THE SKINNERS' REWARD.
The Skinners followed Captain Lawton with alacrity towards the
quarters occupied by the troop of that gentleman. They soon arrived at
a better sort of farm-house, the very extensive out-buildings of which
were in tolerable repair, for the times. 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. Approaching the captain, the Skinner
said, "Do you think the colonies will finally get the better of the
king?"
"Get the better!" echoed the captain, with impetuosity; then checking
himself, he continued, "no doubt they will. If the French[84] will
give us arms and money, we can drive out the royal troops in six
months."
[Footnote 84: French aid was given the Americans.]
"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 are indisputable; while all these
vile Tories[85] 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?"
[Footnote 85: Colonists, who favored the British.]
"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. 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!" shouted 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 sabre 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 his 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 captor 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."[86]
[Footnote 86: counted.]
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 the 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 flagellation[87] was executed
with great neatness and despatch, and it was distinguished by no
irregularity, excepting that none of the disciplinarians began to
count until he had tried his whip by a dozen or more blows, by the
way, as they said themselves, of finding out the proper place
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.
[Footnote 87: whipping.]
"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 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 a troop of dragoons
could easily be distinguished where they had been left. Suddenly
turning, the whole gang levelled their pieces and drew their 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 is 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 the gang as soon as
they had made their abortive[88] 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.
[Footnote 88: unsuccessful.]
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.
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 hastily
entering it, he threw himself on a bed in his clothes and was soon in
a profound sleep.