PROMISES.
"The sooner we march into Hillsborough and make an attack on the jail,
the better for the Cause," Sidney Hubbard whispered to me when Fanning
had come to understand that not one in all our company was willing to
hob-nob with him. "To sit idly here is much like admitting we are
afraid to do that which we have threatened, or as if we doubted the
righteousness of our mission."
It was not for one like me, who knew nothing whatsoever of warfare, to
criticize what Master Hamilton might see fit to do, and yet I held
much the same opinion as did Sidney.
It would have been more to my liking had we crossed the river at full
speed, surrounded the jail, and forced the keepers to deliver up the
keys without parley.
I would have had the matter settled in one way or another, within ten
minutes, and surely there would be no more treason in the act if done
quickly, than if we dawdled around half a day listening to the
vaporings of those who claimed to be loyal servants of the king.
We were yet drawn up in line, gazing at the town as if trying to
decide whether we would go forward or back, when Master David Edwards,
Governor Tryon's secretary, rode up opposite us, halted an instant to
view the scene properly, and then began fording the stream.
"Whether yonder royalist will try to frighten or cajole us, he is
setting about the business in proper fashion," Sidney whispered
approvingly. "He can't be accused of wasting time."
"Hush!" I said, laying my hand on his to still him. "I would hear his
speech with Master Hamilton, for if I mistake not he will settle the
matter in short order, one way or another."
The secretary had by this time crossed the river and was spurring his
horse toward where Master Hamilton was posted, and as Sidney and I
watched he saluted our commander courteously, not in lick-spittle
fashion as had Fanning.
"Why this war-like array, sir?" he asked, and Master Hamilton replied:
"We have come for our friends who were made prisoners even while
depending upon the governor's assurance that he wished simply to hold
a parley. It was a breach of faith not seemly in one who represents
his majesty, and we will never brook such high-handed proceedings."
"In that you are to be commended, sir," the secretary replied,
speaking fair and softly; "but I warrant you have not fully considered
what may be the result of such show of force. Your friends have been
taken into custody in what appeared to his excellency like a lawful
manner, and it is meet they should be released with due form, else may
you plunge this fair colony into all the horrors of civil war. For the
sake of the people, Master Hamilton, I beg of you to withdraw, at
least until his majesty's judges have time to deliberate upon the
matter."
"We are here, and can work our will, therefore it would be little
less than folly to abandon the advantage."
"You need not do so. I pledge my word as a gentleman that all the
grievances of the people shall be redressed, if you allow this unhappy
business to be settled in lawful fashion. Retire, and the matter will
speedily be arranged as you desire. By so doing you may avoid
bloodshed and the charges of treason."
"And we have your sacred word, Master Edwards, that all this shall be
done without loss of time?" one of the party who sat near our
commander asked.
"Aye, sir," the secretary cried, raising his voice that all might
hear, "the affair shall be inquired into as soon as may be."
"There are other matters that need attention, sir," Master Hamilton
said stoutly. "Money has been extorted by Edward Fanning, from very
many here, and without color of lawfulness."
"Master Fanning shall answer to the judges of this colony, and, if
found guilty of illegal proceedings, will be punished as should be
the lowest of our citizens," Master Edwards cried, holding up his
right hand as if taking a solemn oath.
"And will you also pledge yourself that whatsoever has been done by
those who belong to the Regulation, in the effort to gain redress,
remains in abeyance until the first question has been settled?" our
commander asked, and the secretary replied in the affirmative.
"Here is one of your tax-collectors who, while attempting to arrest
two lads, was himself made prisoner," and Master Hamilton pointed
toward Sandy Wells. "Such resistance might be given the name of
treason, if you were inclined to play us false."
"The act shall pass as if it had never been committed, provided that
you release your prisoner. Go to your homes, and at the earliest
possible moment Governor Tryon will take the necessary steps to have
all this unhappy business disposed of to your satisfaction."
Master Hamilton wheeled his horse around, and, addressing our party,
cried:
"You hear, gentlemen all, what the representative of the governor has
promised in the name of his master. Are you agreed to do as he
proposes to the end that bloodshed may be averted?"
"We are agreed," our people cried as if with one voice, and an instant
later Sandy Wells was allowed to ride out from among the party, when
he forded the river hurriedly as if fearing some one might try to hold
him back.
"We yet have his weapons as spoils of war," Sidney said gleefully to
me, "and I warrant you he will not venture near Alamance for many days
to come."
"Think you we shall go free after having raised our hands against
him?" I asked, hardly able to believe that such good fortune might be
ours.
"We have the secretary's solemn word for it," Sidney replied, and he
had no more than spoken when the command was given for our people to
wheel about in the direction of Maddock's Mill.
The return was made at a rapid pace, and when we were arrived at this
place a general halt was called, the assembly being told that the
Regulation would be in session at George Sally's house next day "to
consult upon the public good."
Sidney and I thought just then more about our own bodies than the
burning questions of the hour, and after taking care of our horses we
camped in a grove near the mill, with nothing save the bushes to
shelter us from dew and sun.
We slept nearly eighteen hours, which atoned for the repose that was
lost during the march to Hillsborough, and then, on the morning after
our appearance before Hillsborough, were ready to discuss the
condition of the "rebellion."
That we were included in the truce was a matter of rejoicing, for it
had seemed certain we would become fugitives, hiding on the Dan River;
but both of us decided that it would not be well to venture within
reach of Sandy Wells, unless we were so well armed as to be able to
care for ourselves.
As a matter of course we two lads went to George Sally's with the
Regulators, but neither of us ventured to take any part in the
proceedings, although much was done of which we did not approve.
In the first place the Regulation prepared a petition to be presented
to Governor Tryon, begging that Messrs. Husband and Hunter be speedily
released in accordance with the promise made by Master Edwards; that
the taxes of those who, by reason of their poverty, could not raise
the required amount of money, be abated; and that Master Fanning and
other court officers be restrained from oppressing the people by
exorbitant fees whenever a legal document was required or served.
As I chanced to know full well, neither my father nor Master Hamilton
approved such a course as pleading with the governor after showing his
minions that the Regulation was sufficiently strong to make demands;
but the majority of the gentlemen were in favor of proving that the
Regulators were not disposed to transgress the laws, and the petition
was written out by Malichi Tyke, who had once served as clerk of
courts.
Sidney and I were both very much dissatisfied with the turn of
affairs, although we took good care not to give words to our
discontent in the hearing of the gentlemen who formed the Regulation.
In our opinion we should have encamped near about Hillsborough until
all which Master Edwards promised had been performed, for Governor
Tryon could better be moved by a show of force than an humble
petition.
However, as Sidney wisely said, it was no real concern of ours, since
the elders of the association would contrive to manage affairs after
their own fashion, without giving overly much heed to boys or
hot-heads, and if we wished to be numbered among the Regulators it
stood us in hand to obey the voice of the majority without grumbling.
It was also decided at this meeting in George Sally's barn, that
Masters Rednap Howell and James Hunter be appointed deputies of the
Regulation to present the petition to Governor Tryon, and that they
set out at once for Brunswick, where his excellency then was.
Now the upper Carolina was not in as peaceful a state as could have
been desired. Some of the more wealthy inhabitants favored the
representatives of the king, and upheld them in all their iniquitous
proceedings; calling themselves royalists, and us of the Regulation
rebels. They oftentimes, when a fair opportunity presented itself,
took the right to discipline the people who grumbled against the
money-gluttons.
It was not impossible that some of these aristocrats might meet our
deputies, and, being the stronger in numbers, attempt to prevent them
from appearing before Tryon, therefore to put a check upon such a
possibility it was decided that at least two others should accompany
Masters Howell and Hunter.
It was my father who proposed that Sidney and I be chosen as the
escort, giving as a reason why we two lads should be selected, that it
was possible, despite the promise of Master Edwards, Sandy Wells might
try to make trouble for us because of our taking him prisoner. It was
better, so he urged, that we be kept out of sight until the Regulation
had accomplished its work, and by accompanying the deputies to
Brunswick, Sandy would not readily find us.
Master Howell himself seconded the proposition, kindly stating that he
desired no abler escort than our two selves, and thus was the matter
settled, much to my satisfaction, even though there was more than the
shadow of a suspicion in my mind as to the reception with which we
might meet.
The Regulation also decided that we four should set out as soon as
Master Malichi Tyke had made a fair copy of the petition, and he was
so expeditious with the work that everything was in readiness for our
departure on the following morning.
We had before us a ride of about two hundred miles, and to Sidney and
me, who had never before traveled an eighth part of that distance from
home, the journey offered much in the way of novelty.
There were no preparations to be made save saddling our horses: we
would sleep wheresoever night overtook us, and procure food at such
dwellings as we came across, or, failing in this, depend upon finding
game enough to satisfy our wants.
"Remember that Masters Howell and Hunter are to be obeyed strictly by
you, lads," my father said to us as we were saddling the steeds, "and
do not put me to shame by behaving other than as gentlemen."
As a matter of course we promised faithfully to heed his words, and
with high anticipations set off, riding immediately behind those whom
we were supposed to guard.
During this first day, when we were yet within our own home
neighborhood, the ride was without especial incident, save that at
nightfall, when we were encamped in a lean-to which Sidney and I had
put up while the gentlemen were cooking a couple of hares I had killed
late in the afternoon, Master Howell amused himself with writing the
verses I shall set down below, and which I afterward saw in a pamphlet
entitled "A Fan for Fanning," that had been printed in Boston in 1771:
"When Fanning first to Orange came,
He looked both pale and wan;
An old patched coat upon his back--
An old mare he rode on.
"Both man and mare wa'n't worth five pounds,
As I've been often told,
But by his civil robberies
He's laced his coat with gold."
When these lines had been read to us Master Hunter declared that it
was no more than right Master Howell should touch up Thomas Frohock,
who, as clerk of the Superior Court in Salisbury, had done quite as
much as Fanning to extort money from the people, and then it was that
our deputy wrote these verses, which were afterward published in the
same pamphlet of which I have spoken:
"Says Fanning to Frohock, to tell the plain truth,
When I came to this country I was but a youth;
Me father sent for me; I wa'n't worth a cross,
And then my first study was to steal for a horse.
I quickly got credit, and then ran away,
And haven't paid for him to this very day.
"Says Fanning to Frohock, 'tis a folly to lie;
I rode an old mare that was blind of an eye;
Five shillings in money I had in my purse,
My coat it was patched, but not much the worse:
But now we've got rich, and 'tis very well known
That we'll do very well if they'll let us alone."
Master Howell laughingly said that as poetry the verses were of little
account; but the sentiment could not be bettered, according to my
ideas, and before we went to sleep that night I could repeat the lines
without missing a word.
We set out on our journey next morning shortly after sunrise, and,
just before noon, when we were looking for a place in which to camp,
two men, attended by a negro slave, undertook to make us explain our
business.
The whites had halted in the middle of the road, with the black
immediately behind them, and when we advanced made a great showing of
pistols.
"Halt, gentlemen, and make us acquainted with your destination and
your purpose in traveling this way!" one of them cried peremptorily,
and in a twinkling Sidney and I, who were slightly in the rear of the
deputies, had our rifles ready for use.
"Why shall we make explanations to you or any other in the
Carolinas?" Master Hunter cried angrily.
"Fair and softly, good sir," the spokesman said, looking well to the
priming of his weapon. "We are told that there are in the Carolinas
those who speak against his majesty the king, and with such as they we
would have a few words."
"Except we are so minded, you will have no words with us," Master
Howell said sharply, and I observed that he was fingering his revolver
as if itching to draw it from the holster.
"You will at least explain from what part of the colony you have
lately come," the stranger said, this time speaking in a more gentle
tone.
"I am willing to give you so much information as that; but no more,
for I deny that any person, save the king's representatives, have the
right to question me. We are lately from Hillsborough."
The two strangers exchanged glances, and he who had first spoken said
quietly:
"I have heard that the good people near there talk of banding together
to resist the king's officers in their duty of collecting lawful
taxes."
"It can now be seen how much the governor's secretary meant when he
gave us such fair promises," Sidney whispered. "Edwards himself has
sent these fellows in advance to prevent us from going to Brunswick."
There was much the same thought in my own mind; but I made no answer
just then, for the very good reason that Master Hunter was replying to
what was little less than a question.
"Our people have banded together; but it is for the purpose of
declaring ourselves against _unlawful_ taxation."
"And you are one of the so-called Regulators, I may suppose?" the
stranger said with a sneer.
Sidney and I moved nearer until we were almost side by side with our
deputies, for now did it seem certain that we were fallen upon those
who would make trouble.
"We have not come out either for the purpose of discussing politics
with strangers, or indulging in a brawl," Master Hunter said stoutly,
drawing his pistols deliberately. "It is our purpose to ride forward
without too great delay, and if you oppose us the blood which is shed
will be upon your heads."
"Might it not interest you to know who we are?" the stranger asked
menacingly.
"Not a whit; _we_ are peaceful travelers who pursue our journey
without molesting any man who does not seek a brawl. We shall go
forward at whatever cost."
Now it was that I believed a fight would be begun in a twinkling, and
my rifle was raised, ready to do my share, when we heard the trampling
of horses' hoofs in the distance.
"There is some treachery afoot," Master Howell said in a low tone.
"These fellows have kept us in conversation until the remainder of the
party can come up. It would be useless to oppose an overwhelming
force."
"True," Master Hunter added, and then, as if seized by a sudden
thought, he added in a low tone to me, who sat nearest him, "You two
lads may perchance escape and carry to our companions of the
association the information of our trouble. Back your horses off till
you are partially screened by the trees, and then ride at full
speed."
"There are four of us, and each one ready to give a good account of
himself," Sidney said, much as if he was eager to take part in a fray
where blood must inevitably be spilled.
"Do not stop to argue, lad. It is necessary the Regulation know that
our passage is barred by some treachery of Edwards and Fanning, and
you must carry the news."
I remembered what my father had said, and pulled my horse back, step
by step, until he was amid the bushes that bordered the road on either
side.
The strangers gave but little heed to my maneuvers, probably because
they believed that a lad like me was of but little importance as
compared with the deputies--I had no doubt but that they were
acquainted with the purpose of Masters Howell and Hunter--and,
therefore, I was soon partially screened from view.
Sidney delayed until a party of horsemen numbering four or five came
into view, and then he wheeled around suddenly, riding at full speed
past me as a couple of pistol balls whistled by his head.
I joined him, as may be supposed, and we rode at a sharp pace for a
mile or more, when we pulled up as if by common consent.
No chase had been given, and thus was I all the more strongly
convinced that these highwaymen knew full well who were acting as
deputies of the Regulation.
We two lads looked at each other in silence as our horses came to a
standstill, and not until perhaps a minute had passed did we speak.
"The Regulators did well to listen to such knaves as Edwards and
Fanning!" Sidney said angrily. "We should have released the prisoners
when it was in our power. Now the poor men will remain in jail until
the brute Tryon gets tired of holding them."
"It is childish to cry over spilled milk!" I replied, angry because my
comrade was inclined to give way to repinings when they could be of no
avail. "It is our duty to get speech with Master Hamilton without
delay."
"Yes," Sidney cried scornfully, "and while we are riding toward
Maddock's Mill, where I question if any of the Regulators can be
found, those scoundrels will carry our companions to some jail in
which they may die before we learn of their whereabouts."
"We can only do as Master Hunter commanded," I replied meekly,
realizing the truth of all Sidney had said.
"I don't count on anything of the kind; but intend to turn back."
"To what purpose?" I cried, now thoroughly alarmed, for I knew my
comrade well enough to understand that he did not make such assertions
without fully intending to carry out whatever plan might be in his
head.
"It stands to reason that those fellows who have taken the deputies
prisoners came from near about Hillsborough, in which case they will
camp somewhere on the road to-night. It is not probable they count two
lads as of any great importance, and will never suspect us of coming
back once we get away."
"Well?" I asked, determined that he should unfold his scheme without
assistance from me.
"I shall turn back, follow those fellows if possible, and try to come
upon them unawares to-night, when there should be a chance to aid our
friends."
"Suppose you fail?" I asked, turning over in my mind the possibilities
of his being able to accomplish anything of importance.
"If I find that they are on the alert against a rescue, or if there
are too many, it will yet be time to turn my horse's head toward
Maddock's Mill."