Unknown to his friends Grant had made some inquiries concerning a spot
in Newburgh which he long had been desirous of seeing. Without
explaining to his companions what he had in mind he quickly led the way
up another hill until they arrived at a large enclosed yard. In the
midst of it stood a low old stone house. In front of the house, on the
extensive lawn, were several piles of cannon balls, and cannon were
looking out over the peaceful waters of the Hudson. The flag of the
United States was floating from the high flagpole and added much to the
beauty of the scene.
"What's all this?" demanded John.
"Every young American is supposed to know that this is Washington's
headquarters. Didn't you ever hear of it?"
"He had so many," laughed John, "I can't keep track of them. It is
something like the beds he slept in that we were talking about the other
day."
"Well, this is where he had his headquarters," said Grant, "when his
army was in this part of the country. This is a beautiful spot, isn't
it?"
"It's wonderful!" said Fred in a low voice. The impulsive lad was deeply
impressed by the associations connected with the place where they then
were standing as well as by the marvelous scene of the Hudson winding
its way in and out through the midst of the towering hills.
"Over yonder," said Grant, pointing across the river as he spoke, "is
Beacon and right across the river is Fishkill."
"Good name," said John in a low voice.
"Of course it is," said Grant. "We're in the Empire State. That's the
State I live in and there isn't another one like it in the Union."
"That's right," said George, who felt that he was now called upon to
defend his own State. "New York has a choice collection. I don't say
that there aren't some good people here, but you don't have to go very
far to come to Ossining. Do you know who lives there?"
"Yes, some undesirable citizens," said Grant.
"Yes, and you go on a little farther up the river and you come to
Albany. If you want to know what New York State is like you want to find
out how much the capitol building there cost."
"Never mind about those things," broke in John. "What I want to know is
about this part of the country where we are now. I have read a good many
stories about the American army when it was in camp at Peekskill."
"Of course you have," said Grant; "there were a lot of things doing
there. I have a book at home that my great-grandfather used to read when
he was a boy. It tells about a young fellow only seventeen years of age
who was one of Washington's couriers. He used to ride between Morristown
and Lake Champlain. At least he did in the year when Burgoyne was trying
to bring his Hessians and redcoats from Montreal to New York."
"He didn't bring them, though," spoke up Fred quickly.
"Only as far as Saratoga," laughed Grant. "If it hadn't been for certain
obstacles I guess he would have brought them all the way down the
river."
"I guess he would too," laughed Fred scornfully, "but his 'obstacles,'
as you call them, were General Gates, Philip Schuyler, Benedict Arnold
and a few other continental soldiers that did not seem to be
enthusiastic over allowing Johnnie Burgoyne to come any farther."
"I was reading the other day," said Grant, "that the Baroness de
Reidesel was with her husband when the Hessians were captured. She had
her children with her and to show them due honor Mrs. General Schuyler
took the Baroness and her children into her own home. The Hessian lady
did not know that Mrs. Schuyler understood German and she rudely carried
on some conversation with her children in that language when Mrs.
Schuyler was present. One time one of the children piped up and asked
his mother, 'Isn't this the place that we are to have when our father is
made a duke after he has whipped the Yankees?' As the Baroness glanced
up she was aware that Mrs. Schuyler had understood what the boy was
saying. She tried to apologize but Mrs. Schuyler was a perfect lady and
at once smoothed things out. They say she was a brave woman. There's one
story about her though that I never believed."
"What was that?" asked John.
"Why they say that thirteen was a magical number for the Americans. The
British reported that Martha Washington had a big cat with thirteen
stripes around its tail and that she wouldn't have any other kind. There
were just thirteen of the colonies, you know, and that made it worse.
And it was reported that General Phil. Schuyler had just thirteen hairs
left in his bald pate and that Mrs. Catherine Schuyler very carefully
oiled and brushed them every night for fear that the magic number might
be changed."
"She had better brush his hair than pull it," suggested George.
"I can remember the time," said John, "when my mother used to brush and
pull my hair at the same time."
"So can I," said every one of the boys together.
"Well, the main thing is," said Fred philosophically, "that George
Washington had some headquarters and that it's a good thing for the
United States of America that he did. I wish we had some men now as
great as he was."
"We have," said John quickly.
"We have?" retorted Fred scornfully. "Where are they?"
"Eight here," said John solemnly. "Here are four of them. They haven't
all arrived yet, but they are on their way."
"Fine lot too," broke in Grant. "Scared so that they run like deer when
they hear sounds in the old Meeker House and there isn't one of them
that has shown that he has the nerve to stay there long enough to find
out just what those strange sounds mean."
"We're not afraid of anything we can see, but it is the things that you
can't see that scare us," explained Fred.
"Never mind the Meeker House," said Grant, "I want to take in what this
place means. The old cannon balls, the old guns, and the relics we saw
inside the house," for the boys had entered the old building and
inspected the various relics of revolutionary times that were on
exhibition, "to say nothing about the old Hudson River itself, and the
hills, ought to satisfy every one of us for a while, anyway."
"It's a great sight," said George. "I'm glad you brought us up here. I
knew Washington's headquarters were here, but it had slipped my mind
when we first came. I'm getting hungry. Come on back to the hotel and
we'll have our dinner."
The following morning was unusually warm. The boys were early awake, but
even then the heat was oppressive.
"Whew," said Fred when they left the dining room, "if it's as hot as
this before we start what will it be afterward?"
"That's just like some people," declared John. "They aren't satisfied
with the good or the bad they have, but they are always looking ahead
for more. There's one thing we don't have to do."
"What's that?" inquired Fred.
"We don't have to swelter before the sun beats down upon us. It will be
plenty of time to see what we have to do if we find it so warm on the
road that we don't want to go on."
Soon after breakfast the boys started on their homeward ride.
True to its promise the heat steadily increased and a glare that was
exceedingly trying to the eyes beat down upon the roadway.
George increased the speed at which he was driving, but the air which
fanned their faces was almost like that which comes from a heated oven.
Already the cattle in the nearby fields had sought the shade of the
trees in the pastures. The hens in the farmyards also were lying in the
shade, their wings partly extended as if they were trying to cool their
heated bodies.
"Hens in hot weather," said George, "always make me think they are
laughing at us."
"What do you mean?" demanded John. "Who ever heard a hen laugh."
"I didn't say I had heard them laugh, but they have their mouths open."
"Hens don't have mouths, my friend."
"They don't?" demanded George. "Then how do they eat?"
"They have throats and bills and beaks, but they don't have mouths."
"What is a mouth anyway?" said George scornfully. "Isn't it the opening
in the head through which one takes food into his stomach?"
"I suppose it is."
"Well, doesn't a hen swallow corn?"
"She does."
"Then she has a mouth, hasn't she?"
"Wait a minute and I'll tell you. It's this way, you see--"
At that moment there was a loud report directly beneath the car which at
that time was passing under a stone bridge.
George instantly stopped the car, but another driver directly in front
of him was so startled by the unexpected sound that he lost control of
his automobile and swung into the ditch, nearly overturning his car as
he did so. Instantly rising from his seat he turned and glared at the Go
Ahead boys as if he was tempted to visit some merited punishment upon
them.
The boys, however, were so busy with their own troubles that they
ignored the anger of the driver before them. Instantly leaping from
their seats they began their investigations.
Only a brief time, however, was required to disclose the cause of the
trouble. "A blowout," said George disgustedly. "It's torn that tube all
into shreds."
"You blew it up too tight," suggested Grant.
"Thank you," said George as he took off his coat, "you're so well
informed about these matters that I think I'll let you help me put a new
tire on."