TROUBLED TIMES
It was a big thing that Phil Warrington and Andy Sabine had done in
capturing the consort of the _Vixen_, floating it to safe and secret
harborage, and delivering its valuable cargo over to trusted agents
of the continental army. The chums tried to appear simply glad and
modest, when Mr. Eaton, after a visit to the swamp, returned to them
filled with admiration for their act and the deepest satisfaction
over results. For all that, Phil thrilled with genuine pride over the
compliments of the sterling patriot, and Andy held his head an inch or
two higher.
The big sailboat was found to be loaded with military stores of which
the colonists were in sore need. There were in fact, sufficient arms
and ammunition to equip a whole military company and defend a town.
Mr. Eaton had taken Ralph with him to inspect the boat, he insisted
that his guests had seen enough hardship for one night at least. When
he returned, it was to send Ralph to rouse up some neighbors. Phil
and Andy, worn out with their arduous exertions, went to sleep on the
long settle in the kitchen. When they awoke, it was to find Mrs. Eaton
bustling about the room preparing breakfast.
She greeted Phil and his introduction of Andy with a welcoming smile,
and, putting on their dry coats and shoes, the boys went outside to
find Ralph at a grindstone in a shed sharpening an old hunting knife.
"Hello, fresh as larks, eh?" cried the energetic lad cheerily. "Lots of
work been done since you went to sleep."
"How's that?" questioned Andy.
"Well, if the Britishers should happen to trace that sailboat, they
will find her cargo gone. Left here on wagons for Lexington and Concord
over two hours ago. I tried to get Mr. Eaton to rig up the boat with
a couple of small cannons, furnish it with some muskets, and I'd go
pirating down the Bay. They laughed at me, so I've got to give up that
wild idea, as they call it, for the time being. Tell you a secret,
though," continued Ralph impressively: "if things get desperate I'll
come back here, get that boat afloat and do something for my country.
She's a trim craft, I tell you--too good to lie rotting in the swamp.
You may yet see her under sail with myself the bold privateer of
Boston bay."
Ralph was only half-fooling. His suggestion caught Andy immensely.
There was a call to breakfast, and then Ralph took his guests up to his
room in the attic. He showed them a bundle on the bed, beside which lay
the hunting knife and an old-fashioned pistol. Everything indicated
preparation for some emergency, and Phil regarded Ralph inquiringly.
"Looks as if you were getting ready to go to war," he observed.
"It's about that," responded Ralph in a spirited tone. "Anybody would
be blind not to see that cannons will soon be booming and the Tories
scampering back to England. I'm going to Boston. Why, I can't sleep
nights thinking of the turmoil and excitement there. I was born to be
in the center of a mix up, always. Yes, I'm going to Boston, and I'm
going to get into Boston, too."
"Of course we will go with you," said Phil. "I am anxious about the
folks. The Musket Boys will need me, too."
"Hope I'm not going to be left out of the procession," observed Andy.
"No, indeed," replied Ralph with unction, and so it was settled.
Ralph waited until Mr. Eaton returned from the settlement, and had
quite a lengthy conversation with them. The patriot shook hands all
around and Mrs. Eaton kissed the boys good-by in a motherly fashion,
and handed Ralph a home-made wicker basket.
"When the war is over, Mrs. Eaton," said Andy, "I'm coming back here to
eat some more of those splendid doughnuts of yours."
"You will find a supply in the basket there," replied Mrs. Eaton, with
an encouraging smile.
The morning had dawned bright and beautiful, and early spring was
beginning to touch the landscape here and there with green. There
was a pretty good road clear to Boston, and the wayfarers took their
time, planning that they would reach the city after dark, which would
certainly be the best time to make an attempt to evade the British
soldiers in an effort to reach the Warrington home.
They came across few people going towards the city. In one little
village they passed through, they found business practically suspended.
Nearly all of its residents were gathered on the village green
listening to the oration of a man, who was desperately in earnest in
warning them to prepare for war.
He aroused a vast patriotic spirit, and when he had concluded his
speech he sprang at once to the saddle of a mettled steed standing by
the horse block, and dashed down the road in the direction of the next
town, probably intent on warning all the colonists along the route.
At a second little settlement the boys were halted on the highway
and questioned by one of a party of men, all armed with muskets, and
seemingly guarding the road.
"Things are certainly humming," observed Ralph Post a little later, as,
passing a lonely farmhouse, they observed a stalwart woman and her two
sons burnishing up a sword and two muskets.
Dusk found them only a few miles from Boston. Phil, who knew the road,
told his companions that they could reach the city within an hour.
Ralph, it seemed, had been instructed to go to a certain place on the
river opposite the city, and there consult with some friends who would
advise them as to the safest way to get past the sentry lines of the
Tories.
"Perhaps we had better keep off the main road the rest of the way,"
suggested Phil. "Besides, I know a good short cut to Dockrell's Mill,
where Mr. Eaton said we would find his friends."
This was acceded to by the others, and Phil piloted the way along a
by-path and through some stunted timber. Then it was a hit and miss
progress for about a mile, and in the gathering dusk Phil would have
been confused only that they were guided by lights in houses in the
distance.
"I say, what was that?" exclaimed Andy suddenly, as they took a detour
to escape a reach of swampy ground.
"Sounded like a horse's neigh and a great floundering in among that
tangle of weeds yonder," said Phil, halting and gazing sharply in the
direction indicated.
"Mercy!" cried Andy with a decided shock.
They all stood stock-still. Abruptly upon the quiet evening air and
very near at hand, there rang out a fearful blood-curdling shriek.