CHAPTER IX
IN WHICH EZRA FARES INTO THE CITY OF THE ENEMY, AND HEARS THEVOICE OF AN ACQUAINTANCE
It was very evident to Ezra Prentiss that the purpose of Pennington wasto entrap him. Once safe in Boston, so the spy's thoughts ran, he andhis friends could put upon the boy whatever pressure it pleased them;there the latter would not be so indefinite in his statements as he wasat the "Indian's Head."
"If you have a way of crossing, it must be a most secret one," saidGilbert Scarlett, who, like the others, was preparing to depart. "Onlythis morning I made the rounds, or as much of them as I was permitted tomake, and I found the shore very well guarded."
"They make a great display of activity and alertness," said Pennington,with disdain. "But the river is open for any one who cares to cross it."
Here Pennington stepped into the kitchen and exchanged a few rapid wordswith the innkeeper. Scarlett pursed his lips and regarded Ezra withattention.
"It would seem to me that under proper conditions, he would prove a verythorough-going gentleman," remarked he, with a nod toward the door.
"I have no doubt of it," said the boy.
Scarlett continued to look at him; and there was speculation in hiseyes. At length he spoke again.
"You baffle me sometimes. By your looks you should be a plain dealer, ifone is to place an atom of trust in the reading of faces. And yet I findyou writhing about like an eel upon a brick pavement."
"What I have said," returned Ezra, "is the truth."
"Ay, what you have said!" The other laughed and slapped his chest. "It'swhat you have not said that takes me by the horns. And," with a jerk ofthe thumb over his shoulder, "our acquaintance there is bothered by ittoo." The speaker studied Ezra for a moment. "Has it occurred to youthat you may have fallen in with his desires very neatly in offering tocross the river?"
Ezra smiled and nodded. At this Gilbert Scarlett laughed and slapped himupon the back.
"I might have known it," said he. "You are a deep one for a lad."
"Only a few nights ago you had a rather poor opinion of my wit," saidEzra.
"I remember the saying and I recall it," spoke Scarlett. "I took you fora country lad, in sympathy with the colonists; and I thought it quite ajest to have you carry a message which I felt sure was calculated tohelp your countrymen but little. But," with a gesture, "I have changedmy mind with regard to you. I no longer know what to think. But this Ido know," with great candor, "I like you; and I'll stand your friend, ifyou need a friend, at any place and at any time."
Before the boy had an opportunity to express his thanks, Penningtonemerged from the kitchen. Buttoning up his coat, he said:
"You'll have to leave your horses in care of the landlord, gentlemen.The patrols and detachments that hold the roads would be sure to see usif we went mounted."
Gilbert Scarlett did not like this.
"Without a horse," declared he, "I am like a fish without water to swimin. But, if we must, we must, and that's all there is to it."
Without, it was dark and silent. The bronze sky of the early evening hadgiven place to one entirely black. But the stars winked curiously down,and their rays relieved the darkness to a great extent.
"It will behoove us to mind our steps," said Pennington, as they madetheir way along the road by which Ezra had approached the "Indian'sHead." "Daylight shows many ditches and sunken fences in this hollow,and it would scarcely benefit our peace of mind or body to come upon oneor the other."
"'Twas a good thought to create the stars," mused the soldier offortune, aloud, after they had gone some distance. "They relieve themoon of duty when she is weary. If it were not for them and theirtwinkling, the night would be as black as my hat."
"Queer things are done on dark nights," said the spy, and he laughed inhis disagreeable way.
Scarlett nudged Ezra in the darkness. Then he made reply:
"I can well believe that. And the saying brings to mind a littleexperience that I once had in Moscow while I served my short career withthe Czar. My regiment had but returned from the frontier, after severalonfalls at Tartar towns; and I and several of my comrades were drinkingour glasses of tea in a booth. It was a very dark night and we talkedover the times just passed, and were hoping good fortune for those tocome, when there entered a ----"
A shrill whistle sounded and Scarlett's anecdote was nipped suddenly.
"Be silent," said Pennington in a whisper. He drew them to the side ofthe road, where all three halted and crouched, watchfully. The steadytramp of men was heard in the darkness; then some indistinct forms beganto wave uncertainly on their vision; finally a voice was heard saying:
"No, I was not sure. But it sounded much like some one speaking."
"It may have come from a great distance off. Sounds travel far at night,you know."
"Yes; but this seemed fairly close. And it is hereabouts that we werewarned that the British might venture seeking information, so we can'tbe too careful."
The tramp of the men continued along the road. At length they wereswallowed up; and both their voices and footsteps died away.
"A patrol," said Pennington. "And it's the first time that I've seen oneso far away from the shore. It seems that we must be extra carefulto-night."
They remained as they were for a time, then, under the guidance of thespy, they left the road, mounted a fence and entered the fields. Fromthen on it was very rough traveling; but Pennington, who had mostprobably been over the ground often before, selected the least brokenways, in spite of the darkness. After what seemed a very long timeindeed, they mounted to the top of Breed's Hill; and off before themthey now made out the lights of the British gun vessels swinging in thestream.
Cautiously they descended to the water's edge. Here and there, somedistance back, there was a watch-fire, about which were gathered a smallgroup of hardy colonists; but Pennington had studied the situation well;for that point of the shore upon which they stood was apparentlyunguarded.
The spy waited in silence for a time; then he uttered a low, mournfulcry like that of a night-bird haunting the water's edge. There was abrief pause; then the sound was repeated from the river.
"It is a most excellent thing," observed Pennington, "to have an aidewho can be depended upon at all times."
"That remark," said Scarlett, "is almost exactly similar to one that Ionce heard from the old Elector of Hanover. He said----"
"Sh-h-h!" warned Pennington. "Not so loud."
Scarlett at once ceased speaking. Again they stood in silence; then thefaint dip of oars reached them. A little later a low voice askedinquiringly:
"For whom?"
"For King George," replied Pennington promptly. Then the low-pitchedvoice resumed:
"Is that you, Mr. Pennington?"
"Yes, with some friends."
The spy, followed by Scarlett and Ezra, climbed into the skiff; it wasmanned by four sailor-like men, who at once pushed off.
Not a word was spoken after they had once started; carefully the sweepswere dipped, slowly they were pulled; the skiff progressed steadily andwith scarcely a ripple of the water.
Gradually the lights of a vessel grew nearer. There was a rattling andclinking of metal from her low-lying deck; then a hoarse voice,startlingly loud after all their caution, hailed them.
"Ahoy!" cried the voice. "Belay there, and give an account of yourself."
"Is that the 'Scorpion'?" asked Pennington.
"It is. For whom?"
"For King George."
"Come alongside and let's have a look at you."
The skiff approached the gun vessel; as its bow scraped the side a manleaned over the rail with a ship's lantern.
"Ay, ay," he said in a tone of recognition. "So it's you, once more, isit, Pennington?"
"Once more, Mr. Halsey," returned the spy.
"Quite a boatload, I see," and the man flashed his lantern aloft.
"Yes, some gentlemen who wish to enter the town."
"It's the only pl
ace for honest men," grumbled the sailor. "But I mustsay there is a great shortage of fresh provision there. My men will allbe down with the scurvy if they don't get a change soon."
The seaman was still speaking when the skiff pulled out of hearing.Three times they were halted before they reached a point on the Bostonside just above Gree's shipyard. A heavy battery was planted here thatcommanded Charlestown, and they were brought under this in charge of ayawl filled with men and in command of a young officer of marines, whoshowed dapper and spick and span under the lantern light.
When they were landed, a file of men took them in charge untilPennington, after some whispered conversation, was passed by the officerin charge.
"A right soldierly way of looking at the matter," observed Scarlett, whohad been keenly watching all that occurred.
"General Gage is a most excellent soldier," spoke Pennington. "None ofthe rebel troops shall get in while he is in command, nor," and therewas a sneer in his tone, "none of his own troops shall get out."
As they passed through Prince's Street they heard the steady tramp oftroops on their way to the southerly part of the city. When beyond theMill Pond, a roar of hoofs met them as squadron after squadron ofcavalry dashed by headed in the same direction. At Middle Street theyencountered a battery of field-guns also hastening southward.
"Something is toward, to-night," said Scarlett with great interest.
"It may be that they are on their way to the Neck," was Ezra's thought.And a shiver ran through him as he fancied the colonists not being readyto meet the attack.
When they passed the gardens they came to Sun Court; and as they pausedbefore a stately mansion, Ezra said:
"But why here? Surely my grandfather has nothing to do with thisbusiness."
Pennington laughed.
"Don't be too sure of that. He is a man much desirous of thegovernment's advancement, and he does not hesitate to use whatever meanshe can to serve that purpose."
The speaker ascended the steps and gave a sharp rat-tat-tat upon theheavy knocker; then he turned and looked down at the boy, who remainedupon the brick walk.
"Another thing," said he. "You will find him a man not easilysatisfied."
"I know that," replied Ezra.
"Your explanation as to how you came to part with Abdallah's dispatchwill have to be very much more complete than the one you gave me," saidPennington, rubbing his hands together in a satisfied way. "He will nottolerate evasion of any sort, especially in the presence of those whomhe is entertaining to-night."
"He has guests, then?" said the boy.
Before Pennington could reply, the door opened. A grave servant steppedaside in the brightly-lighted hallway, and they entered. And as the doorclosed behind them, from a room to the left of a hall came a great voiceroaring:
"I tell you, General Gage, I did all that a soldier and a gentlemancould well do. If the messenger proved a knave and a traitor, the blameis not to be laid at my door."
Pennington's hand fell lightly upon Ezra's shoulder, and he saidsneeringly in the boy's ear:
"Here is good fortune. I knew of Gage, but I did not even dream of youracquaintance Major Buckstone being here."