A Daniel come to judgment; yea, a Daniel!
O wise young judge, how I do honor thee!
--_Merchant of Venice._
The Skinners followed Captain Lawton with alacrity, towards the quarters
occupied by the troop of that gentleman. The captain of dragoons had on
all occasions manifested so much zeal for the cause in which he was
engaged, was so regardless of personal danger when opposed to the enemy,
and his stature and stern countenance contributed so much to render him
terrific, that these qualities had, in some measure, procured him a
reputation distinct from the corps in which he served. His intrepidity
was mistaken for ferocity; and his hasty zeal, for the natural love of
cruelty. On the other hand, a few acts of clemency, or, more properly
speaking, of discriminating justice, had, with one portion of the
community, acquired for Dunwoodie the character of undue forbearance. It
is seldom that either popular condemnation or popular applause falls,
exactly in the quantities earned, where it is merited.
While in the presence of the major the leader of the gang had felt
himself under that restraint which vice must ever experience in the
company of acknowledged virtue; but having left the house, he at once
conceived that he was under the protection of a congenial spirit. There
was a gravity in the manner of Lawton that deceived most of those who
did not know him intimately; and it was a common saying in his troop,
that "when the captain laughed, he was sure to punish." Drawing near his
conductor, therefore, the leader commenced a confidential dialogue.
"'Tis always well for a man to know his friends from his enemies," said
the half-licensed freebooter.
To this prefatory observation the captain made no other reply than a
sound which the other interpreted into assent.
"I suppose Major Dunwoodie has the good opinion of Washington?"
continued the Skinner, in a tone that rather expressed a doubt than
asked a question.
"There are some who think so."
"Many of the friends of Congress in this county," the man proceeded,
"wish the horse was led by some other officer. For my part, if I could
only be covered by a troop now and then, I could do many an important
piece of service to the cause, to which this capture of the peddler
would be a trifle."
"Indeed! such as what?"
"For the matter of that, it could be made as profitable to the officer
as it would be to us who did it," said the Skinner, with a look of the
most significant meaning.
"But how?" asked Lawton, a little impatiently, and quickening his step
to get out of the hearing of the rest of the party.
"Why, near the royal lines, even under the very guns of the heights,
might be good picking if we had a force to guard us from De Lancey's
[Footnote: The partisan corps called Cowboys in the parlance of the
country, was commanded by Colonel De Lancey. This gentleman, for such he
was by birth and education, rendered himself very odious to the
Americans by his fancied cruelty, though there is no evidence of his
being guilty of any acts unusual in this species of warfare. Colonel De
Lancey belonged to a family of the highest consequence in the American
colonies, his uncle having died in the administration of the government
of that of New York. He should not be confounded with other gentlemen of
his name and family, many of whom served in the royal army. His cousin,
Colonel Oliver De Lancey, was, at the time of our tale, adjutant general
of the British forces in America, having succeeded to the unfortunate
Andre. The Cowboys were sometimes called Refugees, in consequence of
their having taken refuge under the protection of the crown.] men, and
to cover our retreat from being cut off by the way of King's Bridge."
"I thought the Refugees took all that game to themselves."
"They do a little at it; but they are obliged to be sparing among their
own people. I have been down twice, under an agreement with them: the
first time they acted with honor; but the second they came upon us and
drove us off, and took the plunder to themselves."
"That was a very dishonorable act, indeed; I wonder that an honorable
man will associate with such rascals."
"It is necessary to have an understanding with some of them, or we might
be taken; but a man without honor is worse than a brute. Do you think
Major Dunwoodie is to be trusted?"
"You mean on honorable principles?"
"Certainly; you know Arnold was thought well of until the royal major
was taken."
"Why, I do not believe Dunwoodie would sell his command as Arnold wished
to do; neither do I think him exactly trustworthy in a delicate business
like this of yours."
"That's just my notion," rejoined the Skinner, with a self-approving
manner that showed how much he was satisfied with his own estimate of
character.
By this time they had arrived at a better sort of farmhouse, the very
extensive outbuildings of which were in tolerable repair, for the times.
The barns were occupied by the men of the troop, while the horses were
arranged under the long sheds which protected the yard from the cold
north wind. The latter were quietly eating, with saddles on their backs
and bridles thrown on their necks, ready to be bitted and mounted at the
shortest warning. Lawton excused himself for a moment, and entered his
quarters. He soon returned, holding in his hand one of the common,
stable lanterns, and led the way towards a large orchard that surrounded
the buildings on three sides. The gang followed the trooper in silence,
believing his object to be facility of communicating further on this
interesting topic, without the danger of being overheard.
Approaching the captain, the Skinner renewed the discourse, with a view
of establishing further confidence, and of giving his companion a more
favorable opinion of his own intellects.
"Do you think the colonies will finally get the better of the king?" he
inquired, with a little of the importance of a politician.
"Get the better!" echoed the captain with impetuosity. Then checking
himself, he continued, "No doubt they will. If the French will give us
arms and money, we will drive out the royal troops in six months."
"Well, so I hope we shall soon; and then we shall have a free
government, and we, who fight for it, will get our reward."
"Oh!" cried Lawton, "your claims will be indisputable; while all these
vile Tories who live at home peaceably, to take care of their farms,
will be held in the contempt they merit. You have no farm, I suppose?"
"Not yet--but it will go hard if I do not find one before the peace is
made."
"Right; study your own interests, and you study the interests of your
country; press the point of your own services, and rail at the Tories,
and I'll bet my spurs against a rusty nail that you get to be a county
clerk at least."
"Don't you think Paulding's [Footnote: The author must have intended
some allusion to an individual, which is too local to be understood by
the general reader. Andre, as is well known, was arrested by three
countrymen, who were on the lookout for predatory parties of the enemy;
the principal man of this party was named Paulding. The disinterested
manner in which they refused the offers of their captive is matter of
history.] party were fools in not letting the royal adjutant general
escape?" said the man, thrown off his guard by the freedom of the
captain's manner.
"Fools!" cried Lawton, with a bitter laugh. "Aye, fools indeed; King
George would have paid them better, for he is richer. He would have made
them gentlemen for their losses. But, thank God! there is a pervading
spirit in the people that seems miraculous. Men who have nothing, act as
if the wealth of the Indies depended on their fidelity; all are not
villains like yourself, or we should have been slaves to England
years ago."
"How!" exclaimed the Skinner, starting back, and dropping his musket to
the level of the other's breast; "am I betrayed, and are you my enemy?"
"Miscreant!" shouted Lawton, his saber ringing in its steel scabbard, as
he struck the musket of the fellow from his hands, "offer but again to
point your gun at me, and I'll cleave you to the middle."
"And you will not pay us, then, Captain Lawton?" said the Skinner,
trembling in every joint, for just then he saw a party of mounted
dragoons silently encircling the whole party.
"Oh! pay you--yes, you shall have the full measure of your reward. There
is the money that Colonel Singleton sent down for the captors of the
spy," throwing a bag of guineas with disdain at the other's feet. "But
ground your arms, you rascals, and see that the money is truly told."
The intimidated band did as they were ordered; and while they were
eagerly employed in this pleasing avocation, a few of Lawton's men
privately knocked the flints out of their muskets.
"Well," cried the impatient captain, "is it right? Have you the promised
reward?"
"There is just the money," said the leader; "and we will now go to our
homes, with your permission."
"Hold! so much to redeem our promise--now for justice; we pay you for
taking a spy, but we punish you for burning, robbing, and murdering.
Seize them, my lads, and give each of them the law of Moses--forty
save one."
This command was given to no unwilling listeners; and in the twinkling
of an eye the Skinners were stripped and fastened, by the halters of the
party, to as many of the apple trees as were necessary to furnish one to
each of the gang. Swords were quickly drawn, and fifty branches were cut
from the trees, like magic; from these were selected a few of the most
supple of the twigs, and a willing dragoon was soon found to wield each
of the weapons. Captain Lawton gave the word, humanely cautioning his
men not to exceed the discipline prescribed by the Mosaic law, and the
uproar of Babel _"_ commenced in the orchard. The cries of the leader
were easily to be distinguished above those of his men; a circumstance
which might be accounted for, by Captain Lawton's reminding his
corrector that he had to deal with an officer, and he should remember
and pay him unusual honor. The flagellation was executed with great
neatness and dispatch, and it was distinguished by no irregularity,
excepting that none of the disciplinarians began to count until they had
tried their whips by a dozen or more blows, by the way, as they said
themselves, of finding out the proper places to strike. As soon as this
summary operation was satisfactorily completed, Lawton directed his men
to leave the Skinners to replace their own clothes, and to mount their
horses; for they were a party who had been detached for the purpose of
patrolling lower down in the county.
"You see, my friend," said the captain to the leader of the Skinners,
after he had prepared himself to depart, "I can cover you to some
purpose, when necessary. If we meet often, you will be covered with
scars, which, if not very honorable, will at least be merited."
The fellow made no reply. He was busy with his musket, and hastening his
comrades to march; when, everything being ready, they proceeded sullenly
towards some rocks at no great distance, which were overhung by a deep
wood. The moon was just rising, and the group of dragoons could easily
be distinguished where they had been left. Suddenly turning, the whole
gang leveled their pieces and drew the triggers. The action was noticed,
and the snapping of the locks was heard by the soldiers, who returned
their futile attempt with a laugh of derision, the captain
crying aloud,--
"Ah! rascals, I knew you, and have taken away your flints."
"You should have taken away that in my pouch, too," shouted the leader,
firing his gun in the next instant. The bullet grazed the ear of Lawton,
who laughed as he shook his head, saying, "A miss was as good as a
mile." One of the dragoons had seen the preparations of the Skinner--who
had been left alone by the rest of his gang, as soon as they had made
their abortive attempt at revenge--and was in the act of plunging his
spurs into his horse as the fellow fired. The distance to the rocks was
but small, yet the speed of the horse compelled the leader to abandon
both money and musket, to effect his escape. The soldier returned with
his prizes, and offered them to the acceptance of his captain; but
Lawton rejected them, telling the man to retain them himself, until the
rascal appeared in person to claim his property. It would have been a
business of no small difficulty for any tribunal then existing in the
new states to have enforced a restitution of the money; for it was
shortly after most equitably distributed, by the hands of Sergeant
Hollister, among a troop of horse. The patrol departed, and the captain
slowly returned to his quarters, with an intention of retiring to rest.
A figure moving rapidly among the trees, in the direction of the wood
whither the Skinners had retired, caught his eye, and, wheeling on his
heel, the cautious partisan approached it, and, to his astonishment, saw
the washerwoman at that hour of the night, and in such a place.
"What, Betty! Walking in your sleep, or dreaming while awake?" cried the
trooper. "Are you not afraid of meeting with the ghost of ancient Jenny
in this her favorite pasture?"
"Ah, sure, Captain Jack," returned the sutler in her native accent, and
reeling in a manner that made it difficult for her to raise her head,
"it's not Jenny, or her ghost, that I'm saaking, but some yarbs for the
wounded. And it's the vartue of the rising moon, as it jist touches
them, that I want. They grow under yon rocks, and I must hasten, or the
charm will lose its power."
"Fool, you are fitter for your pallet than for wandering among those
rocks; a fall from one of them would break your bones; besides, the
Skinners have fled to those heights, and should you fall in with them,
they would revenge on you a sound flogging they have just received from
me. Better return, old woman, and finish your nap; we march in
the morning."
Betty disregarded his advice, and continued her devious route to the
hillside. For an instant, as Lawton mentioned the Skinners, she had
paused, but immediately resuming her course, she was soon out of sight,
among the trees.
As the captain entered his quarters, the sentinel at the door inquired
if he had met Mrs. Flanagan, and added that she had passed there,
filling the air with threats against her tormentors at the "Hotel," and
inquiring for the captain in search of redress. Lawton heard the man in
astonishment--appeared struck with a new idea--walked several yards
towards the orchard, and returned again; for several minutes he paced
rapidly to and fro before the door of the house, and then hastily
entering it, he threw himself on a bed in his clothes, and was soon in a
profound sleep.
In the meantime, the gang of marauders had successfully gained the
summit of the rocks, and, scattering in every direction, they buried
themselves in the depths of the wood. Finding, however, there was no
pursuit, which indeed would have been impracticable for horse, the
leader ventured to call his band together with a whistle, and in a short
time he succeeded in collecting his discomfited party, at a point where
they had but little to apprehend from any enemy.
"Well," said one of the fellows, while a fire was lighting to protect
them against the air, which was becoming severely cold, "there is an end
to our business in Westchester. The Virginia horse will make the county
too hot to hold us."
"I'll have his blood," muttered the leader, "if I die for it the next
instant."
"Oh, you are very valiant here, in the wood," cried the other, with a
savage laugh. "Why did you, who boast so much of your aim, miss your
man, at thirty yards?"
"'Twas the horseman that disturbed me, or I would have ended this
Captain Lawton on the spot; besides, the cold had set me a-shivering,
and I had no longer a steady hand."
"Say it was fear, and you will tell no lie," said his comrade with a
sneer. "For my part, I think I shall never be cold again; my back burns
as if a thousand gridirons were laid on it."
"And you would tamely submit to such usage, and kiss the rod that beat
you?"
"As for kissing the rod, it would be no easy matter. Mine was broken
into so small pieces, on my own shoulders, that it would be difficult to
find one big enough to kiss; but I would rather submit to lose half my
skin, than to lose the whole of it, with my ears in the bargain. And
such will be our fates, if we tempt this mad Virginian again. God
willing, I would at any time give him enough of my hide to make a pair
of jack boots, to get out of his hands with the remainder. If you had
known when you were well off, you would have stuck to Major Dunwoodie,
who don't know half so much of our evil doings."
"Silence, you talking fool!" shouted the enraged leader; "your prating
is sufficient to drive a man mad. Is it not enough to be robbed and
beaten, but we must be tormented with your folly? Help to get out the
provisions, if any is left in the wallet, and try and stop your mouth
with food."
This injunction was obeyed, and the whole party, amidst sundry groans
and contortions, excited by the disordered state of their backs, made
their arrangements for a scanty meal. A large fire of dry wood was
burning in the cleft of a rock, and at length they began to recover from
the confusion of their flight, and to collect their scattered senses.
Their hunger being appeased, and many of their garments thrown aside for
the better opportunity of dressing their wounds, the gang began to plot
measures of revenge. An hour was spent in this manner, and various
expedients were proposed; but as they all depended on personal prowess
for their success, and were attended by great danger, they were of
course rejected. There was no possibility of approaching the troops by
surprise, their vigilance being ever on the watch; and the hope of
meeting Captain Lawton away from his men, was equally forlorn, for the
trooper was constantly engaged in his duty, and his movements were so
rapid, that any opportunity of meeting with him, at all, must depend
greatly on accident. Besides, it was by no means certain that such an
interview would result happily for themselves. The cunning of the
trooper was notorious; and rough and broken as was Westchester, the
fearless partisan was known to take desperate leaps, and stone walls
were but slight impediments to the charges of the Southern horse.
Gradually, the conversation took another direction, until the gang
determined on a plan which should both revenge themselves, and at the
same time offer some additional stimulus to their exertions. The whole
business was accurately discussed, the time fixed, and the manner
adopted; in short, nothing was wanting to the previous arrangement for
this deed of villainy, when they were aroused by a voice
calling aloud,--
"This way, Captain Jack--here are the rascals 'ating by a fire--this
way, and murder the t'ieves where they sit--quick, l'ave your horses
and shoot your pistols!"
This terrific summons was enough to disturb all the philosophy of the
gang. Springing on their feet, they rushed deeper into the wood, and
having already agreed upon a place of rendezvous previously to their
intended expedition, they dispersed towards the four quarters of the
heavens. Certain sounds and different voices were heard calling on each
other, but as the marauders were well trained to speed of foot, they
were soon lost in the distance.
It was not long before Betty Flanagan emerged from the darkness, and
very coolly took possession of what the Skinners had left behind them;
namely, food and divers articles of dress. The washerwoman deliberately
seated herself, and made a meal with great apparent satisfaction. For an
hour, she sat with her head upon her hand, in deep musing; then she
gathered together such articles of the clothes, as seemed to suit her
fancy, and retired into the wood, leaving the fire to throw its
glimmering light on the adjacent rocks, until its last brand died away,
and the place was abandoned to solitude and darkness.