A Night Attack
"They're coming, Dick!" whispered Ben Foster.
"Yes, I hear footsteps," replied Dick. "But," after listening a few
moments, "there is only one person coming. Perhaps it isn't the Tories
after all."
"Yes, that's their game-to make you think there is only one. He walks
boldly, so you can hear him, while the others creep up. It is the Tory
gang, all right."
"Likely you are right."
It was now nearly midnight, and so it was time for the Tories to put
in their appearance, if they were to make the attack that night, as
Mr. Foster had heard them say they would do.
Closer sounded the footsteps, and then they ceased and there came a
knock on the door.
Dick did not answer, as he did not want the fellow to suspect that the
inmates of the house were awake and on the alert. The youths, gripping
tightly their rifles and muskets, waited. Their hearts were beating
more rapidly than was their wont, but it is safe to say that no
feeling of fear had place in their hearts. Only expectation, and
eagerness to get at the Tories dominated them.
After a brief period, the knock on the door was repeated. Then Dick
spoke up.
"Who is there?" he called out.
"A friend," was the reply, in a hoarse, evidently disguised voice.
"What is your name, friend?"
"That doesn't matter. I have news, important news for you, Dick Dare"
"You have no news for me that I don't know already," retorted the
youth.
"What do you mean?" There was a quick suspicion in the voice.
"I mean that I know you are a Tory, and that you have a number of
companions, and intend to try to get hold of my brother and myself and
tie us up and whip us. I don't feel like permitting that, so you had
better go away, if you value your skins, for if you try to bother us,
we will surely defend ourselves and do harm to you-if we can."
Evidently the man realized it was useless to carry the deception
further, for he cried out, sneeringly:
"Oh, will you indeed, Dick Dare? Well, let me tell you something, my
bold young rebel: When we get through with you, you will not be in a
position to harm anybody. We are going to take you out and whip you
soundly, as should be done with all such traitors to the king as you
two are!"
"I give you fair warning," replied Dick, sternly; "if you attempt to
injure myself and brother, you will get badly hurt. Go about you
business and leave us alone."
"Oh, we'll go about our business and leave you alone, of course we
will-but it will be after we have tied you up to one of the trees here
in your own yard! Open the door, or we'll break it down."
"You are wasting breath," in a voice of contempt. "We would be very
foolish if we opened the door, would we not?"
"It doesn't matter; we'll break the door down in a jiffy, anyway."
"If you do, you'll be very sorry. Remember, I gave you fair warning."
"Bah! Boys' threats don't scare us worth a cent. We'll have the door
down and you two rebel brats out of there very quickly."
"And we'll have some of you Tory hounds lying dead on the grass of our
own yard very soon, too. Mind what I tell you!"
A sneering laugh was the only reply. They had no idea the boys would
really shoot at them.
There was the sound of receding footsteps, followed by the murmur of
voices, and then a few minutes later there sounded the trampling of
many feet, and crash! something struck the door, causing it to creak
and groan under the impact.
"They've found a log, and will better the door down," said Dick. "Be
ready, boys and as soon as the door falls, fire through the opening.
They have brought this upon themselves, and if we injure a few of
them, it will be their own fault."
"We're ready, Dick," said Tom.
"Yes, we'll fire when you give the word," from Ben.
"All right, boys. Level your weapons, and be ready, and when I say
`Fire', pull trigger."
"Yes, yes, we will!" came the reply.
The next moment there sounded the trampling of feet once more, and
crash! the end of the log struck the door. This time the impact was so
great the door could not withstand it, and down it came with a thud.
At least a dozen forms could be seen through the opening, outlined
against the horizon.
"Fire!" cried Dick, his voice ringing out loudly and clearly.
The youths obeyed the command, pulling trigger instantly, and the
crash that followed was deafening, and seemed almost sufficient in
volume to raise the roof.
It was an effective volley, too, for two or three of the Tories were
hit by bullets, as was evidenced by the yells and screams of pain and
rage that they gave utterance to. They fell back, in dismay, the log
dropping to the ground with a thud.
Dick, instinctively realizing that the Tories were stricken with a
feeling of dismay, not to say terror, because of their reception,
cried, "Charge them, boys! At them! Give it to the scoundrels!"
With a yell that must have added to the dismay of the enemy, the
youths dashed out through the doorway and attacked the Tories, laying
about them with the butts of their rifles and muskets, and discharging
their pistols.
Thud, thud, thud! Thus sounded the impact of the butts of the weapons
with the heads, arms and bodies of the ruffians, and with each thud
sounded a yell of pain and rage from the recipient of the blow. Then,
suddenly the Tories took refuge in flight, running from the scene as
swiftly as possible, and fairly falling over the fence in their haste
to get away. They were quickly out of sight, and the affair was at an
end. The three youths had put their enemies to rout, and without
having sustained any injury whatever.
They were well pleased, and although they had not killed any of the
Tories outright, yet the youths were sure they had wounded several,
for they had heard the ruffians give utterance to cries of pain, and
too, they saw blood on the ground in several places.
Dick now hastened to the Foster home and reported the victory over the
Tories, and was congratulated by all there, even Mr. Foster, the
avowed king's man, seeming very well pleased for he was an honest,
honorable man, and not at all in sympathy with the night-marauding
tactics of his Tory neighbors.
Mrs. Dare and Mary accompanied Dick home, and the good woman thanked
Ben for coming and helping her sons.
"Oh, that's all right," smiled Ben. "I was glad to come. I wanted a
chance at those cowardly Tories."
"And we thrashed them soundly, too, mother," said Tom.
"Do you think there is any danger that they will return?" queried Mrs.
Dare, somewhat anxiously.
"I don't think so, mother," said Dick. "They've had all the fighting
they want, for one night, I am sure."
"I think so," said Ben Foster. "But I'll stay here, Mrs. Dare, and if
they come, we will be able to drive them away again."
But the Tories did not return. They had, as Dick said, evidently seen
all the fighting they wanted, for one night.
Dick, Tom, and Ben Foster began getting ready to go to New York, that
day, to join the patriot army under General Washington. They would be
ready in a day or two, as there was not a great deal to do.
Next day, however, Ben Foster had news for his friends. He came over,
an eager look in his eyes, and told the brothers that Zeke Boggs had
just told him that he and Lem Hicks were going over to Long Island and
join the British army.
"He says that they don't intend to let us get ahead of them, Dick,"
finished Ben. "They hope to fight against us in some of the battles."
"Well, I guess they will get the chance," said Dick, grimly.
"Yes, they'll get the worst of the fighting, too," declared Tom.
"That they will!" coincided Ben.
"There are two things that I hope to do, when in the patriot army,"
said Dick. "One is, to find where my father is imprisoned and free
him, and the other to meet Zeke Boggs and Lem Hicks in battle and
defeat them."
"Yes, Dick," said Tom, his eyes shining. "We must find father as soon
as possible, and rescue him from the hands of the British. I think we
can do so, don't you?"
"I surely think so, Tom."
"Oh, you'll be certain to find out where he is, and before very long,
then you can rescue him," proposed Ben, confidently.
"And after that we can thrash Zeke and Lem with a good heart,"
suggested Tom.
"I don't think Zeke and Lem will make very good soldiers," remarked
Ben.
"I think they'll run, the very first time they get into a battle,"
concluded Tom.