Dick Appears
The morning after the patriot force reached the vicinity of Fort
Ninety-Six and went into camp, who should appear but Dick Dare! He went
at once to the headquarters tent, and was given a cordial greeting by
General Greene.
“We were in hopes that you would turn up here,” said the general. “Where
have you been, my boy?”
“Is Ben Foster here?” asked Dick.
“Yes,” was the reply.
“Then he told you, doubtless, that we got separated while running from
some Indians.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I supposed that he would go on toward Ninety-Six, and so I did
that.”
“Ah. And have you learned anything of importance?”
“Nothing regarding the fort, as yet. But I have learned where my brother
Tom is.”
“That is good. Where is he?”
“A prisoner in the fort.”
“Indeed?”
“Yes, sir. He was captured by some British soldiers and brought to the
fort, and pretended to join the force. He was sent with a foraging
force, to attack a patriot village up in the mountains, and he managed
to get away and reach the settlement ahead of the redcoats and warn the
settlers, and they managed to get to a hiding-place up in the mountains,
with their household goods, but the British burned the houses. I was
there, and saw the settlers, and they told me about the affair. They
said that Tom was recaptured, while reconnoitering, and that the British
took him to Ninety-Six. When we capture the fort, we can free him.”
“I think we shall be able to capture the fort. Ben Foster made a
reconnoitering trip last night, and learned considerable about the
strength of the walls. I believe we can batter them down with the
field-pieces.”
“I hope so. Is there anything you wish me to do?”
“You may reconnoiter and gain all the information possible. There is no
hurry, and by taking our time, we may be able to make the capture of the
fort more certain.”
“I will do my best to secure information that will be of value to you,
sir.”
Then Dick saluted and withdrew, and was soon with Ben Foster, at the
quarters occupied by Captain Morgan’s company.
They shook hands, and then Ben asked: “What became of you after we got
separated, Dick? I hunted around quite a good deal for you, and
signalled, but you did not answer.”
“Likely if you were near me when you uttered any of the signals, it was
while I was insensible, and I did not hear you, of course.” Then Dick
explained that he had fallen into a pit that had been dug as a trap to
capture wild animals, and that he had fallen so hard as to knock him
senseless. And then he told of there being a panther in the pit, and Ben
uttered an exclamation.
“Phew!” he murmured, “that wasn’t very pleasant, was it?”
“No, indeed,” said Dick. “But I managed to climb up a limb that I found
there, and make my escape, and then I headed toward Ninety-Six.”
Then he told Ben the same story that he had told General Greene, and Ben
was glad to know that Tom was alive and probably well, though a prisoner
in Fort Ninety-Six. Full particulars he gave too, of the kindly hunter
to whom they owed their life and opportunity to escape from the savages.
“We’ll have Tom out of there before very long,” said Ben, reverting to
the problem at hand.
“General Greene said for me to reconnoiter,” said Dick, “and I guess
that I will take a look at the fort to-day, and then visit it to-night.”
“There isn’t much that you can learn,” said Ben. “I found out the
strength of the stockade-walls, and that is about all there is to learn,
from the outside. If you could get within the walls, you could secure
definite information regarding its strength, but you can’t do that.”
“I suppose not,” said Dick.
A little while after luncheon, Dick left the encampment and made his way
in the direction of Fort Ninety-Six. He reached the edge of the timber,
presently, and stopped and gazed across at the fort. He could not
venture out into the open ground without being seen by the sentinels, of
course, and so he did not advance farther.
He made his way along the edge of the forest quite a distance, however,
and sized up the fort from different directions. Then he turned and
walked slowly along through the woods.
He was heading for the encampment, and when about halfway there, he
crossed a rude wagon-road, which wound this way and that among the
trees, and Dick suddenly caught sight of a man approaching, driving a
team and wagon.
Dick had crossed the road at the edge of the timber, and knew it led to
the fort, and now he stopped and waited till the wagon approached, when
he stepped out and stopped the man, who looked like a typical settler of
the vicinity.
“Where are you going?” queried Dick.
“To the fort,” was the reply.
“What for?”
“I’m takin’ some meat an’ vegertables thar to sell to ther sojers,” was
the reply.
“Ah!” exclaimed Dick. He had been struck by an idea. “Say,” he remarked,
eyeing the man searchingly, “are you a king’s man, or are you a patriot?
Or are you neutral?”
“Wal,” was the reply, “I kain’t say thet I’m a king’s man, but ther
redcoats pay me well fur my garden truck. Why d’ye ask?”
“I’ll tell you why,” said Dick, eagerly. “I wish to enter the fort, and
why can’t I go with you? They’ll not be suspicious if I’m with you, and
that will give me a chance to get a look at the inside of the fort.”
“Ye’re a patriot, then, hey?”
“Yes.”
“All right Ye can go inter ther fort with me, an’ can help me sell ther
truck to ther sojers, an’ ye can look aroun’ while ye’re doin’ thet.”
“Thank you. That will be very kind of you.”
Then Dick climbed up on the seat beside the man, who drove onward and
half an hour later they were at the entrance to the stockade, the big
gate swung open, and the man drove into the enclosure.
Dick, seated on the seat beside the man, looked around him with eager
interest, but with all evidence of eagerness carefully kept from
showing. He seemed careless and indifferent.
Then the farmer began selling the meat and vegetables, and Dick helped
him, and all the time he was sizing up the interior of the fort as best
he could.