CHAPTER V
OUR PRISONER
Even as I gazed at little Frenchie in what was very like bewilderment, Inoted that the lad was looking here and there furtively, as if to makecertain there were no eavesdroppers near, and on the instant the haze ofperplexity was cleared from my mind, allowing me to realize that theFrench lad had some plan on foot whereby the mischief wrought throughSaul might be counteracted.
Although the situation seemed to me so desperate, and the possibility ofextricating ourselves from the difficulties into which we had beensuddenly thrown was so slight that I could see no ray of light, yet hadI come to have such great faith in Pierre Laurens's quick wit andcool-headedness, that straightway much of the trouble was taken from mymind, and I laid my hand on his shoulder as if to say I depended uponhim to draw us out from this slough into which my cousin's ill temperhad plunged us.
Meanwhile Saul was giving no heed to anything save the desire to flogHorry Sims for what he had done to our harm, and Pierre whispered to mesharply and quickly:
"Is there no place near by where we can remain in hiding for a time?"
During an instant I failed to remember anything whatsoever concerningthis shop of Master Bemis's, although it was familiar to me, owing to myhaving visited it a dozen times or more. Then I suddenly recalled tomind that just around the corner, in the rear, was an old shed sometimesused for the stabling of horses, which had frequently been half-filledwith rubbish of such sort as empty cases, lumber or straw.
This much I explained to Pierre in the fewest words possible, and a lookof relief came over little Frenchie's face as he went directly up toSaul, laying one hand on my cousin's shoulder, and with the otherclutching the Tory sneak by the coat-collar.
Mayhap not more than thirty seconds had passed from the time my cousinannounced his intention of paying off the score we held against HorrySims, until Pierre said in a low, sharp tone to Saul, and conveying muchof reproof:
"You have forgotten that by giving way to anger you not only endangeryourself, but Fitz and me, to say nothing of Uncle 'Rasmus. Now pullyourself up with a sharp turn; check that ill temper of yours if youwould keep yourself at liberty--mayhap if you would hold the breath oflife in your body."
As he spoke it seemed to me that Horry Sims had a dim understanding ofwhat was about to come upon him, for he lunged quickly here and therelike some trapped animal, and I fancied he was about to raise his voicein a cry for help, when I sprang forward and clapped my hand over hismouth.
"What are you about now?" Saul asked angrily. "What right have you tointerfere when I count on dealing with this Tory villain even as hedeserves?"
"I have every right," and now Pierre spoke in a sharper tone than I hadever before heard him use. "Even though there be no other reason, Ishall protect myself, and it would seem, if you keep on at this pace,Saul Ogden, that Fitz and I must consider you equal enemy with thisTory. We are undone from this moment, and can count surely on beingthrust into the guard-house as malcontents and rebels, unless you findstrength of will enough in that hulking body of yours to behave in adecent fashion."
"I SPRANG FORWARD!"]
Nothing in the way of argument could have moved Saul so quickly as didreproof from the little French lad, who until this moment he had mostlike considered a child as compared with himself. Now, however, that theboy was talking in manly fashion, and with sound doctrine, my cousingave way before him on the instant, becoming as meek and docile as anylamb.
"What would you have me do? I had no right to give rein to my temper,and yet I swear to both of you that I could not have held it in check."
"This is no time for making excuses," Pierre said, still speaking in acommanding tone. "The wonder of it is that we have had so many minutesallowed us, and now it stands us in hand to get this fellow out ofsight."
"Out of sight? Where?" and Saul was in as thick a cloud of bewildermentas I had been, whereupon, pushing Horry Sims forward, with my hand stillpressed over his mouth, I said hurriedly:
"Pierre would have us hide him in the shed. I know not how that mayadvantage us; but let me tell you, Saul Ogden, that little Frenchie hasgot more sound sense in one side of that head of his than you and I inboth ours put together. Now do as he has said, and we will listen to himafterwards."
I forced Horry Sims on from behind, still gagging his mouth with myhand, while Pierre, retaining a firm hold on the Tory's coat-collar,dragged him along in the direction I indicated, Saul assisting as wellas he could while in such a state of perplexity.
It was little less than a miracle that we could have stood talking thereby Master Bemis's shop and then made our way half around it, withoutcoming in contact with some of the red-coats. Even at this day, as I sithere in safety writing down that which we did in the town of York, itseems to me more than marvelous that we were not taken into custodybefore little Frenchie had time to give words to his suddenly conceivedplan.
I set it down to the fact that all those soldiers of the king werebusily engaged throwing up entrenchments, for it was known that not manymiles away lay General Lafayette with his army, and my Lord Cornwallismust have said to himself that General Washington, finding he had somany of his majesty's troops in much the same as a trap, would push downfrom the North all the men he could spare. Therefore it came about thatevery officer was urging the men under his command to the greatestactivity, and, fortunately, this shop of Master Bemis's was at aconsiderable distance from any part of the British works, whichexplains, at least to myself, why we were not lodged as prisoners in theBritish garrison.
I believe that from the first moment Pierre began to speak in a tone ofcommand, Horry Sims understood he was in danger, not of a mere flogging,but of something he could not explain to himself, therefore was hisfright all the greater.
When little Frenchie, while we were circling around the building,threatened vengeance even to the shedding of blood if he made anyoutcry, the lad was so terrified that even though he had had fairopportunity I question whether he could have raised his voicesufficiently loud to have been heard a dozen paces away.
He was as limp as any rag in my grasp as we forced him along, and for aninstant I feared the cowardly cur would fall helpless from sheer terrorof that which he knew not the nature.
Within the time it would take a tongue-tied man to count ten, we hadhustled Horry Sims from the southerly corner of Master Bemis's shoparound to the rear, where was the shed of which I had told littleFrenchie, and again did fortune favor us, for no horses were stabledthere, and the rude structure was so nearly filled with rubbish of allkinds that it would have been impossible to have sheltered even a mulebeneath the crazy roof.
We entered with our prisoner, Pierre leading the way grasping Horry bythe coat-collar, while I brought up the rear with my arm around theTory's neck so that I might keep a hand clapped over his mouth.
"Shut the door, and, if it be possible, bar it so that no one may comewithout giving due warning," little Frenchie said to Saul, and my cousinobeyed as meekly as a well whipped cur obeys his master.
There was a crazy affair made of puncheon planks which had served asdoor, but it hung loosely on its hinges, and I question whether it hadbeen used for many a year; but Saul was by this time so intent on doingwhatsoever he might to repair the mischief wrought while his temper hadthe best of him, that it was as if he had the strength of two men.
While Pierre was looking about him trying to plan something in his mind,my cousin had the barrier closed and fastened with four or five shortlengths of logs. It was not done so securely but that one from theoutside might force an entrance, yet it would require a minute or two toeffect such purpose, and this was what I fancy little Frenchie countedon when he gave the command.
"Over yonder," he said, pointing toward the end of the shed where wereseveral casks and some old boxes, "is the place to which we must takehim."
"How long do you count on keeping him there?" I could not refrain fromasking, and Pierre replied promptly, thus showing that he had
a planthoroughly mapped out in his mind:
"Only until night, when we must get him to old Mary's cabin where he canbe held prisoner."
I was astounded, to use a mild term, by the idea that we were to holdthis Tory a prisoner for any length of time. Here we were, shut upwithin the British lines, in danger at any moment of being haled beforesome high mightiness of an officer to answer to the charge of beingrebels, or of being in the town with evil intent, and we took it uponourselves to capture a lad who stood to a certain degree in the favor ofour enemies!
It was to my mind at that instant, and is even now, as reckless a bit ofbusiness as can well be conceived. Why we did not take to our heels atthe first moment when Saul gave way to his anger, leaving Uncle 'Rasmusto his fate, and shake the dust of the town of York from our feet, Icannot understand. Yet I am wrong in saying this last, for it was PierreLaurens who held us where we belonged, and who proved that if there wereMinute Boys in York Town, he stood above them head and shoulders astheir commander.
But for Pierre's quick wit and decision we had at that moment beenracing through the village intent only on passing the British lines. YetI said then, while we pulled Horry Sims across the rubbish, that perhapsit would have been greatly to our advantage if we had fled the town eventhough the hue and cry was raised on the instant, rather than remainwhere it might be impossible for us to go out again save in the custodyof a squad of red-coated soldiers.
By the time Saul barricaded the door Horry Sims had been taken to therear of the building, and there little Frenchie turned two huge casksdown on their side, with the mouths facing each other, leavingsufficient space between them for a lad to crawl in, saying to theprisoner when this work was done:
"Creep in there, lad, and hold your peace! If you raise your voice abovea whisper, I swear that it shall be the last moment of your life! Youcan well fancy we would not flinch at killing such as you when it mightbe to save ourselves. To hold you secretly, and yet securely, is ourhope, therefore bear well in mind to what lengths we are bound to gorather than allow you to give us the slip!"
The Tory crawled head foremost into one of the casks, which was so largethat he could readily turn around in it, and in the gloom of the shed Icould see that his face was as white as my mother's table linen. Heshook like one in an ague fit, as well he might, for the threats Pierremade carried with them such a ring of truth that he would have been dullindeed had he failed to understand how far we would go in order to saveour own skins.
Pierre followed him into this snug hiding place, and I stood helplesslyby, awaiting some word from little Frenchie, ready to obey whatevercommands he might give, while Saul, shamefaced because of hisindiscretion, came up to my side.
"It is like this," Pierre said as if he had asked a question. "So longas we can hold this Tory sneak secretly, so long are we at liberty toremain in York Town to compass the business which brought us here; buton the instant he gives us the slip, we may count on coming before amilitary court charged with being rebels, if not with being spies."
"How long do you think he can remain in this shed without beingdiscovered?" Saul asked stupidly, and then it was that Pierre explainedhis plan, so far as he had formed it.
"One of us, and you should be that one inasmuch as it was through youthat all this trouble came about," he said, looking at Saul, "mustremain here until midnight, or thereabouts, on the alert all the whilelest he give an alarm, while Fitz and I move about the village as wewere intending when we left old Mary's cabin. When night has come, andif we find it possible, this Tory must be carried across the town andstowed safely in that loft above the room in which Uncle 'Rasmus isliving. There, one or the other of us must act as jailor all the while,until--I cannot guess when our duties may be ended. If, perchance, theAmerican forces give Lord Cornwallis battle, and are victorious, thenmay we come out of the snarl with whole skins; but if so be the Britishare the conquerors, we can look to have the tables turned on us, whenHorry Sims will get all the revenge he may desire."
A pretty pickle we were in because of what Saul had done! The most wecould hope for would be to hold Horry day after day in that loft of oldMary's cabin, with but one show of getting out of the box, which wouldbe such a victory by the Americans that they might take possession ofthe town of York.
It was a slim chance, though I doubted not that General Lafayette'sarmy, if reinforced as it should be, would whip the Britishers; butagain and again the so-called rebels had been worsted by the king'ssoldiers, and why might they not get a drubbing here? It was well withinthe range of possibilities that the British army would be reinforced byvessels sent down from New York, in which case we stood to suffer.
Even though the Britishers allowed us to go here or there at will, wewere held as close prisoners, because of having Horry Sims in custody,as though they put us under a strong guard. If at that moment when westood by the casks in the shed speculating upon the situation, I hadknown that the town of York was to be besieged and shelled by ourpeople, I would not have reckoned that my life was worth the turn of ahand.
Fortunate indeed was it for us that we could not look into the future.Fortunate we had no inkling of all that was to take place between therivers of York and James within the next few days, else had our couragefailed us entirely. As it was, however, I had great faith Pierre wouldpull through his scheme successfully, and trusted that the future wouldshow us some way out of this snarl into which we had been so suddenlyplunged.
"Come in here, and stretch yourself out beside this lad, with your handclosing on his throat so that at the lightest sign of his counting ongiving an alarm you can choke him to death," Pierre said to Saul, whowas crouching that he might look into the cask, and my cousin did meeklyas he was bidden, for by this time he had come fully to understand thathe alone was responsible for all this trouble which had come upon us.
Not until Saul was within the cask, and had taken position close by theside of the prisoner, did little Frenchie venture to come out. Then,halting and leaning over so his voice would carry to the prisoner andhis jailor without being heard by any who might be in the vicinity ofthe shed, he said, still speaking in a tone of command which, had I beenless excited and anxious, would have sounded comical from one so small:
"Remember, Saul, that your life, mayhap, and ours, depends upon yourholding that Tory scoundrel safe. Fitz and I will learn what we maytoward aiding us in getting him to the cabin."
"How long am I to stay here?" Saul asked, and I fancied that he wasgrowing sulky again, whereupon I said soothingly, laying my hand on hisleg in friendly fashion:
"Do not let your temper get the best of you again, Saul, else are we allundone past mending. We have fallen into a hobble, and each must do hisbest to come out alive."
"I am ready to do what I may, and understand, without its being roughedinto me, that I am the one who is responsible for it all; but yet I askhow long am I to stay here?"
"Until we come again," little Frenchie said decidedly. "There is noprobability we shall dare risk a visit here 'twixt now and the timewhen we have made ready to carry him to old Mary's cabin, therefore youcan count that your duties as jailor will hold you inside that caskuntil midnight."
I would have added somewhat to that which Pierre had said, countingthereby to soothe my cousin; but little Frenchie dragged me back,motioning with his finger on his lips that I hold my peace. I understoodthat again was the lad right, for if we did what we might toward coaxingSaul into a better humor, we were possibly giving him an opportunity tofly off in a rage again, and that would have been fatal to all the fainthopes in which we then indulged.
Pierre clambered softly down across the rubbish, motioning for me tofollow his example, and then set about pulling away from the ramshackledoor the short lengths of logs which barred it; but he was careful toremove only sufficient of the barrier for us to creep out.
When we were in the open air, with the shed so nearly closed that noone, unless having special business there, would be likely to enter, hesaid to me
in a whisper as he led the way up into the village once more:
"Now we will set about our work, and before Saul sees us again he willhave had plenty of time in which to repent having given way to histemper."
"Our work?" I repeated dully. "Isn't it enough that we must hold HorrySims prisoner, without thinking of aught else?"
"We came here to find Saul's mare and your Silver Heels, and, eventhough it be necessary to stand guard over the Tory, I am counting thatwe shall continue the work even as was at first proposed."
"It is to my mind that we have enough on our hands, without takingmore," I said, and mayhap there was in my voice that same sulky tonewhich I had heard in Saul's a few seconds before.
"Surely one of us is enough to hold that Tory quiet, unless theBritishers get an inkling that we have him in our hands, and, besides,Uncle 'Rasmus should be able to help us in no small degree. Do youremember that we counted to call ourselves Minute Boys, and to do thework of Minute Boys?"
"Ay, that is what we reckoned on when we were foot-free--when we had notfettered ourselves with a Tory prisoner; but now it is all impossible."
"Why impossible?" and for the first time since we had come upon HorrySims did Pierre indulge in that indescribable shrug and wave of thehands which was peculiar to him. "It would seem to me that now is thetime, if ever, when we can do somewhat for the Cause--when we can provethat although our company of Minute Boys numbers but three, we are ofimportance, and may make our names known to those who are staking theirlives for the liberty of this country."
I looked at the little lad in amazement. The idea that we three boys,who were in as bad a hobble as lads ever could be--we three who stood,one might almost say, face to face with death, should think of aughtelse, was to me most astonishing, and yet this small fellow from NewOrleans was all afire with great plans.
Surely if our company of Minute Boys ever did anything in behalf of theCause, it would be wholly due to him, for I had come to consider, halfan hour since, that his was the only brain among us.
"My countryman, with an army of Americans, is near at hand, holding thisEnglish lord here as if he was in a prison, and do you not believe thatit may be possible for us to carry to General Lafayette such informationconcerning what is being done here in this town of York as would be ofimportance?" Pierre asked, his eyes flashing and his cheeks flushing.
"Ay, if so be we were free to act we might, one or another of us, creepout through the lines and get speech with our people; but hampered as weare, how will it be possible? We are prisoners here, ourselves holding aprisoner."
"Look upon it in that way if you please," and again Pierre shrugged hisshoulders. "I count on having one try for the horses, and, failing that,of having speech with General Lafayette himself after we have beenthrough this town of York and set down in our minds all the work onwhich the Britishers are now engaged."
"I hope most sincerely you may succeed, lad; but yet I doubt it sorely.In the meanwhile, what about Uncle 'Rasmus?"
"We will go to his cabin now, explain what has happened, and then loungearound the stable quarters of the Rangers, where you shall have aglimpse of your beloved Silver Heels."
I believe the lad reminded me of the horse I loved so well, with thepurpose of holding my courage straight, and he could have used no otherbait that would have lured me so quickly from out the Slough of Despondinto which I had fallen.
There was no hope in my heart, however sanguine he appeared, that Icould regain possession of my horse. The most I dared look forward towas that events might so shape themselves as to make it possible for usto escape from this town into which we had voluntarily come, and yet Iwas such a simple that I failed of understanding it was Pierre Laurenswho would get us out of the hobble, if indeed we ever did get out; but Ifollowed him meekly as he led the way toward the Pigeon Quarter.
Uncle 'Rasmus was seated by the window; we could see his wrinkled blackface through the dirty glass, and surely he had every appearance ofbeing near to death as he sat there huddled up in a little ball, so tospeak, wrapped in his blanket although the day was unusually warm.
"Are you really sick, Uncle?" I asked, hurrying into the hovel with thefear that I should find there additional trouble.
"I'se mighty bad, honey, mighty bad," the old man replied with an oddtwinkle in his eyes. "I 'spects I'se 'bleeged ter stay right here, widneber a chance ob gettin' back to de ole plantation, kase I'se got demisery in my back, my head, an' my legs till I'se des de same as awuffless ole cripple."
"That's right, Uncle 'Rasmus," Pierre said cheerily. "You are apromising looking old invalid, and I guarantee that if any of thesered-coated gentry have a suspicion you may be playing a part, oneglimpse of that face of yours will convince them you are nigh to death."
"I'se bin reckonin' on des dat same ting, an' while de ole nigger am sopo'ly dese yere gen'men who's in de army carn' grudge my seein' youchillun now an' den."
"You are likely to see a good deal of us, Uncle 'Rasmus," I said grimly,now understanding that the old negro was simply playing his part as hadbeen agreed upon. "We had the ill luck to come across Horry Sims; Saullost his temper, and let the fellow know we were acquainted with what hehad been about."
"Lan' ob massy, chillun, lan' ob massy! Hab you bin rubbin' up agin datTory sneak?"
"It's worse than that, Uncle 'Rasmus," Pierre said with a smile. "Inorder to save our own skins we have been forced to make him a prisoner,and can stay in York Town only so long as it is possible to keep him outof sight. We count on bringing him here, if there's a living show forit, 'twixt now and midnight."
"Chilluns, chilluns, I 'low to goodness you'se done gone crazy! Whar'sSaul? Wha's become ob de chile?"
I explained to Uncle 'Rasmus where my cousin was, and what he was doing,after which Pierre gave him a brief outline of his plans, and when bothof us had come to an end of our speech, there was no need for the oldman to exert himself very strenuously in order to play the part ofinvalid.
His wrinkled face went ashy pale as the facts of the situation wereborne in upon him, and he sank back in the chair with both handsuplifted as if in supplication.
"You chilluns hab done gone crazy! Gone crazy!" he repeated again andagain, and I stood helplessly by not knowing what to do; but littleFrenchie set about soothing the old man's fears by explaining how itmight be possible for us to do this, or do that, and declaring we couldkeep Horry a prisoner in the loft so long as one of us stood close by toinsure his silence, until Uncle 'Rasmus recovered a goodly measure ofhis former serenity.
"I 'clar for it, chillun, it beats de snakes how much trubble you'se gotus all into; but I reckon we'se boun' to hol' our backs stiff agin it,else dese yere Britishers am gwine ter make mighty short work ob us."
"That's just it, Uncle 'Rasmus, that's just it," Pierre cried cheerily."We've got into the muss, and it stands us in hand to hold our own solong as we can. We're no worse off if Horry Sims gives us the slip afterwe've brought him here, than we would have been had we allowed him to gofree after Saul was so foolish as to let the fellow understand we knewof all his knavery. Now it's a case of keeping our backs stiff, tryingto get possession of the horses, and doing all we can toward carrying tothe Americans news of what's being done in this town."
"Sure, honey, you ain' countin' on doin' nuffin 'cept holdin' Horry Simsquiet?" and again Uncle 'Rasmus showed signs of terror.
"Now look here, Uncle," and Pierre knelt by his side, looking up intothe wrinkled black face with a cheery smile as if there was nothing inall this wide world to trouble him. "We are not going to waste our timeon one Tory--that is to say, all of us are not, for one must remain onguard. After what has happened Saul should do more than his fair shareof playing the jailor. Now you wouldn't have Fitz and me loafing aroundthis town doing nothing, would you?"
"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."
"You believe if we could carry any word of importance to the Americanswe should do it, don't you, Uncle?"
"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."
"And if matters should turn, such as we can't really hope for, thatthere was a possibility of getting hold of the horses, would you have usdo it?"
"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."
In such manner did this little French lad talk with the old negro untilhe revived all his courage, and before having come to an end Uncle'Rasmus was as eager as Pierre to be up and doing, meanwhile asseemingly careless of what the future might bring us as was that littlelad on whom all my hopes for the future, so far as the Britishers wereconcerned, depended.
Having thus restored Uncle 'Rasmus to hopefulness and courage, Pierreannounced, as if there could be no question of any protest from me, thatwe would make our way to where the Rangers were quartered, and I obeyedhim, much as a child might have done, mentally clinging to the lad as ifhe had been my elder.
We two walked around the village as if having no other purpose than toview a military encampment. We gaped here, or stood there inopen-mouthed astonishment, as if mightily impressed with everything wesaw, and while doing so Pierre would whisper now and then as we passedthis redoubt or that battery:
"Have you got everything well in mind now, lad? Seven redoubts and sixbatteries on the land side; a line of batteries on the river bank; thegrand battery near the church; three redoubts just at the ravine, onenear the road to Hampton, and two by the river."
Thus it was he called my attention to each point where the Britisherswere working, although in some cases it would have been impossible forme to have said whether they were building redoubts, throwing upearthworks for a battery, or simply digging a canal. It appeared thatlittle Frenchie understood all their purpose, and I said to myself thatif so be he could make his way from out this town of York into theAmerican lines, of a verity he would be able to give General Lafayettesuch information as would be of exceeding value.
We saw Silver Heels. She was made fast to the stable line with a lot ofother horses, and, so far as I could see, was receiving even moreattention than if she had been at home on the plantation, for there werea dozen men or more working all the time currying this horse, rubbingthat one down, bandaging a leg that showed signs of swelling, and inmany ways taking as good care of the steeds as the best jockeys inVirginia could have done.
"You see she hasn't fallen into such bad hands," Pierre said as wepassed for the third time where I could have a good view of my pet, andI replied sorrowfully:
"It isn't that she won't be taken care of, Pierre, for he into whosehands she might fall would indeed be a fool if he neglected so valuablea bit of horse-flesh; but it is the thought that she will be taken intobattle, wounded, and left on the field to die, that breaks my heart."
"And yet many a poor fellow will be wounded on the field of battle, andleft there to die. Mayhap it will be the fate of you or of me, and sinceSilver Heels has been reared by a rebel, she must take the same chancesthat all us rebels in this country are forced to take if the yoke of theking's oppression is to be removed from our necks."
Little Frenchie spoke like a preacher, and I dimly wondered whether hiscourage might not be failing him, now that we were fully committed to asdesperate a venture as ever lads embarked on; but I need have had noforebodings, for after remaining silent a dozen seconds or more heseemingly shook off somber thoughts, and said cheerily:
"The less you and I think of the future, and the closer we keep to thepresent, the better. Now let us make our way along the outer works inorder to decide where we may have the best show of getting through thelines, if so be we decide to play the part of spies."
"What about making ready to bring Horry Sims into the cabin?"
"There's plenty of time for that 'twixt now and sunset," Pierre saidcarelessly. "We need spend little time in forming plans, because it mustall be done by accident, or, what is the same thing, through chance andthe negligence of the enemy. We'll get a good idea of the generalsituation, and then go back to Uncle 'Rasmus for something to eat."
As Pierre had said so we did. Twice we traversed the entire length ofthe outer works, meaning the entrenchments facing the north; noted whereeach sentinel was posted, and otherwise gained all the informationpossible that might be of advantage to one who was trying to escape fromthe British.
Then we went back to old Mary's cabin where Uncle 'Rasmus, despite hisseeming feebleness, had made ready for us a most appetizing meal, bywarming the corn-bread and toasting some of the boiled ham in afrying-pan.
Although the outlook was most dismal to me, it did not affect myappetite on this day, and I ate as heartily, and with as greatsatisfaction, as I ever ate a meal at the Hamilton plantation.