Stephen Angus Douglas Cox

“ The youths assured her that the pleasure was mutual, and then she asked a few questions about the patriot army, after which she invited the three to spend the evening there and take part in the dancing.
“We shall be very glad to have you stay,” she said. “Most all that are here are patriots, so they will be glad to make your acquaintance. Stay and dance, and later on we will have a big supper.”
“I don’t feel as if I would want any more food to-night,” said Dick, smiling. “And indeed I feel almost too full to move. But perhaps a little later I shall be able to dance a little.” ”

“ Instantly the sound of a volley from the dozen rifles and the three pistols sounded on the night air, and it was evident that two or three of the British were at least wounded, for cries of pain and rage went up. ”

“ I believe that I can reach the shore by climbing from one treetop to another. What do you think?”
“It might be possible to do that,” was the reply. “An active young fellow like you might do it. If you should happen to fall into the bog, however, it would likely be the last that would ever be heard of you, as it is like quicksand, and sucks its victims down out of sight.”
“Well, I believe I will try it, anyhow. If I can reach the mainland, I can go to the encampment of our army and get some of the soldiers to come and drive the redcoats away, or, better still, capture them.” ”

“ You’re welcome, Mr. Miller. I’ve kind of expected something of this kind, for I knew you were in sympathy with the patriot Cause, and I have heard the Tories say that they didn’t like the idea of having a rebel to teach their children. You kind of took the side of the patriot children, in their squabbles with the Tory children at school, you know, and the Tories didn’t like that.”
“Yes, that is true. Well, I suppose that there would be no use for me to go back to the settlement.”
“I wouldn’t risk it, if I were you. They might take it into their heads to kill you, next time.” ”

“ Slowly the time rolled away, and evening came, with the redcoats still encamped on the top of the knoll. As soon as it was dark, Dick crept up close to the encampment, and after listening a while, succeeded in hearing enough of the conversation of the soldiers to learn that it was their intention to remain there all night.
Dick made his way back to where Tom and Ben were and told them the news. “Such being the case,” he said, “we don’t need to stay right here and keep watch on the camp all the time. We will go and find a settler’s home and get something to eat.” ”

“ Dick and Sally at the outset were partners. He found her a good dancer, and a pleasant companion as well. They talked and laughed as they whirled about the room, and were soon very well acquainted indeed.
The three patriot youths danced every set after that, and enjoyed themselves hugely, but when they had been there an hour or so, there came an interruption: The front door was suddenly thrown open and into the room strode ten British soldiers.
“What’s going on here?” cried one, who wore the uniform of a sergeant. “You young people seem to be enjoying yourselves greatly, and that’s a fact.” ”

“ The young men stood their ground, but made no move to interfere. Doubtless they sympathized with the three youths--with the exception of Ralph Hicks--but did not feel like trying to fight ten British soldiers, for the sake of the three almost strangers.
Dick Dare realized that it would be foolish to try to resist or attempt an escape. The redcoats were within arm’s-length of them, armed with pistols, and to try to get away would be to get bullets in their bodies before they were out of the room. ”

“ Dropping the switches, they staggered away from their intended victim.
“Foire ag’in, comrades, an’ thin charge the spalpanes!” cried Tim at this instant, and firing the other two pistols, they succeeded in wounding Sprowl, whose howl of pain was loud and prolonged. Then the ruffians all hastened away, the two that were not injured running swiftly ahead, while the others traveled as fast as they could.
“Afther thim!” yelled Tim, loudly, to add to the fright of the fleeing Tories, but in a low voice to Fritz he said: “Don’t follow thim. We’ve got thim running, an’ so let thim go. ”

“ The British soldiers were sitting about in groups, talking and laughing, and evidently they did not in the least suspect that they were in danger.
But suddenly, as the patriots were looking, a man had seemed to rush into the encampment and say something in an excited manner, and make a gesture toward where the patriot soldiers were. Then the redcoats leaped to their feet and seized their muskets.
“That fellow has warned them!” cried Captain Morgan. “Forward, men. Charge the redcoats!” ”

“ Taking the lead, he guided the party into the swamp, keeping on the narrow, winding path. Without the light it would have been impossible to follow the trail, and to have gotten off into the quagmire at the sides would have been to perhaps lose their lives, for it seemed to have no bottom, the settlers said, being like quicksand.
They had gone about a quarter of a mile, when they heard yells behind them. They realized that the redcoats had followed, and having seen the light, knew where the fugitives were.
“They will light a torch and try to follow us, likely,” said Dick. ”

“ As soon however as the soldiers reached them, they indicated the direction taken by their assailants and the soldiers took up the chase.
“I would wager anything that those scoundrels that attacked us were the Dare Boys and Ben Foster,” said Arnold, breathing hard. “They are just about daring enough to attempt such work as that.”
“Likely you are right,” agreed the colonel, who also was panting for breath.
“I hope that the men will capture them.”
“Yes, but I have my doubts.”
“So do I. The young rascals are fleet of foot and likely know the ground better than our men.” ”

“ There will be a battle between the British and our army, possibly to-morrow, and it may take place right in this vicinity. So I have come to have you folks return with me to the patriot settlement, where you will be safe.”
“Do you really think we would be in danger here?” asked Mrs. Santon.
“Yes I do,” replied the young man. “When the battle begins, bullets will fly pretty thick, and as our army has two or three field-pieces, there may be a few cannon-balls flying through the air, and if the battle was to take place near here, the house might be riddled. ”

“ We have just come down into this part of the country, from New York, with a regiment of patriot soldiers under General Morris. Our camp is about twenty miles from here.”
“Ah, I am indeed glad to hear that there is a patriot force in this part of the country,” said the man. “Since Arnold came here and took command of the British force in Virginia, we have been having a hard time of it. He seems to be extremely bitter, the soldiers and Tories are rough and insolent, and there has been a great deal of plundering and burning of houses recently.” ”

“ The two patriots watched the Tories, who had lighted a torch, so as to see how to do the work they intended doing. When they saw the ruffians tie their prisoner to a tree, after stripping him to the waist, and one on either side with a heavy switch in his hand, get ready to administer a whipping, Tim and Fritz decided that they would not stand there and be witnesses to such an affair. ”

“ Answer my question.”
“I will not give you any information that might be of use to you in your campaign against the patriot force,” said Dick, decidedly.
“You had better think well. I have the power to order you strung up to a tree as a rebel spy.”
“That doesn’t make any difference,” was the reply. “I will give you no information, so there is no use of your asking.”
Arnold glared at Dick angrily for a few moments, and then said: “Very well. Since you wish to be stubborn, you may take the consequences. ”

“ The settlers had just finished the work of getting the household goods out of the houses, when the young sentinels came running up and said that they had heard voices, and had seen forms moving amid the trees.
“The redcoats are coming!” said Dick. “You must get away from here quickly. There is no time to lose.”
“You’re right,” said Mr. Williams, the first man the youths had spoken to at the settlement.
“Gather up the goods and we will start for the swamp.” ”

“ The woman motioned to her to come nearer, and then she said to the youths: “This is my daughter, Sally Hart. Sally, these young men are Dick and Tom Dare and Ben Foster.” She indicated each as she spoke their names, and the girl bowed to each, and the youths saluted in return.
“They are patriot soldiers, Sally,” said the woman. “They belong with a patriot army that has just come down here from the North, and now Arnold and his redcoats will have to be careful or they will get into trouble.” ”

“ When the British force, which consisted of perhaps fifteen hundred men, got ready, it marched out of the encampment and came slowly up the slope toward where the three youths were concealed.
“They are going to march into the vicinity of our encampment,” said Dick. “Well, that is all right. Colonel Morris won’t have so far to go to get at them.”
“True,” said Ben.
“Come, boys,” said Dick, a few moments later. “We must not let them see us.” ”

“ The door was opened, presently, and a woman of middle age stood on the threshold.
“Good evening, ma’am,” said Dick, bowing. “Myself and comrades would like to get something to eat, if you have any food to spare. We will pay for the food.”
“Come right in,” was the cordial reply. “There is plenty of food in the house and you will be welcome to all you can eat. Come in.”
The youths entered, and the woman led the way to the kitchen, along a hall, past the room in which the young people were dancing. Here she invited the youths to be seated, and began placing food on a table. ”

“ On went Dick, picking his way along the tree branches, and he gradually worked his way well out into the swamp. Presently he could not see the people on the island at all. And they, not being able to see him, and fearing that their voices might carry to the redcoats on the east shore, if they yelled too loudly, stopped calling to the youth who was working so hard to get to the mainland, in order to go and get the patriot soldiers and effect their rescue. ”

“ They made their way to the vicinity of the British encampment, and found the redcoats just astir and that they were getting their breakfast.
“We are in plenty of time,” said Dick. “We will stay here, where we can keep a good watch on them, and when they break camp and leave, we will follow them.”
This they did, and about an hour later the redcoats broke camp and set out through the open country, going toward the east. The patriot youths followed, skirting the woods, and kept the redcoats in view, being careful, however, to keep out of sight themselves. ”

“ About the time that Dick was standing behind the tree, with the two redcoats approaching, in a little log cabin that was used as a school building, at a point about a mile from a Tory settlement consisting of about thirty families, sat a rather good-looking young man of perhaps twenty-four years of age. ”

“ These youths were Dick and Tom Dare, brothers, and Ben Foster, a neighbor boy--the Dares and Fosters living close together, in New Jersey, a few miles east of Philadelphia--and now that they were here in Virginia, they looked forward to a lively campaign, for the warm, pleasant weather, so different from what they had left up North, would make it possible to move swiftly about the country. ”

“ On marched the redcoats, and always on the trail the youths. They were feeling pretty well satisfied, for they believed they would soon discover the whereabouts of Arnold’s encampment.
About the middle of the forenoon, the three reached the top of a high ridge, and on looking ahead, down the slope, they saw, about half a mile distant, in an open piece of ground of perhaps fifty or seventy-five acres, a good-sized encampment, which they did not doubt was the objective point of their search. ”

“ How strong is their force, do you think?”
“About fifteen hundred, sir, I should judge.”
“That is what Ben Foster said. Well, we have a thousand men, and will be able to give Arnold a good fight.”
“Yes, I think we can hold our own against his force,” said Captain Morgan.
After answering a few more questions, Tom made his way to the point where his company was quartered, and found Ben there. Herbert Miller, the school-teacher, was there also, and he informed Tom that he had joined the patriot army.
“Good for you. I’m glad of that,” said Tom. ”

“ The redcoats, seeing that a very considerably stronger force than their own was coming, had leaped behind trees, shielding themselves as best they could, so that the volley fired by the patriot soldiers did not do a great deal of damage, wounding a few, but not killing any.
The British soldiers then returned the fire, but the patriot soldiers, upon order of the Captain were crouching low, so that only one or two received slight flesh wounds, but no serious harm was done. ”

“ As has been stated, the schoolhouse stood about a mile from a Tory settlement, and about two miles from the schoolhouse, in the other direction, was a patriot settlement, consisting of about a dozen families. The schoolhouse had been placed where it stood, for the convenience of the children from both settlements, but was closer to the Tory settlement because there were more of the Tories than of the patriots. ”