SILVER HEELS
It was for a moment as if I could scarcely credit my senses. The idea
that any one, even those belonging to the plantation, should bestride my
own colt, my little Silver Heels, as I had named her!
She had been given to me when a baby, and no hand save mine had touched
her, except when some of the negroes would rub her coat to silken
glossiness in order to curry favor with me. Now she was being ridden and
roughly handled by a red-faced private of Simcoe's Queen's Rangers!
When my surprise had given way to anger, which it did within a very few
seconds, I would have run swiftly forward, claiming my own Silver Heels,
and defying, if needs be, all that company of red-coats, for the rage in
my heart was so great that I had no thought of prudence nor of my
inability to cope even with a single one of those Rangers; but that
Pierre, seizing me firmly by the arm, actually dragged me amid the
foliage where we might be screened from view, for the men--the thieves,
I should say, were by this time riding directly toward us.
"Have you lost your wits entirely?" Pierre whispered angrily, and
forgetting to shrug his shoulders. "Of what avail for you to demand your
Silver Heels when the king's officers would have her for their own? Do
you count on being carried to the guard-house at York Town as a
malcontent, or even worse, a dangerous rebel?"
"I care not where they carry me, so I take Silver Heels from yon brute
that is bestride her!"
"And how will you take her?" little Frenchie whispered, this time
shrugging his shoulders and waving his hands, I having so far obeyed him
as to be standing by his side beneath the shelter of leaves. "Do you
fancy that after Colonel Simcoe's men have seized a likely lot of
horse-flesh, a lad such as you may wrest from them their spoils?"
"But Silver Heels is my own, my very own! No one, not even the king
himself, has the right to take her!" I cried in my folly.
"But some one has taken her, and he is stronger than you, my friend
Fitz," Pierre said, stroking the sleeve of my coat as he would the back
of an angry cat. "It is no less than Colonel Simcoe of the Queen's
Rangers, a trusted officer of my Lord Cornwallis, who thus gathers in
mounts for his men that they may the better punish the rebels of
Virginia, among whom may be counted your father, and even you, lad,
since you are pleased to call yourself a Minute Boy. Will you not listen
to reason?" little Frenchie continued in a coaxing tone. "Did you not
see Horry Sims talking with these very men, and pointing in the
direction of the Hamilton plantation? Do you not know he was telling
them that a rank rebel owned the place--one whose stables were filled
with the best horse-flesh in Virginia? Before those men took your Silver
Heels they knew right well to what plantation she belonged, and even
though you had had by your side a dozen neighbors and friends, the
result would have been the same. Now what would it avail that you
should pour out your unreasoning wrath? Simply to the end that they
might abuse, or, perhaps, imprison?"
Even before Pierre had ceased speaking did I come to understand how
useless it would be for me to make any attempt at taking poor little
Silver Heels from those who had stolen her, and I crouched yet further
among the foliage as the horsemen approached, for there had come into my
mind on the instant a certain thought, call it plan if you will, the
carrying out of which depended upon holding myself free.
Then, like a great wave upon the seashore, there flowed into my heart
the memory that it was Horry Sims who had directed these men where to
go--Horry Sims who had ever envied me the possession of Silver Heels,
and who, most like knowing that these red-coated minions of the king
were looking for horse-flesh, pointed out the Hamilton plantation,
counting that I would lose my colt. He, the son of the rankest Tory in
Virginia, without cause for enmity against me, had laid train for the
cruelest blow that could be struck at my heart!
During all this while Saul had not spoken; but now it was, even as the
horsemen were well abreast our hiding place, he turned fiercely upon me,
clutching both shoulders of my coat as if I were an enemy whom he would
bring face to face with himself, and whispered in hoarse anger:
"It is well you formed your company of Minute Boys just as you did, Fitz
Hamilton, for now has come the time when they shall see service! Are we,
simply because of being lads, to remain idle while our own horses are
being stolen?"
On the instant my heart went out in sympathy to Saul, for I knew full
well that he loved his mare even as I did my own colt Silver Heels, and,
harking back to the thought which had come into my mind a few seconds
before, I said to him stoutly, shaking my fist in the direction of that
popinjay of an officer who was riding so proudly in advance of his squad
of thieves:
"We will make them pay for this day's work, Saul Ogden, and while we are
casting up the reckoning with those who wear red coats, there is one not
far away who must also be held accountable for that which has just been
done!"
"Meaning Horry Sims!" Saul cried, actually trembling in his impotent
rage.
"Meaning that worse than Tory, for it was with no idea of serving the
king, or aiding the king's cause, that the miserable scoundrel pointed
out to those horse thieves where your mare and my colt might be found!"
"He shall have cause to regret that he saw this day's sun rise," Saul
said in a low tone, his voice aquiver with anger, and then, the horsemen
having passed, he stepped out into the road, turning his face toward
York Town.
"Where would you go?" Pierre cried excitedly, following the lad to seize
him by the skirt of his coat. "Would you venture into the British
encampment at a time when your heart is so filled with anger that it is
not possible you could hold it in check?"
"Ay, that is exactly where I count on going. You need have no fear,
Pierre Laurens, that I shall do aught which may deprive me of my
liberty, for I will hold myself in the presence of those who wear red
coats as gentle as any dame in silken skirts, until I have got back my
mare, or shot her with my own hand to spare the poor creature the abuse
that would come from such handling! If, however, in the meanwhile I
should come across Horry Sims where were none of his kidney who could
fall upon me with too great force, then is it certain you would see
whether a Minute Boy, and of late I'm beginning to be proud of that
title--you would see whether a Virginian, a member of a company of
Minute Boys, even though they number only three, could do anything
toward paying off his just and lawful debts."
To have argued with Saul at that time would have been worse than
useless, as I knew full well, for when the cloud of anger was upon him
he would not listen to prayers or to arguments, and in good truth I was
more than willing he should go his way, counting to make it my own, for
at that time I believe it would have been actually impossible for me to
have turned my back on poor little Silver Heels, even though by going
into the British encampment at York Town I could do her no good.
Pierre soon realized that he could not hope to turn Saul from the path
he had set out on, and he showed himself the dear little comrade I have
ever since known him to be, by ranging alongside first of Saul and then
of me as we went in single file, knowing full well that we might
encounter great danger, and yet holding himself ready to bear full share
of it.
We were not in the mood for conversation, Saul and I, as we pressed
forward on the way to York Town, giving no heed to anything around us,
and little Frenchie soon came to understand this, for after striving to
speak first with one and then the other in a friendly fashion and
receiving no reply, he held his peace, but now and again taking us by
the hand as if to show his friendliness and loyalty to his friendships.
I was burning with the desire to come up with Horry Sims, who it was
reasonable to believe had gone into the town of York and to that end
quickened my pace, although knowing full well it was best I did not
speak with the viper that day.
There was yet before us, if we both lived, plenty of time in which to
settle the debt, and if I attempted to wipe off the score before having
done that which was in my mind, then might it be that I sacrificed
Silver Heels herself simply to gratify my desire for revenge.
That which I had in my mind! It was as wild a scheme as ever entered a
boy's brain, I am willing to confess, and yet it was neither more nor
less than the following of poor little Silver Heels until I could see
where she was quartered, after which, devoting all my time and my energy
to her rescue, for it was to me almost as if she was a human being in
the hands of a vengeful enemy.
All this may seem wild or witless when spoken by a lad of fifteen, but I
had the will and determination of a man who had grown grey-headed, and
knew that I lacked not the courage once my anger had been aroused.
In cold blood I could be as timorous as any girl; but once the fever of
rage beset me, I lost sight of all the odds that might be against me,
which, mayhap, is much the same as saying that at heart I was a coward,
and when I showed any token of bravery, if indeed I ever did, it was the
madness of anger, rather than true courage.
Be that as it may, I am not more disposed at this day to discuss such a
question than I was on that morning when, with the blood seemingly
boiling in my veins, I trod on the heels of Saul as we plodded our way
toward York Town in moody, angry silence, while little Frenchie ran by
the side of first one and then the other, mutely striving to show the
wealth of friendship which was in his heart.
It was well for us that the miles were long and reasonably many on the
road to the town of York, else might we have blundered into the British
encampment to our sorrow, for we had no plan save that of following our
horses, and it was not until we were come within sight of the village,
having met neither man, woman nor child on our way, that Pierre said,
shrugging his shoulders and waving his hands as he ran swiftly ahead to
turn and face us:
"Are you members of the Minute-Boy company intent on blundering into the
very midst of our Lord Cornwallis's army without knowing what it is you
count on doing?"
"We count on finding our horses!" Saul exclaimed, sturdily striving to
push little Frenchie aside, but failing because the lad stood firm.
"Ay, that is your desire, my dear friend; but tell me how you would
compass it? By pressing on in sulky fashion and telling every red-coated
soldier you meet that you are here to force the British troops into
giving up your property?"
Both Saul and I came to a sudden halt, astonished by the quick change in
Pierre's manner, for now his voice was filled with scorn, and one might
have said he was chiding us as an elder chides a child.
"There is little need of telling why we have come," I replied,
impatient because the lad would thus delay us. "Surely we may wander at
will through the town of York."
"In New Orleans I have been among soldiers who were encamped and did not
find it possible to wander at will," Pierre said, again shrugging his
shoulders in that peculiar manner which set my nerves atingling. "It
will be strange indeed if my Lord Cornwallis allows the rabble to enter
his lines at pleasure."
"Rabble?" Saul cried in anger. "Do you call us of Hamilton plantation a
rabble?"
"I am not the one who would thus misname you," and Pierre held out his
hands deprecatingly; "but unless I am much mistaken in these red-coated
followers of the king, they will give even worse names to those who are
suspected of being friendly to the Cause which the colonists have thus
far upheld so nobly. It might be, mayhap, that if you were of the rabble
you would be permitted to enter the enemy's lines simply because of your
curiosity; but I doubt me much whether a Minute Boy would be allowed to
inspect the encampment lest he give information to General Lafayette."
"We are not known as Minute Boys!" Saul cried fiercely, striving to wave
Pierre aside, but the little Frenchie held his ground as he said with a
peculiar laugh:
"Ay, but you are known as worse, my lad; you are known as coming from
the Hamilton plantation--from a place which General Cornwallis and
Colonel Simcoe have set down as a nest of rebels, otherwise they would
not have made such a wholesale seizure of horse-flesh without having
given some notice. Once let you be recognized, and I question whether
you may not have some trouble to return at will."
"Who knows--" Saul began, and then stopped abruptly because, as I
understood full well, he realized that Horry Sims was somewhere
nearabout York Town, perhaps within the British encampment, and he must
have stood fairly well with a certain portion of Simcoe's Rangers after
giving such information as he did concerning the Hamilton plantation.
If we were seen loitering about the works, it was certain Horry would
point us out as having a leaning toward the Cause. As much as this last
did he know for a fact, because many a time since General Cornwallis had
come into Virginia had we lads discussed the situation, when neither
Saul nor I were backward in saying that it would give us greatest
pleasure if we were of age to be taken into the ranks of the American
army as soldiers.
"Perhaps you who have seen so much of military encampments can tell us
what we ought to do," Saul said sneeringly, and a deep flush came over
Pierre's face as he understood the meaning of my cousin's tone; but like
the true little comrade that he was, he gave due heed to the grief in
Saul's heart and seemingly paid no attention to the sneer, as he replied
in a friendly tone:
"I am not setting myself up as having more of wisdom than either you or
Fitz; but I truly believe it is within my power to give good advice to
two lads who are yet so angry as to have lost sight of prudence. You
have due reason to believe that Horry Sims, who has already this morning
done you grievous wrong, is in York Town, and if there was enough of
vileness in his heart for him to point out to those soldiers of the
king your horses that he might strike a heavy blow, then would he do yet
worse on seeing you within the encampment. I have never met the lad but
once. He has no cause for enmity against me; I am so poor in this
world's goods that it is beyond his power to deprive me of anything save
liberty, and on seeing me alone I dare venture to say he would have no
thought that I might have been your comrade this morning; but--"
"Yet he knows that you and your mother are guests at the Hamilton
plantation," Saul added sharply.
"My mother and I are French, who have lately come from New Orleans, and
he can not point us out as having said a word of disrespect against the
king."
For my part it was needless for Pierre to argue. I had come to
understand before he was done with speaking that it would be better for
him to reconnoitre the ground; that he could learn as much, if not more,
than the three of us, meanwhile running comparatively no risk, and when
Saul would have argued I cried out impatiently:
"Can you not see that it is better Pierre go alone? Do you not realize
that, however eager we may be, it is not possible we could gain
possession of the horses within any very short time, and all we are
needing now is to know where they are quartered? Let Pierre do as he
suggests, and learn so much as he can. Then, when we are minded to
venture our heads within the lion's jaws, it will seemingly be the first
visit to the town of York instead of the second. Thereby shall we stand
less risk of being suspected of an intent to do harm."
Saul soon gave way, although he was burning to venture so far as might
be possible inside the British lines, because running into real danger
was as a balm to his heart while he yet smarted under the loss of his
mare.
Therefore it was I told little Frenchie to go his way, taking due care
to his own safety, and endeavor to find out where the stolen horses had
been quartered, pressing upon him, although there was no necessity of so
doing, that we were more eager to learn where Silver Heels and Saul's
mare were, than to know the whereabouts of the other horses.
"And do you poor lads believe it may be possible for you to wrest from
the grasp of these red-coated soldiers that which they have laid hands
upon?" Pierre asked in a tone of sadness, and I replied, striving in
vain to repress the tone of irritation:
"We shall at least make an attempt, Pierre Laurens, even though there is
little hope of success. I could not find it in my heart to remain idle
while Silver Heels is in the possession of a Britisher, no matter how
much of danger I might be sticking my nose into. Now go, and if so be
your visit is vain, then will I take the chances myself, although I have
come to believe with you, that Saul and I should not be seen loitering
around the village this morning of all others, because it would easily
be guessed why we had come."
Pierre made as if to speak, and then, most like realizing the
uselessness of attempting, while we were in such angry frame of mind, to
combat any plans we had formed, he turned on his heel and strode off in
the direction of the town from whence we could hear now and then the
beating of drums, the hum of voices, and noises which betokened the
digging up of earth.
Saul had thrown himself face downward amid the bushes, striving, as I
understood from the pain in my own heart, to prevent giving noisy token
to his grief, and I was in no mood to exchange words with him, therefore
we two lads lay concealed by the side of the road, giving no heed to
what might happen to our disadvantage; but dwelling only upon the loss
which had come to us.
To some it may seem veriest folly that we should so mourn over the loss
of our horses; but let him who laughs once have companionship with such
a colt as Silver Heels, as I have had, and then if he can have mirth in
his heart when she has been taken away from him, most like to be abused
as are horses in the army, then will I say that he has not within him
the instincts of a true man.
Silver Heels had come to know me as I knew her; at my faintest call she
would gallop to my side however tempting the grass when she was hungry,
and no dumb animal could have given greater proof of joy at being with
me, than did she time and time again when we scampered here or there,
bent only on pleasure.
I could not have said how long little Frenchie remained absent, for
neither Saul nor I took heed to the passage of time as we lay there amid
the foliage eating our hearts out with sorrow.
Certain it is, however, that the afternoon was well spent before we saw
him coming up the road, and our surprise can well be imagined when we
learned that he had with him as companion none other than Horry Sims.
"He has taken up with that snake of a Tory brood simply because of
believing that those on the Sims plantation stand higher in favor with
the red-coated soldiers than do we of the Hamilton plantation!" Saul
cried angrily, and so incautiously loud that I pressed my hand over his
mouth as I whispered in reproof:
"You have no right, Saul Ogden, to cast aught of discredit upon Pierre,
even though you have known him so short a time. He has shown himself a
good friend, and, to my satisfaction at least, has proved that he would
not turn traitor, more especially when it might be simply to his own
advantage."
Now little Frenchie knew full well where he had left us by the roadside,
for I saw him mark the dead cottonwood tree 'neath the foot of which we
were lying, and yet he went on his way past us, giving no heed, but
talking busily, and, as it seemed, interestedly with Horry Sims.
I must admit that just for the instant there came into my heart a great
fear lest that which Saul had said might be true, and then I thrust it
from me, saying in my mind that I would not so wrong a lad who had all
the marks of gentlemanly breeding. Surely, even though he might at some
other time be willing to play us false, he would not do so while we were
in such deep sorrow.
"If he is playing fair with us, why should he at this minute be hand in
glove with that Tory scoundrel?" Saul whispered hoarsely, as he sat up
to gaze after the two who were walking rapidly down the road in the
direction of our home. "Why did he not have speech with us? Surely he
knows where we are."
"To have spoken when he passed would have been to tell Horry Sims that
we were lying in hiding while he went into York Town to pick up such
information as might be possible. The chances are the lad met the young
Tory--came across him by accident, of course, and could do no less than
show a friendly front, unless he was minded to much the same as tell him
we were counting on making reprisals because of the loss of our horses."
Although this was the reasonable, and, to my mind, the only explanation
of little Frenchie's behavior, Saul would not at first admit it; but
insisted that there must be treachery somewhere else than in Horry
Sims's heart, and thus he argued until I verily believe he convinced
himself that our little comrade from New Orleans could have done no
different. Then came the question as to whether we should remain where
we were, or start homeward, for now it was too late for us to make any
venture into the town of York even though we had been so minded.
Saul was for pushing on hurriedly, and, overtaking the young Tory, flog
him within an inch of his life. It was all I could do to hold him back
sufficiently long to repeat again and again that a flogging was all too
poor a punishment for the crime he had committed, and that if we should
lay hand against him now we might, and very likely would, put a
stumbling block in our way, for until the moment came when we could
repay the debt in full, it was absolutely necessary we seem to hold
ourselves friendly with this fellow who had dealt us such a cruel blow.
I forced Saul to listen to me so long that it would have been useless to
set out in pursuit, and after that again came the question as to whether
we ought to go on our way homeward, or wait where we were.
It was fortunate we spent so much time in such discussion; fortunate
that Saul differed from me as to what we had best do, for while we lay
there disputing we heard a crashing of the underbrush where the growth
was thick, and a moment later little Frenchie, looking heated and so
nearly breathless that for a full minute he could not speak so we might
understand, came into view.
Panting, and with the perspiration streaming down his face, he threw
himself headlong on the ground beside me, breathing like one who had
been running a race, until it was possible to have control over his
voice, when he said hurriedly, as if eager we should understand all the
reasons for his movements without loss of time:
"I was forced to go a certain distance with that young villain, else
would he have mistrusted that you might be near about."
"How did you get rid of him?" I asked. "Why might he not suspect
something when you broke away instead of continuing on so far as his
home, which lay directly in your path, if you were heading for the
Hamilton plantation?"
"I made out that I knew of a short way through the woods, which would
take me directly out of his path, and when we were come to that trail
which leads off toward the York river I left him, although he was
mightily surprised at hearing that such a course would bring me to your
home more directly than if I continued on the road."
"Where did you pick him up?" Saul asked impatiently. "Why did you waste
time on the scoundrel? It would seem to me that after all he has done
it was your business to flog, rather than make friends with him."
By this time Pierre had so far recovered his breath that it was possible
for him to speak distinctly, and without undue effort. Rising to his
feet and shrugging his shoulders as he spread his hands palm outward, he
said in his mild voice, and with that peculiar accent:
"To have done so, my friend, would have been to show myself an enemy to
you. While I was striving to make my way inside the British lines,
pretending that I was simply bent on curiosity, he came up, seemingly
having a right of way everywhere within the encampment, and when he
greeted me civilly, evidently wondering why I was there alone, I could
do no less than treat him as I would have done yesterday, in the hope
that something might drop from his lips which would aid me in my
search."
"And did it?" I asked eagerly, for now I began to understand that by
bearing himself friendly toward Horry Sims, Pierre had succeeded where
otherwise the chances were he must have failed.
"Indeed it did," the lad said in a tone of triumph. "It was far better
than if I had indulged in a game of fisticuffs with him, because his
red-coated friends would speedily have come to his relief."
"What did you learn?" Saul demanded fiercely.
"Where your mare and Fitzroy's Silver Heels are stabled," was the quiet
reply, whereupon I sprang up as if within my body was a stout steel
spring which had lately been released.
"You learned where they were stabled?" I cried excitedly.
"Ay, that I did," Pierre replied with a shrug of the shoulders, "and
without any great labor, for Horry Sims led me at once, and meeting with
no interference from the soldiers, to where all the horses which had
been taken from the Hamilton plantation were quartered, showing them to
me as if it caused him great pain in the heart because such an injury
had been done a neighbor."
"What did he say about it?" Saul demanded.
"He told me that he was walking along bent only on coming into that town
of York in order to see the British encampment, when a squad of Rangers
rode past him leading your mare and Fitzroy's Silver Heels. Then I asked
if he had no suspicion such a thing might have been thought upon by the
Britishers, and he replied that until he was come this time to York Town
he had never seen the Rangers. In fact, had not believed they were with
my Lord Cornwallis's army, all of which went to prove that he, the
snakey Tory, told the red-coated soldiers where they might find the
largest and best supply of saddle beasts."
"Did he explain how it chanced he could wander at will inside the
encampment, and also take with him a companion?" I asked.
"He told me he had come upon a lieutenant of Tarleton's Legion, who,
when Cornwallis was in James Town, had been quartered at the Sims
plantation, and that this officer had made the way plain for him, saying
he might visit the encampment at will."
If there had been any question in our minds up to this time as to the
guilt of Horry Sims, no doubt now remained. We knew, because of having
seen the scoundrel, that he had had speech with Simcoe's Rangers before
the horses were seized, and his story that one of Tarleton's officers
had been quartered at the Sims plantation during Cornwallis's short stay
in James Town I knew to be absolutely false. He had played the traitor
deliberately, and as the price of his treachery gained admission to the
encampment, most like vouched for by the officer who had met him on the
road that morning.
"The hope is," Pierre said after a short pause and with that
indescribable gesture, "that the Tory Horry will not suspect I took the
trail to York river for any other purpose than that of gaining the
Hamilton plantation as quickly as might be."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because it is not well he should know I have been in your company this
day, else he might suspect that we know of his treachery. It is in my
mind that we must keep him to the belief that we know nothing whatsoever
concerning his misdeeds of this day."
"But how can we come at the scoundrel save he does know that same
thing?" Saul cried, he ever being hot-headed and not inclined to listen
to any plans or arguments when he was burning for revenge, or excited by
the desire for pleasure.
"I have in mind," Pierre said, waving his hands in that odd fashion,
"that which I believe will give the Tory lad into our keeping, where we
may do by him without fear of interference--"
"What is it?" I asked eagerly, for all that time we had been awaiting
the lad's return from the town of York I had turned over and over in my
mind without avail, plans for laying the Tory villain by the heels.
"It may not be that I shall explain everything now," little Frenchie
said as he shrugged his shoulders, "and for the very reason that it is
not as yet plain in my own mind. I have a plan which, if it can be
worked out, will not only give him to our hands; but also gain
possession of at least the mare and Silver Heels despite the fact that
they are within the British encampment."