Tom Tries Woodcraft
The settlers in the fort watched the actions of the Indians and the
renegade with some anxiety. They realized that unless General Greene and
his army came to their assistance, they would sooner or later either be
captured, or else would have to surrender, owing to running out of
provisions.
And, if Gurley told the truth, Dick Dare had been captured and would not
be able to carry the news to General Greene.
They discussed the situation, and Tom Dare reiterated his statement that
as soon as it was dark he would leave the fort, attempt to slip through
the lines of the Indians and go in search of Dick. Failing of finding
his brother, after a reasonable length of time given to searching, he
would then go on to the encampment of the patriot army and tell General
Greene of the predicament of the patriot settlers, and get him to come
to their relief.
“Very well,” said Mr. Holden. “We shall be glad to have you do as you
suggest, my boy. But, it will be a difficult and dangerous matter
getting past those redskins. They have the fort surrounded, and will be
on the alert to prevent anyone getting away from here.”
“I think I can succeed, sir,” said Tom, confidently.
“I hope so, I am sure. In the meantime I will tell you as nearly as I
can where you will find Gurley’s hut, for there probably is where your
brother is held prisoner.”
The rest of the afternoon passed quietly, the Indians making no move to
attack, but there could be little doubt but what they would make their
plans to execute some maneuver during the night.
Soon after dark, Tom got ready to start on his dangerous undertaking.
Ben asked to be permitted to accompany him, but Tom said no, that he
could do better by himself.
“I think I can get through the lines of the redskins, Ben,” he said.
“Don’t worry about me.”
“All right. But you must be careful, Tom.”
“I’ll be careful. Good-by.”
“Good-by,” said Ben, as they shook hands, “and good luck.”
Tom said good-by to the others, and then slipped out through the gate,
and stole softly away through the darkness.
“Now, I will have to exercise care,” said Tom to himself. “It is not
going to be very easy to get through the lines of the Indians, for they
are better woodsmen than the redcoats.”
He moved slowly and cautiously, till he was nearly to the edge of the
forest, and then he dropped onto his hands and knees and crawled
forward, slowly, pausing every few moments to listen.
Finally he reached the margin of the woods without having heard any
sound of the redskins. Here he paused for a few minutes, leaning against
a tree, and listening intently for some sound from the Indians.
He knew there must certainly be some of the redskins near at hand, and
so when he started onward again, he went slowly and exercised great
caution. He knew that the least sound would be heard, and he was careful
not to make any noise.
On he went, moving as silently as a shadow, and without hearing any
sound to indicate the presence of the Indians. It was indeed trying to
his nerves, but Tom was a brave youth, and did not falter.
How long it took Tom to make his way through the lines of the Indians he
did not know, but it seemed to him that several hours had passed by the
time he was at a point beyond the encircling line of redskins. Had he
not moved exceedingly slow, however, he would surely have been
discovered, and likely would have been captured.
Rising to his feet, he moved onward, still slowly and cautiously, but he
did not hear any sounds to indicate the presence of Indians, and kept
steadily onward.
When he had gone about half a mile, he paused and uttered a peculiar,
quavering whistle, low but penetrating in the stillness of the night. It
was a signal that he and Dick and Ben often used, when separated at
night. If Dick were within a radius of two hundred yards, he would hear
the whistle, and of course would answer it, unless gagged.
Tom sounded the whistle three or four times, without receiving any
response, and then moved onward perhaps a quarter of a mile. Pausing
again, he sounded the signal as before. And as before, there was no
reply. He was not able to locate, in the dark, the cabin Gurley
occupied.
So Tom moved onward, with occasional trips first to one side and then
the other, repeating the signal whistle, but he did not receive any
response, and finally decided that it would be useless to continue the
attempt to find Dick.
“I would like to find him,” murmured Tom, “but it is like looking for a
needle in a haystack, and so I guess I will head for the patriot
encampment, and carry the news regarding the danger of the settlers in
the fort, to General Greene. Then, if Dick isn’t there, I will hasten
back and continue the search for him.”
Having so determined, Tom set out in as direct a course as he could
follow, and walked swiftly. On he went, keeping it up till morning, when
he came to a cabin in the woods, and stopped and asked the man, who
looked to be a hunter, if he could get breakfast there.
“I reckon so,” was the reply. And then the hunter asked, curiously:
“Whar ye goin’, young feller?”
“To see some friends about seventy-five miles north of here,” was the
reply.
“What’s yer name?” the fellow asked.
“Tom Dare,” was the reply.
“My name is Jeff Harkins. Come in an’ set down. I’ll hev the grub ready
purty soon.”
Tom entered and took a seat, and when the food had been cooked and was
on the table, they sat up to the rude board and ate heartily.
Just as they had finished, into the cabin walked six British soldiers,
and they leveled pistols at the heads of the two, and their leader, a
lieutenant, cried sternly:
“Surrender, in the name of the king!”