MISSING.
I am minded to set down here what I afterward saw printed, concerning
the doings in other portions of Washington, the particulars of which
we were ignorant at the time.
"While the public buildings in Washington were in flames, the national
shipping, stores, and other property were blazing at the navy yard;
also the great bridge over the Potomac, from Washington city to the
Virginia shore.
"Commodore Thomas Tingey was in command of the navy yard, and, before
the battle, had received orders to set fire to the public property
there in event of the British gaining a victory, so as to prevent its
falling into the hands of the invaders. Tingey delayed the execution
of the order for four hours after the contingency had occurred.
"When, at half-past eight in the evening, he was informed that the
enemy was encamped within the city limits, near the Capitol, he
applied the torch, and property valued at about a million of dollars
was destroyed.
"The schooner Lynx was saved, and most of the metallic work at the
navy yard remained but little injured. The fine naval monument was
somewhat mutilated, but whether accidentally at the time of the
conflagration, or wantonly by the British, who went there the next day
to complete the destructive work, is an unsettled question.
"At the same time, the Long bridge over the Potomac was fired at both
ends. The Americans on the Virginia side thought a large body of
British troops were about to pass over, and fired that end to foil
them, while the British on the city side, perceiving, as they thought,
a large body of Americans about to cross over from the Virginia side,
fired the Maryland end of the bridge. The value of the entire amount
of property destroyed at Washington by the British and Americans was
estimated at about two million dollars."
While we awaited the coming of Darius Thorpe, and believing that the
city of Washington would be totally destroyed before the Britishers
had gratified their desire for vengeance, Jerry started a subject
which caused me to be more uncomfortable in mind than I had been
concerning the absence of the old sailor.
"The enemy are bent on burnin' all the government buildin's in the
city, even if they do no more, an' what about the jails?"
I was at a loss to fully understand the question; but my father
replied:
"They won't go so far as to burn the prisoners, lad. All that crowd of
evil-doers will be set at liberty, and I reckon they'll be the only
Americans who can rejoice because of the English victory at
Bladensburg.
"Then in that case," Jerry said grimly, "we can set it down as a fact
that Elias Macomber is paradin' the streets with his good friends the
British, boastin' of his suffering at the hand of the Americans."
I started up in very unpleasant surprise. Until this moment I had
given no heed to the cur whom we had captured twice, since we left the
burning fleet at Pig Point; but now I realized that my partner was
right. There could be no question but that Elias Macomber was a free
man once more, and all our efforts to bring him to justice had only
resulted in giving him an opportunity to pose as a martyr!
"Well, he's got a chance to pay off old scores now, if he only knew
it," Jim Freeman suggested. "How happy the villain would be if he knew
where he could find us in hidin'!"
"Don't talk about him," I said petulantly. "It makes me heartsick to
think that after all our work he is in fine feather, strutting around
the city as one of the best friends the British had in this section.
Speak of something else. What of Bill Jepson? Does any one know if he
came out of the battle alive?"
"I saw him not more than five minutes before the order was given to
retreat," my father said. "He had been sent back to the wagons for
ammunition, and appeared to be having a royal time."
"We'll hope he got away at the last, for if he's taken they'll hang
him as a deserter," I said, and then, finding it impossible to prevent
my thoughts from straying to our missing comrade, I added, "Darius
wouldn't have stayed away so long unless something serious had
happened. We ought to go in search of him."
"Where would you look first?" Jerry asked. "If the Britishers got
their hands on him we stand little chance of seein' the poor fellow,
for they'll keep him a close prisoner."
"It doesn't seem possible that we can accomplish very much," I said
with a long drawn sigh; "but we must do as he would if one of us was
missing."
"And what would that be?" my father asked.
"I wish I knew, sir. He surely would search for us, as we must for
him; but I am all at sea as to how the work should be begun."
Every member of the party was eager to be doing something, but so far
as having any plan in mind, they were all like me, and we sat there
staring at each other like a lot of frightened rabbits until I could
remain idle no longer.
"I'm going out somewhere!" I cried. "Almost anything is better than
sitting here in suspense, when it may be that he has simply fallen
into difficulties from which we might extricate him."
"But what of the British?" my father asked, and I replied recklessly:
"We must take our chances as to them, sir. It does not seem probable
that two or three lads would be looked upon by them with suspicion,
for there must be many wandering around the city this night."
"Who will go with you?"
"That's for me to do," Jerry said promptly. "The other fellows will
stay here with you, sir, and the door must not be opened without good
reason. Keep under cover while we are gone," he added to Jim, "an'
don't let one of the boys so much as stick his nose outside. Come on,
Amos, the longer we stand here talkin' about it the greater will the
danger appear."
Then he stepped outside quickly, and I followed his example, closing
the door behind me lest father should attempt to say something in the
nature of a farewell, which I knew would unnerve me, because I
believed it was exceedingly dangerous for any of our party to move
around the city.
When we were alone in the night, where the shadows were distorted by
the dancing glow of the live embers on every hand, Jerry said grimly:
"It was foolish to make any talk about what we would do toward findin'
Darius, while we were in the smoke-house, because we might have argued
till mornin' without comin' to any conclusion; but now that we've
started out I'd like to know how we're goin' to work?"
I could make no satisfactory reply to this question, and plainly told
him so. We had nothing to guide us on the search. The old man had
given us no idea of where he might go, and all we knew was that he
disappeared beyond the burning tavern.
"He wouldn't have followed the Britishers," I said after a long pause,
"therefore it seems foolish to look for him at the other end of the
city. If we only knew what he went after!"
"I reckon the first thing in his mind was to get food, and he might
have thought that could be done where the shops were bein' robbed."
"And then would come to his mind the question as to how we might get
down the river while father is unable to walk," I added, believing
that by thus trying to make out what Darius was most likely to do we
could hit upon a plan for the search.
"The only way we'd be able to leave this city by water, if we wanted
to get home, would be on the Potomac river, an' he'd need a stout
canoe for such a voyage."
We were not coming to any understanding by this line of thought,
therefore I harked back to the belief that he might have followed the
Britishers to the upper end of the city, and proposed, knowing of no
better course, to walk in that direction.
The day was beginning to dawn. No soldiers were to be seen on the
streets, and I began to believe that the invaders, wearied with their
work of destruction, had returned to the encampment near the
burying-ground.
We came upon the ruins of the President's mansion; the fire had eaten
out the interior of the building, but the walls were yet standing, and
near about, apparently having neither purpose nor business there, were
an hundred people or more, all gazing at the evidences of the most
approved method of making war by the British standard.
We mingled with these idlers to make certain Darius was not among
them, and then went toward the other ruins on a like errand, but with
no success.
It was sunrise, perhaps a little later, when we stood near the ruins
of the barracks, where a number of negroes were digging amid the
glowing embers with the hope of finding weapons which might be
restored to a condition of usefulness after being subjected to such
great heat.
One of these searchers for useless treasure straightened up as we
approached, and I saw that he was an old man, who looked as if he
might have been a gentleman's servant.
"Do you live here in Washington, uncle?" I asked, and the old darkey
replied:
"I'se ain't noways conditioned fur to answer dat question, sah, kase I
dunno whar massa am ter be foun' dese yere queer days wha' we'se
habin'."
"Who is your master?"
"Massa Clayton, sah. He's foolin' 'roun' wid some ob dem militious
men; but I ain't foun' out wedder he whipped de Britishers, or ef dey
done gone got de bes' ob him."
"I reckon you can say that he has got the worst of it up to the
present time, for your 'militious' men didn't make any great showing,"
I said with a laugh, and then there came into my mind the memory of
Elias Macomber. "Tell me, uncle, where did the American soldiers keep
their prisoners?"
"Right hyar, sah; I'se done seed de barracks jail many a time."
"Were you around here when the building was fired?"
"Yes sah, I stood right hyar when de ossifers rode up."
"Did they set the prisoners free?"
"Sure enuf, honey, more'n twenty ob dem, an' I'se tellin' you dat dem
white men was mighty glad fo' to get clear so easy like."
"Come on, Amos," Jerry said impatiently. "You can do no good talkin'
with the old darkey, for he doesn't know anything concerning our
business."
I recognized that fact fully, and yet I lingered to ask one more
question, never fancying of how much importance the answer might be to
us.
"Where do the British keep their prisoners? Surely they must have
brought in some since the battle, and these barracks would have been a
prime place for anything of the kind."
"Dey is pilin' de 'Mericans inter dat stone house back ob whar de
arsenal uster was 'fore it got set on fire las' night."
"Where is that, uncle?" Jerry cried excitedly, and the old darkey
replied as he pointed out the direction:
"Ober yander, sah, des whar you'se kin see de red roof."
Now it was that I understood what was in Jerry's mind, and only with
difficulty could I restrain myself from running forward at full speed.
If Darius had been captured, then it was in the "stone house" he must
be confined, and I believed our search would be at an end if we could
look into every portion of that building.
There were many loungers near about, and no one might say how many
were British spies or sympathizers, therefore we remained looking at
the men who were digging amid the ruins until feeling certain our
departure would not attract undue attention.
There were many lads of about our age idling on the streets, watching
simply from curiosity the movements of the enemy, and I said to myself
that if we were careful to do nothing which might cause suspicion, we
could walk wheresoever we pleased without fear of being taken for lads
who, under Commodore Barney, had given the invaders such good battle
for the possession of the hill at Bladensburg.
"Now we know where Darius is!" Jerry exclaimed when we were where
there was little danger our words would be overheard.
"How can you be so certain of that? He might have come to grief in
many another way than that of being gobbled up by the enemy."
"In any other case I'll warrant he'd have contrived to send some word
to us. I'm convinced he's in the 'stone house.'"
"In which event I'm afraid we can't be of much assistance to the poor
fellow. The Britishers will take good care that their prisoners don't
escape."
"I'm not so certain about that," Jerry replied stoutly. "In case we
have time enough, it should be possible to do somethin'. If we could
let him know that we're near at hand I'll go bail he'd cook up some
kind of a plan."
While thus talking we had been walking at a reasonably rapid pace
toward the ruins of the arsenal, and were now arrived so near that it
was possible to see the red-coated sentries pacing to and fro in front
of the building. At one side a number of soldiers were bivouacked,
probably that they might be on hand in case the prisoners attempted to
rise against the keepers, and here, there, everywhere were curious
ones--perhaps some interested as were we--gazing at the small building
where were so many brave fellows, most likely penned up like cattle.
"The greater number of those idlers must be townspeople, and since
they are allowed to loiter around the buildin' there's no good reason
why we shouldn't do the same," Jerry said as I came to a halt, and he
had hardly more than spoken before he stepped back very suddenly,
pulling me with him.
"What's the matter?" I asked in alarm, for at such a time one's fears
rise rapidly.
"Look at that fellow who is standin' on his tiptoes to look in at the
window!" my partner whispered, and obeying, I saw that miserable cur
whom we had twice captured, and who had contrived to escape us the
same number of times.
"Elias Macomber!" I cried involuntarily.
"Ay," Jerry replied, "an' now I can read you the whole riddle. Darius
came around this way when the prisoners were set free; Macomber saw
him, and gave information to the enemy, thus causin' the old man's
arrest. Now the villain is tryin' to get a glimpse of the sailor in
order to crow over him!"
I had no doubt but that the lad had come very near the truth in his
guessing; but I did not speculate upon it very long, for the question
in my mind was whether we could be of any service to the old man who
had served us so truly and faithfully.
"What's to be done?" Jerry asked as we stepped behind a clump of
bushes in a nearby garden where we might not be seen by the fellow who
would have rejoiced if he could have put us in the same place with
Darius.
At the moment Jerry spoke I had never an idea as to what might be
done; but I replied as if the plan was plainly mapped out in my mind:
"You shall go back to the smoke-house and tell father and the lads
what we have learned. Say that we may not be back until dark; but they
are to stay under cover no matter what happens, short of being
discovered by the British. I'll watch here till Macomber goes away,
for he isn't likely to play at that game all day, and you should be
back within an hour."
Jerry started off without stopping to argue the question, and I was
left alone to keep in view the man who could do us so much mischief if
he had an inkling that we were in the vicinity.
Twice he spoke with the sentinel, as if asking some favor, and each
time the man shook his head decidedly, therefore I concluded that the
cur had tried to enter the building that he might jeer such of the
prisoners as had been friends of his in the past.
Then he peered in at the window again, never making an effort to look
through any other, and I concluded that from such position he could
see the prisoner he had most reason to hate, which, of course, must be
Darius.
I did not dare remain in one position all the while, lest some one see
that I was spying upon the prison and grow suspicious as to my
motives, while Macomber was so intent upon gazing at his enemies that
I might have brushed past him without attracting attention.
Therefore it was that I paced to and fro, never taking my eyes from
the cur, however, and making certain there was a place of concealment
near at hand into which I could dart at a moment's warning.
Not until fully half an hour had passed did he abandon his fruitless
efforts, and then he walked in the direction of the British encampment
as if with some fixed purpose in his mind, which, I had no doubt, was
to ask for a permit to visit the prisoners.
Had he gone toward any other quarter of the city it would have pleased
me to see him go; but now I was sorely distressed in mind, for his
way led the same course Jerry must pursue when returning from the
smoke-house, and it would be the irony of fate if the two should come
face to face.
However, that was an evil which I could not mend, and, therefore, I
put the matter from my mind so far as possible, while I set about
doing the only thing which seemed to promise a chance to have speech
with our comrade.
I proposed to take Macomber's place at the window, and if it was
possible to see Darius inside, there was no question in my mind but
that I could contrive to attract his attention.
There was no little danger in making the attempt, because I might thus
arouse suspicion in the mind of the sentry, or be seen by an officer
who would insist on knowing why I was there; but it was the only way
by which I could have speech with Darius, if indeed he was a prisoner,
and I determined to take the chances.
I lounged across the street as if having no particular purpose in
view; walked past the end of the building twice, peering about me like
a simple, and then stepped up to the window.
One glance inside and I saw the man for whom I had been searching. He
was lying at full length on the floor, chewing tobacco most
industriously, and seated tailor-fashion beside him was Bill Jepson.
There were very many militiamen in the room; but these two old
shell-backs seemed to hold themselves aloof from the others, and I
could well understand that this exclusiveness was because of the
cowardice shown by many of the toy soldiers the day previous.
Neither Darius nor Bill seemed to be paying any attention to what was
going on around them, and I began to realize that it might not be as
simple a matter to attract their attention as I had supposed.
I did not dare do anything which would cause the sentry to be curious,
or be noticed particularly by those who were passing in either
direction, therefore the most I ventured was to drum idly on the glass
with the tips of my fingers, which was not a difficult task since the
iron bars were so far apart that I could thrust my entire arm between
them and the window-sash.
Darius was not as heedless to the surroundings as he appeared. No
sooner had I begun to tap ever so gently than he looked up, and after
one quick, meaning glance, rose leisurely to his feet, speaking softly
meanwhile to Bill.
The latter never so much as looked toward me; but the two moved here
or there as if weary with remaining long in one position, and all the
while they were approaching the window.
Then Darius leaned against the sash, with Bill facing the middle of
the room, as he talked with many gesticulations to his companion.
I noticed that the old man bent over as if weary, until his face was
very near the glass, and while Bill waved his arms as if in the midst
of a heated argument, I saw Darius' lips move.
"On the roof--to-night--bring rope--ten o'clock."
No less than three times were these words repeated, I reading them
from the motion of his lips, for as a matter of course he did not dare
to speak so loud that I could hear him.
Then I went through the same motions with _my_ lips, in order to make
certain there could be no mistake, and Darius nodded his head in token
that I had the words correctly.
Now it was my business to get away from the prison as soon as
possible, for Elias Macomber might return at any moment, and I backed
into the street while gazing at the top of the building, looking, most
likely, the greenest lad that ever visited a city.
While thus acting the simple I was making ready for whatsoever plan
Darius wanted to carry into effect, for I studied the outside of the
jail until I could tell within a foot of how much rope would be
needed.
The "stone house" was three stories in height, with an ordinary
pitched roof from which projected four chimneys--two at each end. From
the eaves to the ground I judged it was not less than thirty feet, and
from the eaves to the nearest chimney, measuring at whichsoever
corner you chose, was ten feet. To that length add three feet for a
turn around the chimney and two half-hitches, and one had the length
of rope Darius wanted--say forty-three or four feet.
I noticed that on the side of the roof nearest the street was a
trap-door or scuttle very nearly in the middle, well up toward the
ridge-pole, and it must be that our comrades would come through that,
since I saw no other way by which they could get outside.
Without doubt those two old shell-backs had made a careful survey of
the place within ten minutes after being imprisoned, and had a plan
for escape mapped out ready to be carried into execution, providing
any aid could be had from the outside.
By the time I had backed entirely across the street I had a picture of
the jail in my mind which could be recalled at any moment, and as I
turned to saunter away I came face to face with Jerry.
"Have you been over there?" he asked, motioning toward the "stone
house."
"Yes, and have the same as talked with Darius and Bill Jepson. Let us
get out of sight where we shan't be watched. I was afraid you would
run into Macomber; he started off some time ago, and I got it into my
head that he was going to the British encampment."
"I reckon that's where he was bound for. I kept my eyes open mighty
wide both goin' an' comin', therefore saw the cur while he was a long
distance away, otherwise we might have run into each other as you an'
I did."
"All right at the smoke-house?"
"Snug as bugs, an' your father is as chipper as a sparrow."
Then I led the way up what appeared to be a lane in the rear of some
dwelling, until we were where we could talk without danger of being
seen or heard.