedon the heights north of the Fishkill. The patriots pursued, and on thetenth arrived at the heights between Saratoga church and the river.
Then the fleeing general lost hope. His position was exposed to attackon all sides; the roads to the north were impassable, and the woodsswarming with patriots. He had bread sufficient only for three days, andno water. Surrender seemed inevitable.
On the thirteenth he called together his officers for council. Whilethey were deliberating grape-shot from the guns of the pursuers sweptacross the table around which they were seated. Possibly it hastenedtheir decision. It was agreed to treat with the American commander forhonorable surrender.
It required three days for the two commanders to agree upon terms, buton the sixteenth they were finally arranged, and on the seventeentharticles were signed permitting the British to march out with the honorsof war, while on their part they surrendered artillery, arms, andammunition, agreeing not to re-enter the king's service during the war.
General Burgoyne on that afternoon, in the presence of the two armies,handed his sword to General Gates, who promptly returned it. Then theentire British army, numbering nearly six thousand, filed off towardBoston, from which port they were to embark for England.
The four young scouts watched the long line of prisoners as they filedaway, and Dan asked:
"What do you s'pose the king will say when he sees them come marchin'home?"
"That the bottom has fallen out of his plans," Philip replied with alaugh.
"'Twon't be so with our men," Late added. "The news will put new fightin 'em, an' they'll lick every red-coat that comes their way."
"An' the rest of the world will think we mean business," Joe addedgleefully.
"I am confident it will secure for us the help of France, which meansthat we shall gain what we are fighting for--our national independence,"a voice behind them said.
Turning, the boys saw General Schuyler, who added: "In time to come, Ibelieve, it will generally be acknowledged that this battle of Saratogawas one of the decisive battles of the world, and you, my lads, may beproud because in it you have borne an honorable and important part."
"Hurrah!" they all shouted, filled with enthusiasm at the thought.
Two weeks later General Schuyler and his son stood in the presence ofGeneral Washington. During an hour they had been with him discussing thedetails of the northern campaign, and now had arisen to depart. Takingthe father by the hand the brave commander-in-chief of the Americanforces said:
"Never forget, sir, that at no time have I lost confidence in you, and Ishall not rest until I have secured your full vindication at the handsof Congress."
Then turning to the son he added:
"The part you have played in this notable victory has proved, my lad,that you are the worthy son of a worthy sire. In my report to theCongressional committee I shall recommend that you be given a captain'scommission."
"And what for my three comrades?" the young scout asked eagerly. "Iassure you they never once failed me, and two of them risked their livesto save me from death. The other would have been with them in thatundertaking had not his duty called him elsewhere. If need be, give menothing, but bestow on them some evidence that you appreciate theirfaithful work."
"I leave it for their captain to make them warrant officers in his owncommand," was the smiling reply.
"They shall have, then, the highest places I can give them," Phil saidstoutly, "and I can safely promise that you will hear good tidings fromthem."
A promise which was made good under General Lincoln when he took commandof the army in the south.
THE END.