CHAPTER VI
SHOWS HOW EZRA ADVENTURED TOWARD THE "INDIAN'S HEAD"
As Ezra Prentiss and Ben Cooper dashed away from the "Plow and Harrow,"Jason Collyer and his comrades flung themselves with loud cries out ofthe door. A moment later these cries were redoubled.
"They've found their chargers without bridles," said Ben. "And perhapsmore than one of them has got a fall from a twisting saddle. I'm sorryfor the landlord; but I'll contrive to pay him later."
They drew rein and sat their horses, looking back toward the inn. Thestout landlord was plain in the doorway, and visibly much distressed;hostlers and others appeared with lights; riderless horses were prancingand snorting about with angry men pursuing them.
"How did you come to get out our own nags?" asked Ezra, who hadrecognized the familiar gait of his tall bay horse at once.
"When that fellow came to the window, I thought I'd not have the chanceto do what you suggested," answered Ben. "So I went to the barn, and bygood luck found that our mounts had not been unsaddled. When I led themout, taking care to keep in the shadow, I noted the man gone from thewindow. So I out with my knife and cut the bridles of my friends, gaveeach girth a slash, and there they were, as neat as you please."
"I think we'd better make the best of our way to Chelmsford," suggestedEzra, after a time spent in watching the dim confusion before the inn."And it would be better, also, that we keep our pistols ready to hand,for Master Jason Collyer seems a person of some parts."
The road was good and within an hour they had reached Chelmsford, wherethey had the good fortune to fall in with others upon the same errand asthemselves.
"That means," said Ben, as they stretched themselves contentedly betweenthe cool sheets at a cool, clean little inn, a short time after, "thatthis riding about is over and done. Our section has been covered withthe circulars, and we can return to Cambridge."
"And I'm glad of it," yawned Ezra. "There promise to be certain mattersof interest before Boston at no distant time, and I, for one, want tosee the whole thing."
Next morning Ezra gathered the riders of the Committee of Safetytogether, and, with their number added to by a half dozen young farmers,they made a descent upon the house of Abdallah.
But they were too late. The place was in ashes; not a sign or trace ofany one was to be found.
"I suppose Jason Collyer lost no time in making his report after theaffair at the 'Plow and Harrow,'" said Ezra to Ben, after they had leftthe others and were making their steady way toward Bedford. "And now, Isuppose, an alarm will be sent out, and this Mr. Pennington, whoever hemay be, will take care not to present himself at the 'Indian's Head' toreceive messages of any sort."
From Bedford they took the road to Lexington, and late in the afternoonentered the town of Cambridge. At once they sought out Dr. Warren, asthe leading spirit of the Committee of Safety, and made him acquaintedwith all that had occurred.
The great patriot knit his brows.
"It has a bad look," said he. "The fact that our strength is known andperhaps our every move, is not calculated to give us much satisfaction.But I will see Colonel Prescott in the matter, also Generals Ward andPutnam. And in the meantime," placing a hand upon the boys' shoulders,his kind, grave face alight, "let me tell you that you have both donewell. If all who professed the cause did half so well, we would havevery little to fear from any source."
Upon the beginning of the enlistment, which commenced after theLexington fight, both Ezra and Ben had promptly put their names to theroll of Prescott's regiment, as did Ezra's twin brother, George, andBen's stalwart, ready-handed cousin from the Wyoming wilderness, NatBrewster. But they had all four been detailed upon special duty for theCommittee of Safety, and so lodged at a house at no great distance fromDr. Warren's.
The candles were lighted when Ben and Ezra reached their lodging. Georgeand Nat sat at a table playing at draughts. Both leaped up at the sightof the newcomers.
"Something told us that you would get back this evening," cried George,as they shook hands all around.
"And we asked Mrs. Parslow, as a special favor, to delay supper," spokeNat Brewster.
"That was thoughtful enough, eh, Ben?" laughed Ezra. "And to show how weappreciate it," to Nat, "we'll try to do it full justice."
While Mrs. Parslow, a good-humored, elderly woman, was bringing in thesmoking dishes, the four lads related their experiences. George and Nathad ridden together upon the same mission as the other two, but had gonein the direction of Milton and Braintree.
"And the people listened to the Committee's warnings with their heartsin their eyes," said Nat Brewster. "Let there be only action, andGeneral Ward will not want for men."
"But Massachusetts cannot be expected to do it all," said Ben. "Theother colonies must bear their share of the burden."
"They will, never fear," said Ezra. "Only this afternoon I heard of acompany of riflemen being recruited as far south as Virginia. Then thereare the Connecticut men and those from New Hampshire. And don't forgetthat these last bring leaders with them. The British themselvesacknowledge the ability of Putnam, Stark and Greene."
Ezra and George sat side by side and Mrs. Parslow looked bewilderedly atthem.
"One of you likes griddle-cakes with honey," she said, "but for the lifeof me I can't tell which of you it is."
"It's George," spoke Ben Cooper, with a grin.
"And which is George?" asked the good woman, looking from one to theother.
"Here he is," responded George, reaching for the much-prizedgriddle-cakes. "I'll never fail to acknowledge myself for these, Mrs.Parslow; and I've never seen any one that made them like you."
Mrs. Parslow looked vastly gratified.
"I'm sure I'm glad to please you," she said. "But how your mother evertold you two apart, I'll never be able to say."
The Prentiss brothers had been a puzzle and a delight to her ever sincethe four came to lodge with her. Nat Brewster, with his grave, competentways and manly face of character, she had taken to at once; and thechubby face of Ben Cooper, his merry eye and ready laugh, had alwayspleased her. But the twins were a perpetual bewilderment and mystery toher, as indeed they might be to many with greater observation andsharper eyes than she.
After supper George and Ben got out the draughts, while Ezra and Natdrew their chairs together and discussed the features of the situationas each saw it.
"I heard a long talk between Dr. Warren and Colonel Prescott, onlyto-day," said Nat. "I had come to make report of our work and the twowere deeply engaged with each other. It would seem that each has a greatrespect for General Ward, but no large idea of his military ability."
"It requires, I should say, a man of much power to grasp things andbring them into a state of order," said Ezra. "The Congress atPhiladelphia is, I believe, to name a commander-in-chief for thecolonial army; and let us hope that their choice will be one that willbring the best results for the cause."
"He will have no great soldier to fight in Gage," spoke Nat, "if theopinions of the experienced Englishman, Charles Lee, and our own GeneralPutnam, have any weight. I have heard it said that Lee has repeatedlydeclared that Gage is woefully incompetent; and that his every move hasbeen a blunder since the first gun was fired."
"At any rate," said Ezra, "he has permitted General Ward to compass himabout. He is as tightly boxed up as a tame badger."
"If it were not that the sea is open to him, we'd starve him out in avery little while. However, King George will see to it that his servantsdo not go hungry."
"But it will be salt beef and hardtack that will keep them from it. Thecolonial lines and earthworks so hedge them in that they'll never get ascrap of fresh meat or measure of vegetables."
"But what of our own people who are closed up in the town along with theenemy?" questioned Nat, gravely. "If the British are in want ofpalatable things, can we be sure that the townspeople have sufficientfood of any sort?"
"You're right," said Ezra, thoughtfully. He leaned his head upon hi
shands and stared at the floor. Nat watched him for some time and thensaid:
"Your grandfather is not in Cambridge?"
"No," replied Ezra, "in Boston."
There was another pause; then Nat spoke:
"But, then, I don't think you need trouble for him." He placed a hand onEzra's shoulder. "Forgive me for saying it, but your grandfather willnot be likely to come to harm."
"Not from the British, no," Ezra's voice was bitter and low. "But fromthe patriot people of Boston, yes." He paused a moment and looked intothe frank, friendly face of the youth from Wyoming. "You understand howit is with me. And there are many like me. In the war that has justbegun, there will be countless families divided like mine has been."
"Take heart," said Nat Brewster. "One can hardly expect an old man, andone born on British soil in the bargain, to be other than a friend tothe King. There are some who have greater cause for regret than you.They say that the New Hampshire Colonel Stark's very brother has goneover to the British."
"It is not altogether my grandfather's being an enemy to the coloniesthat troubles me," said Ezra. "He is a very old man and can do no greatharm. But he has made himself hated by the people. And if they are, byany chance, starving in Boston, there will one day come an outbreak; andit is not against the soldiery that vengeance will be directed. It willbe against such bitter-spoken partisans as Seth Prentiss."
Nat nodded.
"That is usually the way," he said. "Such a thing is greatly to befeared; but in this case it will hardly go so far. I have heard thatthere is a plan afoot to permit those who so desire to leave Boston. Ifthis is carried out, it will help matters wonderfully."
But, though Ezra drew some small measure of hope from this suggestion,he was still vaguely troubled. Somehow, the thought of his grandfatherkept recurring to him. He seemed filled with an indefinite fearconcerning him; it was as though the future held something unpleasant instore. As this state of mind continued, he finally arose and bid hisfriends good-night with a feeling of great depression. He had enteredhis room and lighted a candle when he heard a low knock upon the door.Opening it he saw his brother.
George entered and closed the door behind him.
"I have been wanting to say something to you all evening," said he, "butcould not get the opportunity."
He drummed with his fingers upon the back of a chair, and the other sawa troubled look in his eyes.
"What is it?" asked Ezra.
"It's about this man Pennington," replied George. "And also about theone you call Abdallah."
Ezra regarded him steadily.
"What do you know of them?" he asked.
George, from the time of their father's death, had made his home withtheir Tory grandfather. In a measure he had shared the old man's views.But at the Lexington fight, all this changed, and now he was thestoutest patriot of them all. Ezra had scarcely seen his grandfather inyears; for the boy's open advocacy of the cause of liberty had deeplyincensed the old man against him.
"I don't know a great deal about them," answered George. "I wish I did.It might save us something. Pennington is a King's man, of course. Heand grandfather have been intimate--I might say, very intimate. I noticedeven long ago that they whispered a great deal in corners and held manyconsultations in the library with the doors carefully closed."
Ezra pursed up his mouth and frowned.
"I see," was all he said.
"Pennington came and went a great deal. Sometimes I would not see himfor weeks. Then, again, he'd be at the house almost constantly. Now andthen he'd bring a stranger. That is how I came to see Abdallah."
"Ah."
"They came late one night, in the midst of a storm. There was a greatbanging of doors and lifting of voices. I had gone to bed some timebefore; but the noise was so unusual that I got up again, dressed andcame down. The library door stood open, and I saw grandfather, Mr.Pennington, Abdallah and General Gage."
"Did you by any chance hear what was said?"
"Not much. But I learned that grandfather had been expecting Abdallahfor months. The man had just arrived that night in a brig from SanDomingo. I also drew from what I heard that grandfather desired him toperform some work of great value. But just what its nature was, I didnot know until to-night."
"So grandfather is intimately concerned in the affair," said Ezra. "Doyou know, somehow I felt that some such condition existed. Ben Coopersays he can often feel things coming; and in this case, at any rate,it's been so with me."
He paused a moment, then he resumed:
"Grandfather always hated spying and spies. And the fact that he haspersonally imported this man, shows how great is his hatred of thecause."
"It has no end," and George Prentiss shook his head.
"I can't help the impression that he will come to danger through itall," said Ezra. "It is a time when men do not stay their hands; andshould he risk himself, his life will pay for it."
Again George shook his head.
"And he is of the sort that risk themselves," he said.
"But, tell me," said Ezra. "What sort of a person is Pennington?"
"Not more than thirty-five; but he would strike you as being much older.He is about the average height; and his most noticeable characteristicsare a very high and very narrow forehead, and a most disagreeablelaugh."
After George had left him, Ezra undressed and went to bed. But not tosleep! Before his mind came pictures of conspiracies in which his bitterold grandfather played a conspicuous part. In his unreasoning hatred ofthe colonies' desire for liberty, the lad knew the old man would go toany length.
"He hasn't spoken to, or looked at me for years," thought Ezra. "ButI'd have no harm befall him for all that."
Even after he had gone to sleep the idea clung to him in his dreams. Menwith wonderfully high and astonishingly narrow foreheads laughed at himin a disagreeable way; suave, dark-skinned persons in flowing robessought for the destruction of the colonies in the musty rolls of ancientmanuscript. And the dreams were also filled with formidable GeneralGages, who, sword in hand, urged the others to hasten their tasks.
Next morning Ezra was up before his friends and after breakfasting,mounted and rode away toward the lines.
There were not a great many people to be met with. The outbreak of warhad caused great terror, and very many of the inhabitants had leftCambridge, fearful of what was to come. Property was for the most partleft unprotected; and as there were many vagabonds hanging upon theskirts of the colonial army, there was more or less looting.
That a general panic did not seize upon the people was due to the greatinfluence and untiring efforts of Dr. Warren. No public character of thetime had impressed itself so upon the masses. Even the only partlydisciplined troops felt the magnetism of the man, and many times, whenthey were on the verge of rising against their officers, had a word fromhim made them see the folly of such an action.
It was with the intention of advising with the doctor that Ezra madesuch an early start. But early as he was, the patriot had preceded him.
"The doctor has gone to Charlestown," the serving maid replied to theboy's inquiries. "Something was amiss there among the soldiers, and hewas sent for."
"I will follow him there," said Ezra.
"Will nothing do them but that they must be forever disturbing him?"demanded the girl, in an aggrieved sort of way. "He cannot get a soundnight's rest for you all. First it's one and then it's the other whocomes rushing for him. Are you all children, that you can do nothing foryourselves?"
Leaving the doctor's door, Ezra mounted once more and rode towardCharlestown. Here, after much inquiry, he found the doctor advising witha company of riflemen of Colonel Prescott's command.
There were some British gunboats and a heavily-armed transport anchoredin the Charles River, and toward Boston several frowning frigates swungat their cables, black and ominous. Ezra spent some time in watchingthese, and the distant city where the army of Gage was quartered; andwhen Dr. Warren was disengaged, he at once
approached him with thematter that was nearest his heart.
"I understand you perfectly," said the patriot, after Ezra had relatedhis story. "But I do not see any great occasion for alarm on your part.This spy system, which you so fortunately discovered, will not longsurvive the exposure. It is the nature of such things to die of too muchlight."
He paused a moment and then said:
"As to your grandfather's connection with it, now. It is not, in allprobability, very great. He has proved himself useful in some way,perhaps, and they have made use of him. I know him fairly well. SethPrentiss is too quick-tempered and far too outspoken a man to beknowingly selected as an important part in such a plot. And regardingany outbreak in Boston, you may put your mind at rest. Word has beensent to the townspeople to remain quiet, and they will obey."
Dr. Warren talked in the same soothing strain for some time; he saw thatthe lad was vaguely troubled, and desired to reassure him.
While they were so engaged, Colonel Prescott rode up. His strikinglyhandsome person was set off by his neat uniform, and he sat his horselike an Arab.
"Ah, Prentiss," cried he, after saluting the doctor cordially, "you arejust the sort of lad I've had in mind. There's a dispatch to be carriedto Colonel Stark at Medford, and I can scarcely spare an officer."
Ezra saluted promptly.
"Yes, colonel," spoke he.
It took some time to get the dispatch in proper order; and when Ezrafinally left Prescott's quarters, it was high noon. After a sharp rideto Medford the papers were delivered to Colonel Stark. Then there wasanother wait while that fine warrior prepared his answer. Darkness hadfallen when he arrived at Charlestown once more.
DR. WARREN TALKED IN THE SAME STRAIN]
The bay was rubbed down, rested and fed; its rider stretched himselfupon a bench with a biscuit and a slice of beef. The sky had a sort of abronze hue and the stars burned dimly, like bright rivets set in agiant's shield.
Ezra, when he had finished his supper, lay looking up at this andwondering at the vastness of it. The lights of camp-fires flared hereand there; files of rough, un-uniformed soldiers passed and repassed;bursts of laughter and snatches of song came down from groups whose dutywas done.
And across the river, under the same stars, lay the British army; it wasperilously near, and it was powerful and deadly if properly guided.
Ezra sat up and looked toward the danger point. Boston was dark, savefor a few winking fires; orders had been given long before for civiliansto extinguish lights of all descriptions before a given hour. The sidelights burned steadily upon the war-ships; occasionally a singsong crycame from their decks as the watches were changed or a seaman called thehour.
Somehow, it seemed to the boy that this was the sort of night thatstrange, wild things might well go forward. Odd enterprises might betried and accomplished under that bronze sky and those dimly-burningstars. Strange people might well meet in all sorts of queer places andmysterious deeds might well happen.
In the midst of these reflections, Ezra came to his feet, a suddenresolve fixed in his mind. A little distance away a group of townspeoplewere gathered. He approached and said to one of them:
"Do you know of an inn anywhere about that is known as the 'Indian'sHead'?"
The man stared a moment, then shook his head. But one of his companionsspoke up.
"There is none in Charlestown; but outside," and he pointed to thenorth, "there is a small tavern called by that name. It lies upon a roadbetween Breed's and Bunker's Hills."
"And which do you think would be the best way to reach it?" inquiredEzra.
"What, to-night?" the man glanced about among his companions. And allseemed to reflect his incredulity.
"And why not?"
"Haven't you heard that the British talk of crossing and settingthemselves up upon those two hills?"
"Yes, and of firing upon Charlestown?" put in another.
"They are only wild reports," answered Ezra. "Such like get abroad intimes like these, but there is no reliance to be placed in them."
If the facts be told, he had heard the same things himself, and frompersons of some consequence; but it would not do to encourage thethoughts of the already frightened townspeople in such channels.
"Well," said the man who professed to know the inn's location, "if youdon't mind making the venture to such a place, my lad, I'm sure I havenothing more to say."
His feelings were ruffled at having his warnings made so light of; sowithout more ado he directed Ezra as to the way to go to reach the inndesired.
"I thank you," said Ezra.
He went at once to the place where his horse was kept, saddled, bridledand mounted it.
"There may be some risk," he told himself, as he rode out of the guardedtown. "And perhaps I should have asked Ben or Nat or George to go withme. But there is no time for that, if I am to go to-night. And like asnot it is a quiet country place, with never a spice of danger in it."
The way took him along a narrow road bounded by stretches of grazingland. The sheen of the sky showed him the smooth swelling rise of twolarge hills ahead, the twinkling, far-off stars seemed peering downsearching fearfully for dangers among the darkness.
The directions of the man at Charlestown had been unusually good, forafter a deal of weaving in and out and the crossing of fields, the boycaught the twinkle of lights from a building ahead. As he came up hefound a lantern swinging above the door; and mounted upon a post in thelight of this he saw a rough painting of an Indian's head, which seemedto serve as a sign.
"This is the place, sure enough," he said.
He at once got down. He had probably not been heard to approach; no onecame out to take his horse, so he tied it to a post near the door,slipped his long pistol into the breast of his coat, and coolly enteredat the door.
The very first thing that met his eyes were two men seated upon a settleengaged in earnest talk; one had a large, plumed hat beside him on thefloor; he wore long soft leather boots and a heavy sword.
"Gilbert Scarlett!" breathed Ezra.
Instantly his eyes went to the person who sat beside the adventurer.Something that Scarlett had said seemed to amuse the other, for just asEzra turned his attention to him, he uttered a high-pitched,disagreeable laugh.
And then, to make identification doubly sure, the head turned slightly.And Ezra saw that the man's forehead was very narrow and very high.