A LIVELY TUSSLE.
Darius would have it that the traitor had not been seriously hurt by
the blow on the head; but when he failed to show any signs of
consciousness after we stowed him away in the hold, I grew alarmed,
and, calling on Jim Freeman for assistance, set about trying to bring
him to life, for of a verity I believed him dead.
It was not until we had worked over him ten minutes or more that I
could see any change, and then suddenly he opened his eyes, blinking
in the rays of the lantern Jim was holding close by his face.
"What happened to me?" he asked wildly, and as my fears that he had
been killed were banished by the words, so did my anger against him
return.
"You were known to have been giving information to the enemy, and
piloting English spies to a hiding-place," I replied sharply. "We took
it upon ourselves to cut your career as a traitor short, and while the
job was being done you got a clip on the head that knocked you
senseless."
While I was speaking the cur looked me full in the face, as if trying
to make out who I was; but I believe he feigned ignorance only that he
might have time in which to decide upon a course of action.
I could see by the look in his eyes, when his mind was made up as to
how he should steer, and a moment later he said with a start of
pretended surprise.
"Is it you, Amos Grout? I was afraid I had fallen into the hands of
enemies!"
"You are not among friends, and that is certain," I replied, boiling
with rage because the miserable cur would try to pull wool over my
eyes, for I well knew what tack he was about to take.
"And are you willin' to hold enmity simply because we had a bit of a
scrimmage over differences of opinion? I thought all that was settled
on the spot."
"So it was," I said curtly.
"Then why have you tied me up in this fashion?"
"Listen to me, Elias Macomber," I cried. "Do you think for a moment
that you can deceive any one aboard this craft. We heard all you said
to the British officer who is in the Patuxent with a boat's crew
spying, and know where you took him to pass the night. We sailed up
the river for the purpose of capturing you, and here you remain until
we can deliver the meanest traitor in Maryland over to Commodore
Barney."
Now the cur was frightened, and with good cause. He would have said
something more, thinking, I dare say, that it might yet be possible to
blind me; but I refused to listen.
"I only came here to learn if you were alive, and now that matter has
been settled, I count on leaving you. Don't be so foolish as to think
you can wiggle out of the scrape by lying, for when you made your talk
with the Britisher this pungy was on the other side of the river, her
spars hidden by the trees. We heard nearly every word that was
spoken."
"An' you're gettin' out of this part of the trouble mighty easy, if
Amos insists you shall be left alone," Jim added angrily. "If I had my
way, all hands of us would take a turn at thumpin' you, an' then the
account between us wouldn't be square."
"Come on, Jim," I said impatiently. "It is doing no good to parley
with such as him. Leave the traitor to himself until the commodore
directs what shall be done."
Elias called after us imploringly as we went out of the hold; but I
had no desire to remain longer with the cur, and we put on the hatch
in order that, if he did succeed in freeing himself of the bonds, he
would yet be imprisoned.
On gaining the deck I looked around for Darius, but he was not to be
seen, and Jerry, understanding for whom I searched, said:
"The old man has gone ashore. He counts on lookin' around the mill, so
that we may know exactly how to get at work when the time comes."
"At work?" I repeated in bewilderment. "What does he reckon on doing
now that we have caught the traitor?"
"It is in his mind that we can make prisoners of all the boat's crew,
an' if that could be done, we'd be takin' with us such as would insure
a hearty welcome from the commodore."
"We had better let well enough alone," I replied irritably. "If
Commodore Barney won't be pleased to see him when we offer our own
services, the use of the pungy, and the biggest traitor in Maryland,
then there's little reason to try to purchase his favor."
"You've agreed that Darius should run this thing to suit himself, an'
he's doin' it. I believe he's right, too! If there's a chance to take
a few prisoners, it would be downright folly to let it slip."
"And do you expect that we can capture at least half a dozen
well-armed Britishers?"
"There are as many of us, when you come to figgerin' up the fightin'
force, an' the advantage of takin' them by surprise will overbalance
the difference in weapons."
It was useless to argue with Jerry, as I understood by his tone,
therefore I turned away, saying to myself that by trying to bite off
too big a piece in the way of taking prisoners, we might find the
tables turned very suddenly to our disadvantage.
Jim Freeman and his friends seemed to be of the same mind as Jerry,
and I said nothing to them lest I be accused of faint-heartedness,
when everything was apparently going our way.
We waited in silence for the coming of Darius, allowing the Avenger to
remain in the stream where some of the boys had anchored her while I
was caring for the prisoner, and not until nearly midnight did the old
man put in an appearance.
Jim Freeman was on the lookout well forward, and that he did his duty
well was shown by the fact that he came aft with the word that a canoe
was drifting down the river while the craft was yet some distance
away.
Jerry and I, each with a musket, went forward to make certain the
newcomer was a friend rather than an enemy, and when we hailed softly,
Darius replied with a low hissing sound which was familiar to us all.
He made fast, came inboard, and entered the cuddy without speaking,
therefore we followed, knowing full well that he had something of
importance to impart.
When we were all together, unable to see each other because of the
darkness, Darius said softly, in a tone of triumph:
"I've found the Britishers, an' can put my hand on the whole gang
without much trouble. There are but three men an' the officer, who, I
reckon, will be the only fellow to make much fuss when we get at work.
Now I'm countin' that one of Jim's friends shall be left on board to
look out for the pungy, an' make certain the traitor don't kick up any
row. Three of us will have a musket each, an' the other two can do
mighty good work with belayin' pins."
"Where are the men?" Jerry asked.
"In the loft of the mill. The officer is havin' a right sociable time
with Essek Harland, an' if the miller's bottle holds out, I reckon
them two won't be in shape to make much trouble. Jim is to say which
of his party shall stay aboard, an' the sooner the rest of us get to
work the better, for I want to begin the scrimmage in a couple of
hours."
It was evident that my opinion as to whether the attempt to capture
the Britishers should be made, was not to be asked, and yet I must
follow where Darius led, or give my comrades good reason for calling
me a coward--or worse.
The old man settled it that he and Jerry should arm themselves with
belaying pins, and the two muskets he brought back from Benedict,
together with our old fowling-piece, was distributed among the rest
of us.
Jim Freeman named Dody Wardwell as the one to keep ship and look after
the prisoner, and Darius instructed the watchman to be free with his
blows in case Elias tried to pick up a row.
"If he undertakes to yip even once, give him a dose over the head that
will put him to sleep, an' it won't be much harm if you kill such a
cur as he is. Keep your wits about you, lad, an' remember that the
prisoner is the one who can make the most trouble."
Then the old man saw to it that each of our weapons was loaded, after
which he led the way to the rail where the canoe was made fast.
The little craft would not carry more than three, therefore two trips
were necessary in order to land us all, and when we stood on the bank
Darius proposed that Jerry paddle the boat up to the mill.
"Why do we want her there?" I asked, thinking he was providing for a
means of escape. "We couldn't all take passage in her, and in case we
need to get away in a hurry, it might be done easier by striking into
the woods."
"I'm not thinkin' how we can get her off, for if the plan fails to
work there's little chance any of us will need the canoe," Darius said
grimly, and I began to understand that he might be more of a fighter
than would suit me. "It may be we shall want to send some prisoners
down to keep Macomber company, an' then a small craft will come in
handy, for their boat is hauled up high an' dry among the bushes; she
is so heavy that it would be a long job to float her."
Jerry was so impatient to be in the thick of danger that he hardly
waited for the old man to conclude his long-winded speech, and before
the last word had hardly been spoken he was paddling up stream at a
rate which told that he would arrive at the rendezvous some time in
advance of us who were to walk.
Neither was Darius willing to waste much time, and when Jerry was lost
to view in the darkness he struck through the underbrush toward the
highway, leading the party, while I brought up the rear.
It can well be fancied that we moved with the utmost caution, for
people do not set out on such an enterprise as we were bent upon with
any great blowing of horns, and although none of us were what might be
called woodsmen, I flatter myself that we did not bungle the job very
badly.
Hardly more than a quarter-hour had passed when Darius left the
underbrush to cut across toward the river, and within five minutes
more we were halted near the southeast corner of the mill, not having
heard or seen anything of those whom we hoped to make prisoners.
Jerry joined us almost immediately, having been on the lookout during
five minutes or more, and he reported that there had been no signs of
life in the vicinity since his arrival.
"We who carry the clubs will go ahead, an', if it so be possible, do
the biggest part of the work, for our weapons ain't the kind that make
much of any noise," Darius whispered. "Jim Freeman will stand guard at
the door of the mill, but he is not to shoot unless it becomes
necessary to prevent the Britisher or the miller from takin' a hand in
the scrimmage, pervidin' there is one. Now follow me, lads, an'
remember that we must get the three sailors under our thumbs, once
we've started, no matter what turns up."
We stole up to the big door on the northwest corner, the only entrance
to the building, and, as I had expected, found it fastened on the
inside. One would hardly have supposed that the Britishers in hiding
would neglect to make themselves as secure as possible.
It appeared that Darius was not disappointed, for after pushing gently
at the door, and motioning for Jim to stand in front of it, he led the
way along the northerly side of the mill to a portion of the
under-pinning which had given way, disclosing an aperture through
which a mule might have been driven.
"Keep close at my heels," he whispered, and then he plunged into the
darkness, we obeying his command to the letter, for a mis-step might
throw us into the mill-race, which we could hear rippling close at
hand.
One would have said that the old man had always lived in this place,
so directly and swiftly did he go to the desired point, which was a
portion of the flooring where was a trap-door, evidently used to dump
the refuse, for suddenly we found ourselves climbing up a heap of what
appeared to be husks and cobs of corn.
It was a simple task to gain entrance to the building in this manner,
for Darius had only to force the trap-door up with his shoulder, and
in a twinkling we were standing on the lower floor, near-by what I
took to be the hopper.
Touching each of us in turn that we might be warned to follow closely,
Darius led the way to the easterly end of the building, where he
halted at the foot of a flight of stairs.
Now he marshaled his force according to the weapons. Jerry was behind
him; I came next, determined to use my musket as a club so long as it
could be done, rather than take the risk of killing a man, and in the
rear of me was Josiah Coburn, one of Jim Freeman's party.
Now it must be understood that we could see nothing; the darkness was
so intense that one could almost feel it, and yet we proposed to
blunder in upon enemies who would probably shoot without warning in
the direction of the slightest suspicious noise.
It was not a cheerful adventure, and I hold myself well excused for
being frightened, so that I followed the leader's orders implicitly to
the best of my ability.
Just at this point, when we were trembling with suppressed excitement,
and, as in my case, fear, Darius remembered that he had not unlocked
the outer door in order that Jim might hide within the building, and
we were forced to stand at the foot of the stairs while he groped his
way back to remedy the neglect.
It seemed to me that we remained there hardly daring to breathe, a
full half-hour, although I suppose now that it was no more than five
minutes, and then our leader was returned.
Pushing his way to the head of the line once more, we began the ascent
of the stairs, each fellow stepping cautiously; but despite all our
efforts each board sent forth loud protesting creaks as we bore our
weight upon it, and the only wonder was that the Britishers did not
awaken sooner.
The noise we made in ascending the stairs seemed to me loud enough to
alarm the inmates of the house near at hand, and, therefore, I was
neither startled nor surprised when some person at one end of the
second floor, cried out:
"Who is there? What's the row?"
"Can't you give your shipmates the same show for a watch below that
you've got?" Darius asked with a regular deep-sea note in his voice,
and this it was that gave us a slight advantage, since the men did not
open fire.
"How did you get here?" the same voice asked, and again the old man
answered as if speaking to shipmates:
"The bloomin' swab that piloted you here, gave us the course. Where
are you?"
"Over here," and the voice came from the westerly end of the building,
thus showing that we must walk the entire length of the mill before
coming upon our adversaries. "What ship are you from?"
My heart stood still as this question was asked, for I knew only too
well that Darius was wholly ignorant as to what British vessels had
entered the bay; but the old sailor never hesitated, as he replied:
"What other than the flag-ship, you lubber?"
"No, I'll be burned if you are!" the man cried loudly, and I heard him
spring to his feet. "She's in the Potomac river long before this!
Rouse up, my bullies, an' let's have a look at these beach-combers."
During this brief conversation we had been advancing swiftly in the
direction from which the sailor's voice could be heard, and when his
comrades were ready to receive us, we could not have been a dozen
paces distant from the three.
I felt, rather than saw, that Darius sprang forward; there was a dull
thud, a groan, and a cry from one of the other Britishers which told
that the battle was on, but the number of active enemies had been
reduced by one, for there could be no question but that Darius had put
his man out of the fight for some time to come.
I ran forward with my companions; but it was impossible to use the
musket, even had I been eager to shoot, because of the darkness, and
as I swung the weapon from side to side, striving to feel my way, some
one clutched me by the throat.
"Here's one of 'em!" I managed to scream before the fellow's fingers
shut off my wind, and then I had my hands full trying to save my own
life.
I managed to hit my adversary two or three solid blows which weakened
his hold somewhat, otherwise I would have been strangled in short
order, and then I fought as I never did before, but sadly at a
disadvantage, as can be imagined.
How long we swayed to and fro, I striving to reach the enemy's face
with my fists, and he trying to strengthen his hold on my throat, I
know not; but certain it is that I held him in fairly good play five
minutes or more before the report of Jim Freeman's musket told that
the Britishers were about to receive reinforcements.
Even as I fought with my adversary I understood that the English
officer, and, probably, the miller, aroused by the noise of the
scrimmage, were coming to the rescue, and the thought flashed through
my mind that in a few moments more the battle would be decided in
favor of his majesty's forces.
Just at that moment a heavy body pushed past me; I heard that
sickening sound which tells that a living object has been struck a
powerful blow, and instantly the hands relaxed their grasp on my
throat.
"That makes the third one; we've got the upper hands of all up here,
an' you lads are to make the Britishers fast the best you can in the
darkness, while I 'tend to the visitors."
It was Darius who spoke, and when this had been said I understood that
he was running toward the stairway.
Now it was possible to see faint gleams of light coming through the
cracks of the floor, and I realized that the newcomers had with them a
lantern.
The report of Jim's musket had been followed by the discharge of a
pistol, and I heard the lad running across the floor at full speed.
I did not have sense enough to obey the old man's command in regard to
the prisoners; but stood there like a simple, staring at the moving
rays of light, and wondering how long it would take the British
officer to shoot us all down.
Then, to my great surprise, I heard a voice from the head of the
stairs, on the floor where we were, cry loudly:
"This way, sir! We've got the best of two bloomin' Yankees, an' the
other is sneakin' in some corner!"
There came the sound of hurried footsteps, and then the light of the
lantern so far illumined the head of the stairway that I could see
Darius, lying at full length on the floor, within a few inches of the
opening.
Just for one second I stood as if stupefied, and then I understood
what the old man would do.
The British officer ascended swiftly; but before his head was fairly
above the top of the stairs Darius stretched out his long arm, seizing
the gentleman by the throat even as my adversary had seized me.
Now I had my wits about me; running forward swiftly I caught the
lantern before the officer could let go his grasp on it, and thus made
it possible to have a view of what was going on.
Darius hauled his captive up, much as if he had been a bale of
merchandise, and as he was dragged to the floor I saw one whom I
believed to be the miller, directly behind him, within three steps of
the top of the stairs.
With the lantern in my left hand, I thrust forward the barrel of my
musket full in his face, as I said sharply:
"Throw down that gun, or I'll fire!"
[Illustration: With the lantern in my left hand, I thrust forward the
barrel of my musket full in the face of the miller. Page 72.]
The man was armed in much the same fashion as was I; but he had little
stomach for fighting, as could be seen when he dropped the weapon
immediately I spoke, and when it fell clattering to the floor below,
Jim Freeman came into view from behind a pile of bags.
"Can you look after the miller, Jim?" I cried, and the lad replied as
he came bounding up the stairs:
"Ay, let him go, an' I'll blow the whole top of his head off if he
dares to look crosswise!"
I knew Jim's musket must be empty, since he had not had time to
recharge it after firing that which served as an alarm; but I took the
chances of the fact being discovered, and turned with the lantern held
high above my head to view the scene.
Near at hand Darius was kneeling on the British officer's chest,
industriously engaged in strapping the latter's arms to his body with
the prisoner's waist-belt.
In the distance Jerry and Josiah knelt beside a form which was
stretched out frightfully limp, as if life had departed; but I
observed that they were securing the man's hands and feet with
portions of his trousers.
Beyond them a short distance was a second Britisher, tied tightly with
what appeared to be strips torn from his own clothing, and midway
between them and Darius, was a third body, evidently that of the man
who had attacked me; but he remained motionless, and, having heard the
blow which struck him down, I could well understand why he did not
give any very violent signs of life.
It did not appear that I was needed elsewhere, therefore I turned my
attention to the miller, who was standing like a statue, not daring to
lift a finger lest Jim should "blow off the top of his head."
"Come here," I said to him. "Come here while my friend trusses you up
in proper fashion. What can you find there to tie him with, Jim?"
"Plenty," Jim cried gleefully as he picked up from the floor a couple
of bags and began cutting them into strips. "Here's enough an' to
spare, of what is better than rope."
The venture had come to a most successful end, providing there were no
others in the vicinity whose love for the British would prompt them to
interfere, and I was amazed, even amid the excitement of victory, that
we had come off ahead when it seemed certain the enemy could overcome
us easily.
Darius, having bound his captive, stood up facing me, and from the
expression on his face one never would have supposed that he had just
come unscratched out of as lively a tussle as I ever took part in. It
was as if he had been stowing oysters in the hold of the Avenger, and
was stretching his back before going at it again.
"You've done a big thing," I said, holding out my hand to congratulate
him. "To you belongs all the credit of having taken these prisoners,
and when we meet Commodore Barney I shall insist that he hears the
whole story, for I doubt if every old sailor has head enough to put
such a venture through in good shape."
It could readily be seen that the old man was pleased by the praise;
but he made as if it was of no consequence.
"You lads have done your full share, an' if any credit is to be given
it goes to the whole crowd."
"Not a bit of it!" Jerry cried, looking up from his task of binding
the sailor with whom I had fought. "It's as Amos says; but for you
this never would have been done, an' it won't be my fault if all the
men of the fleet don't hear of it."
"We're not out of the woods yet," Darius said, as though he would
change the subject. "If I'd had half the head you give me credit for,
we'd run the pungy up here, instead of leavin' her a mile away."
"Josiah can go after her," I suggested, "and by the time we're ready
to put our prisoners aboard she should be here."
This proposition suited the old man, and Jim's friend left the
building at full speed, while I asked Darius to make certain the
miller was trussed up in proper fashion.
"What'er you goin' to do with me?" Essek Harland cried with a whine.
"I ain't to be blamed for what's been done this night! How can I help
it if a crowd of Britishers take possession of my mill?"
"Talk that over with Elias Macomber; he's aboard the pungy," Darius
replied in a matter-of-fact tone as he proceeded to bind the man with
strips of bags provided by Jim.