Dick and Bob set out upon their horses for the general's quarters, and
upon reaching Broadway met the girls coming along on horseback.
"I am afraid we cannot give you much attention now, girls," said Dick.
"We are going to the general's quarters, and then to rout out the
thieves, who make a rendezvous of the stone house and I think we shall
be very busy for sometime."
"You might go up to the camp and cheer Patsy's heart by a visit,"
laughed Bob. "He is fond of the girls."
"You want us to get the poor boy in trouble, I see," said Alice. "You
would get so jealous that Patsy would have no peace."
"You know what Carl says when he disagrees with any one, don't you,
Sis?" asked Bob, with a sly wink.
"Come, my dear," replied Alice. "I think we shall be able to do without
their company for a time. We ought to be resourceful enough for that."
"But, Alice, brother and Bob have business to attend to, and---"
"And you are a dear little matter of face goose and can't see a joke,"
laughed Alice. "You would spoil both those boys, but it needs me to put
them in the right place."
Then the girls rode away toward the camp, while the boys went on to the
general's. The veteran listened to Dick, and said:
"By all means break into the place and make a thorough investigation,
Captain. If there is any complaint, say that I gave you full authority
to act. There is something very about the whole affair, and I do not
believe that the place is used for honest purposes."
"Nor we, General, but we wanted your authority before we proceeded to
vigorous measures."
"Well, you have it now, Captain," said the general, who was well
acquainted with Dick, Bob and many of the Liberty Boys.
They left the place, jumped into the saddle, were going up toward the
Commons when, as they neared the head of Maiden Lane, they suddenly
heard a sharp cry, and saw a young girl in a chaise come dashing toward
them at a terrific pace, the horse having taken fright at something and
being now beyond the girl's control.
"Quick, Bob!" cried Dick. "We must save her!"
"Why, it's Sarah Watrous," said Bob, that being the name of the girls'
friend whom the boys had seen the night before.
The boys dashed forward, one on each side the chaise, Dick dismounting
and catching of the bridle, throwing himself backward and checking the
animal's speed. Bob reached out at the same time and did what he could
to stop horse, the two boys between them succeeding in checking him in a
short time.
"Oh, I am so glad you came!" gasped the girl who seemed nearly ready to
swoon. "I don't know what I should have done without you. He never ran
away before and I didn't know what do."
"What started him up, Miss Watrous?" asked Dick, stroking the horse and
getting him into calmer mood.
"I am sure I don't know. I have been before and he never acted in this
fashion."
"Who harnessed him?" asked Bob, looking the horse.
"Why, I did. The boy was busy and I couldn't wait, so I did it myself.
Why shouldn't I do things for myself instead of being always dependent
upon others?"
"That is all right in theory," laughed Bob, "but you have not done it
right, and the horse has been chafed and annoyed, and has finally tried
to get out of it and has run away. You had better let me fix things."
"Well, I declare!" exclaimed the girl. "And I thought I could do most
anything!"
Just then Dick caught sight of one of the men he had seen the night
before going down Broadway, and he said to Bob in a low tone:
"Look after the young lady, Bob. There is one of those ruffians. Take
Major up with you when you get through."
Then he went away at not too rapid a walk and followed the man he had
seen, observing him go into a tavern on the other side of the street and
just below the corner.
"Not a very reputable place," he said to himself, "but I think I am safe
enough."
Entering the place, he saw the man he had followed sitting in a corner
talking to a man who, if he was not greatly mistaken, was the chief of
the two spies he had captured the day before and had turned over to
General Putnam. The man recognized him, and hastily arose, and Dick knew
that he was not mistaken, although how he should have escaped was a
puzzle to him.
"Stop that man! He is a spy of the British!" he cried. "And the man with
him is a thief!"
"Better not talk too loud in this place, you saucy young rebel!" growled
the landlord, coming forward. "All my customers are respectable persons,
and if you don't like 'em, your room is preferable to your company."
From the black looks cast at him, Dick saw that he was likely to get
into trouble, the patrons of the place being evidently persons of shady
character and Tories. He pushed forward, nevertheless, and, suddenly
drawing a pistol, said in a very determined manner:
"If you attempt to stop me you do it at your own risk. One of those men
is an enemy to the country and the other an enemy to society, and I
purpose to arrest them both."
"Run, Hughson!" muttered the thief. "I'll fix the young rebel. He threw
me downstairs last night, and---"
Dick sprang upon the table, leaped to the floor, seized the thief by the
collar and dragged him to the door, and then, turning upon the men in
the place, said:
"If any one attempts to follow he will get hurt, so I advise you to
remain where you are!"
Then, dragging the man out of the door, he said:
"The spy can wait. I have got you and you will have to give an account
of yourself. Keep quiet, or I will hand you over to the bailiffs at
once. You must know by this time that I am a boy of considerable
determination."
They were in the alley by this time, and Dick, with his hand on the
man's collar, continued:
"Will you go along quietly or shall I call a constable?"
"H'm! you've got more pluck than a dozen constables!" the fellow
growled. "Oh, I'll go along with you, 'cause you've got the best o' me.
You didn't get Hughson, anyhow. How did you know I was with him?"
"I did not, but I knew you and was determined to have you. You can give
me some information concerning the stone house, and later I will look
after the spy."
The man gave a grunt, and by that time they were out upon a side street
leading into Broadway or to the river.
"We will go there now," said Dick. "Some of the Liberty Boys are waiting
for me at the house and we can continue our investigations with your
assistance."
"Huh! you seem to think I am going to tell you all I know about the
place," muttered the man. "S'pose I don't?"
"Then you will get into worse trouble," shortly.
It was dark in the room, so the boys could not see the man who had
challenged them, their matches having burned out: Harry stumbled over
something on the floor and fell headlong, Sam falling on top of him. At
the same instant came a flash and a report, and the boys saw the man
about to make a dash for the door. Will lighted another match, and Harry
and Sam managed to scramble to their feet, but were not quick enough to
intercept the man, who made a sudden spring, dashed Will aside, and was
out into the passage.
"After him!" cried the boys in unison.
But that was a difficult matter, for the passage, like the room, was
cluttered with packages and bundles of various sizes. They could hear
the sound of his footsteps, but could catch no glimpse of him, nor could
they tell which way he had gone, for passages seemed to open on both
sides.
"H'm! I'm afraid we've lost him!" exclaimed Will, as they came to a
standstill in the dark. "I wish we had a better light than these matches
give. It's impossible to chase around here in the dark among all these
boxes and packages, and with passages leading every which way."
"Listen!" exclaimed Harry. "There's some one coming this way."
There was the sound of more than one man coming toward them from the
river side of the house.
"We might better conceal ourselves," whispered Will.
The three boys quickly drew to one side, and feeling a barrel standing
near the wall, one dropped behind it, while another hid behind a box,
and the other concealed himself in an angle of the wall. The sounds did
not proceed from the passage through which the three boys had just
passed, but from one on the right side, and seemed to come from more
than one person and who were trying to proceed quietly, evidently with
the intention of keeping their presence unknown as long as possible.
"They must be somewhere about here," they heard some one whisper. "We
must never let them get away."
Then suddenly a lantern flashed its light over their heads, and they
heard the words:
"Well, they're not here, at any rate."
The steps passed their hiding places, and the boys decided that there
were three men.
"If we could meet them on our own ground, we'd be more than a match for
them," muttered Harry. "But this strange place and in the dark, we'd be
completely at their mercy."
"Yes, and with the other rascal lurking about," answered Sam.
Just then they heard a long, shrill, peculiar whistle. The boys started,
for they did not recognize it. Following almost immediately came the
report of fire arms.
"Come along, boys!" cried Harry. "There's something doing somewhere, and
we must be on the spot!"
They all rushed on blindly in the dark, following the direction whence
the shot proceeded, the way still as dark as Erebus, but seemingly
straight ahead. When Dick and his partner reached the stone house on the
river, the man would have passed the door, but Dick held him back,
saying sharply:
"I know the house. I want to save time by having you show me its secret
passages and explain what nefarious practices are being carried on in
the place."
The man made no reply, but walked up the steps to the front door, opened
it with a key, and then passed into the unlighted hall, into which the
daylight could not penetrate, on account of the solid wooden door
shutting it off from the street, and the doors into the rooms all being
closed. A sudden misgiving seized Dick. Had he been prudent in coming
into this strange house alone with an avowed enemy? It was true the
Liberty Boys were somewhere about, but could they reach him in time,
should danger present itself? He drew out both pistols, and backed
against the wall, while he made the man procure a light. Instead he gave
a long shrill whistle, which was immediately answered, and there could
be heard the onrushing of feet. The Tory gave a mocking laugh,
exclaiming:
"Captain Slater of the Liberty Boys has walked into his own trap!"
The only reply Dick made was to give the melancholy hoot of an owl. The
prisoner jumped and looked about, and then laughed a little sheepishly,
but at the same instant, there came bursting into the hallway the three
ruffians who had passed the other boys such a short time before.
"Surrender!" hissed the Tory.