CHAPTER XXI
In the Fort
Dick had not noticed the fact, but while he was helping the farmer handout the meat and vegetables to the others, a soldier had been standingnear, gazing keenly and searchingly at him.
Suddenly a low exclamation escaped the lips of the soldier, and heturned to one of his comrades and said something, and they conversed afew moments, after which the soldier spoken to hastened into the fort.Presently he returned, accompanied by a soldier wearing a captain'suniform.
The captain advanced to the side of the wagon, and looking up at Dick,said: "Who are you, young man?"
"I am working for Mr. Boggs," replied Dick.
"What's your name?"
"Dick."
"Dick what?"
"Dick Rogers."
The captain pointed a finger at the young patriot, and exclaimed in astern, threatening voice: "You are Dick Dare, the rebel spy!"
Dick had expected something of the kind, after seeing the threateninglook on the captain's face, but at the same time it rather took himaback. He gazed steadily at the officer, however, and said:
"Why do you think I am Dick Dare, sir? And who is he?"
"Why do I think you are Dick Dare? Because one of the soldiers here, wasstationed up in Virginia a few months ago, and saw you there, and herecognized you and told me who you were. And now, you are my prisoner.Climb down out of that wagon."
On driving into the enclosure, the farmer had made a circle, and thehorses were now standing with their heads toward the gate, which wasstill open. Dick had noted this fact, and when he heard the captain'scommand, a daring plan came into his mind. He would attempt to drive outof the enclosure and make his escape.
So he quickly grabbed up the lines and whip, and yelling to the horses,and giving them a couple of cuts with the whip, Dick sent the team outof the enclosure on the gallop, knocking down and running over two ofthe soldiers, who at the command from the captain had tried to stop thehorses.
The farmer had been thrown down in the bottom of the wagon by thesuddenness of the start, and he lay still, for he thought it likely thatthere would be bullets flying soon.
And in thinking thus he was correct, for the captain, wild with rage,gave the command for his soldiers to fire, and they did so, the bulletswhizzing around Dick, who was still plying the whip and yelling to thehorses.
On across the open ground dashed the team, and the soldiers came runningforth from the enclosure like bees from a hive, and many of them camerunning after the wagon, but could not gain on it.
Dick drove on, and presently the wagon was in among the trees. Here theroad wound and twisted, and the progress was slower than when in theopen ground, but still they went at a pretty rapid rate.
The soldiers gave up the pursuit, and then Dick slowed the horses to awalk, and turned to the farmer, and smiling rather grimly, said: "I amsorry to have had to take matters in my hands, Mr. Boggs, but theredcoats would have captured me, otherwise."
"Oh, that's all right," was the reply. "I had sold most all my truck,ennyhow."
"But the redcoats will have it in for you, after this, won't they?"
"I guess not. I'll tell 'em I didn't know ye was a rebel."
"That will be a good idea."
"Yes."
The farmer now took his seat beside Dick, and took the lines, and drove,and presently Dick said: "I guess I'll leave you, now, Mr. Boggs. Thisis about the nearest point to the patriot encampment."
"All right, Dick Dare."
Dick leaped to the ground, shook hands with the farmer, thanked him forhis kindness in doing what he had, and then said good-by. His missionended he set out through the woods in the direction of the encampment.
When he reached there, he went to the headquarters tent, and was given acordial greeting by General Greene.
"Have you been reconnoitering the fort, Dick?" the general asked.
"Yes, General Greene," was the reply. "And I have been within thestockade-walls."
The general started and looked surprised. "How did you manage that, myboy?" he asked.
Dick explained, then, the general listening with interest, and when Dickhad described the interior of the enclosure, and the fort, the officernodded, and said: "You have done pretty well, Dick. A knowledge of theinterior arrangements at the fort is worth considerable."
"So I thought, sir, and that is the reason I was so eager to see theinterior of the fort."
After he had asked a few questions, General Greene told Dick he mightgo, but that any further information he could secure would beappreciated.
"I'll reconnoiter the fort to-night," said Dick. "I may be able to learnsomething further."
Dick then rejoined his comrades, and told them the story of hisadventure at the fort. They listened with interest, and utteredexclamations of wonder.
"Sure an' they came moighty near to grabbin' ye, thot toime, Dick," saidTim Murphy.
"Yah, dot is so," nodded Fritz Schmockenburg.
"But I was able to get a look at the interior of the fort," said Dick,"and that was worth while."
"Yes, indeed," said Ben Foster. "Of course, you saw nothing of Tom?"
"No. If he is there, he was in a building somewhere, and so I would nothave seen him."
They talked about the adventure quite a while, and were agreed that Dickhad acted in a daring manner in venturing into the fort.
"That was the only way I could secure any information regarding thearrangements of the buildings within the enclosure," said Dick.
After supper, Dick again set out. He made his way at a moderate pace,and finally reached the edge of the open ground shortly after dark. Hestopped just within the edge of the forest and looked across at the fortfor a few minutes. Then he began making his way toward the fort, slowly.
It was a rather dark night, and he could just make out the fort, lookinglike a faint shadow, and he felt certain that the sentinels could notsee him.
He was at the wall of the fort in about fifteen or twenty minutes, andbegan making his way along it, feeling for a place where he could climbto the top, as Ben said he had done.
He had nearly reached the corner of the enclosure when he heard acommotion within the enclosure. The sound of excited voices came to him,and the clatter of weapons, and then he heard a noise above his head. Helooked upward quickly, and as he did so, a human form came over the topof the wall and dropped down, striking Dick and knocking him to theground.