THE PRISONER.
Nathan and Evan were enjoying to the utmost this conversation with
Captain Dillard.
It is true they had seen him seldom since the first greeting after
Sarah Dillard's ride; but on each occasion he had appeared much as if
trying to show the world that he had espoused respect and admiration
for these two lads.
This was particularly pleasing to the boys, because Captain Dillard
was one who was choice of his associates, and it was often said that
"Dillard's friendship was given only to brave men."
Nathan and Evan were proud at being seen with this gallant Carolinian
as if they were his bosom friends, and when a messenger came from
Colonel McDowells summoning them to an interview with the commander of
the forces from Burke and Rutherford, they were not well pleased at
being obliged to part company from the man who among all the troops
they most admired.
With evident reluctance they rose to their feet, and while walking
toward Colonel McDowells' quarters, Nathan said:
"I don't think we did any very gallant deed, Evan, when we turned the
tables on Ephraim Sowers, or aided Sarah Dillard to remount the colt.
Neither have we done anything of which to boast in repeating Major
Ferguson's message, or summoning friends of the cause to the
rendezvous; but yet because of all those adventures have we been
marked out before the entire camp as lads with whom Captain Dillard is
pleased to hold conversation, and even though we had suffered much,
such a reward would be sufficient."
"The captain believes we shall come up with the Britishers within
twenty-four hours," Evan said, as if he had not heard his comrade's
remark.
"Ay, and it is said they are only twenty miles away, eager to meet
us."
"Then there is like to be battle."
"Ay; how else could it be when both sides are ready to fight?"
"And shall you rejoice at finding yourself standing musket in hand
before the foe?"
"Of a verity I shall! Why not? Would you avoid the encounter if it
could be done honorably?" and halting suddenly, Nathan looked his
comrade full in the face.
"It is a shameful thing for a lad to say, of that I am well aware,"
Evan replied hesitatingly; "but I grow timorous at the thought, and
have great fear lest I shall betray some signs of cowardice."
Nathan laughed long and loud.
"When Captain Charles McDowells' son, he whose grandmother has proven
herself on more than one occasion to be as brave as the most
courageous men, speaks of showing cowardice, there is reason for
laughing."
"But I have never stood in line with soldiers during the heat of
battle, and fear much lest I should shame my father."
"You never have done so yet, lad, and I will answer for it that he has
no cause to blush in your behalf. Put such idle fancies from your
mind, and when the hour comes that we meet Major Ferguson's force,
never fear but that you will be foremost among the friends of
freedom."
Evan would have said more regarding this sudden timorousness which had
come upon him, but for the fact that they were then arrived at Colonel
McDowells' tent, and the subject of the interview for which he had
summoned them was so startling and unexpected as to drive all other
thoughts from the boy's mind.
"You two, who claim the right to be called soldiers, although never
having marched in the ranks until the day we left Watuga, know full
well that the Britishers are within thirty or forty miles of us at
this moment."
The colonel paused as if for reply, and Evan said:
"We have heard it so spoken among the men, sir."
"You understand, also, that we are like to measure strength with them
before many hours?"
"Yes, sir."
"While I cast no discredit on your courage, I am free to say that men
who have had more experience in this business will be of greater
service to us in time of battle than you lads."
"But surely, father, you won't say that we shall not bear our share in
the combat," Evan cried, suddenly forgetting the fears of which he had
made mention to his comrade.
"It is not my purpose to prevent you from bearing your full share of
danger, and in fact I now propose to place you in a position more
perilous than, perhaps, would be your regular stations in the
regiment. I simply wish to explain why I called upon you for a certain
service, rather than men who may be needed elsewhere."
The boys looked in bewilderment at the colonel, trying in vain to
understand the meaning of this vague explanation, and after a brief
pause he continued:
"It has been proposed that we send out a certain number of men to gain
all possible information regarding the strength and disposition of the
enemy. To such suggestions I have argued that we could ill afford to
spare even two soldiers, and yet I know it is necessary we should have
such knowledge. Therefore have I said to those who are associated with
me in the command, that we would hold those who had already proven
themselves, and send out such as yet had a name to win. The mission
is one of extreme danger, and requires most careful work. If you lads
shrink not from the task, I would have you volunteer to set about it,
for this is a service to which I would not order any person. Go, if
you can, of your own free will; but if the undertaking seems too
dangerous, no one shall taunt you for having refused."
"Where are we to go, sir?" Evan asked.
"As near to Major Ferguson's encampment as may be necessary in order
to learn exactly the number and disposition of his men."
"When are we to start?"
"As soon as may be. There is no time for delay, since we must push
forward steadily, and not allow it to be believed that we shrink from
the battle."
"Then it would be best Evan and I did not spend any further time in
asking questions," Nathan interrupted. "We will be off at once."
"And you have no hesitation about the matter, young Shelby?" Colonel
McDowells asked as he gazed at the boys sharply.
"Both Evan and I are ready to do all that may be in our power, and
even though the task was one which we shrank from, both of us have too
much pride to allow that fact to become known. However, this doesn't
seem as dangerous as when we set out about making our escape from the
Dillard plantation, and there is no reason why we should falter. My
only fear is lest we may not be sufficiently well versed in military
matters to bring such information as is required."
"Keep your eyes and ears open, remembering everything which is seen
and heard, and I doubt not but that you can perform the mission as
well as the ablest soldier among us. It is necessary you exercise
great prudence, however, for should Major Ferguson detect you in
loitering around his encampment, he would be justified in hanging you
as spies with but scant ceremony."
"Have you any further orders, sir?" Evan asked nervously, for this
reminder of the peril they were about to incur was not pleasing.
"None," and the colonel rose to his feet as he held out both hands to
the boys.
A fervent hand-clasp was the only token of parting, and the lads went
directly from this interview to prepare themselves for the journey.
Captain Dillard came up as they were refilling the powder horns, and
counting out an additional store of bullets.
"So the colonel has sent his son rather than risk the life of one of
the men," he said half to himself, and Evan looked up with a smile as
he replied:
"When favors are to be bestowed, captain, it is right the father
should remember first his son."
"And this is a favor with a vengeance," Dillard muttered, after which,
realizing he had been imprudent in thus voicing his apprehensions, he
whistled a cheery tune as if there was no reason why he or any other
in the encampment should be gloomy.
In less than ten minutes the boys had made their preparations for the
scout, and were debating as to the best course to be pursued.
"Make straight for Cherokee Ford, lads, and trust to luck for all the
remainder. I do not mean that you are to go blindly ahead without
taking due precautions; but it seldom pays at such times to map out an
elaborate plan, for much depends upon accident."
Then the captain turned abruptly away, most likely to avoid a
leave-taking, and the two boys marched side by side out of the
encampment, the men following them with their eyes but speaking no
word, for each understood upon what a perilous venture they were
embarked.
It was nightfall, and the young scouts were unfamiliar with the
country over which it would be necessary to travel.
They knew, however, that a well-defined trail led from the Cowpens to
Cherokee Ford, and along this they advanced at a smart pace, for it
seemed necessary the journey should be performed during the hours of
darkness.
Neither felt inclined for conversation. The silence of the men as they
left the encampment struck them much like predictions of evil, and
they were weighted down by a sense of danger in the air everywhere
around them.
At near midnight they made the first halt, and up to that time not
more than half a dozen words had been exchanged.
Now it was as if the nearness of the foe revived their courage rather
than depressed them, and they discussed the situation as calmly as
they might have spoken of the most ordinary affair.
"We must have been five hours on the march, and covered no less than
seventeen or eighteen miles," Nathan suggested.
"Surely we are that far from the encampment, and it stands us in hand
to have an eye out for redcoats, because they or the Tories will
likely be scouting nearabout their halting place."
"And by going blindly ahead we may come upon them sooner than would be
pleasant," Nathan added with a laugh. "Now it is my proposition that
we tarry here until daybreak, rather than run our noses into trouble."
"Father said we were to perform the mission as quickly as might be."
"True; but yet he did not propose that we discover the foe by running
into their very midst."
"We are yet a good dozen miles from Cherokee Ford, and by waiting here
until daybreak will be forced to spend three or four hours before we
can hope to see the main body."
"If it is your belief that we should push on yet further, I am ready,"
Nathan replied in a tone of content, and thus it was decided that
they should not make camp until having arrived at least six miles
nearer the supposed location of the Britishers.
After fifteen minutes had been spent in resting the lads set forward
again, and, as nearly as they could judge, it was two o'clock in the
morning when Evan announced that he was ready to make a lengthy halt.
Creeping into the thicket a few yards from the trail where they could
remain concealed from view, and yet be enabled to see any who might
pass, the boys set about gaining such repose as might be possible.
One slept while the other watched, and every half-hour they changed
positions, so that by daybreak each had had his share of slumber.
When the first grey light of dawn appeared they set out for the final
and most perilous stage of the journey, advancing cautiously, halting
to listen at every unfamiliar sound, and oftentimes making a detour
through the thicket when there was a sharp bend in the trail which
might have led them suddenly upon a scouting party of the foe.
By such method their progress was exceedingly slow, and by sunrise
they had advanced no more than three miles.
Now if the information brought to the American encampment was correct,
they were close upon the Britishers, and might at any moment expect to
see a scarlet coat through the foliage.
"We must take some chances in order to push ahead more rapidly, or we
shall not be able to return before to-morrow morning," Nathan
whispered impatiently, after they had literally crawled through the
thicket half an hour more, and the words were hardly uttered when the
sounds of footsteps upon the beaten path a short distance in advance
of them, caused both to suddenly seek a hiding-place.
It is well the lads were on the alert, for within a few seconds four
Britishers came down the trail in a leisurely fashion, as if out for
no other purpose than that of a stroll, and Evan gripped Nathan's arm
hard as he saw in the rear of these men none other than Ephraim
Sowers.
The young Tory was walking slowly, as if displeased with himself for
having ventured away from the camp, while the Britishers were in the
best of spirits, laughing and chatting merrily without paying any
attention to their gloomy-visaged companion.
It was when he arrived at a point directly opposite the hidden scouts
that Ephraim stopped, leaned his musket against a rock, and seated
himself upon a fallen tree-trunk, as he said petulantly:
"I am tired of this wandering around when we are like to come upon a
party of rebels at any minute."
"Then why do you follow? No person prevents you from returning to the
camp," one of the soldiers said with a laugh.
"I am minded to go back alone, and you know full well the orders were
that no man should stray very far from the mountain."
"Then you are not disobeying, since I'll go bail there's little of the
man about you."
"How dare you speak in that way when Major Ferguson is nearby to
overhear the words?" and now Ephraim displayed anger.
"Don't pride yourself, lad, on being the especial pet of the major. He
is not given to much affection for cowards, even though they be spies,
and I am willing to wager considerable that no member of the command
would be reproved for speaking harshly to such as you."
During this brief conversation the soldiers had continued to advance,
while Ephraim remained sitting upon the log, and when the last remark
was made the redcoats were hidden from view by the foliage.
The young Tory kicked idly at the earth in front of him, looked up and
down the trail as if in search of something entertaining, and then
leaned lazily back against a convenient bush.
The footsteps of the soldiers sounded fainter and fainter in the
distance, telling that the men were continuing to advance, until
finally all was silent.
The two lads were within forty feet of the boy who would have done the
cause of freedom such grievous wrong, and each instant those who might
lend him a helping hand were drawing further away.
Nathan glanced at Evan with a question in his eye, and the latter
understood it as well as if he had spoken.
"It might be done," he whispered cautiously; "but we should not
neglect the work which was set us."
"It is not safe to advance while these men are between us and Major
Ferguson's force, therefore unless we make him prisoner it is
necessary to remain idle."
"What could be done with him?"
"I'll venture to say he might be frightened into telling all we would
know."
Nathan hesitated an instant. They had been sent out solely to gain
some knowledge of the enemy's force and disposition. To take this boy
a prisoner, even though he was their bitterest foe, seemed to be
deviating from the course Colonel McDowells had marked out, but yet,
as Nathan said, they must remain idle there until these four men
should return. Therefore it would not be such a woeful waste of time.
"If we can do it without giving the alarm, I am ready," Evan
whispered, and instead of replying, Nathan began creeping cautiously
in the direction of the Tory, who sat with his back turned toward
them.
Many a time had these two lads crept quietly upon a flock of wild
turkeys without alarming the shy birds, and to go through the same
maneuvers when a dull boy like Ephraim Sowers was the game to be
stalked did not prove difficult.
Side by side they advanced with hardly so much as disturbing a single
twig, and had gained the cover of a bush within three feet of him
before he so much as changed his position.
Then he started to his feet, and the two in hiding crouched yet closer
to the ground, fearing lest he had grown suspicious; but it was merely
to change his position, and after looking up and down the trail,
muttering threats against the soldiers because they continued their
stroll when it was not to his liking, he reseated himself without
having so much as touched his musket.
[Illustration: Nathan and Evan crept within three feet of the
Tory.--Page 193.]
It was possible the redcoats might even now be retracing their steps,
and whatever the lads counted on doing must be done without loss of
time.
Nathan pressed Evan's hand in token that he was ready for the venture,
and the latter nodded his head.
The two rose to their feet, standing motionless a single instant, and
then, darting forward with a sudden spring, they landed directly upon
the unsuspecting Tory.
Nathan had counted upon covering the spy's mouth with his hand; but
missed the aim, and Ephraim was enabled to utter one shrill cry, after
which he was powerless to do more than breathe.
"Work quickly now, for the soldiers may have heard that, and we are
like to be prisoners ourselves instead of capturing this sneak,"
Nathan whispered. "We must tie his hands again, and contrive something
for a gag quickly."
As deftly, and yet more rapidly than on that night when Sarah Dillard
rode the unbroken colt, Evan bound the prisoner, and from the time
they first leaped upon him until Ephraim's hands were tied and his
mouth choked by a portion of his own garments, no more than three
minutes had passed.
"Take his musket, for it must appear as if he had gone back to the
camp, and see to it that you wipe out all traces of a struggle, while
I carry him into the thicket."
Then the boy lifted Ephraim to his shoulder as if he had been no more
than a package of bulky merchandise, and while Evan carried out the
instructions to the best of his ability, the spy was taken an hundred
yards or more into the thicket.
Here Nathan halted until his comrade joined him, when the two
continued the flight until they were fully half a mile from the trail,
and all this while Ephraim Sowers was unable to give vent to his anger
or his fears.
"That was a neat job, and one that need not interfere with the
purpose of our journey," Nathan said in a tone of exultation, as he
wiped the perspiration from his face and sat down where he could look
full at the discomfited Tory. "By this means we have made certain of
coming face to face with Ephraim Sowers again, for I misdoubt if he
would have been found in the battle unless peradventure the Britishers
were getting much the best of it."
"Now that we have got the sneak, what is to be done with him?"
"Tie him up here until we have concluded our work, and then carry him
back to the men of Colonel Clarke's command, who have a score to
settle because of his efforts to deliver them over to their butchers."
The expression in Ephraim's eyes gave good token of the terror which
was in his heart, and in furtherance of the plan he had lately
conceived Nathan took the gag from the boy's mouth.
"Those men would murder me!" Ephraim screamed as soon as his mouth was
freed from the gag.
"Ay, so it appears to me, else will they be more forgiving than I can
well believe," Nathan replied calmly, as if in his mind the spy was
already doomed.
"Would you take me, who has never done you any wrong, to where I shall
be killed?" he whined.
"How much wrong would you have done had we not set upon you the night
the force at Greene's Spring were to be massacred?" Evan asked
sternly. "When we were again captured was it in your mind to treat us
as friends?"
"I would not have killed you."
"Then you lied in order to frighten us."
"I did want to make you weaken, but had no thought of doing you a
wrong."
"Such a controversy is useless, and we have not the time to spend upon
it," Nathan interrupted. "Colonel Clarke's men are doubtless eager to
meet with this Tory who devoted so much of his time to them, and if it
so be we are forced to continue on in order to gain information
concerning the Britishers, we can do no other than deliver him up to
them."
"What is it you want to know?" Ephraim asked, a ray of hope coming
into his eyes.
"We are sent to learn concerning the British forces. How many there
are, where they are encamped, and such other matters as may be
necessary for the guidance of those who direct the attack."
"Is there to be a battle?" Ephraim asked eagerly.
"Not before we have had time to deliver you over to those who will
thank us for so doing."
The gleam of hope died away very suddenly, and the spy, knowing full
well what would likely be his fate, did he fall into the hands of the
men who would have been killed or captured had his plans not failed,
now gave evidence of the liveliest terror.
"If you will save my life, I swear to tell you all I know about Major
Ferguson's forces, and none can give the information better, for I
have been with them every hour since you were allowed to leave
Dillard's plantation."
"It might be that we could take advantage of the offer, if it was
possible to believe a single word you uttered," Nathan said, as if
debating whether to accept the proposition or not.
"I swear to you that every word shall be true, and if you hold me
prisoner it will be easy to know whether I have told the truth or
not," Ephraim pleaded. "Promise that if I give all the information
needed you will save my life, and you shall have such a description of
the camp as could not be gotten by scouting around it for a week."
"Shall we accept the offer, Evan?" Nathan asked, as if it was a
matter of indifference to him, and Ephraim cried imploringly:
"Give me one chance! Don't turn me over to those who have good reason
for murdering me! I will answer every question truly, and you shall
keep me prisoner until it has been proven that all I said was
correct."