Tolly Trotter Patriot . v. POLLY TROTTER, PATRIOT THE MACMILLAN COMPANY tOW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., Lmmn> LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. TORONTO STACK 5125811 "Then I shall be a Patriot!" POLLY TROTTER PATRIOT BY EMILIE BENSON KNIPE AND ALDEN ARTHUR KNIPE Authors of "A Maid of '76," etc. ILLUSTRATED BY EMILIE BENSON KNIPE fork THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1919 All rights rtitrutd CormsRT, 1916, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotyped. Published November, 1916. XortoonU Berwick & Smith Co., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I TAKING SIDES i II FRIENDS OR FOES 8 III A FAREWELL 14 IV THE MOB 24 V THE PLOT 31 VI A NIGHT ALARM 38 VII HIDE-AND-SEEK 44 VIII NEWS FROM THE FRONT 51 IX THE GATHERING STORM 58 X A REUNION 66 XI A MAD ADVENTURE 73 XII THE SPY'S MESSENGER 84 XIII AT HEADQUARTERS 92 XIV THE GUARD AT THE DOOR 99 XV A PLEA AND A PROMISE 108 XVI A VOICE IN THE FOG 116 XVII THE LAST SERVICE 130 XVIII INDEPENDENCY 139 XIX AFTER THE BATTLE 155 XX POLLY TAKES A PRISONER 164 XXI TRAPPED 175 XXII BROTHER WILL GIVES UP 184 Table of Contents CHAPTER PAGE XXIII UNDER FIRE . . 193 XXIV THE BRITISH TAKE A PRISONER . . . 204 XXV A FAREWELL 212 XXVI UNWELCOME GUESTS 227 XXVII AN OPEN DOOR 238 XXVIII THE SCHOOLMASTER PAYS A VISIT . . 249 XXIX A PACKET OF PILLS 261 XXX BETTY GOES A-MARKETING . . . .277 XXXI IN THE WOODS ON HARLEM HEIGHTS . . 294 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS " Then I shall be a Patriot ! " Frontispiece FACING FACE " A spy," he replied with a hint of scorn .... 22 "Where have you been, young miss?" 50 " If you turn around you will see him " 104 With a glance about me to make sure I was unobserved 176 Seizing my hand he kissed it and the next moment passed quickly out of the house 226 Polly Trotter, Patriot CHAPTER I TAKING SIDES ; FT1O arms ! To arms ! " The shout came faintly but clearly from -* far up the Broad Way, and the chattering people just leaving the Trinity Church halted in their tracks, for there was that in the hoarse cry that sealed every lip and started all hearts to beat- ing faster. "News from Boston! To arms! To arms!" It was nearer now, and presently there came gal- loping toward us a single horseman, whose beast showed every sign of hard riding and who was him- self covered with dust and clinging to his animal as if in great weariness. Passing the church he turned down Wall Street and called again. " News from Boston ! To arms ! To arms ! " As if at a signal those on the church steps moved forward, and- a buzz of anxious questions filled the air. " What can it be? " " Have the British sacked the town? " " Heaven send 'tis not another riot! " "See, the man's stopped!" "Hasten! Hasten! Let us on and hear what he has to say. 'Tis no good news I warrant." 2 Polly Trotter, Patriot The words hummed about us, while my brother Will and I pressed on with the others until we burst through the church gates and so out into the Broad Way. Here the ladies among the congregation halted, for Wall Street was filling rapidly with a noisy throng who crowded about the express rider from Boston, pushing and jostling each other ex- citedly. Above the clamour I caught the words, " Lex- ington farmers 1" and "Minute Men!" but could make no sense of it, and clutched Will by the arm. '* What is his message? " I asked. " I know not," he answered, his head turned to catch the sounds from the crowd; "but there's Hamilton," he cried an instant latter. " Get you home, Polly. This is no place for a maid. I'll fol- low shortly with the news." And, before I had time to protest he was off, shouldering his way toward the thickest of the press. I paused for a moment, hoping for a glimpse of the Mr. Hamilton he had mentioned, for that name was ever on his lips of late and I had never seen this new friend; but I could not pick him out and turned up the Broad Way toward our house, step- ping briskly, for I was anxious to return to mother who was alone. Being somewhat of an invalid she had not felt able to go to church that morning, and my father, Dr. Trotter, was attending Mr. Council- man Stoddard who was low with a fever. It was a beautiful day, that 23rd of April, in the year of our Lord, 1775, though I stayed not to en- joy the sunshine but hurried on, for I was stirred, as was every one, at the thought of what this news from Boston might be. 'Twas not hard to guess that it had to do with the trouble between King Taking Sides 3 George and his subjects in America, because the Massachusetts Colony was ever first to resist op- pression. " Perhaps they have seized another tea-ship," I said to myself as I entered the house. I found mother seated in the surgery, as was her wont, and I poured forth my tale excitedly. " I heard the man ride past," she interrupted. " I fear 'tis no good news he bears." " It fair mazed Governor Golden," I rattled on. " No doubt he heard something little to his taste, for he glared at the Livingstons as if they were poachers though he was gracious enough to Mr. Oliver Delancy. He's not so old but that he can tell a Whig from a Tory." " Nay, be not disrespectful of thy elders and bet- ters," said mother, looking up from her Bible, which was ever in her hand on a Sunday. " A child should not meddle in matters that concern her not. You are becoming very forward of late." " I am not a child, mother," I answered. " Sure I shall be fifteen in a fortnight ! And why should I not say what is in every one's mouth? The King is trying to make slaves of all the Colonies and" " Be silent ! " cried my mother, in the tone I knew brooked no gainsaying. " Leave talk of such things to your father and brother, and do not speak on subjects of which you know naught. A political female is an abomination that I will not countenance in my family." I turned, pouting, to the window. I saw no good reason why I should hold my tongue upon a matter which was the chief topic of conversation with every class, high or low, in the city of New York. In- deed, like my father and brother, I was a staunch 4 Polly Trotter, Patriot Whig for there was no lack of plain talk in our house where the King's Ministers were roundly cen- sured for their treatment of the Colonies. It would have been better for father had he been of a different way of thinking, as his practise was among the rich, who were mostly Tories. Many actually dropped him for a time ; but when they were downright ill 'twas Dr. Trotter they sent for in a hurry, rating him roundly for the Whiggish views, which he expressed freely enough, yet glad to take his physic none the less. Only from Roger Delancy did I hear aught of the other side of this controversy; and he, being big and strong, was not nimble witted, and was little given to argument. Roger was an orphan and, having no real home of his own, he had come to our house as he pleased for as long as I could remember, and was like a brother to Will and me. Both mother and father liked him well and spared no pains to make him welcome; but Roger, being a Delancy I suppose, was a Loyalist, though he joked with me over the matter and we never thought that the time could come when politics would stand between such firm friends. As I looked out of the window father hurried up the steps and entered the house. He was quite agi- tated, as any one could see, though he tried his best to appear calm. He kissed mother, then putting aside his hat and stick, he seated himself opposite her and drew me down upon the arm of his chair. "You knew something was a-foot?" And mother nodded. " They cried news from Boston," she said quietly. " 'Twas not from Boston, but from Lexington," father continued. " A battalion of British soldiers Taking Sides shot down seven and wounded nine of the Lexington militia." Mother rose to her feet, her face suddenly gone whiter than was its wont. "Shot them downl The British soldiers?" she murmured. "Ay, shot them down like dogs!" cried father passionately, all pretence of calm gone. " They fired without provocation and now more blood must be shed. The Colonies are stirring. Con- necticut is up and Massachusetts has her minute men out. Bissel, the man who brought the news, though nigh dead with fatigue, is on again with a message to the Jerseys and Pennsylvania." "And where is New York?" I fair shouted, springing to my feet. " Are we to lag behind Massachusetts and Connecticut?" " Nay, the Liberty Boys are out," father an- swered. " Lamb and Sears have not missed so good an opportunity to rant, you may be sure. The crowd went first to the arsenal where they took six hundred muskets with powder and ball. The Gov- ernor has shut himself up in the fort with a hundred soldiers and, if he is wise, he will stay there." "Good! Good!" I cried excitedly. "Would that we could shut up all the red-coats! " "When I left," father went on, "the mob was on its way to the river to unload vessels with sup- plies for Boston. They do not intend that any food or powder shall go to Gage if they can help it. Then, too, there is much talk of taking over the government." " Then it is war? " mother asked. " I see naught else for it," father replied. " This massacre at Lexington is no riot. 'Tis war, unless all signs fail." 6 Polly Trotter, Patriot ;< Where is Lexington, father?" I demanded. " 'Tis some miles outside Boston, they tell me," he explained. " 'Tis but a village and not well known heretofore, but 'tis in my mind that it will be as renowned in history as any great city in the world." "And are none from New York going to help their brothers in the Massachusetts?" inquired mother, and I saw her eyes flash as she looked searchingly at father. " Aye," he began hesitatingly, and started to pace the floor. " And Will " mother's voice faltered for a mo- ment, but she held herself as straight as an arrow. " I've been expecting that question," replied father sadly, and he paused as if he dreaded what was to come. " Nay, you need not keep me in suspense," mother insisted, gently. " I know he has joined the militia and means to march to Boston. That is the truth of the matter, is it not? " " Aye," answered father, with a weary nod, " I would that you could be spared the sorrow " " Do you think I would have a son of mine do aught else?" cried mother, and her voice was so strong and ringing that I looked at her in amaze- ment. Father, too, stopped his restless walk and gazed at her astonished. " Why do you eye me in that fashion? " mother went on. " Think you I would have the boy a coward and a shirker? " " Nay," answered father, " but 'tis sometimes harder for those who are left behind than for those who go to the front, and 'tis the mothers whose hearts are most wrung." " You'll find them brave, sir," she told him, and Taking Sides 7 then, turning to me, " come, Mary, you must help me prepare some necessities against your brother's jour- ney. Come." And she started toward the door. At this moment there was a sound of running out- side and a hoarse cry came to us. " To arms ! To arms ! " For a moment mother stood rigid, one hand go- ing to her breast as if she felt a pain there, then she went on resolutely, while I followed with a great fear in my heart. " Mother," I began as I reached the landing above, " I thought you cared naught for politics, and now " " No more I do," she broke in upon my speech, " but war is not politics, my daughter, and when a people are forced to fight for the land they love the women must do their share with the men." " But what can a girl do, mother? " I asked. " That which comes to her hand to do, child," she made answer. " There will be new cares, heavy responsibilities, anxieties and heart-aches a-plenty in store for both of us. And we must be brave to meet them." " As brave as the patriots who fight for their country?" I murmured, half to myself. " Nay," said mother with a stern note in her voice, " 'tis not only those who fight who are the patriots, but also those who think first of the land of their birth and are ready to make sacrifices for it." " Then I shall be a patriot ! " I cried, carried away by her words, and mother took me in her arms and kissed me. CHAPTER II FRIENDS OR FOES MOTHER lost no time in setting out the cloth- ing my brother Will would stand most in need of. I was for packing his finest suits and neckcloths, thinking to have him make as brave a show as any; but she put ready one stout home- spun, giving most attention to his undergarments and stockings, and making a pile of these which, to my thinking, was out of all proportion to his other things. " Sure, mother, he can at least buy soap in Bos- ton ! " I protested, as she sent me off to the store- closet a second time for an additional supply of this commodity. " Nay, of that I have some doubts," she replied, " and you will do well to remember, Mary, that 'tis on no junket your brother fares forth. 'Tis not his appearance that most concerns us. Fetch the soap." We were in the midst of these preparations wnen the door below opened and the sound of voices talk- ing excitedly reached us. A moment later Will came bounding up the stairs two at a time ; but stopped at the threshold on noting the clothes laid out. " You are the best of mothers ! " he cried, cross- ing the room quickly and taking her in his arms. They stood thus for a time, and then mother with- drew herself from his embrace. " Did you think I should not be ready to speed 8 Friends or Foes 9 my soldier son? " she asked, with a brave smile on her lips. " I knew you would not have me shirk my duty," he answered warmly, " but do come down stairs for a minute. I have brought a friend with me whose name will one day be known from the Massachusetts to Georgia and beyond." "And who is this paragon?" inquired mother, with a smile at his enthusiasm. " It is Alexander Hamilton," he replied, " the young man from the West Indies who is teaching us at King's College to drill. Please come." " Take Mary," said mother, " and make my ex- cuses to Mr. Hamilton. I think I would rather be alone for the present." Will was inclined to urge her further, but she shook her head and he, understanding something of what was in her heart, gave her a great hug, and a moment later we went down stairs together. Father was called away ere we reached the foot of the stairs, so that we found our visitor in the sur- gery by himself. He stepped forward ceremon- iously as Will made us known to each other and greeted me with some pleasant words I doubt not, though I took not in their meaning, so surprised was I at the sight of this gentleman. I curtseyed low, having that much wit left, but held down my head to hide a laughing face, for to tell the truth this person over whom Will had made such an ado was naught but a boy, scarce two years older than I, and for the life of me I could not recon- cile him with the grand figure I had pictured in my mind. He was quite small, though, to be sure, he stood very erect so that his shortness was little no- ticed. His face had a ruddy complection that went well with his reddish brown hair, and this was my io Polly Trotter, Patriot second surprise for, having often heard him spoken of as " the young West Indian," I had imagined him as dark and swarthy. His eyes were very blue, bright and quick-glancing, with a twinkle of run and merriment in them; and his movements were exceed- ingly graceful, while he seemed to radiate a charm that it is impossible to convey in words. These facts I noted later when I came to understand why he was so universally admired; but, for the moment, I was put to it to control my features and must needs keep my eyes cast down lest he should see the laugh- ter that nigh convulsed me. Ere I had gained command of myself Will began to pace the floor and to rant against the British till Mr. Hamilton laughed and begged him to be quiet. " Sure Miss Trotter can scarce be interested in politics ! " he said, as he crossed the room and seated himself in a chair near me. " Nay, she's as good a patriot as any in the land," declared Will, " and can speak her mind about it, too, an the chance serves." " I know very little about it," I remarked a trifle shyly. " I doubt if those who talk so freely know any more," said Mr. Hamilton. " 'Tis a vexed prob- lem we have to face." We gossiped on till the knocker sounding on the door interrupted us, and, for no reason, we fell silent, listening to Sam as he shuffled along the hall to answer the summons. A moment later we heard the hearty voice of Roger Delancy, and I looked up with a smile for he was ever welcome. But I caught a slight frown on Will's face and Mr. Hamilton seemed to stiffen. " Oh, here you are, Will ! " Roger cried out, com- ing into the room without ceremony. " Good-day Friends or Foes n to you, Polly," he went on, taking my hand, and then his eyes travelled to Mr. Hamilton and his manner changed. " Oh, Hamilton, it's you, is it? " 'Twas not so much what he said but the indiffer- ent, careless manner of it that showed at once that there was no love lost between these two. " I'll wager Will's been telling you this news from Lexington and making a mountain out of a molehill! " Roger continued with a laugh. " Don't believe the world is coming to an end, Polly, just because a lot of Massachusetts farmers have gone mad." " 'Tis a madness your King will not be able to cure," Will flashed out wrathfully. " Ho, ho ! " cried Roger cheerfully, for he was slow to anger and moreover he loved Will as a brother. " Isn't it a great todo to make over a tax of thrippence a pound on tea? 'Tis but an atom on the shoulders of a giant. Hey, Polly? " " Yet 'tis a tax," Mr. Hamilton put in thought- fully. " Parliament claims the right to tax us, and 'tis against that principle we protest." I noted that the minute Mr. Hamilton spoke there was a change in Roger. " Ay, now you protest," he said rather bitterly, " but when the French and Indians were at your door; when a few miles back from the coast no man's life was safe; when, daily, men, women and children were being scalped, you made no protests but begged the King to save you. However, as far as this Colony in New York is concerned, having no charter it must be subject to Parliament and the King. About that there can be no argument." "No argument?" repeated Mr. Hamilton, and the words seemed to echo through the room, with the scorn in them. " No argument? I tell you the 12 Polly Trotter, Patriot sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged from among old parchments or musty records. They are written as with a sunbeam in the whole volume of human nature by the hand of Divinity itself 1" " More words ! " retorted Roger, with a sneer upon his lips. " My faith ! I know not what we are coming to these days when every man talks of ' rights ' as if he had done something to earn them. But I'm no lawyer with a river of eloquence to con- fuse right and wrong and stir up hatred for all government in the hearts of ignorant men. I still believe there is such a thing as loyalty. We owe a duty to the Crown, and, if blows are to be struck you will find me with other honest men, who count neither the gain nor the loss but are ready to cry ' God Save the King ' because well, because he is the king!" At this Will burst out wrathfully, but Mr. Hamil- ton stopped him. " Nay, we have no quarrel with loyalty," he said, and he was the coolest one of us. " I honour a man who stands by his convictions and I would like to shake your hand, Delancy, for a brave man though a mistaken one." He stepped forward and held out his hand with a smile and his manner was so engaging that I thought no one could resist him; but I had not counted upon Roger, who, once stirred, cooled slowly. " I do not shake hands with rebels and traitors ! he said hotly, holding himself very straight, and Mr. Hamilton flushed as if he had been stung. " Then you cannot shake my hand either ! " Will burst out furiously, " for my opinions are the same Friends or Foes 13 and come what may this house is only for my friends." " Will I " I exclaimed, " you shall not drive Roger from the house. 'Tis no more yours than mine, and it has been his second home since he was a child." " I beg you will let me go," Mr. Hamilton broke in, and with a bow he started toward the door. " I will not have it so! " Will protested, striding across the room and grasping him by the arm. " You stay." And he turned and faced Roger. The invitation was plain enough and Roger, a little bewildered, looked at me for a moment, and then without a word left the room. " Oh, Will, how could you ? " I cried, and flew into the hall. " Roger ! Roger ! " I called, " you must not go like this." But I was too late, for he had quitted the house. I stood looking at the closed door, at first scarce realizing what had happened; then I ran upstairs to mother and burying my head in her lap, burst into tears. " Will has driven Roger from the house because he sides with the King! " I sobbed. " 'Tis but the beginning, my child," said mother sadly, " in a little we shall see fathers fighting against sons, brothers against brothers and friends against friends. All war is cruel, but civil war is the most cruel of all!" CHAPTER III A FAREWELL > | lIS needless to dwell upon Will's departure to join the patriots who were facing the -* British soldiers at Boston. Mother bore up till he was gone, but for a day or two thereafter she kept to her room. " I hope, Mary Trotter," she said to me later, " that you will be a braver woman than your mother when you are her age." And that was the last sign of weakness on her part. We soon had news by express messenger that Will was safely arrived; and our life went on much as it had done before, though the town itself was turned topsy-turvy. Since the alarm from Lexington, a Committee of one hundred Whiggish gentlemen had taken charge of the city's affairs; and the Governor kept to Fort George from whence he issued proclamations, which few took the trouble to read and none heeded. There was much excitement caused by delegates from the Massachusetts passing through New York on their way to meet with the Congress then assem- bling in Philadelphia, and a great deal of talk on the Common near our house, so that the very air was filled with patriotic sentiments and 'twas ex- pected that every man should declare himself in un- measured terms. Father, meanwhile, continued to go about his busi- 14 A Farewell 15 ness as he had heretofore. He was not a politic man and when he was with his Tory patients he never scrupled to tell them that the King was wrong and his Ministers mistaken in their policies toward the Colonies. This was well enough, but with the Whigs he counselled moderation; for he was no ran- ter like Mr. Sears or Mr. Lamb, who called all Eng- lishmen and Loyalists naught less than villains and murderers. So it came about that he was loved by neither party, though gentlefolk, like the Living- stons and Jays, knew that there was no better pa- triot in the Colonies. Yet father, though he cared naught for the opin- ions of any man, was not so ready to laugh and joke as had been his custom but was silent and thought- ful, often sitting with a wrinkled brow, or pacing the room restlessly. " Would you like to be in Cambridge, William? " mother asked one day, as he walked restlessly up and down the surgery after dinner. " I would do my part for the country," he re- plied, stopping before her. 'Tis the wish of every man who is worthy of the name, and surgeons are much needed in the army." " I would not hold you from your duty," said mother, in a firm voice. " I have always known that," he answered, tak- ing up his walk again, " for though you say little your heart is as staunch for the cause as that of the noisiest patriot who fills our ears with his bom- bast." " Mary and I and the servants can manage well enough, if need be," mother urged. " Nay, do not tempt me," father cried. " I have a duty to you and Polly. Beside, there are other ways to serve the cause than by fighting." 1 6 Polly Trotter, Patriot " They give you small chance here," mother re- torted. " Ay, that's only too true," he agreed. " 'Tis somewhat galling to be thought a trimmer. How- ever, it may all blow over. There's talk in Parlia- ment of a reconciliation." " Nay, hold out no false hopes," replied mother. " You neither believe nor wish that it should blow over. Let us not deceive ourselves nor bolster up our hearts in that fashion. To face a battle is half way to winning it." " Didst read that in one of Dr. Franklin's books?" asked father with a smile. "You have ever some sage saw of his upon your tongue." " He is the wisest man in the Colonies," mother vowed with some asperity, for father was apt to poke sly fun at her taste for the writings of Benja- min Franklin, who was well known throughout the Americas. " Oh, I grant you he is wise," said father, with a smile, " but 'tis beyond nature to expect any man to have full knowledge of all the subjects under the sun. Indeed he has some rare notions upon the art of medicine which, were they followed, would be ruinous to patients and doctors alike. Upon other subjects I cannot judge the man; but he has a novel way of saying things, and to my thinking 'tis how he puts the matter, rather than the matter itself, that makes his converts." " He is a good patriot ! " said mother, with con- viction. " Ay, there you're right ! " agreed father. " There is no better. And in most things I accept his policy, though he is more forbearing than I would be in his place." Father, as he often did when the talk was not A Farewell 17 to his liking, had changed the subject with the men- tion of Doctor Franklin; but the question of his going to Boston was reverted to now and then, and each time he would shake his head " No," until I supposed it settled. But mother and he must have talked of it in private, and I have no doubt she con- tinued to urge him to go and put his skill at the service of his country. Yet he held to his resolve not to leave us, and would have kept to it alto- gether had not affairs shaped themselves in a very unexpected way. I missed Roger more than I had realized I would. His comings and goings had become so familiar that only when they ceased did I understand how large a part they had played in my daily life. Noth- ing had been heard of him, and we all were wor- ried on his account; for we knew that he would be just as stubborn in his Loyalist principles as Will or Mr. Hamilton were in their Whig ones. So, when we heard of the Liberty Boyd baiting Tories and riding them on rails, we could not but feel anxious for fear that, sooner or later, Roger might be a vic- tim. But, though I fretted more than a little that he came not near us I hoped, at the same time, that he had gone away, (as had many who were of his way of thinking), and so was safe, at least from this sort of violence. One afternoon, however, old Sam came slowly up the stairs and shuffled into the room where mother and I busied ourselves with the family mending. " Marse Roger's down on the stoop wantin' to see Miss Polly," he announced, evidently much dis- turbed about something. My heart gave a bound of pleasure at the news, and I jumped to my feet, ready to run down to him. 1 8 Polly Trotter, Patriot "Didn't you ask Mr. Delancy in?" inquired mother. " 'Deed I did, Mistis, but he wouldn't come no- how. Said he'd wait there to see Miss Polly," Sam explained, much scandalized. " I 'clare I don't know what's happened to the gentry these days." But mother and I understood, and after a minute of thought she bade me to him. " Tell him I wish to see him, Mary," she in- sisted. " 'Tis silly a misunderstanding between two boys should come to such a pass." I ran down as fast as I could and found Roger waiting on the steps outside. " I'm so glad you've come," I cried, giving him my hand. " We thought you had forgot all about us." " Nay, you didn't really believe I would go away without seeing you," he answered soberly, though I could tell he was glad to be with me again. His words were very solemn and struck a little chill to my heart. " Are you going away, Roger? " I asked. " Yes, to-day. I'm off to Boston," he answered. ' To Boston? " I echoed, surprised. " Yes, to join the army," he explained. " Oh ! " I exclaimed, delightedly, for there was but one army in my mind. " Then you've come round to our way of thinking after all? " Roger shook his head sadly. " No, Polly, I haven't changed, though I wish I could and be honest with myself." He hesitated, then went on. " 'Tis the other army I'm going to join." At last I understood. He and my brother Will, fast friends from their babyhood, would be on op- posite sides, each trying to do all in his power to injure the other. My spirit faltered for a moment A Farewell 19 as I realized that, whatever the outcome of the struggle, between my fondness for my best friend Roger and my love for Will I should know no rest from anxiety. " Don't look like that, Polly," Roger begged. " I'll not go, an you say the word." " Come inside," I murmured. " We can't stay here talking, and mother wants to see you." " You know I can't come in," he answered stub- bornly. " Will and I must shake hands before I enter your house again and who knows if that will ever happen now? Though we are commanded to forgive our enemies we are nowhere commanded to forgive our friends." It was plain that he was much distressed and in- deed it was a hard position for both of us. " Mother thinks it silly to take the thing so seriously," I urged. " The house is not Will's, and " " Don't let's talk any more about it," he inter- rupted. " I hoped you'd take a little walk with me for the sake of old times. Will you? " I was willing enough to do what he asked, but mother's permission was necessary and I knew she would scarce like my strolling about the City with Roger, considering the state of disorder that then existed. " I doubt if mother will let me," I replied. " Beg her," he urged earnestly. " Tell her I am leaving town and and I don't know when I'll see any of you again. Oh, Polly, if she only knew how I've missed coming here to the only real home I've ever had, Madam Trotter would let you go a little way." " I'll ask her," I answered, and ran upstairs, leav- ing him on the stoop. 20 Polly Trotter, Patriot Mother heard me, her face grave; and, though I scarce told her more than the bare facts, adding that I should like to go if she would permit; it didn't need many words from me to show how anxious I was to see even that little of Roger before he left. She thought for a time before she answered and then, very sweetly as if she knew all that was in my heart and sympathized, she gave her permission. " I shall be anxious till you are back," she added. " Do not go farther than the Mall in front of Trinity Church." I kissed her for thanks and hurried to my room for a hat. " Good! " cried Roger, when he saw me ready to walk with him. " Give my love to your dear, kind mother for letting you come. She's always been like a mother to me." We started down the Broad Way and I was glad to find that there were few people abroad. Indeed New York was already deserted by a good many of its inhabitants and closed houses were on every hand. Roger asked about Will and how he fared in Cambridge, and showed no resentment toward him for their quarrel, saying that it was the result of the upset condition of affairs, which he confessed he didn't pretend to understand. " It's all come about with a flux of talk by these lawyer fellows like Hamilton," he declared ve- hemently, and would have gone on, but that I stopped him. " You mustn't say things against Mr. Hamilton," I interrupted. He looked down at me earnestly for a moment before replying. "You're not forgetting old friends for new?" he asked anxiously. A Farewell 21 " Nay, you know that I am not," I told him. " I have not seen him since the day of the quarrel, nor do I care greatly if I do not see him again, but I do not think you met him courteously. He was fair to you, and respected your opinions even though he didn't agree with them." "Yes, I'll give him credit for that," admitted Roger, with a huge sigh, as if he would rather have done otherwise, " but don't let's talk about him. I want you to know that I have been wracking my stupid brains over this business, trying to see my way clear. Here am I, a great, big, hulking fellow, do- ing naught while better men are going to the front. I can't help being a Loyalist. Nor can I think that the King is aught but the King. I suppose it is in the blood of a Delancy to be for the Crown. Why even the Whigs would laugh at the idea of a Whig Delancy! My cousin is training a troop of horses. My uncle is Tryon's chief adviser, though you needn't cry the news just yet and every member of my family is loyal. Beside, whatever the talk may be, no matter how just the cause against the government may seem, I do not think it right to take up arms against the King. I've tried to hold with the other side your side and Will's and your father's, but I can't and be honest." " If you can't you can't," I answer regretfully, " and we like you none the less for your opinions, but " I stopped, hesitating. " But you think it is unnecessary that I should fight at all? Is that it? " he asked. " Yes," I nodded in reply. "Would you have me seem a trimmer, Polly?" he questioned. " A scurvy fellow who calculates to be on the winning side no matter what the outcome ? You wouldn't want me to be like that? " 22 Polly Trotter, Patriot "No," I replied, " only only " but I broke off again not knowing what to say, for indeed there seemed no way out of the difficulty. 'Tis one thing or the other," he declared, and I felt that he was right. " All that has kept me from going long ago is what you would think of me. Whether, if I went, we must cease to be friends?" I was about to answer when a shabby, shuffling fellow sidled up beside Roger. He was a shifty little man with a face like a weasel which, though I caught but a momentary glimpse of it, was not to be forgotten easily. " The boat is ready and sails at once," he whis- pered. " They sent me for you and will wait ten minutes. The mob's out looking for Tories, so you'd better hasten if you would get safely away." He did not stop but shuffled on, so that it would not appear that he was having aught to do with us. "Who is he?" I asked Roger, who was staring after the retreating figure. " A spy," he replied with a hint of scorn. " And what did he mean? " " That I had ten minutes to catch the boat that is to carry some of us who are going secretly to Boston," he answered. " Tell me," he went on earnestly, " shall I go or stay? " "You must decide that for yourself," I replied. " Will you think the less of me? " he asked anx- iously. " Nay," I assured him, " Never! " "And we shall be friends, whatever happens?" " Always ! I hope always ! " I cried, and gave him my hand. " A spy," he replied with a hint of scorn. A Farewell 23 " Oh, Polly, Polly," he murmured, " why do these things come to plague us? " " Do not waste time in talk." I interrupted. " You must be off to your boat or you will miss it." " I must see you home first," he said, taking a step in that direction. " Nay, that is not necessary," I assured him. " 'Tis not far, and no one will molest a maid." He hesitated a moment, but I insisted that he go at once, for indeed there was no time to spare. " God bless you, Polly," he said at last, in a broken voice. " Don't forget all about me or think hardly of me because of this wretched war." I could not speak but gave him my hand and he, understanding, took it and, as he bowed, kissed it and was gone. I watched him for a moment or two until he dis- appeared down one of the streets leading to the water, and then turned toward home, scarce having any thoughts in my head for the great ache in my breast. It might well be that I should never see Roger again. CHAPTER IV THE MOB > | iWAS not until I had walked to within a few blocks of the house that I became aware -- of a multitude of people thronging the streets ahead of me. I quickened my pace, a little frighted, wondering where they could have come from all of a minute; and as I neared them I caught the ominous hum, hum of their voices. There was something so menacing in the sound of it that my heart doubled its beating though I knew not then that this demonstration was to touch me. At length, rising above the murmur of the crowd came a sharp cry that drove the blood from my face and brought me to a stop trembling. " The Tory Doctor ! Have out the Tory Doc- tor!" In a moment the shout was caught up by the mob till the roar of it filled the streets, and I was nigh to falling as I realized that, so close to our home, it could mean but one thing. Father was the " Tory Doctor " they threatened, and for an instant I looked about me helplessly. Then, summoning all my strength, I determined to run ahead and warn him. But the mob was between me and the house, gath- ering in numbers as it went along until it blocked the street, and I saw at once that it would be use- less for me to attempt to break through it. I must go around it and, lifting my skirts, I started on a run. The Mob 25 Turning down John Street toward Golden Hill I won to Nassau, which was but a block from the back of our house. Once there I sped on, caring naught for those who looked at me curiously, thinking only of father and the peril he was in. At length I gained the garden door through which I flew and so into the hall. But I was too late. Even as I entered I heard a new note in the hoarse roar of the throng in the street. A stone crashed through the front window, then came the vindictive howl of a maddened crowd. " Bring out the Tory Doctor ! Down with all Loyalists ! " At this moment father, his face white and de- termined, looking neither to the right nor to the left so that he passed without seeing me, strode to the door, flung it open and in a mighty voice shouted, "Stand back!" And I, who pressed behind him, saw those on the steps give way as he faced them and, for the mo- ment, cowed them to silence; but 'twas only for a moment. Those in the rear pushed forward and again a shout went up. " Take the Tory Doctor ! A rail ! A rail for the traitor ! " I shrank against the wall and hid my face in my hands, shuddering at the sight of that angry sea of scowling faces before me. I was affrighted, and with good cause; but father fronted the mob unflinchingly, with a look of scorn on his face. He was no coward, and for the time being his courage in standing before them gained him a certain respect from the better element in the assembly. " Hear what he has to say," one shouted. " Per- chance he's not so black as he's painted." 26 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Ay, let him speak," cried another. And al- though there were murmurs against it, this senti- ment prevailed. It would have been better had father spoken words of conciliation, seeing how great were the odds against him; but 'twas not his way. " You're a pack of cowards ! " he cried at the top of his voice, so that every one heard him. " And like cowards you hunt in packs ! " At this, angry cries rose again, and a huge fellow in the front cried out, " Take the Tory trimmer ! " "Ah, 'tis you, Jem Smith! " Father pointed at the man. " 'Tis like you to howl down one to whom you owe a debt. I warrant your wife doesn't know your errand, for she has some gratitude even though you have none. Have you forgot how you came begging me to save her life when she was ill with the pox and you had fled the house fearing you might take it? Have you forgot that, you pol- troon?" The man hung his head in shame, but father's words had little effect upon the others and once more the cry went up. "A rail 1 Ride him on a rail!" "And are you there, too, Joe Sadler?" father shouted, indicating a man wearing a leathern apron. " Have you come to thank me for saving your son or to pay my fee ? 'Tis a good year or more you've owed it, and you're a man of property." And so, one after another, he picked out half a score among the throng, but though it held them for a time 'twas plain the crowd was bent on mischief. Finally a husky fellow named Briggs, a cooper by trade and an honest though a stupid man, stepped forward. " Have done, doctor ! " he shouted. " We're not The Mob 27 here to settle private debts but public ones. 'Tis where you stand in the Cause that concerns us. Are you a patriot or are you the Tory traitor they say you are ? " " You know well enough," father answered boldly. " And 'tis not that brings you here. You mean to try to force me to leave sick folk to die if perchance they are not of your way of thinking. You want to be the keepers of my conscience. You want me to pledge myself not to physic Tories. That's it, isn't it?" " Ay, to show your loyalty to the cause," an- swered Briggs. " There's a many who pretend to be with us, who traffic secretly with the Governor. 'Tis bandied about that you are one of these. But say the word that you will let the King's men find their own physic and we'll leave you in peace. 'Tis your duty to the Cause, for if the Tories die 'tis no more than they deserve. The fewer such the better is my motto." He stopped and there were murmurs of approval throughout the throng, hushed of a sudden to hear father's answer. 'Twas plain that he had but to promise he would not attend Loyalists and they would be as ready to cheer him as they were to ex- ecrate him. There was a moment's quiet while father looked down upon them ere he replied, and I hoped he was making up his mind to do as they wished; but that there was no such thought in his head his words soon showed. " No man nor mob of men," he began, " nor King, nor Prince, nor Potentate, shall tell me my duty to those who need the relief my poor skill can give them. I've said often enough that I am for the cause of liberty in these Colonies, and if you think 28 Polly Trotter, Patriot to force me to play the Levite and pass by on the other side because, perchance, a sick one is not of my way of politics, you have mistook your man. I tell you now, to your faces, that I care not whether he be rich or poor, Whig or Tory, and he be ill, I shall do what I can to ease his sufferings ! " At first, as father's words rang out, I thought they would disperse. 'Twas hard to believe there were any who could doubt his honesty ; but those who owed him most began to murmur that he was defying them, and soon the clamour to take him was re- newed, the rear ranks pressed forward, and for a moment it looked as if a rush was about to be made. I, cowering in the doorway, cried out to father to come into the house; and turning, he saw that I was there behind him. " Go in!" he commanded. "This is no place for you." And he stepped back to push me within. The crowd, seeing this, evidently took it for a move on his part to escape inside, and at once an angry shout arose that brought my heart to my throat, while half a dozen men sprang up the steps to take him. I made sure it was all over when be- tween us and the advancing mob, there leaped a fig- ure with up-raised arms. "Back! Back!" he shouted, his voice ringing high above the noise. " Is it thus you would bring disgrace upon the cause of liberty of which you pro- fess to be such strong champions? " As if by magic the men stopped, then retreated till the steps were cleared. " 'Tis young Hamilton ! " cried one, and the words were taken up eagerly. "Give us a speech. We'll listen!" called an- other, and strange as it may seem their anger ap- peared to melt away at the sight of this young man The Mob 29 who, from the moment he began to speak to them, controlled that sullen mob as a skilful driver man- ages a fractious horse. I remember little of what he said, but he scolded them and made them laugh alternately, so that at the end, when he pledged himself for father's patriotism, they gave him three cheers. Then, still more sur- prising, they cheered father, too. After that they started off slowly, laughing and joking among them- selves. Smilingly Mr. Hamilton turned to us. " 'Tis a queer animal, the mob," he said lightly, as he bowed to me. " 'Tis hard to tell whether it will fawn on you or destroy you. And what will it do, sir, when it has the reins of government in its own teeth? 'Tis a matter for much thought." Behind his careless manner was a seriousness that father seemed to understand better than I. " You're right, Mr. Hamilton," he nodded sol- emnly in agreement. " We may be exchanging a King for a worse tyrant in our fight for liberty. But that is for the future. For the present I have to thank you for saving me from a rough handling or worse." " 'Twas naught!" cried Mr. Hamilton with a laugh. " I am glad chance brought me this way. But if aught I have done has been of service to you I pray you remember it when, mayhap, you are prob- ing for a British bullet under my skin. It will not be long before we are all at the front, serving the Cause, and there will be much need of surgeons." At that moment mother called and father, with a word of excuse to Mr. Hamilton, went inside to re- lieve her anxieties. " Won't you come within? " I begged. " I want to thank you for helping my father." 30 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Now that's good of you, Miss Trotter," he said with his winning smile. " I thought your feel- ings would hardly be friendly considering that I was the occasion of the quarrel whereby Mr. De- lancy was forbid your house." " Nay, Mr. Hamilton, you were not the cause of it," I replied, for I had never blamed him for that wretched affair. " Yet it would not have happened but for me," he insisted. " It was bound to happen, I'm afraid," I pro- tested. " Roger was certain to be on the other side, and the break must have come sooner or later. Pray believe that I do not hold you guilty." " I'm right glad to hear you say so ! " he ex- claimed. " Please come in," I suggested again, for I felt sure mother would like to say a word of apprecia- tion to him. " While one friend is barred from the house, Miss Trotter, I think 'tis fitting that the other stay away," he persisted. " I must do some penance for the share I had in that quarrel; but, when it is made up, I shall jump right gladly at your invitation." And with that, saluting me, he ran down the steps and walked away swiftly. For a moment or two I looked after him, noting his gallant figure as he swung off along the street and my cheeks flushed with shame as I remembered that I had once laughed at Mr. Alexander Hamilton. Within the house I found mother again urging father to start forthwith for Cambridge; but he would not, vowing he was not to be driven, though he did promise that he would not go out of his way to antagonize the reckless, unthinking members of his own party. CHAPTER V THE PLOT AFTER this our lives went on for a time much as before, while the affairs of the country be- came more and more involved. Every one began to realize that the conflict which had flamed up of a sudden was not to die down, but to mount higher and higher until the Colonies were either consumed or independence gained. For by now that word began to be in the mouths of all Whigs. But this pother and talk was not for mother and me. We waited anxiously day by day, for the news from Boston knowing that sooner or later a battle must be fought, but dreading the outcome. And at last an express messenger brought tidings of a vic- tory for the minute-men and volunteers at a place called Bunker's Hill. At once there was great rejoicing through the city, in that our men had faced the veterans of the British army and defeated them. Bells were rung, fires lighted, and altogether there was a deal of excitement; but, underneath the enthusiasm, was the dread of what was in store when the list of those killed should reach us. Then, little by little, further reports filtered through from Cambridge which were not so cheer- ing; for though we had in a way won a victory, yet in the end, the British had taken the hill, and many had died on both sides. 31 32 Polly Trotter, Patriot As for me I could not find it in me to do aught but grieve. Between anxiety for my brother Will and a scarce less concern for Roger Delancy, my feelings were like to be torn no matter what the news might be. Mother said little, but a sudden sounding of the knocker, or the clatter of an express rider galloping past the house, brought a look of painful suspense into her face, and 'twas easy to see that her thoughts were ever with her soldier son in the Massachusetts. At length our anxiety was relieved by a message from Will himself, in which he complained most bitterly that his company had been held back and he had seen none of the fighting. It was a great load off our minds but there remained another from whom we had no word nor were like to have any, for he was fighting on the other side. I knew Roger would not shirk his duty. How had he fared on the bloody field of battle? I longed to learn if he, too, were safe yet there was no way for me to seek tidings of him and somehow, the more I pondered the matter, the more convinced I became that I should never see him again. Meanwhile, about this time, General George Washington, a gentleman from the Colony of Vir- ginia, who had been appointed Commander-in-Chief of our army, entered the city on his way to Cam- bridge. His coming led to no little embarrassment on the part of the New York Congress, for Mr. Tryon, but lately come from England, was still the Governor of the State in the eyes of the Law; though to be sure, he was not yet landed, but lay on a ship in the harbour awaiting a public welcome. This had been arranged for on the same day Mr. Wash- ington arrived. And, as it would not do for these two to meet, separate escorts had to be provided, The Plot 33 which complicated matters vastly; yet as it turned out, all went well. Mother and I, standing at a window, watched General Washington as he rode past our house down the Broad Way in an open phaeton drawn by white horses. Although he was seated I judged him to be as tall as Roger, and learned later that I was right. He was dressed very elegantly in a uniform of blue with a purple sash, and had a long plume of feathers in his hat. Altogether he made a most impressive appearance and I felt that never be- fore had I seen so splendid a man. " He is like a king! " I exclaimed. " Yes," answered mother beside me. " Yes, but more than that. He is like a good king ! " And that indeed was true. 'Twas a long time ere I saw General Washington again, for he left the city very shortly, but of the other new arrival, Governor Tryon, I was to see and hear a-plenty. His return made a decided dif- ference in the life about us, for he was not one to sit and do naught if he could help it, and the disre- gard of his deputy's orders and proclamations was very galling to a man of his disposition. He was much disliked by all save his intimates and was sus- pected, with reason doubtless, of plotting with the Tories. This led to a resumption of the former outrages, for the mob calling themselves Liberty Boys, again went out on the hunt for Loyalists and many prominent men, some quite innocent father declared, were forced to leave the city, abandoning all their goods. This of course revived mother's anxiety on father's account, and he confessed, laughing all the while and making light of the matter, that he had met scowling looks on his way about town. 34 Polly Trotter, Patriot One very hot Sunday, mother, father and I walked to the Trinity church for the morning serv- ice; but, upon reaching there, I found myself feel- ing ill, and, on my telling father, he advised me to sit in the shade outside until I should recover. So I went into the grove of oaks and yews in the church-yard to a favourite tree of mine, whose roots made a comfortable and inconspicuous seat at the foot of the huge trunk. Hidden there I watched the people collect for the service, and at length every one was in, including the few who are always late. My head ached quite severely and I rested it in my hands, hoping that the pain would stop. I had not been there very long when I heard the voice of a man speaking on the other side of the tree at the foot of which I was seated. "We can talk here," he remarked. " When I have aught to say which I wish kept secret, I come out into the open where I can gaze about me. Here there are no doors to hide a spy; and, as things are now, I look to find a servant listening at every key- hole." " Then let us to business," said another voice, hard and stern. " You have something to propose. Let's have it without too many words." " I shall come to the point at once, Your Excel- lency," the other answered, and the murmur of his voice continued, but I heard not, being for the mo- ment too astounded, for his " Excellency " could be none other than Governor Tryon. " 'Tis a lesson they need," were the next words I heard. " Something to sober them. I vow that a pestiferous Whig hanging from a gibbet on the walls of the fort would put some sense in the rest." " I have thought of hanging, you may be sure," The Plot 35 said the Governor, in his harsh, grating voice, " and dearly would I love to see a round score of them so dangling; but to tell you the truth I dare not! Had I the force needed to protect us, then I'd be quick enough about it, but until we have more troops here I cannot risk it." " I think Your Excellency does not catch my mean- ing," the other broke in. " 'Tis true there would be a risk with certain of them. Were it Sears or Lamb, you would have the rabble about your ears in no time and do little good withal as their in- fluence is already on the wane, while men like Liv- ingston are leading the more thoughtful. It is that tendency I would strive to stop. The better Whigs are influencing the Loyalists more than you guess, and 'tis one of their number that would make a fine show swinging from a gibbet and bring the waver- ing to toss up their caps for the King. 'Tis not the rabble we wish to influence but the solid men of the city." " Ay, true enough," replied the Governor, " but I dare not touch one of their Committee of One Hundred." " That will not be necessary," said the other. " There is one who will serve your purpose admir- ably and still not inflame the mob sufficiently to cause you trouble. I speak of Dr. Trotter." As the man, whoever he was uttered my father's name I thought I should cry out in terror, but I controlled myself and shrank back against the tree, trembling. " The man Trotter wouldn't do," His Excellency demurred. " 'Tis well known that his own party deem him a Tory." " Ay," was the answer, " but will they continue to say that if you hang him? I think not. They 36 Polly Trotter, Patriot will cry his name aloud as a martyred patriot. But they love him not, and would scarce face your sol- diers for him. Thus, you see, you would teach your lesson and still be in no great danger from the mob." " Humph I " muttered the Governor, evidently musing over the matter. " What you say has more than a little in it. He could be taken privately, brought into the fort and tried. Humph! 'Tis a pretty plan, and as you suggest, it would have all the advantages of a stern lesson to the waverers and yet not bring down the rabble. Come. I'll think it over." And they moved off, never suspecting I was near. I stayed hid until I was certain they were out of the way, then stole into the church, all thought of myself forgotten as I realized father's peril. Yet when I reached our pew it became plain that it would be wiser to wait until we were at home ere I told my tale. So I sat with what patience I could muster, wondering how men could plot such a wick- edness within earshot of that beautiful and holy service. It seemed an eternity ere we were behind our own doors again and I could speak. I watched father as I recounted my experience, and saw his face draw into stern lines when he had heard me out. " On my word! " he cried at the end. " I think there is a conspiracy to drive me out of town." " And would it not be better that you should go? " mother suggested, earnestly. " No," he answered, shortly, stepping restlessly across the floor. " 'Tis what you most desire in your heart," mother insisted, " and if " " But I shall not be driven away," father broke The Plot 37 in. " I am not to be frighted by the wild schemes of His Excellency, Governor Tryon." And there the matter ended, for father, though he might long to be with the army in Cambridge, was too angered at the time to think of aught but re- sentment against those who plotted his life. He went about his duties stubbornly for the rest of that day, and, in my hearing at least, no further word was spoken on the subject. I went to bed that night and lay a while trying to puzzle out how it came about that a King in Eng- land could bring so much trouble to a girl in New York, but I was fast asleep before I found an an- swer. Some hours later I awoke with a start and, hardly conscious of what I did, sprang from my bed and ran to the window. Evidently it was an unusual noise in the street that had roused me and, as I looked out, the cause of it was plain enough. There, be- low me in the moonlight, stood a score or more of British soldiers drawn up in front of the house and, at sight of them, some words I had overheard that morning popped into my head. " He could be taken privately." That was what the Governor had said, and he had wasted no time in executing his cruel plan. With a little sob of despair I ran to warn father of his danger. CHAPTER VI A NIGHT ALARM MOTHER and father slept in a chamber at the rear of the house. They were not likely to have been aroused by Governor Tryon's soldiery, so down the stairs I flew in my night-rail, thinking of naught but the peril that threatened. "Mother! Mother!" I called softly, tapping on the locked door, which she opened almost in- stantly. "What is it?" she asked anxiously. "Art ill, child?" " The British soldiers have come to take father 1 " I gasped, stuttering out what I had seen, and to- gether we tiptoed to a front window. There were the scarlet uniforms, plain enough in the moonlight that glittered on the muskets in the men's hands. As we peeped forth an officer mounted the stoop, and an instant later the sharp sound of a knock upon the door echoed through the house. "Oh, what shall we do, mother?" I cried. " They will hang father if he doesn't escape. Come, we must warn him quickly." " Nay, he is not within," she said calmly. " Where is he ? " I asked, only half relieved. " He was called out an hour since to see Mrs. Patchen who is ill," replied mother. For an instant I could have laughed for joy, sure that father was safe, and then another thought came to plague me. 38 A Night Alarm 39 " He may come back at any moment," I faltered. " Ay, I'm thinking of that," she said, anxiously, while again there came a knocking at the door. Mother seemed in two minds what to do, then she spoke. u Upstairs with you and dress as fast as you can. You must run out the back way and speed to Mr. Patchen. Tell your father to leave the city at once. I shall expect him to join General Washington's army as he has long wished to do. Assure him that we shall be safe, and say I desire him to go." I hastened to do her bidding without thought of aught but father's danger, and though my fingers trembled and it was a hard matter to make but- tons and button-holes meet, I was ready ere long and hurried down stairs, flinging a cloak over my shoulders as I went. The continuous banging on the door had ceased, and in the lower hall I passed mother, arrayed in a dressing-gown, confronting two officers who were backed by several soldiers. They demanded father, nor would they believe mother when she said he was not within, but in- sisted upon searching the house. This she at once permitted them to do, hoping no doubt, that they would depart quickly after a vain hunt. Meanwhile I slipped unnoticed to the back porch and ran across the yard to the door at the rear. Breathlessly I tore at the fastenings and in a mo- ment had it open. With a sigh of relief I stepped out, plump into the hands of a soldier placed there to guard it. Why it had not occurred to mother or me that they would surround the house I know not; but there they were, and I was caught. " Where are you going, young woman? " the man 40 Polly Trotter, Patriot asked with a chuckle, as he seized my arm and 1 knew not what to tell him. It would be absurd to say I was going out to buy anything at that hour of the night, and besides it would be a lie, and that I hated; so I answered naught, but stood awkwardly waiting. " Go back again," he said, giving me a push to- ward the gate. But I would not enter of my own will so he was obliged to force me inside, and, drawing the door shut, called to me that he would be there until ordered away. I knew not what to do next. As I looked up at the house I saw lights flashed here and there through the rooms, showing that the soldiers were searching thoroughly, and the thought that father might re- turn at any moment only to run into their clutches nigh crazed me. Even then, perchance, he might be hurrying home, unsuspecting of the perils he was approaching. He must be warned and there was none but I to do it. Yet, with guards at the back and front, all escape seemed to be cut off. Fair desperate, I clambered up the wall at the point farthest from the door, hoping against hope. But there was another soldier standing in the shadow of a tree and I dropped back with a sob of despair. Clearly I could not escape by that route and I ran in to mother, trusting that she might devise some other plan. But when she saw me her face went pale. " Why have you not gone? " she asked in a tense voice. " There are soldiers at the back," I answered. " I tried indeed I did, mother, but they would not let me pass." A Night Alarm 41 " Then he is lost ! " mother murmured. " There must be some way I can get to him," I insisted, almost in tears. " Some way, mother, but I can't think how." She was scarce listening to me and kept shaking her head from side to side in anguish. " He is lost ! " she muttered, over and over again. This made me frantic, and with a wild idea of dashing through the guards I ran to the front door. " They'll not shoot a maid," I said to myself, de- termined to risk everything to be free. But the matter was not so easily solved as that. True I passed the first man, who was surprised by my sudden rush, but behind him was another, while in the street were half a score, so ere I had reached the bottom of the steps I was seized. In desperation I struggled for a moment, but it was useless. " Hold hard, Missy," said the soldier who gripped me. " 'Tis no use to wiggle that way. Thou'lt only hurt thyself and do no good." He spoke in a kindly tone, and indeed no one treated me roughly. " What dost want? " asked another. " To get away," I replied. " Oh, ay," he said with a grin, " that I believe, but why? That's the meat in the nut." " I don't like British soldiers," I mumbled, twist- ing in his grasp. " Nay, then thou canst go back into the house. There are fewer there than here." He pushed me up the steps. But I wished not to return and con- tinued my struggles so that he had some difficulty, for he disliked hurting me and 'twas not so easy to use me gently when I resisted. 42 Polly Trotter, Patriot In the midst of this one of the officers appeared at the door and, seeing what was going forward, came down to us. "What's all this?" he demanded, at which the soldier released me and I stood beside them. " The lass is keen to run away, sir," the private answered with a salute, " and, having orders to let no one out, I held her." " Quite right," said the officer, and turned to me. " And why did you wish to go out? " he questioned most politely. " I shall not tell you," I replied angrily, for I saw all chance of reaching father cut off, and felt like weeping. " Nay, now, be not pettish over it," said the young officer with a laugh. " You may go, an it pleases you." For an instant I thought he was making a mock of me. " Can I really go? " I asked, all my gloom van- ishing. " Why surely," he replied briskly. " 'Tis not our way to stop a maiden walking in the moonlight. But they say 'tis not healthy " I know not how much longer he talked in the same strain, for I was off like a bullet, thinking of naught but of hastening to warn father. Down the Broad Way I went, not meeting a soul, and hurrying along as fast as my legs would carry me. It was some distance to Mr. Patchen's house, and a pain in my side soon brought my run to a walk; but for all that I hastened on, and was mak- ing fair time. At Wall Street I was in two minds whether to turn there or go on to the Bowling Green, the distance being about the same either along that street or by Beaver Street, further down, for Mr. A Night Alarm 43 Patchen lived on Smith Street overlooking Hanover Square. I halted a moment to catch my breath, and some fortunate chance made me glance over my shoulder. With no particular thought, my eye lit on two fig- ures a short distance behind me, but scarce did more than note that they were the first persons I had seen abroad since I had left home. I turned into Wall Street, having concluded that if father should leave Mr. Patchen's he would take that way, but this was only a hope for I knew that there were several other roads he might go equally well. The thought that I might miss him spurred me on and, in spite of the pain in my side, I pushed ahead, increasing my speed to the utmost. As I passed the City Hall I thought I heard foot- steps behind me, and looking back, I recognized the two figures I had seen on the Broad Way. Then for the first time it flashed over me that I had played the fool. I was being followed in order that I might lead the soldiers to the one they sought. The offi- cer who had been so ready to let me depart, having found that father was not in the house, and guess- ing easily enough why I was desirous of being gone, had let me have my way in order to trail me to his quarry. I stopped running, bringing my pace down to a rapid walk and at the same time taking care to note whether those behind me did the same. Yes, as I slowed so did they, and any doubt I might have had that they were following me was dispelled. CHAPTER VII HIDE-AND-SEEK 1WAS at my wits' end now to know what to do. Each step I took only brought father's enemies nearer to him, and for him this was a matter of life and death. My first thought was to make a wide circuit away from Mr. Patchen's house and so lead them on a false scent. But this would not serve my purpose, for unless he was warned, sooner or later (if indeed he had not already done so) father would return home where other soldiers, doubtless, would be awaiting him. I was in a cleft stick, as the saying is. It seemed impossible to put father on his guard without betraying him, and yet were he not warned he would surely be taken. Clearly there was only one thing to do. I must elude those who followed me and then win back to the Patchens', trusting that father would still be there. This seemed a slim chance however I viewed the matter, but I could devise no better plan so I immediately tried to put it into practice. When I came to Smith Street, where I should have turned to my right to go through Hanover Square, I wheeled in the opposite direction and at the top of my speed raced for Queen Street. Up this 1 went toward Broad, without any plan in my head except to hurry all I could until I came to the new Dutch Church. On impulse I ran across the little square upon which it is situated to the gate in the paling fence, only to find it locked. But this was 44 Hide-and-Seek 45 no time for hesitation, and feeling that my sole chance to outwit my pursuers lay in hiding in the church-yard, I scrambled over the fence as best I could, tearing my frock and some skin off my hands as well. Of these things I took no thought but made for the shadows, and, gasping for breath, cowered down in the angle formed by the church wall and the steps. I hadn't long to wait. In a moment the men came running and stopped in the open square not far from me. " Which way went she? " said one, peering about him in all directions. " Plague on the wretched lights in this town. 'Tis as dark as the inside of an oven ! " All this while they were scurrying here and there, looking up one street and down another for a glimpse of my flying petticoats; but seeing naught of me, they came to a stop before the gate. " She's give' us the slip," said the one who had not spoken before. " Faith 'twill be a fine jest they'll make of us, to be diddled by a maid ! " And he laughed lightly. " Nay, 'tis no laughing matter," growled the other. " The Governor will be ill pleased if we do not catch this doctor. His heart is set on it, and to my thinking he is right. A hanging will bring these rebels to their senses quicker than all the proc- lamations that ever were wrote. Could she have gone in here? " he ended, shaking the gate. " Nay, 'tis locked, and no girl in farthingale and petticoats could climb that fence " ; said the more good-natured of the two. " Besides 'tis a church- yard, full of ghosts and goblins. Come on, we may as well return, though I hanker not for the reception we are like to get." 46 Polly Trotter, Patriot The surly man demurred at this, shaking the gate the while. " At any rate I'll take a turn within," he said at length, and suiting the action to the words he be- gan to climb. I lay huddled beside the steps trembling with fear for the outcome. And as I saw the man's head top- ping the fence against the lighter colour of the sky, I lost hope and felt certain they must find me. I heard the thud as he landed in the church-yard. Surely in a few moments now I must be discovered, for though I could not see him once he had dropped within, I could hear him draw nearer and nearer, all the while muttering to himself. " She may be here, right enough," he called back to his companion, " but I haven't cat's eyes and 'twill be hard to glimpse here. 'Tis a pity we didn't bring a lanthorn," he added. " Nay, but wait," said his comrade, " that's easy righted. I'll over the street and take one of those hanging before the houses." " Ay, well thought of! " cried my pursuer, and I heard the other clatter across Queen Street where in front of every seventh house there hung a lanthorn. Very shortly he was back swinging the light before him, and a moment later he had lifted it over to his comrade. Now indeed was my state desperate. I knew I must be found, but instinctively I shrank close against the boards forming the walls of the struc- ture which supported the steps into the church. On came the swinging light, on to the corner where I huddled, and 'twas a question of seconds when it must flash into my hiding-place and show me at the feet of him who held it. Again I pressed back, striving to make myself as small as might be, and as I did so the boards behind me yielded. With- Hide-and-Seek 47 out waiting to consider what might befall me, I pushed harder, turning at the same time, and dis- covered a small door opening into a space beneath the steps. An instant later I was inside, closing the door softly behind me, and even as I shut it the lanthorn-light flashed into the shadow where a mo- ment before I had cowered. I trembled lest the man should discover the entrance to my shelter, but I was soon relieved of this anxiety, for the light which came through the cracks passed on and dis- appeared. I listened for what seemed like an eternity as the trooper tramped about the yard, but at length I heard him speak to his companion. " She isn't here, so we may as well be off," he called out, so loudly that, though I felt a great re- lief, it yet seemed strange to me that he should raise his voice when his companion was so near him. Then I waited for their retreating foot-steps, but, hearing naught, I peeped cautiously through a crack in the door, and there the men still were, one in- side and one outside the fence, neither making a move to leave. The trick was plain. They had hoped I was within earshot and would incautiously show myself, and their ruse had nigh succeeded for I was wild to be on my errand. For some long moments I watched them stand- ing there motionless, but at last he without lifted his head and chuckled. " She isn't here," he said, " or if she is we don't know it. Come along. We may as well go back and face our wigging. No doubt the jade has warned her father ere this and he is safe beyond our reach." They bickered a little longer, but finally the man in the yard climbed back over the fence and I saw 48 Polly Trotter, Patriot them move off toward the Broad Way after re- placing the lanthorn and felt that at last my way was really clear. Dreading yet another trick, I came out of my hiding place watchfully and looked about me diligently before advancing toward the fence. Once there I paused again, but seeing no one, clambered over and raced down the street, glancing back frequently to make sure I was not fol- lowed. Thus at length I reached Hanover Square. All the houses were dark save one where a light burned in the second story. This was my goal. Some one was still up, and though I had no desire that Mrs. Patchen should be very ill, I did hope she was ill enough to have kept my father at her bed- side. 'Twas not a kindly wish, but my anxiety must be my excuse. When I ran up the steps and sounded the knocker the courage that had so far upheld me seemed to vanish of a sudden and I was like to drop before the door. So much depended upon the answer to my first question, was father there or not? If he were, all might be well. If he had gone I saw naught but imprisonment and a shameful death be- fore him. What would that answer be? Though it seemed like hours after I had knocked, in reality I stood but a moment outside the door be- fore I heard soft steps approaching. Then came a slow fumbling at the latch and at length the master of the house stood before me. "Oh, Mr. Patchen, is father still here?" I gasped. " Ay, that he is, my child," he answered. " Is aught amiss at home?" and at his words, so great was my relief that I could have shouted for joy. I stuttered something of my errand and without delay he led me into the house where father soon Hide-and-Seek 49 joined us, and I told my tale in full. They listened with grave faces, shaking their heads as if they could scarce bring themselves to believe it; but after some further talk, in which Mr. Patchen urged father to do as mother advised, he at length consented to go at once to Cambridge. This being determined upon and Mr. Patchen saying that he would gladly furnish all things need- ful for the journey, I was sent back to assure mother that all was well. I carried kisses and farewell messages on my re- turn trip, but my heart was easy, for though father was leaving home and doubtless would face many dangers in the days to come, he would be safer away than in New York. It was beginning to grow light as I reached the house and I was vastly surprised to see soldiers still there. I ran in at once to mother and found her seated in the surgery with one of the British offi- cers, so that I could not cry my news as I should have wished, but a glance told her of father's safety even though I could not say a word to reassure her. " And where have you been, young miss? " asked the officer, with no very pleasant expression on his face. " I've been walking in the moonlight, sir," I an- swered, very pertly, I fear, but I felt something of triumph for having set their plans at naught. More- over I could not tell him what I had been about. " And spoiled your frock in the business," he said with a scowl. " Climbing fences in the moonlight would be nearer the truth of it, I doubt not." Looking down at myself I realized for the first time what a forlorn figure I cut, for beside the tears in my petticoat there was much dirt from kneeling 50 Polly Trotter, Patriot on the bare ground in the shadow by the church- steps. The officer asked me a few more questions, which I answered as truthfully as I could, without acknowl- edging what my errand had been, or, when I had no reply ready, I held silent; until he, seeing that he could get no news out of me, gave it up and went away, taking his company of soldiers with him. Not until then could I tell mother of my last words with father or give his messages of farewell. She listened, interrupting only to ask a question or two, and when I had finished she sat for a long time in silence, thinking no doubt upon our situa- tion, for at length she gave a sigh, whether of relief or anxiety I know not, and rising to her feet, bade me go to bed and get what rest I could till break- fast-time. " We are two lone females, Mary, dear," she said, putting a loving hand upon my shoulder, " and we must be brave together to meet what trials come to us. 'Tis something of a comfort to know that your father and Will are working in the service of their country, and we too must find our part to do." " I'll try the best I can, mother," I answered. " You have already done much," she assured me, which was high praise from one who was not wont to flatter, and I went happy to bed, soon to fall asleep tired out with my exciting adventures. Thus it came about that mother and I were left alone while father and brother Will were in Cam- bridge with General Washington's army. !< Where have you been, young miss? " CHAPTER VIII NEWS FROM THE FRONT WE had not long to wait before there came an express from father telling of his safe arrival in Cambridge and that all was well with him. Mother read me only parts of this let- ter, but, though father grieved that we were alone, there nevertheless seemed something of gladness in it, as if he had at length found the duty he most longed for. " He was ever a man of action, Mary," -mother said to me, as if in answer to my thoughts, " and his heart has been sore that he could not do his part for the country we all love. We must see to it that on our account, he has no cause to regret going." In truth his departure brought us a measure of re- lief, for, though we missed him sorely of course, there was not the constant anxiety we had felt while he was in the city at the mercy of his enemies. Another letter came shortly after this from Will, written to me, though mother was to share in it, too. He spoke boyishly and with great enthusiasm of his soldier life, bragging a little of the ease with which we should win against the British cooped up in Bos- ton, and how he hoped soon to be an officer. " And you know, sis," he went on, " there are lots of men no older than I who have been made Captains, so you need not laugh. Yesterday I met a young man by the name of Nathan Hale who is here with a Connecticut regiment. He is very popu- 51 52 Polly Trotter, Patriot lar and, save for Hamilton, I have seen no one I could like better. You would admire him, I know. They say that all the maids in New Haven are in love with him. But he isn't the sort of a chap to think silly things like that about. He is the best jumper I ever saw, and it is no trick for him to put one hand on a fence as high as his head and clear it at a bound. He is over six feet, I should say, and very strong. He was most polite and agree- able to me, as, indeed, he is to everybody, but I mean to see more of him. His Excellency, General Washington, has taken quite a fancy to him. I was at headquarters when old Jonathan Turnbull introduced them. His appearance wouldn't lead you to suspect Hale of being a schoolmaster, but that is what he was; and the Connecticut men tell me that when he heard of the Lexington affair he was for fighting at once. ' Let us march immedi- ately,' they say he shouted, ' and never lay down our arms until we have obtained our independency ! ' That doesn't sound much like a schoolmaster, you'll grant; but he is just the sort of a fellow who would not stop at half measures. We are all talking of independency now, but it was a different story some months ago." This was all that Will had to say of this Mr. Nathan Hale in his letter, and I confess that what he had written scarce stirred my curiosity. 'Twas ever Will's way to praise a new friend extravagantly, and I had never found any schoolmasters that I greatly liked. The months passed without much change in our condition, though the state of the city became more and more confusing. Alarms grew frequent, and latterly there had been sounds of cannon-shots along the water front. Wild rumours reached us con- News from the Front 53 stantly, and had we taken them in all seriousness we should never have had a moment's freedom from anxiety. One day brought news that the British had determined to blow up the town; the next that war between the mother country and the Colonies was over and that peace had been arranged. For the most part our lives went on placidly enough. Many good Whig friends stepped in daily to see how we fared, and there was no lack of talk to stir my patriotism. The Livingstons, the Jays, Mr. Patchen, whose wife recovered duly from her illness, and a host of others, took it upon them- selves to have a care for our welfare in father's ab- sence, and I doubt not mother placed great reliance upon their timely advice. But of all who visited us Madam Robert Murray pleased me the best, for she was so sprightly a dame that the house echoed with laughter whenever she was within. I think mother, whose taste inclined to a soberness in dress, frowned a little at Madam Murray who was mon- strous fashionable, but I admired her greatly. When she was present I could scarce keep my eyes from her headdress, so high was it, and so beauti- fully adorned with silken butterflies and flowers. The time passed quickly, for I had plenty to oc- cupy me, seeing that we were short of servants. One of my new duties was the marketing, a matter that became increasingly difficult as the British ships closed in about the harbour, and the farmers of New Jersey and Long Island either feared to cross to the city or else received better prices for their wares from the warships. One day, in August I think it was, I went out to make some purchases, with black Betty behind me to carry the basket and as I walked down the Broad Way who should I meet but Mr. Hamilton 54 Polly Trotter, Patriot sauntering along with another gentleman. They were bravely dressed in their regimentals and looked very handsome as they saluted me. I was for going on modestly, but Mr. Hamilton stopped to ask for father and Will, introducing me to his companion, Captain Throgmorton by name, who seemed most polite and pleasant. I gave them the news, and while we stood talking, there passed up the Broad Way a straggling procession of carts piled high with household goods. It was not a new sight to me, as many people, frighted by the ever-flying rumours, were leaving the city daily ; but my attention was at- tracted by a fat old coloured woman seated upon one of the carts and much put to it to keep her place a-top the toppling load. At sight of Betty she grinned broadly, showing two rows of shining white teeth. " Fo' de land's sake if it ain't Sally's Sue ! " cried Betty, from a respectful distance behind us. " Say! Where yo' all goin'? Can't you stop and pass the time o' day? " " 'Tain't no 'casion fp' loit'rin', honey," Sally's Sue called down, shaking her head vigorously. " Us is a-goin' to Claremont, a-visitin' ol' Ma'am Livin'ston. 'Tain't no manner o' use my spendin' my time cookin' over a hot stove if them unman- nerly British gem'men is let to shoot my gumbo soup full o' dust." The cart creaked on with its burden and Sally's last words were shouted back with the full power of her stout lungs. " I think Mistress Sally scores off you, Hamilton," laughed Mr. Throgmorton. " I am desolated over the lost gumbo," Mr. Ham- ilton replied with a chuckle. " But what does she mean by dust in the soup? " News from the Front 55 I asked, for indeed I had no notion of what it was all about. " Your pardon, Mistress Polly," cried Mr. Ham- ilton, quickly. " I thought, of course, you knew. Our friend Sally evidently is from the Court end of the town and her kitchen must have been in the way of a chance cannon ball from the Asia. They took occasion, the other day, to fire a few shots at us and monstrous bad shots they were, too. Dust was about all they raised." "But why should a British ship fire at us?" I demanded, for it was plain he was holding some- thing back. " 'Twas naught " he began, but Mr. Throg- morton cut him short. " I'll tell you about it, Mistress Trotter! " he ex- claimed. " Our friend Hamilton is too modest. You heard the firing no doubt? " I nodded " yes " to his question. " Well," he went on, " you per- haps remember we had some cannon at the Battery right under the guns of the Asia. And to tell the. truth we thought they were lost to us. But Hamil- ton here, not content with the laurels he has already won, must take a handful of men and remove these cannon from under their very noses. It was hot work too, and a braver bit of soldiery I have never seen." " I pledge you my word 'twas naught," Mr. Ham- ilton interrupted, a slight blush mounting his hand- some face. " We thought the guns would look bet- ter on the Highlands where they promised to add to the utility if not the beauty of the landscape." " Ay, but to take them you had to face the fire of the finest man-of-war the British have in these waters," Mr. Throgmorton insisted. " I shall spare his modesty, Mistress Trotter," he went on, 56 Polly Trotter, Patriot turning to me, " and say no more, save that it was a gallant deed." " You took those cannon right from under the guns of the Asia? " I exclaimed, turning to Mr. Hamilton. " Sure they were ours," he answered, seeming to bristle a little, though there was a merry twinkle in his eye. " 'Twas good hard Colonial money paid for them." " Nay, 'twas not that I meant, but the risk you ran," I put in hastily. " Faith, I'm thankful Will is safe outside of Boston." At this both gentlemen laughed. ' There was little risk save for the gumbo," Mr. Hamilton insisted, merrily. " But the cannon we had to have. 'Twould have been small pleasure to see them turned against us one of these days." ' Think you then that the British will really take the town? " I questioned anxiously. Hamilton shrugged, foreign fashion. " Perhaps they will not want it," suggested Mr. Throgmorton. " They've had scant satisfaction from their stay in Boston," Mr. Hamilton said lightly, and then, quite seriously, " yet their warships could make it vastly unpleasant here, and, were you my sister, I think I should be glad to see you leaving the city, even a-top such a load as just passed. Under any circumstances I trust you will place my services at your mother's disposal if there is aught I can do to convenience her." I thanked him, saying that I thought it was mother's intention to remain in her own home until father should insist upon our going. With that we parted, the gentlemen bowing most mannerly, while I went upon my way, Betty waddling along be- News from the Front 57 hind much impressed by the gallant bearing of the two officers. With such slight incidents as this the months passed, and, though there were threats a-plenty of what the British would do, there was no demonstra- tion against us. On the contrary in October Gov- ernor Tryon left the fort and took refuge on a ship, The Duchess of Gordon, anchored in the bay. From there he continued to plot, being himself quite safe, and issued proclamations without stint to which nobody paid the slightest heed. The Christmas holiday came and went with little to mark them in the life of the city. I took a deal of pleasure in the box we sent to the Massachusetts for father and Will; but I was chagrined that it should contain so little that smacked of Christmas. All the presents were useful ones. Stockings, under-clothing, shoes, towels and plenty of soap, for in spite of the extra allowance mother had sent off with Will, they still complained of a shortness of that most necessary commodity, vow- ing that it was worth its weight in gold within a score of miles of Boston. I put a piece of holly, tied with a red ribbon a-top, but even then it did not seem like a Christmas box, though to be sure there was one corner filled with sweet cakes and a mynced pye. So ended the year of our Lord, 1775. What was in store for us we knew not but we scarce thought that the months to follow could be so full of anxiety and heartaches as those which had just passed. It is ofttimes a mercy that we are to-day ignorant of the events of to-morrow. CHAPTER IX THE GATHERING STORM ON the morning of January first, 1776, I looked out of my window and made no ef- fort to suppress a despondent sigh. Sure never was a year begun so inauspiciously. A storm of wind and sleet raging outside and dark, menacing clouds hung so low that they seemed to touch the roofs and chimneys of the nouses opposite. The streets were deserted, scarce a person did I see abroad on this New Year's day which, in the past, was wont to be the merriest holiday of the twelve- month. Toward three in the afternoon Mr. Patchen came to visit us. He was an old man unfit to be out on such a day, so we made him welcome in the surgery where an open fire burned for warmth and for cheer. At first he made a great show at liveliness, but he could not long hide the anxiety that he and all peo- ple felt at this time; for it was not the weather alone that made this New Year's day the dismalest that the city had known for a century and a half. " There are none dare venture on the streets," grumbled Mr. Patchen, at length, giving up the at- tempt to hide his feelings. " All keep to their homes, be they Whig or Tory." " The ladies have little spirit for social observ- ance," mother answered, gently. " Those they love best are either with the army or making ready." "Ay, but what else can be done?" said Mr. 58 The Gathering Storm 59 Patchen, thinking perhaps that mother voiced a pro- test. " Either we must fight now or cease to be a free people." " 'Tis not that we women complain," mother re- plied. " 'Tis that we realize how helpless we are and wonder why so little is being done. The Brit- ish ships now in the harbour could blow the city to pieces." " Ay," agreed Mr. Patchen, " we are at their mercy, and moreover the rumour runs that Sir Henry Clinton is sailing from Boston with another fleet and means to take the town." ' Think you 'tis true ? " asked mother. " I know not what to think," he answered, " but it may well be." " Then why have we not fortified? " mother de- manded. " Are we to stand by doing nothing, hop- ing for a miracle to save us? " Mr. Patchen shook his head hopelessly. He seemed very old and his hand trembled. " 'Tis a vexed question," he faltered. " Some there be who demand that we shall prepare ourselves at once and perhaps they are right. Others caution delay, fearing to give excuse for the British to open hostilities while we are all unready. They, too, may be right. Still others insist that the trouble will blow over and are for peace no matter what the cost." " Yet one thing have they all in common," cried mother, scornfully, "they do naught but talk! As if that would serve. I'll warrant, sir, the women- folk of New York would have acted ere this an they had a hand in the matter." " Be not too hard on us," said Mr. Patchen, with a mirthless, little laugh. " All nerves are stretched to the breaking-point, while Tryon hatches his plots 60 Polly Trotter, Patriot from a safe retreat on the Duchess of Gordon, and no one knows who is friend or foe. A man dare not tell his neighbour what is in his mind, fearing lest an old friend has turned Tory spy. So we do naught and Isaac Sears cries it abroad that New York is a ' nest of Tories.' ' " 'Tis not true ! " I burst out, forgetting my man- ners before my elders. " New York is as staunch for liberty as any Colony in America. Have we not sent hundreds to General Washington's army in Cambridge? Are not the Livingstons, the Schuy- lers, the Roosevelts, the Murrays and a host of oth- ers as good patriots as the Adamses of Boston or the Morrises or Tilghmans of Philadelphia? How dare any one say that New York is a nest of Tories?" I stopped a little out of breath and, suddenly real- izing my forwardness, looked to mother for a well- deserved rebuke, but she gave no sign of displeas- ure. " Ay, the very children cry for freedom," mur- mured Mr. Patchen. " 'Tis for the children and the children's children that the struggle must be made ! " said mother in a strong voice. " For us, who count but a few years more or less, what care we whether our ruler be a King or a Congress? But what of those who come after us? Are they to be the slaves of selfish, stubborn Princes? Never! Never!" I looked at mother in amazement, for she had ever said that a political female was an abomina- tion and here she was talking good Whig sentiments with an earnestness that showed plainly the depth of her feeling. Shortly after this Mr. Patchen took leave of us The Gathering Storm 61 and after we had let him out of the door I turned questioningly to mother. " I thought it was not becoming of a female to talk of politics and such things? " " So I was brought up to believe, my child," mother answered, " and in that light I have taught you; but I begin to doubt the wisdom of that teach- ing. Mayhap some day women will play a larger part in the affairs of the nation and then, when a crisis like this comes upon them, they will not be so helpless as we are. However, let me warn you that there is talk enough in the world as it is, and idle talkers, be they men or women, are abomina- tions." From then on, mother treated me less like a child, and I was heartened to speak what was in my mind when the occasion served; but I was on my guard not to be too forward with my opinions. As the month advanced, anxiety for the safety of the city increased and each day brought a new crop of alarming rumours, until all but the bravest were well-nigh panic-stricken and, in spite of the bitter cold, fled the town with all the belongings they could carry with them. Nor could one blame them. It was asserted, and thousands believed, that the Crown had given orders to destroy all our coast cities; and, to con- firm this, news came of the burning of Norfolk, Vir- ginia, and the bombarding of Portland, Maine, by British men-of-war. It was confidently predicted that New York would be the next victim of these outrages and when, near the end of the month, Sir Henry Clinton arrived with his fleet there was scarce any one who was not certain that the town was doomed. 62 Polly Trotter, Patriot To add to the alarm General Charles Lee came with a force of New Englanders to defend the city, and thus did the hostile forces confront each other. It seemed but a question of hours ere the fighting would begin. 'Twas then the first real panic struck us. Nigh every one believed the crisis was upon us and peo- ple of all kinds and conditions fled in disorder, hastening out into the country with fearful, back- ward glances, as if they expected to be fired upon at any moment. Past our windows, up the Broad Way, an endless procession wound. Men, women and children, with scared, white faces, shivered in the bitter wind as they hurried on, mindful only of the fancied peril behind them. Whole fam- ilies, huddled togther for fear of losing each other, made their escape as best they might, taking with them little or much as the circumstances allowed. Waggons and carts of all descriptions creaked past, piled high with household goods, and groaned under their burdens in the freezing air. The rich knew not where to go, and the poor had no hope save from the charity of those a little better off than themselves. Sure never had I seen such sad sights, nor could I be indifferent to their meaning. " Are we to stay, mother? " I asked, for she had said no word of our going, and went about her du- ties as calmly as though naught was happening out of the ordinary. " Ay, we stay here," she answered firmly. " Do not be afraid because a multitude of people have lost their senses. I hold with Mr. Murray that the last thing the British want is a conflict in New York. They have not given up hope $f keeping the Colony loyal to- the Crown and will never be the first to force the fighting." The Gathering Storm 63 Mother's words heartened me somewhat, but it would be folly to pretend that I felt no alarm when, wherever I looked, there were signs of danger. Still, I made as brave a show of courage as I could manage for an example to our black servants, who threatened to desert us at any moment. And presently there came a lull in our anxieties. Sir Henry Clinton sailed away vowing he had but come on a visit to his old friend, Governor Tryon; and the town breathed easier. Moreover General Lee set all men to working day and night upon forti- fications and barriers. These breastworks, many of them constructed out of the fine mahogany logs found on board the West India merchantmen, gave us a sense of security, and flight from the city was halted. Indeed a few even straggled back from the Jerseys, glad to be in their warm homes once more; but for all that there must have been hundreds of empty houses in the city. This Mr. Lee, who was a British officer, had thrown in his lot with the Colonies at the first sign of hostilities. With us in New York he was far from popular and with good reason. He was most insulting to all our patriotic citizens and made no effort to hide his scorn and contempt of everything American. I saw him more than once upon the streets; a gross man, slovenly in his dress and al- ways accompanied by a yelping pack of dogs of which he seemed more fond than of human com- panions. But presently he, too, went away and there was a period of comparative peace and quiet, though the work upon the defenses went on unceas- ingly. Some time in March, I think it was, we had the first news that the British had sailed out of Boston harbour and that General Washington had taken 64 Polly Trotter, Patriot possession of that town without the firing of a shot. At first there was much show of joy over this vic- tory of our troops, but our jubilation was soon changed to self-pity, for almost immediately rumour had it that General Howe and all his army were com- ing to take New York. Again panic seized the city, and the same sad scenes of a mob in flight were to be observed on every hand. Hosts of people left in hot haste, and the slaves and house-servants who had remained faith- ful, disappeared like snow before the summer sun. Ours fled with the rest, all, that is, save black Betty, our cook, who stood bravely by through all our trou- bles, her loyalty during those trying times making her, in truth, one of the family, as she considered herself. But, in a measure, this desertion on the part of our servants, was a blessing. It meant less food to provide, and with all business stopped, every one had to take thought for the pennies no matter how prosperous they might have been pre- viously. It must not be supposed that in all this time we were without news of father and Will. Doubts of their welfare, of course, added to our anxieties; but we heard from them frequently, and there was much in their letters to quiet the alarm we naturally felt for their safety. Father, from the beginning, had prophesied that the British would evacuate Bos- ton without a struggle; but when the prophecy had actually been fulfilled he confessed that he had not been so certain of the matter as he had seemed. He, of course, had been thinking of mother, ever awaiting the news of a battle in which Will must play his part; and, knowing better than any one that she was far from strong, he had done his best to minimize the anticipated danger. The Gathering Storm 65 Will, too, wrote, sometimes to me but oftener to mother. I noticed that there was a more fre- quent mention of Mr. Hale and judged thereby that they had become quite intimate. Indeed I grew a little weary of reading long descriptions of what this gentleman did, and would rather he had devoted the pages to his own doings. Nor should it be thought that amid all the dis- quietude of these months I had ceased to remember Roger Delancy. In truth he was seldom out of my memory but no word came to me of his fate nor any news to shake my conviction that he was dead. CHAPTER X A REUNION A /THOUGH the evacuation of Boston by the British troops under General Howe brought a great measure of relief to mother and me, this period of comparative freedom from anxiety was short-lived, for soon it was noised abroad that the Congress in Philadelphia had ordered General Washington's army to defend New York, and, ere many days had passed, the troops began to arrive. With the first regiments came father, he having been sent early to perform such medical duties as were necessary and to make what preparations he could for the care of the sick and wounded. 'Tis impossible to describe our delight at having him home again. And he was much relieved to find us comfortable at least, and brave to face what hard- ships might be in store for us. Of the many questions we asked the first were about Will and how he fared. " He will soon be here to speak for himself," fa- ther told us, " and I doubt not he will be made an officer ere he reaches New York. He is held in high esteem at headquarters and deservedly, for he is much in earnest. You will be right proud of your brother, Polly," he ended with a nod to me. " I hope he is not too high and mighty to notice a chit of a girl," I answered, rather pertly, I fear, but truth to tell I should have cried had I attempted to express what was in my heart. 66 A Reunion 67 " And who is this Mr. Nathan Hale he speaks of so often? " mother asked. " A splendid young fellow ! " father replied with enthusiasm. " A year or two Will's senior, I should say. We shall hear fine things of Hale one of these days, and I'm glad that he and Will are such fast friends." " Will writes of naught else but Mr. Hale and his doings," I put in, " sure I'm convinced I shall not like him at all." " Then you will be the first one who didn't," laughed father, " but 'tis hard on a man to be over- praised. Wait, Polly, till you've seen him." Then father told us something of the soldier life at Cambridge and of the many officers with whom he came into daily contact, but of them all he ranked Mr. Washington the most far-seeing and capable. " He is just the man to lead us, in spite of what is said in some quarters," he declared with marked enthusiasm, " but I vow 'tis scarce less than a crime the way Congress hampers him. Sure had I the power I would make His Excellency King at least until we have settled with George the Third and I am by no means the only man who thinks the same. There has been considerable talk of doing that very thing." ^ " Is it not to be rid of Kings that we face this war? " asked mother. " Ay, I grant you it is," agreed father. " There are two sides to the matter and I have yet to find the man who would dare to suggest such a plan to the General himself. However, he'll pull us through in spite of Congress and the jealousies of some who think first of themselves. Now enough of these dry politics ." We ceased our serious talk and father gave us 68 Polly Trotter, Patriot some of the gossip of the army. 'Twas then I first heard of Mr. Paul Revere and how he had ridden from Concord at the dead of night to warn the farmers of Lexington, though this had happened nigh a year before. Of the battle of Concord Bridge and old Josiah Haynes who, though eighty years of age, pursued the British and kept pace with the swiftest until he fell dead a little beyond Fisk's Hill. Next he told us stories of the battle of Bunker's Hill, as we had heard the news, but which really was Breed's Hill, that being the nearest to Boston town. They fortified in a night, and in the morning when the British began to bombard the earthworks Mr. Prescott, who was in command, walked calmly up and down the parapet to show his men how little they had to fear from the British fire. " And then, there's old Israel Putnam, a farmer from Pomfret, Connecticut," father went on. " There's a man for you ! No heart in the land beats more warmly for our cause." "What did he do, father?" I asked a little ex- citedly. " 'Tis not so much what he did, but his readiness," answered father. " They tell a tale of him which I doubt not is quite true. 'Tis so wholly like the man." " But what was it, father? " I begged. " Well," began father, " it seems that one day Farmer Putnam was out in the fields with one of his hired men. Some say he was ploughing, others that he was building a fence, but however it was, the news of Lexington reached him while he worked. Now most men (your father, among them, Polly, my dear) , would have stopped, at least to talk, but that was not Israel Putnam's way. He didn't even wait to change his clothes, nor to fling off his old leathern A Reunion 69 apron. No, indeed ! He caught a horse and rode off on the instant to summon his neighbours for miles around. I'll warrant no man held back who saw his white hair flying in the wind as he galloped from house to house, shouting the news, and telling them to assemble at once to beat back the British. When he had made his rounds he returned and there were hundreds gathered in answer to his call. They told him they had chosen him to lead them. ' All right ! ' he cried, in a ringing voice, that I doubt not you could have heard near a mile. ' All right ! Fol- low me ! ' and he took the road for Cambridge where the company arrived at sunrise next morning, Put- nam in the van on the horse he had ridden nigh a hundred miles in eighteen hours." " That horse should have a place in history," said mother, with a smile. " Ay, so it should," laughed father. " At any rate his master will, for the man in the old shirt and leathern apron has ever since been setting his hand to any work that came his way with the same ready spirit. He is General Putnam now, but he is still the simple Connecticut farmer he was a year ago and when the war ends he will go back to build- ing that fence he was busy with when the news of Lexington interrupted his work." "A ready patriot!" exclaimed mother heartily. " Ay, that he is ! " agreed father. With father at home again it might be thought that mother's cares would be lessened but she would not have it so. " Worry not over us," she told him. " Mary and I can manage well enough, and you have more important matters to occupy you. We should be poor patriots if we added to your troubles." And seeing that this was indeed true, father came 70 Polly Trotter, Patriot and went as most suited the work he was engaged upon, leaving home affairs in our hands; but it was a comfort to have him so near, though to be sure he was often called to Brooklyn or Long Island, and we saw him not for days at a time. Meanwhile I spent many of my free hours gazing out of the window watching our troops coming into the city, and always on the lookout for Will. Day after day the soldiers marched past down the Broad Way clad in all sorts of uniforms that made a motley array when the regiments from the various Colonies were gathered together. The Pennsylvanians, for instance, were dressed in all the colours of the rain- bow. Some of them wore brown coats faced with buff, others blue coats faced with red, while still others had on brown coats faced with white and studded with huge pewter buttons. Then too there were those who wore no coats at all and these were soon nicknamed the " Shoddy-shirts." Old red coats, laid away in garrets since the French wars, made their appearance on a portion of the Con- necticut troops, and these contrasted finely with the green hunting shirts of the Marylanders. The Vir- ginians were extremely gay in white smocked frocks with ruffles at the neck, elbows and wrists. Indeed a few of the companies were so richly dressed that it was impossible to tell them from the British, while some poor fellows had no uniforms at all. It was not, however, until some time in April that General Washington, the Commander-in-Chief ar- rived, escorted by his guards who were bravely ar- rayed in blue coats faced with buff, red waistcoats, buckskin breeches, black felt hats bound with white tape and body-belts of white. And in His Excel- lency's train came my brother, Lieutenant William A Reunion 71 Trotter now, and to my thinking the handsomest of- ficer in the patriot army. I was at the window when he dashed up the steps, and for an instant I did not recognize him, so brown was he and so manly in his uniform ; but it was only for an instant. " 'Tis Will! " I shouted at the top of my voice and flew to the hall to meet him. The next moment I had my arms about him and half sobbed and half laughed a welcome. " Oh, Polly, my dear, I am glad to see you! " he cried, giving me a huge hug. " Where's mother? " She was not far behind, having heard my shout, and the next moment they were in each other's arms, while I furtively, wiped away the tears that would come into my eyes for very joy. We stood off from him to look him over, very proud of his sword and epaulettes, and though he protested that he felt like a wax-work, we gazed our fill at him. " Nay, Will," laughed mother, though her voice broke and she was nigh to tears, " let those who love you have their way for a little. Sure an officer who can face the British guns can brave the glances of his old mother and doting sister." " You must have your way, an' it pleases you, mother dear," he answered, " but I am as hungry as a wolf, and ." Whether he said this on purpose to put an end to his ordeal I know not but surely it had that ef- fect for at the word " hungry " we flew to get him food, feeling guilty at even this momentary neglect of our hero and taking huge delight in stuffing him with all the good things we could find. There was laughter a-plenty, for Will was ever 72 Polly Trotter, Patriot one to take things lightly, but the tears were never far from our eyes and the very uniform we so much admired could not help but remind us of the dangers he must soon be facing. He could not stay long, indeed it seemed scarce a minute ere he had eaten and was away again; but we had seen both him and father, and we felt that now at last the spring had come bringing a new and brighter sun to shine on our troubled world. CHAPTER XI A MAD ADVENTURE ONE evening, a day or so after Will's return, I had run up to the sewing room on an er- rand for mother. I forget now what the business was, but it took some little time, and while I was about it the knocker sounded on the front door. I hoped it might be father and, hurrying with my task, was soon on my way back to the surgery where I had left mother. Half-way down the stairs I heard Will's voice and, thinking of naught but my delight at seeing him, I gave a shout of welcome and flew into the room like a small whirlwind. But once inside I halted on the instant, blushing furiously, for there, with mother and Will, stood a tall young officer who smiled at me pleasantly while his eyes twinkled merrily. " Come right in, Polly," Will cried, laughingly, " I have just been telling Captain Hale about my quiet, gentle little sister, and he is most anxious to make your acquaintance." 'Twas not kind of Will to put me to such con- fusion, and I scarce had sufficient presence of mind to curtsey; but Captain Hale with a sympathetic smile quickly set me at my ease. " Do not heed him, Mistress Polly," he said, step- ping toward me with outstretched hand. " He is never so happy as when he is trying to tease some one. Which I hold is very unmannerly." 73 74 Polly Trotter, Patriot His voice was so low and musical that I forgot my embarrassment. Sure 'twas plain to me then why every one who knew him had a good word to say of Mr. Nathan Hale. " I'm sorry to have been so hoydenish," I fal- tered, " but I was glad to see my brother again." " He does not deserve so hearty a welcome," said Captain Hale. " The next time I should pay him no such compliment." " Not even if he be hungry." Added mother with a laugh. " Ha ! " cried Will. " Polly wouldn't starve her brother. " ,You deserve naught but bread and water," I answered, pretending great indignation. " If the bread be of your baking I ask no better," he replied, so gallantly that he won my forgiveness on the instant. " And Hale," he went on, " you'll not find a stauncher patriot in all the Colonies than this same Polly Trotter." " I can well believe that," said Mr. Hale. " But girls can do naught," I complained. ; ' They can feed the hungry," Will remarked flip- pantly. " Ay, 'tis all they're thought fit for," I grumbled. " Small blame to them," Mr. Hale insisted ear- nestly. 'Tis not fair to give the boys all the ad- vantages. Had I my way the girls should go to college with their brothers." ' You preach a revolution, Mr. Hale," said mother, with keen interest. "He has all sorts of outlandish notions," Will put in lightly. " Nay," Mr. Hale retorted, " it does not seem strange to me that women should be given equal advantages for education with men. Being a school- A Mad Adventure 75 master, Madam Trotter," he went on, speaking di- rectly to mother, " I have thought deeply on the subject, and when the war is over I mean to prove my theories." " A truce to your lectures, Master Hale," laughed Will; and at that they talked of other things, while I, sitting by mother's side, took note of our visitor. Truth to tell my prejudice against him had van- ished, as I have said, at first sight. He did not look like any schoolmaster I had ever known nor did he talk like one, though to be sure he was serious enough when the occasion served. But he had none of that air of great wisdom such as those of his profession are still wont to affect. Nor did he smile sneeringly when his opinion upon any subject was questioned. He was never a solemn kill-joy but could laugh and joke with the best and seemed to love life with a buoyant, happy boyishness that won all hearts. In stature he was nigh as tall as Roger Delancy, broad-shouldered and deep-chested, with a look of strength above the average. Yet it was none of these things one thought of in his presence, but rather of the earnest expression of his face that was the key to his character. His brown hair matched a ruddy complection and many girls would have thought him very handsome; though from the first I was most impressed by his look of resolution and purpose. Once his hand was set to a task I felt sure he would accomplish it, no matter what ob- stacles might be in the way. As I grew to know him better, I found, as had all his associates, be they officers or privates, that the freeing of our country filled his thoughts, and to that end he was working with all the energy of his bodily and in- tellectual strength. From that day onward he was free to come and 76 Polly Trotter, Patriot go in our house. He and Will had formed a close friendship and, though my brother effected a light- ness of spirit, he made no secret of his affection of Mr. Hale and was ready to follow him blindly wherever he might lead. Another friend of both Will's and Mr. Hale's was Mr. John Hull, a Captain with the Connecti- cut troops. These three, with mother and me to listen, met in the surgery as often as they could be spared from their duties, to talk over the affairs of the country and plan the measures they would take were they at the head of the nation. All were young, and I doubt not much of their criticism of their elders in command was foolish, for 'tis cer- tain the members of Congress assembled in Phila- delphia received a mighty share of censure at their hands; but in all their talk I never heard a word of aught but praise for General Washington, who was vastly admired by his younger officers. The city during these days was in a feverish state of excitement. It had become certain now that General Howe would sooner or later attempt to take the town, so work went on upon the fortifica- tions night and day. Almost hourly fresh troops ar- rived from all parts of the Colonies, tired and dusty after their long marches; but there was little time for rest and they were soon set to drilling in prep- aration for the mighty struggle that was to come. Some of these poor soldiers had scarce sufficient clothing to cover them and fresh supplies were well- nigh unobtainable. I saw hundreds tramping the streets in rags, their feet wrapped in straw or old cloths in lieu of boots. Indeed so great was the demand for all sorts of essential articles that those whose task it was to supply them were in despair. This destitute state of his men touched Mr. Hale A Mad Adventure 77 deeply, and he would have spared no pains to re- lieve them if he had had the power. " I would give my last penny to get those poor fellows shoes," he cried one evening as if the knowl- edge of their privations was more than he could bear. " Nay, 'tis not a matter of money," said Mr. Hull. " But what must they think of their Captain to let them suffer so? " Mr. Hale burst out. " They know you can do naught," Will insisted. " Sure you've proved that to them. You gave all your pay to make them comfortable in Cambridge." " Ay, and little enough," murmured Captain Hale, striding across the room. Now all this time there were numerous vessels anchored in the harbour filled with just such sup- plies as our army stood most in need of. They had been sent from England to re-equip the British regi- ments, and, as I sat sewing, listening to the men's talk I wondered greatly why no attempt had been made to capture one of those boats. " It seems to me," I ventured timidly, " that were I a man I should go secretly and take one of those supply ships in the harbour." All three turned to me with a look of surprise as if for a moment they might have forgotten my presence, then Will burst out into a laugh. " 'Tis lucky you're a girl, Polly," he said. " Were it otherwise, and you should attempt such a scheme, I should lose both a brother and a sis- ter." " 'Tis quite out of the question, Mistress Trot- ter," Captain Hull, attempted to explain politely. " You see the British men-of-war have a peculiar care for those vessels and every one of them lies under the guns of their ships-of-the-line." I was but half listening to Mr. Hull's talk, for my 78 Polly Trotter, Patriot eyes were upon Captain Hale, who, on hearing my suggestion, had paused in his restless walk and was staring at the carpet. He, I knew, would give the final word and though this idea of mine had but popped into my head on the spur of the moment, I awaited his opinion before abandoning it entirely. " We have no war-ships to fight them with," Will was saying, " otherwise, I doubt not, we should have had a try at them long ere this." " I would that we dared attempt it ! " Mr. Hull declared, " but 'tis impossible." " Nay, 'tis not impossible ! " Mr. Hale's resolute voice filled the room. " What wild plan have you in your mind now? " demanded Mr. Hull, looking apprehensively at his friend. " No wild plan at all, John," Mr. Hale pro- tested, " though I grant you there's a risk. Never- theless it can be done." As he ended he began striding excitedly up and down the room. " What is in your mind? " Mr. Hull asked a sec- ond time. " This," Mr. Hale began, coming to a stop in front of us. " There's a sloop lying in the East River and I mean to have her 1 " " I know the one you mean 1 " exclaimed Will eagerly. " They say she's filled with all sorts of supplies." " Ay, so she is," agreed Mr. Hull, " but have you forgot that the Asia is within hail of her and has enough guns aboard to blow out of the water anything we could bring against her? " " Nay, I've not forgot it," Mr. Hale went on confidently, " but we need not go with trumpet and drum to proclaim our coming. 'Twas Mistress Polly had the right idea, and it can be done. We've A Mad Adventure 79 all been thinking of fighting. I say * let's fool 'em!'" "Ay, but how?" asked Will, ready for any ad- venture. " I'll tell you," Mr. Hale explained, drawing up a chair and lowering his voice to a whisper. " That sloop carries no more than half a dozen men at most. I will take six of mine ." " Five's enough, for I'm going," Will cut in. " That will settle itself later," Mr. Hale said, shortly. " The point is this. We take a small boat and board the sloop in the darkness of the early morning and secure the watch without a sound. Then all we have to do is to sail the vessel to the shore under our own guns. 'Twill need a scant two hours." " The Colonel will never give you leave to go," Mr. Hull demurred. " There I think you're right," agreed Mr. Hale with a smile. " And I don't mean to ask him." "What! You'll take the responsibility on your- self! " exclaimed Mr. Hull. " Ay," said Mr. Hale quietly. " And be cashiered when you return," predicted Mr. Hull. " Nay, there I disagree," replied Mr. Hale. " // I return it will be with the sloop, and I'll warrant the Colonel will have no thought of censure once he sees the supplies she holds. If I come not back I shall have little interest whether or not I am cashiered." " Nay, Nathan, give it up," Mr. Hull pleaded. " 'Tis not on my own account I ask you, for I can- not join you, being on duty with His Excellency to- night; but for your own sake I beg it." " I doubted not your courage, John," said Mr. 8o Polly Trotter, Patriot Hale. u 'Tis always that your fear for me makes you too solictious. But I must go through with it." " 'Tis a mad plan, and no fit duty for an officer! " exclaimed Mr. Hull, exasperated at the other's de- termination. " There you are wrong," declared Mr. Hale, and his voice vibrated with the emotion he plainly felt. " I wish to be useful, and if the exigencies of my country demand a peculiar service its claims to the performance of that service are imperious ! " His voice rang out almost exultingly and in the days to come I took much comfort from his words. But at the time we sat silent for a moment, impressed mainly by his earnestness and determination to do anything that might further the cause of his coun- try. ' Think you the gain would be worth the risk, Mr. Hale ? " asked mother, in a quiet voice. He turned to her with a loving expression on his face, as if to his own mother, well knowing what was in her thoughts. " I think, Madam Trotter, that my own friend John Hull exaggerates the risk," he said gently, " but were it twice as great it would be worth the trial. I need not tell you the suffering it would re- lieve an we are successful; but there is no cause for you to worry. Will's going is not necessary." " I shall not stand in his way," declared mother, firmly. " You spoke truly when you said that any service for the country's good should be performed. My son shall go with you if he can help in your en- terprise, and if he come not back " she hesitated a moment, smiling a little sadly, " his life will have been given to the land of his birth quite as fully as if he had fallen upon the battlefield leading his troops against the enemy." A Mad Adventure 81 " Ah, that's the true spirit of patriotism, Madam Trotter," said Mr. Hale, looking earnestly at her, " as for me, I think it is a sweet and fitting thing to die for one's country." For another long moment we sat silent and then, Mr. Hull brought us back to our surroundings with a jerk. " Tis all very well to die for one's country," he cried harshly, " but there is little gain in throw- ing away valuable lives on such a mad enterprise." Out of fairness to Captain Hull it must be ex- plained that he thought not at all of himself. 'Twas his great regard for Mr. Hale that made him pro- test then, as he did later, when the friend he loved undertook a task of unusual danger. But he re- monstrated to no purpose. Mr. Hale had come to a decision and would see it through, come what might. "And when shall it be done?" asked Will. Mr. Hale jumped to his feet and, going to the window, pushed aside the blinds and looked out into the night. " We'll start now! " he announced, turning back into the room. " 'Tis as black as a hat outside, and delay is like to do more harm than good. I can put my hand on the men we want within the hour." He started impulsively toward the door as if eager to be about the business. We rose to our feet, and my heart sank like lead at the prospect of the long hours of anxious wait- ing ahead of us. I scarce dared look at mother, dreading to find her a-tremble at the suddenness of this departure, but I need not have feared for her courage. Indeed she was as calm when she said good-bye to Will as she would have been had he been bent upon a junket. 82 Polly Trotter, Patriot The parting words were few and hurried. None of us cared to dwell upon the possible outcome ; but as I kissed him I found my fingers clutching Will's coat as though I would hold him back. It seemed but a moment ere they were gone and I was shutting the front door upon them. " Oh, mother," I sobbed, " why did I ever sug- gest that they should try so mad an adventure? " " Nay, my child," she answered, and there was a hint of disapproval in her voice, " I do not think it a mad adventure. Mr. Hale would run no need- less risk, of that I am well convinced, and on so dark a night 'twill be no easy task for the guns of the Asia to hit a small boat, even if they are dis- covered. I am fully persuaded that they will carry it through." Whether mother was as confident as she appeared I know not, but she heartened me, which may have been the motive behind her brave words. I went into the front room and, crossing straight to the window, looked out into the black night. There was no light behind me so that I could not be seen from the street, and peering down the Broad Way I saw Will and the others pass under a swing- ing lanthorn about a block off and disappear in the darkness. Opposite our house a street lamp burned dimly, and as I turned my eyes toward it a black, crouch- ing figure suddenly passed, as if from nowhere, into its yellow circle of light. The man halted a mo- ment, turning toward me a face wizzened and cun- ning as a fox's, and at once I recognized the spy who had spoken to Roger the day he left New York. He glanced toward me but for an instant, then, bend- ing low and hugging the wall, he seemed to fade out A Mad Adventure 83 of sight in th direction taken by the three young officers. Doubtless it was the fellow's stealthy movements that put the notion into my head, but, whatever the cause, I was convinced that he had been watching the house, and was now following the young men to spy upon them. If that were the case he would warn the British, and any attempt to take the sloop under such cir- cumstances could only result in their capture. With a little cry of despair I ran to mother with my fears. CHAPTER XII THE SPY'S MESSENGER IT took but a moment to tell mother what I had seen, and 'twas all too plain that she shared my belief in the spy's purpose. As she lis- tened, I saw her grow white of a sudden, and re- membered too late father's oft repeated warning not to startle her because she suffered from a malady of the heart. " Oh, mother, I should not have told you!" I cried, realizing that with all her fortitude there was a limit to her strength. She shook her head in denial but for the moment could not speak, then she rallied bravely. " You must be off to warn them, Mary," she whispered. " Waste no time. There is no one else to save them." I was ready enough but as I looked at mother, lying back in her chair, nigh to fainting, I knew not which way to turn. I could not bring myself to leave her and yet . " Get Betty and go," she murmured weakly, as if reading my thoughts, and seeing that to obey would be the best service, I hurried off to do her bidding. After rousing Betty I went to my room and, grop- ing in the press, found a hooded woolen cloak that covered me from top to toe. Wrapping this round me as I ran I was soon back in the surgery to show mother that I was ready. 84 The Spy's Messenger 85 She nodded encouragingly, forcing a little smile to hearten me, yet she looked so ill that I was most unwilling to leave her. However, she was impa- tient to have me gone, and hearing black Betty upon the stair, I kissed her good-bye forthwith. A mo- ment later I was out upon the street hurrying down the Broad Way toward the harbour with no thought in my head but to be upon my way, and not yet realizing the difficulties of my task. 'Twas not until I neared the Trinity church yard that I came to my senses and began to appreciate that I knew not where to find those I sought. I had started out with a half-formed notion that I would overtake them, but so far I had not caught sight of a soul. Ahead of me, gleaming brightly in the dis- tance I could see the flames of huge fires kindled to give light to those who worked upon the barricades near the Bowling Green. There I knew I should find people in plenty, but not those I was looking for. 'Twas not in the mind of Captain Hale and his companions to call attention to themselves and they had doubtless turned off at one of the cross streets leading to the rivers. But had they turned to the right or left? Naught had been said of their plans, and though the sloop they hoped to capture lay in the East River, they might start out from the Hudson side of the Island, row round the fort and so come upon their quarry from that direction. I stopped in my tracks, bewildered by my help- lessness. To be sure I might search them out among our soldiers; but to blunder from one en- campment to another asking for Captain Hale would start a hue and cry upon their tracks. This would by no means do, for I had not forgot that Captain Hull had declared that those in high authority 86 Polly Trotter, Patriot would not countenance Captain Hale's plan. To discover the matter to those in command of the army would, at best, lead to the disgrace of those I wished to save, and might easily fail to help them. I argued thus with myself, concluding that only as a last resort would I seek in that direction for aid; but for the life of me I could hit upon no other road out of my perplexity. " Faith a girl makes a poor patriot ! " I murmured half aloud. " Had I been a boy I should have known what to do." But scolding myself brought me no nearer to find- ing Will and the others. If I were to do aught I must be at it quickly, for already many precious mo- ments had slipped by and each one brought disaster nearer to those I meant to save. Trusting to luck, I started off toward the Hud- son River, hoping I might stumble upon them when I gained the shore, for though that chance seemed remote 'twas better to do something than to stand still. It was but a short distance to the water and as I neared it a number of people appeared upon the streets. All seemed bent upon their own affairs and paid scant heed to me, but I pulled my hood about my face, deeming it wise to attract as little attention as possible. After a fruitless search up and down the shore I came to a stop under a lanthorn hanging from the wall of a house. I was at my wit's end what to do next. Two alternatives only seemed open to me. I could go to the East River and continue hunt- ing there, or I must hasten to headquarters and tell my tale to the first officer who demanded to know what I was doing abroad at such an hour of the night. The latter course held out the sole hope The Spy's Messenger 87 so far as I could see. I no longer had any time to waste in aimless looking here and there, trusting to mere chance. If aught was to be done it must be done at once, no matter what the outcome. Should no other plan occur to me, disgrace for Cap- tain Hale and Will seemed the best that could be hoped for; but their lives must be saved. Then on a sudden I remembered father. I should find him at headquarters, and to avoid awk- ward questioning upon my errand, I need but ask for him saying that mother was ill; which, I re- membered with a pang, was indeed the truth. He would know what measures to take, and I blamed myself for not thinking of this sooner. It should have been my first business once I realized my posi- tion ; but it had taken an hour or more to enter my thick head. " How could I have been so stupid? " I thought, and pulling my hood close about my face, I was on the point of starting back to the Broad Way when a hissed word halted me. "Stupid!/' For an instant I almost fancied I must have spoke my thought aloud, yet I was certain I had not. " Come out of the light, stupid! " This time there was no doubt. The words were muttered in an undertone a few feet away from where I stood. Why I know not, but instinctively I moved to- ward the voice in obedience to its command, and immediately a man's figure slouched to meet me, scarce visible in the dense shadow of the wall. " Will you never learn to keep in the dark? " the man grumbled. " Step nearer." I did as he bade me, a little fearfully, for there was a menace in his tone and it was plain that he 88 Polly Trotter, Patriot mistook me for another. I opened my mouth to apprise him of his error, but ere I could speak, his querulous voice was sounding in my ear. " Listen now, stupid, and don't prattle," he be- gan in an undertone. " You must tell his Lord- ship that the rebel General Washington is to die to-night if all goes well. You understand? To- night 1" At the man's words my wits sharpened. 'Twas plain he supposed me to be a go-between he was wont to meet, and I gave up the intention of set- ting him right. Mere chance had brought me to this place at the appointed time, and there was war- rant enough in the little he had already said to bid me hide my identity and hear all I could of the plot he hinted at. These thoughts flashed through my brain rapidly and I was about to answer him, but already he was impatient at my silence. " Oh, ho ! " he muttered, " thou'rt in one of thy tongue-tied moods. What possesses you, stupid? Last night you scarce let me get in a word edgewise." Here was a hint of the part I must play, and with it a warning. This was not the first time these two had met and my voice might betray me if I spoke naturally, yet speak I must, for again he de- manded an answer. " Have done with thy sullen ways," he broke out. " The matter is planned for to-night. Have you that much straight in your thick head ? " " Yes," I breathed through my lips, trusting that whispers might sound much the same no matter who uttered them. " So far so good," he resumed, with no sign of suspicion. " Now attend. I have come to an un- The Spy's Messenger 89 derstanding with one of Washington's body-guards named Hickey. "To kill the rebel General?" I questioned, try- ing to keep to the part I must play. " Ay, to be sure," he answered with a grim chuckle. " Once their leader is gone this silly rev- olution will end like a pricked bubble." "And who shall I tell it to?" I ventured, hop- ing he might betray the identity of the other plotter. " To his Lordship, stupid," he growled. " Think thee any other would heed thy imbecile babblings? Thou art a safe messenger, albeit a most exasperat- ing one." Here again I had a hint of the character I must needs impersonate, and also an appreciation of the cunning displayed by these plotters who, it was plain, made use of some poor, half-witted girl to communicate with each other and so avoided the danger of being seen together. " Now comes the important part," the man went on. " This Hickey must be paid a hundred guineas and be given passage to Ireland. 'Tis all you need to say. His Lordship will know what to do an you get that much straight." He paused a moment as if waiting for me to speak, and I tried in vain to make out his features, but it was so dark that even his shape was hid from me and he showed but as a blacker spot in the gloom. "You understand about the hundred guineas?" he asked, separating the words and speaking slowly as if to a child. 1 Yes," I whispered. " And a passage to Ireland? Get that into your head." " And a passage to Ireland," I repeated dully. 90 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Good ! That will be enough to carry in your empty pate at one time," he muttered to himself, and I heard the jingle of coins. A moment later he fumbled at my cloak. "Where is your hand?" he demanded. "You were ever quick enough at this part of the busi- ness." I thrust out an empty palm and he put a copper into it with a grunt of impatience. " See that you earn it." He growled, and was about to move off, but turned, hesitatingly. " Think you that for another penny you could re- member two messages?" he asked, and 'twas evi- dent he had little faith that I could accomplish so difficult a task. " I'll e'en try," I answered, giving a hint of eager- ness to my words, and moving closer to him. " Ay, you have your wits about you when 'tis a matter of money," he growled. " Could I go myself I wouldn't trust you; but I have other busi- ness that cannot wait, so perforce I'll have to risk it, though I doubt not you'll mix things badly. At- tend now ! " " Ay," I murmured. " Tell his Lordship that the ships in the harbour must be warned that something is a-foot," he be- gan, speaking half to himself, as if he pondered a perplexing matter while he thought. " What is in the wind I know not, but something is hatching in the house of that rebel Doctor Trotter. I fol- lowed the son with two others to the river where they seemed to choose a boat and then " He broke off abruptly, as if he suddenly remembered to whom he was speaking. " Why do I ever forget that your poor head can hold but just so much? Listen! Say to his Lordship that the war-ships in The Spy's Messenger 91 the harbour must be warned. You understand that?" " Ay," I mumbled, scarce able to control my trembling lips. " There's some plot for to-night. Understand? " " Ay," I repeated. " 'Tis well then, and I trust you will keep the two matters separate," he ended, stepping past me to- ward the light. But 'twas not in my mind to let him go so easily. While he had been talking I had again tried, with- out avail, to see his face; for after all he had told me I must know who he was. Were he the spy, I was assured that all would be well with Will and his companions. On the other hand this man might be only a confederate, and if still another had the knowledge of their movements Captain Male's little party was no better off than before. With a quick start toward him I thrust out my hand and jostled him into the circle of light, keeping myself still in the shadows. " You promised another copper," I panted, as if my only thought was for the money, and with a snarling laugh he turned his face toward me. It was the spy ! "Hoity-toity! " he blustered, jumping back nim- bly into the darkness at my side. " Have a care what you do, Stupid, or I'll warrant you earn no more pennies," and with that he pressed another coin into my palm. " Be off with you," he ended, but ere I made a move, he sprang into the kennel and disappeared as if by magic. CHAPTER XIII AT HEADQUARTERS NOW indeed were my thoughts weighted with heavy matters, though to be sure, my im- mediate cares were somewhat lightened. At least His Lordship would send no word to the Asia that night. By great good luck I was enabled to prevent that, but I was far from thinking that I de- served any credit for the part I had played. In truth it had been my stupidity in not going directly to father that had brought about a dangerous situa- tion, and it struck me as passing strange that the spy should have had so pat upon his lips the word that best described my action and somewhat of his own as well. But I wasted little time thinking of these things and bent my steps back to the Broad Way at as rapid a rate as I dared. I needed no one to tell me how grave a business was this plot against Gen- eral Washington. Whether or not our revolt against King George would fail with the death of the Commander-in-Chief, as the spy had predicted, I could not tell ; but I had heard enough talk among Will's friends in the army to realize that such an event would be nothing short of a disaster. And the more I pondered the matter as I hastened along the dark streets, the more the knowledge ap- palled me. Save for those in the plot I was the only one who knew of its existence, and upon me alone fell the responsibility of thwarting it. Every minute 92 At Headquarters 93 that passed brought the time for the dread event just that much nearer and I began to tremble lest I should be too late. As every one in the city knew, Mr. Washington had his headquarters in the famous Kennedy man- sion now owned by Mr. Nathaniel Prime. It was the first house on the Broad Way, and 'twas there that I directed my steps, though I was sure I should have difficulty in winning my way in, for lines of guards were stationed for several blocks above and below the barricades that were being built just south of the Bowling Green, which lay opposite. Yet this troubled me now not at all. I should be only too glad to tell my tale to the first soldier who de- manded to know my business and why I was abroad so late, for I was most anxious to be relieved of the responsibility that had been thrust upon my young shoulders. I found the Broad Way as deserted as I had left it and began running at the top of my speed toward the harbour; but I had scarce gone a block when another thought popped into my head to plague me. After all could I be so indifferent to the one to whom I told my tale? I knew nothing of this Hickey. The spy had said he was a " body-guard," but I was exceedingly doubtful just what that office might be. I had heard Will and the others talk of " aides " of " staff-officers " and of " body-guards." I knew too that there were numbers of young men constantly in attendance upon the General in one capacity or another, and it seemed to me that it would be a high honour to guard the life of the Commander-in-Chief. What sort of a man then was this Hickey? He might be any one of the young officers I would be like to meet at headquar- ters. I would have no way of knowing him from 94 Polly Trotter, Patriot the others, and, moreover, it was by no means cer- tain that he was the only one near to Mr. Washing- ton who was concerned in the plot. The more I thought of this the more convinced I became that others must be privy to the matter. And how dared I in these circumstances trust any one I did not know? I might easily hit upon a man who would suppress the news I gave and then, perchance, hasten the tragedy. I slackened my pace thinking to ponder this diffi- culty, but in a moment I hurried on again. I had no intention of being stupid a second time. This affair was of too much importance to the country either for delay or for bungling by an inexperienced maid. I would go to the house of Mr. Prime and ask the whereabouts of father. They would doubt- less take me to him at once and there the matter would end so far as I was concerned. Upon this resolve I settled into a steady trot, making for the glare of the fires about the barri- cades, and as I approached I could see the forms of the men at work flitting in and out as they passed from the darkness to the light, like black shadows thrown upon a screen. As I drew nearer I slowed to a walk but as I had expected, was stopped a good block above the house I sought. A sturdy soldier barred my way with his musket. "What's your business?" he growled, surlily, and had I been less in earnest I should have quailed at his forbidding exterior. " I wish to find my father," I answered steadily. " Ay, there's hundreds on that errand to-night," he blurted out angrily. " Fathers, brothers, grand- fathers 'tis all one. Go back to your bed. This is no place for a child to snoop about out of curios- ity." At Headquarters 95 " Indeed 'tis not curiosity that brings me here," I answered earnestly. " My mother is ill and I must find my father." "Ha, ha! Your mother is ill, is she?" he re- torted. " Think you she is the only one who is sick in this town? Nay, lass, try some newer excuse to get your father, or whoever it is, off the work." " But I tell you my mother is ill," I insisted, " and 'tis most important that I see my father at once." " And 'tis important that the barricades be built," he growled in answer. " And how are they ever to be done if half the men are to be taken away on one excuse or another? Nay, lass, thy father shall do his stint this night." " But he doesn't work here," I explained. " He is with the army. He is a physician." He eyed me for a moment trying to gauge my words, puzzled I doubt not, to determine whether or not I spoke the truth. '* What's his name ? " he demanded finally. " Dr. Trotter," I answered. " Trotter, did you say? " he repeated quickly. "Was he by any chance in Cambridge?" " Yes, indeed, I exclaimed. " He was there al- most from the beginning. He would have been there sooner had it not been for mother and me." "And what might he look like?" was the next cautious question. " He is a tall man wearing his own dark hair that is fast turning grey," I returned, and was re- lieved to see that he at length believed me. " Ah, then, 'tis my doctor," he replied, his gruff- ness gone on the instant. " Faith, Miss, he bled me for a fever in Cambridge till I thought I should have naught left in my veins but water. Yet he 96 Polly Trotter, Patriot brought me through, and I owe him much. If you are Dr. Trotter's daughter, go your way. I'll not hinder you." " Oh, thank you," I said, starting forward. " And you'll not have a grudge against me, Missy? " he called, hesitatingly. " You'd scarce be- lieve the excuses these lazy civilians give for getting out of their work. They e'en have the babies sent out to fetch them home." " You need not fear that I shall bear any grudge," I assured him. " And please, Miss, put it fairly to your father," he went on, walking a step or two at my side. " I'm like as not to need him again before this business is over and I shouldn't wish him to think hardly of me while he's mixing a draught. There's the head- quarters, Miss," he ended, pointing to the mansion at the corner of the street; "most like you'll find him there." I thanked the soldier again and hurried on to Mr. Prime's, which was alight from cellar to gar- ret, while two lanthorns burned brightly before the door. Two or three houses above was Mr. Burns's Coffee House, and there, too, all the rooms were illuminated, so that with the huge fires in the square the place was nigh as bright as day. It was a curious scene. Men ran here and there, struggling with heavy burdens; carts and wagons blocked the streets; and, above the babble of noises and shouts, the crackling of the glowing logs sounded not un- like pistol shots. I should have been pleased to watch, had the occasion been other than it was, but now I hastened straight on with no more than a passing glance about me. The door of the headquarters stood wide and two sentries blocked the way. Young officers were At Headquarters 97 coming in or going out on the run and it was a mo- ment ere I could gain the entrance which was up a step or two from the street-walk. Here, as I ex- pected, I was halted without ceremony. " I seek my father, Dr. Trotter," I explained, seeing that it was best to state my business as shortly and fully as possible. " Wait," said one of the guards, with a nod to his companion as he turned into the house. He was gone but a moment and returned with a young offi- cer who approached me briskly. " Oh," he murmured at sight of me, as if sur- prised. " I thought it was a servant. Was it Dr. Trotter you wished to see? " " He is my father," .1 answered. " Mother is ill and I must find him at once." " Come in," he said politely, and led the way into a large room to the right of the entrance hall where a full score of young officers stood about, talking or working busily at desks. "Does any one know aught of Dr. Trotter?" my escort called, addressing the room at large. " He is detailed to Governor's Island," said a man at one of the desks, without lifting his head from the papers before him. " He left not an hour ago,'' he went on in the same matter-of-fact tone. " There's a report of fever among the troops there." " And when will he return? " I asked with a sink- ing heart. " Can't say. Soon though. To-morrow or the next day," came the answer from the desk. "Oh, but that will be too late ! " I cried out, for- getting everything but my bitter disappointment and the perplexity of my position now that I could no longer give the matter into father's hands. " Is your mother so ill as that? " asked the young 98 Polly Trotter, Patriot man who had brought me into the room. " We surely can get another physician for you." " 'Tis not that 1 " I exclaimed, scarce knowing what I was saying. " I must see him at once about something of the utmost importance." "Ah, then your mother is not ill?" came the quick, suspicious rejoinder. "Yes, of course she is; but but " I halted out of countenance. I knew not how best to reply and it seemed as if the room had suddenly grown very quiet and every one had stopped what he was doing to look at me. Then the man at the desk rose suddenly to his feet and strode toward me with a frown upon his face. CHAPTER XIV THE GUARD AT THE DOOR MY brother Will had taught me to distinguish the different ranks in the army by certain marks upon the uniforms and I noted that this older officer who had just left his desk was a Major, and no doubt in command. I expected that he would forthwith take the matter in hand, but in- stead of speaking he nodded to the lieutenant who had brought me in, evidently wishing him to ques- tion me further while he himself stood by observ- ing my demeanor. " Did I understand you to say you were Dr. Trot- ter's daughter?" was the first question. The lieu- tenant scarce hid the suspicion he had of me, nor could I altogether blame him. My hesitancy and blundering were enough to arouse doubts of my sin- cerity. " Yes, I am Polly Trotter," I answered, " and it is quite true ." " It was to take him to your sick mother you sought him? " was the next question. " Not exactly," I began, for indeed I could not say with truth that this had been my intention. " Humm ! " he grunted. " Perchance some one here can identify you? " I looked at the faces of the men about me, though 'twas plain I knew none of them, for had it been otherwise I should have been relieved of my dilemma long before. 99 ioo Polly Trotter, Patriot " There is no one here that I have ever met," I said, shaking my head, " but indeed I am Polly Trot- ter, and " He cut me off again sharply. " You had better return when Dr. Trotter has come back to the city," he remarked with an air of finality, and moved toward the door expecting me to follow him. It was a broad hint that I should go upon the instant, but I stirred not. Once again I looked at the faces of the men about me, hoping to find one whose expression showed something of sym- pathy, but I searched in vain. All gazed at me in- tently, some a little puzzled, others openly hostile, though I could not fathom the reason. " To-morrow it will be too late," I insisted, as earnestly as I could. I felt most humiliated that my word should be doubted and in sore straights to know what to do. Then I had an inspiration. " Mr. Alexander Hamilton knows me," I cried hopefully, and none but those who had made up their minds against me could have doubted my sin- cerity. " Unfortunately you have the knack of picking out absentees," the lieutenant replied. " Captain Hamilton has been detailed " " I think it unwise to give out any unnecessary in- formation, Mr. Roberts," came the cold voice of the Major, and the lieutenant, with a nod of com- prehension, stepped back a pace while the older of- ficer addressed himself to me. " It seems that we can do naught for you to- night," he went on, in an even tone. " Oh, please, sir," I begged, tears of vexation coming into my eyes, u the matter is most important, and unless something is done at once everybody will be sorry." The Guard at the Door 101 " Tell me what it is," the Major suggested. I think he was, for the moment at least, somewhat impressed by my distress. But I had convinced my- self that I dared rely on no one that I was not sure of. " Nay, if father isn't here I can tell only His Excellency ! " I declared. " Let me to him at once." "You mean General Washington?" demanded the Major, his tone hardening. " Ay, no other," 1 answered, putting as bold a front on the matter as I could muster. " 'Twas on his account that I came." " But you said it was because of your sick mother! " Lieutenant Roberts broke in. " Well, my mother is ill," I protested, realizing that by not being wholly frank in the beginning, I had planted the seeds for this suspicion. " You see," I went on, trying to explain, " it is not only my mother who is concerned, but Mr. Washington as well. Indeed what I tell you is true and if you heed me not, you will be sorry." At that there was a murmur of whispering among the officers as if they were in two minds whether to believe me or no and, for a moment, the major looked down at me in silence, trying, doubtless to read my thoughts. " Will you please take me to His Excellency at once?" I demanded, thinking it well to press any advantage I might have gained. " 'Tis out of the question," said the Major posi- tively. " But I tell you I must see him," I insisted, net- tled at his stubbornness. " 'Tis a matter of life and death!" At this they all seemed somewhat taken a-back and eyed me curiously. 102 Polly Trotter, Patriot "Where is His Excellency?" the Major asked, turning to the lieutenant. " He is at Mr. Burns's Coffee Room taking some refreshment," was the answer, " he has been out inspecting the works." " Then I shall seek him there ! " I burst out des- perately. There was a hurried movement through- out the room, and the next instant a dozen officers blocked my way to the door. " Nay, you'll stay here for the present," said the Major grimly, and I began to see dimly that some- thing I had not the key to lay beneath all their ac- tions. "Oh, what shall I do?" I exclaimed in despair. " Plague me, but I think the wench is telling the truth," murmured a very young man near me, and I could have thanked him then and there; but the others noticed him not and at the same moment an officer spoke to the Major. " I can settle this matter in a jiffy, sir," he said, and then, addressing me, " you are really Mistress Trotter?" ' That I am," I answered. " And are there others of your family in the army beside your father? " " Yes, my brother Will is a lieutenant," I re- plied eagerly, seeing the drift of his questioning. " Then all we need do is to send for Lieutenant Trotter, Major Henry," ended the young man, and for an instant I thought that here lay the way out of all my difficulties. Then came the realization that if they went looking for Will and found him not, he would assuredly get into serious trouble. Captain Hale's expedition would be discovered and disgrace would be in store for all of them. "No! No! Don't do that! " I cried out, see- The Guard at the Door 103 ing too late, that once more I had discredited my- self in their eyes. " Trapped, my girl! " exclaimed the Major. " I know not what you are up to but perhaps you'll tell us who sent you after you've spent a day or so in the guard-house. Or do you prefer to make a clean breast of it now? " " Nay, I must and shall see General Washington at once ! " I cried, for I was by now fair desperate. . " If you turn around you will see him," came a voice behind me, and of a sudden, as if taken by sur- prise, the officers about me stiffened to attention and their hands came to the salute. I faced about and met General Washington's eyes looking down at me with a stern expression, albeit there was a kindly gleam in them. He seemed tired, and there was something of sadness and anxiety in his whole bearing, though he held himself as straight as any of the younger men in the room. "Oh, Your Excellency I" I nigh shouted in my joy. " I'm so glad you've come. Nobody seems to understand and I can't explain except to you." " I shall be glad to hear what you have to say," he replied formally, and stopped waiting for me to speak; but this I could in no wise do. The man Hickey might be there among the many who pressed about us and I dared not make my accusation before them all. "Please, Your Excellency," I began again, mak- ing the curtsey I had forgotten, in my joy at seeing him, " 'Tis so secret a matter that I must see you alone." " 'Tis out of the question ! " the Major interposed almost violently. " The girl tells a queer tale, Your Excellency, and I do not trust her. She came first seeking Dr. Trotter, vowing that her mother is ill. 104 Polly Trotter, Patriot Finding that he is not here she demanded to be taken to you, saying, of a sudden, that 'tis on your ac- count she ventured here. She insists she is the doc- tor's daughter, but when we offered to fetch Lieu- tenant Trotter to identify her, she protested against it violently. I beg Your Excellency not to see her alone, for it is evident she is not at all what she would appear." " Nay, Your Excellency, she is exactly what she says," exclaimed another voice from behind Mr. Washington, and Captain Hull pressed forward from the crowd of officers at the General's back. " I can vouch that the maid is Mistress Polly Trot- ter, daughter of our Dr. Trotter." At that moment I could have dropped on my knees to Captain Hull in thankfulness for his words, and the next I could have beaten him ; for, hav- ing straightened the matter out, he immediately at- tempted to make things worse. " But may I beg, Your Excellency, to let me take her home? " he went on. " She can have naught of value to tell you, and I think the maid must be some- what overwrought to be here at all." " I am not overwrought! " I burst out, and the very tone and manner of my saying it confirmed his words. The truth is I was nigh crazed at the unexpected twists and turns the business took. One minute I seemed to be out of my difficulties and the next a new perplexity arose to plague me. " You see ? " remarked Captain Hull, to Mr. Washington, who stood silent with an impassive look upon his face. " It may be that her mother is ill, though to be sure when I left their home a scant hour ago, Madam Trotter seemed to be in the best of health. Doubtless Mistress Polly's imagination has exaggerated some slight indisposi- If you but turn around you will see him." The Guard at the Door 105 tion of her mother's, for I have been given to un- derstand she is a nervous child. I am sure it would be doing Madam Trotter a kindness if I took her home without loss of time. They are probably scouring the city in search of her." How he dared to say such things of me I know not, but to hint as he did, broadly, that I was not responsible for my actions so angered me that I for- got everything but the mission that had brought me there. " Your Excellency," I broke in, and I think my eyes must have been blazing as I spoke, " Captain Hull is pleased to jest upon a matter in which I can find no hint of humour. I am neither a child nor am I nervous, Your Excellency, though I grant you that the news I carry might well upset an older per- son than I. But what I have to tell is of the ut- most importance to Your Excellency, and to the coun- try as well, and I beg you will not deny what I ask but will let me see you for five minutes alone. In that time Your Excellency can judge whether or not I am a nervous child." A titter went around the room at my outburst, and Captain Hull flushed a little, but General Wash- ington regarded me gravely for a moment as if judging the matter. Then with a nod of decision he spoke to me. " I will see you for five minutes, Mistress Trot- ter," he remarked calmly. " Nay, I protest, Your Excellency," Captain Hull began, but Mr. Washington turned on him sharply. " The question is decided, sir," he said, and his tone left no room for argument. Captain Hull stepped back and saluted; but, as I passed him fol- lowing the General, he leaned toward me. " You will bring disgrace upon them an you 106 Polly Trotter, Patriot tell," he whispered in my ear, and then I saw what was in his mind. He thought I was there to speak of Captain Hale's expedition against the British sloop and had tried his best to stop me. Though he had been against the plan himself he had done all that lay in his power to protect his friend, and, in the light of this discovery, I could not find it in my heart to blame him for the way he had treated me. Nevertheless I think he might have trusted to my discretion. I followed General Washington into a room upon the opposite side of the hall which was fitted out somewhat as an office. He went directly to a desk in the corner and, motioning me to take a chair at one side, waited until I had seated myself before he dropped wearily into the other. As I sat down a slight noise attracted me and, turning to look in the direction whence it came, I saw a tall private soldier standing guard inside the door. I had not noted him as I came in, he being close to the wall, and I scarce thought of him now, having something of a feeling that, so far as my business went, he was of little more concern than a piece of the furni- ture which his stiff, impersonal attitude suggested. " You will close the door, Hickey," said General Washington addressing the private, and my heart gave a great bound as I heard the name. There was the man who had undertaken to carry out the plot against the General's life. I gaped at him as he softly shut the door, and I think the blood must have dropped out of my face, for as I turned to His Excellency he seemed to notice something amiss and regarded me with concern. " Are you not well? " he asked in a kindly tone. " Oh, yes, I'm quite well, Your Excellency," I faltered, " but you said we should be alone." The Guard at the Door 107 " And think you one of my body-guards will crowd the room? " he remarked with a smile. " We must be quite alone," I insisted, and seeing that I was vastly in earnest, he let me have my way. " You will wait outside, Hickey," he commanded, and the private, with a salute, went out, latching the door behind him. CHAPTER XV A PLEA AND A PROMISE THE moment the door shut I was on my feet. " 'Tis the very man," I whispered, lean- ing across the desk toward His Excellency. " The very man," he repeated. " What man? " " The one who is to kill you to-night," I explained hurriedly. " 'Tis of that I came to warn you." I had not, of course, expected that Mr. Washing- ton would grow hysterical and cry " Save me ! " like a weak woman, but I had thought to see him show some sign of perturbation at my disclosure, and I confess I was disappointed at the calm way in which he received it. He looked at me closely for a moment and then smiled a little wearily. " You must forgive me," he said, gently, " if I seem not to take your information with that degree of seriousness which, doubtless, you attach to it. But there is scarce an hour in the day that some one does not warn me that my life is threatened. Did I heed all these rumours I should perforce be com- pelled to live in a vault and would have time for naught but to guard my own existence. None the less I thank you for your interest." I fair gasped, for he seemed as indifferent to my news as though I had mentioned that it was a pleas- ant evening. " But Your Excellency, this is no rumour," I in- sisted. " The man Hickey was specified. He has 108 A Plea and a Promise 109 been bribed with a hundred pounds and a passage to Ireland. I was to bear the message." " You were to bear the message," he repeated, not at all understanding. " To whom? " " To His Lordship," I replied. " I know not who he is, though I was supposed to know, but 'tis a plot against your life. That I am sure." " Tell me the tale, Mistress Trotter," he said after a moment's thought. " 'Tis plain, at all events that you believe in it and having named names 'tis but right and just that we go to the root of this affair. Yet I warn you that I will need good proof to believe Hickey a traitor." My story was soon out. I held back nothing that concerned the plot, but I was at pains not to men- tion a word of Captain Hale's expedition. Mr. Washington heard me to the end, only interrupting once or twice with questions that showed he followed closely, and when I had finished he nodded his head rather sadly. " 'Tis no good news you bring, Mistress Trot- ter," he remarked gloomily. " 'Tis ever a pain- ful thing to suspect one whom you have trusted. Excuse me a moment, please, until I look further into the case with the officer who has such matters in- charge." He rose and bowed most graciously as he left the room, assuring me he would not be long, and in- deed very shortly he was back again. " We have taken the necessary precautions, Mis- tress Trotter," he began at once, reseating himself at the desk, " and I am compelled to admit that other evidence in Major Henry's possession con- firms your story. They were already on the track, and lacked only the name of the man who was to do the work." tio Polly Trotter, Patriot He stopped and gazed down at the floor, his face dropping into sad and thoughtful lines. Indeed for the moment he seemed to forget my presence. Pres- ently he roused himself and turned to me. " Forgive me, if I seem not to appreciate your good service," he went on. " I do appreciate it more than I can well express. It is no slight thing that you have done, and your courage matched your discretion; but if you find a hint of regret in my demeanour you will understand, I am sure, the cause of it. Not only have I trusted my life to Hickey, but I thought so well of him that I would have trusted him with my honour had the occasion re- quired." " I understand, perfectly, Your Excellency," I assured him, " and as for what I did, 'twas no more than my duty." I moved in my chair ready to take leave of him, with a great weight lifted from my heart now that my errand had been accomplished. " Nevertheless I am much in your debt, Mistress Trotter," he said, with a gesture indicating that he would prolong the interview, " and if I can be of any service to you or yours, pray command me. Yet there are one or two points about your story that I do not quite comprehend. How came it, may I ask, that you were in such a place at the hour when you met this spy? I understood that your mother was ill and that you came to my headquarters seek- ing your father. It seems that your journey here was something indirect." It may perhaps be thought that I could have avoided answering this question and so have kept the matter of Mr. Hale's adventure to myself. I am quite sure that if I had told General Washing- ton I had rather not speak further of my reasons for being abroad that night he would not have pressed A Plea and a Promise in me for an answer; but he was not a man to whom one could tell less than the whole truth and more- over he inspired confidence. I could not go away leaving any thought in his mind of mystery so far as my actions were concerned. I wanted to tell him then and there all of the story; but, on the other hand, it was not wholly my affair and I deemed it not right to divulge what I knew without consider- ing those who would be most affected. " Can Your Excellency keep a secret? " I asked, on a sudden, and then blushed at the impertinence of my demand. His eyes twinkled, but his face showed no smile as he looked at me for a moment ere he spoke. " I have been trusted with one or two weighty ones in my time," he remarked gravely. " But will you keep mine? " I insisted, though to be sure I should have had my ears boxed. At that he burst out into a hearty laugh. " Faith, child ! " he cried, " though I am as tired as a dog 'tis worth an hour's sleep to talk to you. On with your tale ! I'll keep the secret." " 'Tis not a matter that concerns only myself, Your Excellency," I tried to explain. " Had that been the case I should not have thought to pledge you, but there are others who trust me, and " " I understand," he interrupted, " and you are quite right ; but let me have the secret. Who knows but I may be able to help." " You could indeed, an you would," I hastened to say, and forthwith told him exactly what had hap- pened since my chance suggestion had started Cap- tain Hale a-thinking. " And," I ended, " they may be boarding the sloop at this minute." I had not speculated upon how Mr. Washington 112 Polly Trotter, Patriot would receive this news, but had I done so I could not have been more surprised and startled. "When will these young fools learn wisdom?" he cried angrily, and his hand came down on the desk with a thump that made me jump. " They seem to imagine that the whole art of war consists in risking their lives in hopeless enterprises." " Nay, they thought to get supplies for the sol- diers," I pleaded, in defence of my friends. " And where shall I get officers to fill their places an they are taken? " he demanded. " I did not think of that," I answered guiltily, as if indeed I was responsible. " Nor did they! " he fumed, rising and beginning to pace the floor in great agitation, while I nigh trembled in my chair. Presently he stopped before me. " You did well to exact a promise, Mistress Trot- ter," he said. " Otherwise I should have made an example of those young men. I will not hide from you the fact that the undertaking is a most hare- brained affair. Had Captain Hale seen fit to bring the matter to my attention ere he adventured it, I should by no means have countenanced it. He was quite right in believing that his superior officers would have denied him leave to go." "Then you are certain they will be taken?" I burst out, much upset, for I had felt sure they would succeed now that they had naught to fear from the spy. " Nay, there's no reason to expect the worst," he answered in a more kindly tone. " The very bold- ness of the plan gives some promise of its success. Nor would I have you suppose I am one to scorn brave deeds. Let us hope for the best, and if the A Plea and a Promise 113 sloop is landed it will be a great feather in the cap of those who carried the enterprise through." " And if they bring not in the sloop then they will be scolded," I sighed, thinking of what might be in store for Will, if indeed he were lucky enough to escape capture. General Washington smiled broadly. " 'Tis hard to keep one's countenance with you, Mistress Trotter," he laughed. " Had I not given you my promise I'll venture to say those young men would not have put so mild a word to what I should have held in store for them an they come back. But I owe you more than a little and you may rest assured that under no circumstances will there be any reprimand for Captain Hale and his compan- ions." I thanked him heartily and rose to say good-bye. " I hope your mother will have recovered ere your return," His Excellency remarked, politely stepping with me toward the door. " Please give her my compliments upon having so patriotic a daughter." " I am only sorry I was not a boy so that I could do more for my country," I answered, and indeed it was a sincere regret. " You have done much already," he replied. " To you I owe my life, and though for myself 'tis not so great a thing, I may say, in all modesty, that should I lose it at this time our cause might be hurt thereby. For that you have my profound thanks and duty." In the hall we found most of the officers drawn up at attention as if to receive us. Evidently the news of my errand had been whispered among them for they eyed me less coldly now. Of Hickey I saw 114 Polly Trotter, Patriot no sign and surmised that he had been put under guard. I would have passed the row of stiff-standing of- ficers, but the Major stepped forward and barred my way. " I shall only detain you for a moment, Mistress Trotter," he said politely. " I and my brother offi- cers wish to offer you our humble apologies for your reception this evening." " 'Tis naught now," I made answer, a little em- barrassed at all this ceremony. " We hope you will forgive us," he went on. " We are very sorry that there should have been any misunderstanding, and profoundly grateful to you. Our excuse is that we knew already of a plot and had reason to suspect any one who wished to approach His Excellency. If you will deign to visit headquarters again I can assure you of so hearty a welcome as will leave no doubt of our sin- cerity." It was very handsomely done and I thanked him as well as I was able, at which the gentlemen broke ranks and pressed about me, each having some- thing nice to say and all vowing they were ready to do my slightest bidding. I was much put to it to keep in countenance, for I was not used to such flattering attentions, but I en- joyed it hugely nevertheless. They all went with me to the door but halted at the entrance, looking out into the night. " Sure you cannot go alone ! " exclaimed His Ex- cellency, showing considerable concern, and at that a dozen officers volunteered their services. But Mr. Washington had other plans and called for Cap- tain Hull. " He went immediately to his room after you left A Plea and a Promise 115 with Mistress Trotter," Major Henry informed us. " Fetch him at once, please," the General or- dered. " I have a special mission for him." And we waited a few moments, chatting pleasantly the while, until Mr. Hull put in an appearance. " Ah, Captain Hull," said Mr. Washington, " you will oblige me, sir, by escorting this " He hesitated a moment with a faint smile upon his lips, " this overwrought child to her home," he ended. Captain Hull saluted, but I think he did not like the titter that went up among the officers, and it was plain that he had heard naught of what had transpired during his absence, for he would not, I am sure, have looked so ill at ease had he known the real state of affairs. Nevertheless he stepped to my side, ready to carry out his orders. His Excellency held out his hand to me, thank- ing me once more as he bade me good-night and his officers, in a line behind him, bowed as I curtsied to them all. A moment later I had taken my leave and was upon the street, with Captain Hull walking severely by my side. CHAPTER XVI A VOICE IN THE FOG WE passed up the Broad Way in silence, Cap- tain Hull pacing stiffly beside me, and we were close to the Trinity Church ere I ven- tured to speak. " Have you any news of Captain Hale? " I asked timidly. " Nay," he answered, and I heard his teeth click as he closed his mouth tightly. " And do you know where they will bring in the sloop, if they capture her? " I persisted. " Ay," he replied, as before. " Will you tell me the place? " "No!" 'Twas so plain what was in his mind that I could in no wise be offended at his manner, and laughed a little to think of his chagrin when he should learn the truth. " Captain Hull," I said, demurely, " think you I would run back to inform His Excellency if you told me where they will land? " " Did you not inform His Excellency of the expe- dition? " he demanded. " Yes," I answered. " He wished to know what I did abroad at such an hour and I was obliged to explain." " Then," replied the Captain grimly, " fearing that you may be obliged to explain a second time I 116 A Voice in the Fog 117 shall do my best to keep you in ignorance of any further plans." " But His Excellency promised to keep it a se- cret," I remarked calmly. " What? " he exclaimed in astonishment. " You had the temerity to exact a promise from General Washington? " " Ay," I went on, " and further he vowed to see to it that, whatever the outcome, Mr. Hale and his companions should not be blamed." " I n'er heard of such a thing," said the amazed Captain. " I had thought to find him much angered when he learned of it." " He was somewhat put about " remembering the violent slam the General had given the desk when he first heard the news, " but you see he owed me something for saving his life." " Saving his life ! " repeated the Captain, and I caught the look of amazement on his face as we passed a street lamp. " Nay, I'm not overwrought nor nervous," I laughed, unable to resist the temptation to tease a little. " Tis all true as I have told you." " But I cannot understand what took you to head- quarters at all " he burst out. " And what is this talk of saving the General's life? " Then I told him the whole story from the time he and the others had left the house. He broke in now and then with a muttered exclamation at his own stupidity or a word of compliment for me. " Forgive me, Mistress Trotter," he begged, as I ended. " You are a trump and I am a dolt; but to tell the truth this business of Hale's is so much on my mind that I could think of naught else. I was sure they would get into trouble at head- quarters." n8 Polly Trotter, Patriot " And so I'm sure they would have," I agreed. " General Washington was furious and had he not promised me to keep the secret he would have made an example of them. Indeed he said as much." " Then you have done them a vastly good turn! " cried the Captain with enthusiasm. " His Excel- lency is not one to let discipline grow lax, but, hav- ing given his word, he will see to it that there is no reprimand, no matter how the affair ends. You will forgive me for being such a dullard, won't you? " " Of course I will," I answered him, " to be sure I was angered at first when you wanted them all to believe that I was a slow-witted child, but when you whispered to me I understood. I have a con- fession to make, too, for I thought that when Mr. Hale would go in spite of your warning, you had washed your hands of the whole affair and left them to take what was in store for them. So you see it is my turn to ask forgiveness." " We'll cry quits," he answered heartily, " though to be sure I get the better of the bargain, having the less to forgive." " Then please tell me all you can of my brother and Mr. Hale," I begged, for beneath the excite- ment of the evening I had never ceased to be con- scious of my anxiety on their account. " Indeed I will, Miss Polly," he answered read- ily, " though there is little you do not already know. I parted with them shortly after we left your home, for under any circumstances I could not go with them." " Yes, I remember," I put in. " You were on duty.". " Exactly," he went on. " Hale and your brother turned off toward the North River, where they went to seek a boat fit for their purpose," A Voice in the Fog 119 u Ay, and they found one, for the spy saw them at it," I interrupted. " Then we know of their movements that far," Mr. Hull continued. " From there they were go- ing to the quarters of Captain Hale's regiment to se- lect the men they wanted to help them. They planned to leave an hour after midnight, counting upon returning about daylight." " And where do they mean to land? " I asked, ex- citedly. " At Coenties Slip," he answered. " We have a full battery planted there, and once under its guns they will be as safe as if they were in their own beds." " Oh, I wish I could be there when they come in," I sighed. " It will be weary waiting, Miss Polly," he an- swered, with a note of deep concern in his voice. " 'Tis a desperate business at best. There's no dis- guising that, and I would I were playing an active part in it, rather than standing idly by the shore trying to catch a glimpse of that sloop in the grey dawn." "Then you'll be there to watch for them?" I asked, coming to a halt, for we had reached the house. " You may be sure of that, Miss Polly," he re- plied. " I could scarce sleep knowing that my dear- est friend is in such danger." " I wish I could be there, too," I said again, wist- fully, " but 'tis out of the question, I fear." " I shall try to send you word as early as pos- sible," he volunteered, " but it may not be easy to find a messenger, and a soldier's time is never his own." " Thank you for your thoughtfulness," I said, as 120 Polly Trotter, Patriot earnestly as I could, " but my brother will make the most welcome messenger for mother and me. Send him if you can." " I shall try," he answered, " but remember that he, too, has duties that may keep him away." " Thank you again and for bringing me home," I repeated, giving him my hand. He was most mannerly, vowing he was glad to have been of service when, after seeing me safe within the door, he saluted and strode off in the darkness. It may seem that, in the excitement of my adven- tures, I had been unmindful of mother, but indeed she was in my thoughts always and I had not loitered a step on my return to her. Once inside the house I ran to the surgery, where a light still burned, and there I found her with her Bible in her hand. " Are you better, mother? " I asked, kissing her. " I am wholly recovered," she answered. " 'Twas but a passing faintness. Tell me your news quickly." " I befooled the spy," I boasted, " there's naught to fear from him. But much has happened since I saw you." " Have you any word of Mr. Hale's enterprise? " she asked. " None, except that they plan to return to Coenties Slip at the dawn," I explained. " Captain Hull said he would try to let us know at once i'f he could find a messenger, but perchance Will himself will come." " Now what of your adventures? " mother ques- tioned, " for I can see by your bright eyes that you have not been asleep since I saw you." " I don't believe I shall ever sleep again ! " I be- gan excitedly, and forthwith told my tale for the A Voice in the Fog 121 third time that night; but this time it was a differ- ent telling, for to mother I could open my heart and had no need to hide my feelings, either of fear or of fortitude. I sat beside her and she held my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze now and then to show she understood what I could scarce put in words. " And, mother, I do think I helped to save Mr. Washington's life," I said at the end. " Yes, my dear," she agreed, " you've been a brave girl and a sensible one. Moreover I'm in- clined to think your spy was not far wrong in believ- ing that General Washington is essential to the suc- cess of our cause." " Then I've been something of a patriot, haven't I, mother?" I remarked, putting my head on her shoulder and feeling, though I couldn't tell exactly why, as if I should like to cry a little. " Ay," she answered, putting an arm about me, and giving me a loving hug, " my daughter is no less a patriot than her brother. I am very proud of you both." This mention of Will held us silent for a time, each busy with her thoughts, for now that the ex- citement of telling mother of my experience was ebbing away, the possibility of what might be hap- pening to him came uppermost in our minds and with it the ache of anxiety. " I think if you were a wise patriot, Mary, you'd go to bed," mother remarked after a time, but I'm sure she scarce expected me to be as wise as that. " Oh, I couldn't sleep a wink, mother," I an- swered, and she nodded understandingly. " But you could rest," she suggested. " I'll stretch out here," I replied,, and, crossing 122 Polly Trotter, Patriot the room, dropped down on the leather-covered couch. I lay watching mother and listening to the mo- notonous tick-tock of the clock above the mantel. Never had minutes passed so slowly, yet I am not sure I wanted them to fly faster. The dawn might not bring the sloop but instead the news that the ad- venture had ended in failure. Mother, whose Bible was again in her hands, tried once or twice to read, but her thoughts must have strayed away from the words, for at length she let the book drop into her lap and sat gazing at the wall with unseeing eyes. 'Twas not hard to guess something of what was passing in her mind, for doubtless she looked back upon the days of Will's growing up and reflected wistfully upon incidents of those happy years. " Mary," she said, suddenly, " tell me again what Captain Hull intended to do about sending us word?'\ " He is to despatch a messenger if he can find one," I answered. A sigh escaped her and she glanced at the clock, then she took up her Bible, but soon it dropped once more into her lap. Ten slow minutes passed and then she spoke. " Did Captain Hull think there would be diffi- culty in finding a messenger? " she asked. " He said he would try, mother," I explained. " You see he feared there would be naught but sol- diers at hand and that they could not be spared. I begged him to send brother, and he said he would if possible, but pointed out that Will would prob- ably be obliged to report for duty as soon as he landed." " I see," said mother, half to herself, and for A Voice in the Fog 123 another space we were silent, busy with anxious thoughts and seeking roads of hope that led no whither. "Are you very tired, Mary?" mother asked finally, and then I saw what was in her mind. 11 Oh, no, mother," I answered readily, jumping up and running to her, " I can go and bring you the news. I should like it above all things." " We will both go, my child," she declared, stand- ing up. "But, mother, are you strong enough?" I fal- tered, fearful that she might be overcome upon the way. " Yes, my dear, I am strong enough for anything but sitting still and doing naught," she cried out on a sudden, as if she couldn't bear the strain a moment longer. " Oh, Mary, Mary," she went on, her voice breaking a little, " I cannot always hide my feelings. Am I to sit idle with a passive face while all of you are helping our country? Must I be patient waiting for a chance-met messen- ger to bring me news of my boy's life or death? Nay, I cannot ! " " Come, mother, let us go ! " I exclaimed, put- ting my arms about her for a moment and hugging her close. " Captain Hull will be there to see to your comfort, and anything is better than counting these awful minutes as they pass." " You're right, Mary ! You're right ! " she agreed eagerly. " 'Tis beyond reason to think that just because we are women we must sit with folded hands, while all about us there is work to be done." She moved toward the door as she ended, but I held her back. " Wait, mother. I will get your cloak and tell 124 Polly Trotter, Patriot Betty where we've gone," I called, starting off ere the words were out of my mouth. Half way up I came upon our black cook sitting on the stairs. Indeed I nigh fell over her. " What are you doing here? " I asked in amaze- ment. " I'se jes waitin', 'case Mis' Doctor was needin' me," she answered in a very injured tone. " Fo' the land sakes! Where is you-all a-rushin' to? Upsettin' a body this a-way? " " We're going to the river to be there if Master Will comes back," I explained. "Now what fo' you doin' that?" she protested. " I done tell Mis' Trotter Marse Will was sure comin' back." "But how can you be certain, Betty?" I de- manded, a little exasperated at her positive tone. " 'Deed, Miss Polly, that boy allers comes back," she replied calmly. " Since he were a baby, he done come back. I's tol' him there was b'ars in the jam closet. I's done 'splain there was hob- goblins in the cake box and I's done ha'nt the apple barrel with ghosteses. But it don't be no good ! He allers comes back fo' more, an' he ain't got out of the habit yet. You listen to what ol' black Betty is a-tellin' you. Marse Will's jes' naturally born to come back ! " I envied Betty her confidence, which was not bred of indifference, for Will was as the apple of her eye; but I could get no comfort out of her assur- ances, seeing from what trivial sources they had come. I bade her go to bed, and taking mother's cloak and bonnet, returned to the surgery. We were both impatient to be off and were soon out on the street making our way down the Broad Way. There was a first hint of morning in the air A Voice in the Fog 125 and the dawn seemed not far off, though we saw no glint of sunrise in the East. We turned at Wall Street, walking thence to Han- over Square and so on to Coenties Slip. We found the same busy confusion that I had seen near the Bowling Green, though here it was earthworks and fortifications upon which the men worked so fever- ishly. I anticipated trouble in getting through the lines but, to my great surprise, the request to see Cap- tain Hull met with immediate and friendly response. " Oh, yes, miss," the soldier answered, " you'll find him right over there." And stepping aside to let us pass, he pointed to a frame shack. We picked our way over the rough, uneven earth to the place indicated, and I was about to speak to the sentry before the door when Captain Hull him- self appeared. " I thought you would come," he said, greeting us cordially. "Why did you expect us?" I asked, puzzled at this evidence of his foresight. " To tell the truth I couldn't be absolutely sure," he confessed, " but, after I had left you, I thought how hard it would be for me to sit still, just wait- ing, obliged to depend upon some one else to bring the news. I couldn't bear it." " It was impossible ! " mother murmured in an un- dertone. " So I guessed it would be," the Captain con- tinued, " and I told the sentries that if a young lady came asking for me she was to be passed." " You have been more than kind, Captain Hull," said mother, earnestly, but he protested that he had done only what common courtesy demanded. He led us through the fortifications to the dock, 126 Polly Trotter, Patriot fetching a stool for mother to sit upon. We went to the very end and looked out upon the black river, eddying by in silent mystery. Here we reached our goal and must now endure the vigil with what pa- tience we could muster, straining our eyes to catch the first glimpse of that unknown vessel which was to bring back out of the shadows him we loved. " They will come from there," said Mr. Hull, pointing up the stream; and we tried to pierce the grey mist that overhung the sable waters. There was no attempt at conversation. Mother sat rigidly facing in the direction Mr. Hull had in- dicated. The Captain paced the narrow dock rest- lessly, and I, standing at mother's side looked to the East, hoping for the first sign of the dawn. From behind us came the indistinct din of the la- borers at work upon the fortification, but I, for one, soon lost all consciousness of it and seemed to be in the midst of a profound silence. Once or twice Mr. Hull stopped abruptly, his erect figure held tense, as if he heard or saw some- thing, then with a disappointed shake of his head, he took up again his tireless pacing to and fro. At these times my heart jumped and I held my breath, straining my eyes and ears till it seemed that they would burst. But naught happened. At last, after what seemed a long, long time, the sky grew grey and I knew that the hour of dawn was at hand. What would it bring? Captain Hull halted near us and soon there was light enough to show the drawn, stern lines of his thin face. Mother had scarce moved a muscle since she had seated herself and had the semblance of a statue so motionless did she appear. As to me I had long since lost all sense of bodily feeling. I may have been tired after my night's experience, but I knew A Voice in the Fog 127 it not. I was aware only that, minute by min- ute, the light grew stronger and that the time was near at hand when all our doubts must be resolved. And still naught happened. With the gathering dawn we had hoped to look out across the river and so end our suspense the sooner; but the mists grew thicker with the rising sun and shut us in with a wet blanket of fog. We could scarce distinguish the water a hundred feet from the dock, and not until the sloop was almost landing could we know that the perilous enterprise had been successful. How long we might have to wait to learn of its failure I dared not think, but each passing minute made the pain of the uncertainty more unbearable. At length the fog took on a ruddy glow in the East and I knew that the sun was either already up or so near it that its full rising was but a mat- ter of minutes and yet they came not! I gazed into the fog, every muscle of my frame on the stretch in my effort to penetrate the veil that hid I knew not what. My fear increased with the waxing radiance, until a great dread clutched at my heart. I glanced at mother and Captain Hull to see if I could read upon their countenances the conviction that had begun to possess me, dreading that what I saw would confirm my own growing despair. Mother still stared straight ahead, her face pale and a little haggard; but there was no sign of lost hope. Even while I looked her lips moved as if she said a prayer. The Captain, standing stiff and straight as if at attention, seemed to front an enemy but gave no hint of how the battle went. I wondered how they could remain so impassive now that the dawn had come with no trace of those 128 Polly Trotter, Patriot for whom we waited. My courage was gone and I felt that in another minute I must cry out that Will was lost to us. My eyes turned back once more to the river and as they glanced here and there, scarce seeing, a move- ment in the mist caught my attention. Breathlessly I watched the spot, and then, as if a curtain parted, the bowsprit or a vessel showed for but a moment ere it disappeared again, and on the end, his face half turned from me, stood my brother Will. " There they are ! " I shouted at the top of my lungs, springing to Mr. Hull's side and pointing. " They're out there 1 I saw Will ! " The Captain shook his head as if he could scarce believe I had seen aright, but through the fog came a muffled voice. " Is that you, Polly Trotter?;' ' It was Will call- ing, and I danced up and down in mad joy. " Yes, it's Polly! " I cried again and again. " I thought I must have been dreaming," he called back, and then Captain Hull took a hand. "Hello! Is that you, Hale?" "Yes! Where are you?" " At the slip ! You've got the sloop ? " " Ay, but I made sure we should lose her again in this smothering fog. Lower the sails, boys," he ordered, and we heard the rattle of the cordage and the shouts of the men as they sprang to obey, but as yet we could see naught of them. Then slowly, as if out of a cloud, a noble sloop drifted into view; and there at last were those we thought were lost, come back to us. Captain Hale was in the stern, steering; while Will was perched on the bowsprit where I had first seen him. "Ho, Polly!" he called, waving a hand to us, " we owe you something for that shout. We'd A Voice in the Fog 129 about given up hope of ever finding the right shore." Suddenly 1 seemed to grow weak and big tears welled up in my eyes. " Oh, mother, where are you? " I sobbed. She was standing beside me, her eyes fastened on Will and a smile of thankfulness upon her lips; but as I spoke she turned and took me in her loving arms where, since my babyhood, I had gone to share my joys and sorrows. CHAPTER XVII THE LAST SERVICE HOW the news of the adventure was spread abroad so quickly I know not, but even be- fore the sloop was fairly landed the little dock was filled with a cheering crowd of soldiers, and those who had shared in the enterprise were lauded to the skies. And well they might be, for in the hold of the vessel were such stores of all kinds that much suffering was sure to be promptly re- lieved. Mother and I stayed just long enough to give Will a good hug and to congratulate Mr. Hale. Then Captain Hull escorted us through the lines to the street, and we made our way slowly home. Will promised to come to us as soon as his duty permitted, and we were, perforce, obliged to await for a full description of the expedition. But after the anxiety of those long hours of watching we deemed that no great hardship, knowing he was safe. Betty met us at the door with a confident smile on her broad black face, but she grinned widely at our news, showing that there had been at least a shadow of doubt in her mind. " Ain't I done tol' you, Mis' Trotter, ma'am, that boy'd come back?" she insisted. "You jes' trust ol' Betty knowing what's she's talkin' about. Now you all get your things off and come to break- 130 The Last Service 131 fast, 'cause it's pinin' to be et up and you must be mighty empty inside you'selves." She bustled about us, seeing to our comfort while she talked, and we were both too tired to resist her kindly services even had we been so minded. " Now get you to bed, Polly," ordered mother, who had been watching me nodding as I ate. " And you, mother," I replied sleepily, but her eyes were wider open than mine. " I shall rest," she answered, and I stumbled off to my room scarce knowing how I got there, nor how I managed to don my night-rail. 'Twas near to five in the afternoon when I woke up, and I might indeed have slept the clock around, had not the knocker sounding down stairs brought me to my senses. I jumped out of bed and, opening the door a crack, listened for the voices in the hall below to discover if possible who visited us. " Where's Polly? " were the first words I heard, shouted by Will, and poking out my head I called to him. " I'll be there in a minute," I cried excitedly, and began my robing in hot haste, chagrined that I should not have been on hand to greet him. I delayed not to primp and was soon running down the stairs at top speed, but Will was not the only one I found. Captain Hale, Mr. Hull and fa- ther were there as well and a royal welcome they gave me as I burst in upon them. All had heard of my doings of the night before, the story of how Mistress Polly Trotter had saved the General's life being common property at headquarers by this time, and they shouted three cheers, vowing I was the bravest patriot of them all. " Indeed, Mistress Polly," Captain Hale insisted, 132 Polly Trotter, Patriot " of the services done last night yours was infinitely the greater. We could have gotten along without the sloop, but lacking General Washington our cause might well be hopeless." "Ay!" cried Will, "and it seems to me if it hadn't been for Polly we might be out on that river yet, or never have gone for the sloop." At which there was more talk of my doings until I blushed, embarrassed at their praises, albeit I could not but be a little proud and very happy. " But you must tell me how you took the sloop," I demanded, for I had been most anxious to hear that tale. " Oh," cried Mr. Hale, " it was so easy that there is scarce anything to talk about." And in a meas- ure this was true, for the plan had carried through without a hitch and save for the fog at the end, when they had lost their bearings altogether, naught had happened to jeopardize the adventure. The very boldness of the scheme had made for its suc- cess. So well guarded was the sloop that the Brit- ish had no fears, and, once the watch aboard her had been silently secured, 'twas no trick to slip away while the guards upon the Asia called " All's well!" Nevertheless it was a great feather in Mr. Hale's cap, and his Colonel had naught but praise for his enterprise. There was no word of a reprimand as he had predicted, but when Captain Hale heard of Mr. Washington's views upon the matter he was not so sure it was merely his success that had saved him a severe censuring. " Now I understand," he laughed, " why His Ex- cellency was a thought cool over his congratulations. But he kept his promise, Miss Polly." " I cannot but think," said father soberly, " that The Last Service 133 His Excellency's view of the matter is the correct one." " Of course it is," agreed Mr. Hale heartily. " He is always right. We should not have gone, I grant you ; but once the notion took me, sir, I could not get it out of my head." " And 'twas Polly Trotter put it there ! " cried Will. " 'Twas all her fault, so you must scold her, father." " Nay, an it had not been for Polly you would all have had a rating that I doubt not you would have remembered for many a day," said mother laughingly. Just then Betty came into the room. " Dinner am served, Madam Trotter," she an- nounced ceremoniously, and then, to brother, with a sly glance at me, " I see you's come back, Marse Will?" " Of course I've come back, Betty," Will an- swered, knowing not the significance of her words at that time. " Are there any cookies in the cake- box?" " 'Deed, Marse Will, there ain't nothin' but hob- goblins in that box," she returned, " and they sure will cotch you if you go a-nigh it," she ended with a peal of laughter that was so infectious that we followed her to the dining-room in a gale of mer- riment. I think I had never eaten so gay a dinner as that one. It had all been arranged on the spur of the moment, and food was too hard come by in the city for us to make much of a show, but there was scarce a better cook in the Colonies than our Betty, so there was no lack of good things. And what we had to eat made little difference. We laughed and talked, going over and over again the 134 Polly Trotter, Patriot story of the night's adventures; remembering de- tails forgotten in the first telling; answering the same questions a dozen times and explaining this or that till all was clear. Oh, what a happy little party it was. To me it seemed as if we had come out of a dark cave into the light, leaving behind us all the shadows of doubt and anxiety. But it ended all too quickly, for the officers were forced to leave and hurry back to their duties. They would come again, of course, but I felt sure there would never be another dinner quite like that. Father, however, remained for a time and I, thinking that he and mother might have matters to discuss privately, was for going out to help Betty, but father stayed me. " Nay, daughter," he said, " you have surely earned the right to take part in our family coun- cils." So I sat down again feeling very grown-up and he went on to lay before us a matter that had been in his mind for a long time. " It is the question of you and Polly leaving the city that has been troubling me," he said, addressing mother, and she nodded understandingly. We had discussed this problem of our departure many times before, but father, in spite of the numerous alarms, had not felt called upon to urge mother to leave our home, particularly since he and Will had re- turned from Boston. For these reasons we had remained when nearly all our friends had departed, willing to put up with any inconvenience for the sake of being near them. Now the matter had become grave. The British army under General Howe had arrived from Hali- fax, whither it had gone after evacuating Boston, and The Last Service 135 was at last seriously planning to take the city. Al- ready warnings had been issued for all women and children to quit the town, so that for days there had been repetitions of the past panic-stricken flights to places of safety, though to be sure I marvelled that there were so many people left. But this time the danger was real. A large army of red-coats was preparing to land somewhere on our shores, and a great fleet of war-vessels under Admiral Lord Howe was momentarily expected. " I have known for some time," father said, " that sooner or later you would be obliged to de- part, but to-day General Washington spoke to me privately and advised me to send you and Polly into the country without delay." " Then he thinks the British may attack any day?" asked mother. " Ay, that is the interpretation I put upon his words," replied father. " It may not be to-mor- row or the next day, but it will be soon, and no one on our side can tell when." " Very well, but 'tis not on my own account that I consent," mother protested. " Even if the enemy should take New York I cannot feel that much hurt would come to Mary or me. The British are not barbarians at worst. But in that case we should be cut off from you and Will. Moreover you would be anxious for our safety, so I agree that we had better leave." Father's brother, James Trotter, a jolly uncle who visited us about once a year, had a large farm in the North of the Jerseys. He, we knew, would make us welcome and it was decided that we should make a start early Monday morning. That would give us Saturday and Sunday for the needful prepa- ration, which we decided should not be extensive. 136 Polly Trotter, Patriot We should take only those things which were neces- sary, counting upon Uncle James's household to make us wholly comfortable. Betty, of course, was to go with us, and her joy at the news was pathetic. I then realized for the first time how sincere was her devotion and loyalty to us. " 'Deed that am powerful good news, honey ! " she exclaimed, " you all don't know the scared feelin's I's been havin' with all these so'jer gem'- men ready to go shootin' each other, and awful care- less who they's hittin'. If I was one of them thin critters, I wouldn't be so mighty fearful, but, chil', there's such a lot o' oF Betty to get in the way of them bullets." With these plans to be forwarded we were up be- times next morning, hard at work covering furniture, laying away linen and doing the thousand and one things needed to leave our home in order. It must be done thoroughly, for we knew not when we should return to it; but mother was ever a careful housewife so that by Saturday night we were as near ready for our departure as we wished. All we had left to do were those last things which take but a moment or two, and of which, when it is too late, one wonders how many have been forgotten. Now, although we had planned to go, and every- thing was ready for our departure on the Monday, the matter fell out otherwise as I shall explain. With the coming of the Continental soldiers there had been a renewal of the agitation against the Tories remaining in the city, for with reason they were suspected of plotting with the British Governor Tryon who still lived aboard the Duchess of Gordon lying in the harbour. This feeling had greatly increased when it was The Last Service 137 noised abroad that General Washington's life had been threatened, so just at this time, when we were ready to leave, the patriots were very bitter against anything that smacked of loyalty to the crown. Thus it came about that Mr. Inglis, the assistant rec- tor of Trinity Church, was warned that he must omit the prayers which are set down for the King. We had heard something of these threats but paid scant heed to them, so that on Sunday morning mother and I went to church together, and it so hap- pened that we were part of the last congregation to assemble in the old building. It was a most beautiful day, and the service had hardly begun when, to the accompaniment of a fife and drum, a hundred or more men, armed with muskets with fixed bayonets, entered the church. At first we thought it was a part of our army. But from lip to lip passed the whisper that General Washington had ordered this demonstration, a ru- mour which later he indignantly repudiated. In they marched, shouting to Mr. Inglis at the top of their voices that if he prayed for the King they would shoot him where he stood. It was very terrible, and we of the congregation knew not what to do. The rector stood at the altar, pale but steadfast while the mob crowded all the aisles. From many parts of the building I could hear the pitiful cries of women and children and in truth I could scarce suppress my own feelings. Some even swooned, as well they might, for at any moment we expected to see the minister slain before our eyes. Yet for a time he said naught but stood silent and grave, as if he only waited for the dis- turbance to subside. Finally, when the mob had quieted in a measure, he began reading in a calm, even voice without the 138 Polly Trotter, Patriot slightest tremour. On and on he went, while we followed his words in the prayer-book with anxious hearts as he drew nearer and nearer to the forbidden supplication. Then, in clear ringing tones as if he challenged the mob to do their worst, he began the prayer for the King and the Royal Family amid frantic sobs and muttered commands that he cease. On he went to the end, as it was written, and then he stopped, expecting, I think, that the rabble would then and there execute their threat. But, from whatever cause I know not, nothing was done, save that there came a great hooting and shouting, in the midst of which Mr. Inglis ended the service and left the chancel. With shaking limbs I rose to take my way out with the others but as mother got to her feet she swayed from side to side and would have fallen had I not caught her in my arms. Then, as I let her rest in the pew, her head dropped back and I saw that she had fainted. There was no lack of friends to help me, and happily Dr. Lober was there, so that a chariot was quickly provided and she was soon home in bed at- tended by the best physician obtainable; but she re- mained unconscious in spite of all that could be done and I was greatly alarmed. " Oh, Doctor, will mother die? " I asked in agony. " Nay, nay, Polly," he answered, reassuringly. " She will not die, but it will be many weeks ere she is out of her bed." In dismay I looked about me at the ordered rooms made ready for our departure on the morrow. Of one thing only was I certain. Mother and I would not leave New York for some time to come, no mat- ter what the British army might do. CHAPTER XVIII INDEPENDENCY A GOOD many of the days that followed mother's sudden illness left but little mark upon my memory. I recollect father's com- ing very shortly after we reached home from the church, some kind neighbour having sent word to headquarters. He and Dr. Lober were closeted together in consultation and after a long, long time he sought me in the surgery, whither I had gone to hide myself while awaiting his report upon mother's condition. He seated himself on the old couch at my side, looking so worn and anxious that I was filled with forebodings and could not speak for dread of what he was about to tell me. " Your mother will get well, Polly dear," he said at length, laying a hand on mine, " but I fear " " Oh, there is naught to fear if she gets well," I cried thankfully, feeling as if a ton's weight had been lifted from my heart. He pressed my hand and patted it lovingly. " You are a dear, brave girl, Polly," he mur- mured, and there was a little choke in his voice. " If it were not for you I know not what I should do, but I must tell you that it may be months ere your mother can walk again." "Poor, poor mother," I sobbed. "Will she suffer, father?" 139 140 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Nay, very little I'm glad to say," he answered. " But her recovery will be very slow. There is but little medicine can do for her. Good care and nursing are her greatest needs. And how you will manage it all ." " Oh, father, you mustn't worry on my account," I assured him, guessing something of what was in his mind. " But I do, Polly," he answered. " Even I can- not help you, for having set my hand to the work of our country I may not give it up." " Nor would I have you do it on my account," I told him. " Sure I can manage finely, and if that frees you to lend your skill to our soldiers then I, too, am serving our country." He made much of me over this, more, I think than I deserved^ for indeed I would have been a poor patriot and an ungrateful daughter if I had failed to do all in my power to lighten his burden. When father went back to mother's room I sought Betty in the kitchen. To lose her willing service would be a sad blow, but I could not in conscience ask her to stay longer, knowing how real were her fears for her life. She was not a slave nor a bond- servant, but free to go an it pleased her, and she could easily find employment out of the city. So, in no very happy frame of mind, I told her of our situation while she looked at me amazed, her eyes growing wider and wider as she listened. " And you see, Betty," I ended, " we cannot go, but that is no reason why you should risk your life by staying longer in New York." She stared at me for a moment, then two great tears rolled down her cheeks. " Is you really sendin' ol' Betty away, Miss Polly?" she asked, in a heartbroken voice. Independency 141 " Nay, Betty, I'm not sending you," I tried to explain, but she would not listen. " And ain't I gwine to see the fambly no mo'? " she broke out, her lips trembling while the tears came faster. " Ain't I never gwine to make no mo' cookies fo' Master Will? Oh, honey chile, what's oF Betty done that you-all is drivin' her off this a-way? " " You haven't done a thing, Betty," I began, but she broke in again. " I never 'spects this day would come," she went on mournfully; " I's watched you and you' brother a-growin' up since you was knee-high to nothin', I have. I'se been a faithful ol' servant to you' ma since afore you was born, and I wants to tell you, chile, right now, that come fair or foul ol' Betty ain't goin' away nohow. If you stays, I stays, and there's an end to it ! " But that wasn't the end to it, for I ran to the dear old soul and threw my arms about her, my tears falling fast. " Oh, Betty, I'm so glad," I sobbed. " I couldn't have gotten along without you." " 'Course you couldn't, honey chile," she crooned, patting me softly as she used to do when I was little. " And you know I didn't want you to go," I in- sisted. " Hum maybe I 'spected it, honey," she ad- mitted. " But what kind o' hurt ol' Betty's feelin's was you all 'sposin' for a minute that I would a-left the fambly 'cause there was danger hoverin' round. I's only an ol' black woman, honey, but I'se got my feelin's same as white folks." So Betty stayed, as I might have known she would, and in a few days the house was again in order. In a week we had settled down to the rou- 142 Polly Trotter, Patriot tine of nursing mother and, save for my extra duties, our life went on much as before. Will and his friends were shortly sent to Long Island, and father scarce knew from day to day where his duty would call him, so there were hours when I felt very lonely; but I set myself the task of cheerfulness, and the time sped quickly, for I lacked not work to do. When my household duties were accomplished and dainties made to tempt poor moth- er's appetite, there was lint to be scraped and band- ages to be got ready against the looked-for battle, which however came not so soon as was expected. Meanwhile mother's progress seemed very slow, so slow indeed was it that only by looking back to the commencement of her illness could I notice any improvement, although both father and Dr. Lober assured me she was doing as well as could be ex- pected. But she slept the greater part of the day and night, and for a while at least she had no true realization of what had occurred, nor a proper un- derstanding of our circumstances. She seemed, during her waking hours, to live wholly in the past, and talked to me as she might have when I was scarce more than a baby. This distressed me greatly, until father made it plain that as her strength increased this state of her mind would rem- edy itself. But it must not be thought that all my days were spent indoors, or that I was wholly dependent upon Betty for companionship. One of my girl friends still remained near the city, living not far above Inclenberg, the estate of Mr. Robert Murray. This was Sophia Watts who was about a year older than I and too much given, for my taste, to thinking of the young officers and their doings. For all that I was overjoyed when she was let come into town Independency 143 to spend the night with me, as her mother sometimes permitted her to do. Now it so happened that on a day early in July Mr. Watts had driven to the city and having busi- ness that would keep him over night he had dropped Sophia at our house planning to call for her on the morrow. This was vastly to my liking, for father was in the city also and had arranged to spend the afternoon with mother, thus giving me a free foot. Having a companion it was a fine opportunity to take the air, and we decided to walk out into the country to a small farm owned by an Irishman named Dolan. 'Twas in my mind to see if he still had some late strawberries or, failing these, early raspberries, for it was between seasons for fruit and mother seemed to relish that more than any other food. We started early in the afternoon, and thus it came about that Sophia and I, arm in arm, were passing the upper barracks near the Liberty Pole when on a sudden the drums sounded an alarm and the soldiers came tumbling out of their tents in hot haste. Now it was well known that the men were called to duty at odd times in order to accustom them to unexpected happenings, and we thought at first that this was some such drill. When, however, they were assembled, the scene appeared so war-like that I began to doubt that this was but parade. " Had we not better turn back while we can, Sophia?" I suggested, pulling at her sleeve. " Nay," she answered lightly, " I mean to see the fun." And she stopped in her tracks. " But Sophia ! " I protested, " mayhap they are about to fight." " Nonsense, Polly," she interrupted, " to me it looks vastly more like family prayers than a battle." 144 Polly Trotter, Patriot Which in a way was true, for as we talked, an officer with a paper in his hand mounted a barrel in front of his troops and began to read. We were so far away that we could catch scarce anything of what was said, but I heard the words " by order of the Commander-in-Chief " and a little later something about the " course of human events," but could in no wise make sense of it. Yet to our surprise, for it seemed dry stuff enough, the officers and soldiers alike, were nigh distraught with enthu- siasm, and at the end cheered mightily, flinging up their caps while the bugles blew a lively tune and the drums beat madly. I was puzzled, wondering what it might all be about, for although at the end of this demonstration the men broke ranks and returned quietly to their quarters, there was an undercurrent of excitement and I could not feel quite easy in my mind. "Faith, we're out of luck, Polly!" exclaimed Sophia pettishly. " We may as well go on." "Would it not be better to turn back?" I sug- gested; still feeling unsettled. "Now tell me why?" she demanded, opening wide her blue eyes. " Because a dandy like young Captain Hamilton has chosen this time to teach his men how to point their toes and tie their cravats, must we run home like frightened children?" "Was that Captain Hamilton? " I asked, forget- ting all else in my surprise. " Sure, I thought this officer a much taller man." Sophia laughed derisively. " You're a sly puss, Mistress Polly Trotter," she said. " Faith, I know not if it were Captain Ham- ilton or no; but here am I, your best friend, or nearly, and you have never told me you even knew him, much less that it was jealousy of Mr. Hamil- Independency 145 ton that drove Roger Delancy to declare for the King." " Sophia I " I exclaimed, scandalized at this non- sense. " How can you be such a nizzy? Sure Roger and I have been like brother and sister, and all the world knows the politics of every Delancy that ever breathed." " Ay, the Delancys are [Toryish," Sophia ad- mitted grudgingly, " but that does not explain away Mr. Hamilton. 'Tis whispered that he sings your praises louder than is quite pleasing to Kitty Living- ston or Susan Boudinot." " Nay, hold thy chattering tongue," I laughed, a little flattered for all that I doubted not Sophia was but drawing a long bow as was her wont. " You know as well as I that a young gentleman who has for friends grown maids like the Living- stons looks upon girls of our age as children." " Oh, does he, indeed," cried Sophia, tossing her head. " Sure if he tried to condescend to me I'd soon remind him that he owes his own grey hair to powder. But cease your quarrelling with me, Polly. Here we are nigh to Dolans so I'll spare your blushes and not tease you any longer." In the heat of my argument with the saucy Sophia I had gone on at her side, forgetting my misgivings about continuing our walk, and now we dallied some- what over-long at the Dolan farm, picking the fruit and inspecting the flower garden of which the old man was justly proud, so that it was already almost dusk when we set out upon our return journey. I started briskly, for the lowering sun had cooled the air pleasantly and I was anxious to be home again. But Sophia refused to be hurried. 'Twas not that she was a selfish nor a heartless girl, and really indifferent to my anxiety, but she knew as I 146 Polly Trotter, Patriot did, that father would by now have given mother her sleeping potion and gone back to his duties, so that none worried over our absence unless 'twas Betty who was not like to be unduly concerned. Therefore she proposed to gratify her taste for nov- elty and excitement, if so be she could find the means. But I fretted to be back, conscious of my responsi- bilities and not liking to be absent too long from the house. " Do hurry, Sophia," I begged, trying to stir her out of a languid loitering. " Nay, I'm exhausted, my dear," she replied, look- ing at me gravely, " you could no more hurry me than you could move the Statue of George the Third." ' That would be a hopeless task," I answered, laughing at her strange conceit. " But you are scarce so solid as that statue," and I made as if to push her along. " Faith, Polly ! " she cried, " if you do that I shall have the vapours or whatever fashionable young ladies have when they are thwarted." " Sure you would never flop upon the dusty road in your best pelisse," I retorted. " I cannot tell exactly," she replied impishly, " but if I have not my way I feel sure an attack will over- come me just about as we reach the barracks. There is fine grass there and no lack of help for a maiden in distress." Truly Sophia was in a wild and freakish mood, and, though I took not this threat seriously, I never- theless desisted from my efforts to hasten her, think- ing it the part of wisdom not to furnish any excuse for her to put into practise the prank she hinted at. But darkness was coming on apace and 'twas some- thing of a task to curb my impatience. Independency '147 It was with considerable relief, therefore, that I heard the rumble of wheels behind me, for if per- chance some one I knew was driving into town I would beg a lift, sure that Sophia could not resist a ride. We stepped aside to avoid being run down, and as the vehicle came abreast of us, I was disappointed to find that it was a cart and not a shay as I had hoped. And moreover it was already full of coun- trified folk seated on boards set from side to side. Greatly to my surprise it stopped before us amid loud " whoas " and gigglings. " Step up, lasses," cried a rough voice. " You'll miss the fun else." "Fun?" cried Sophia, lively on the instant. "What fun? I've been on the search for fun all day and have found naught but a moral discourse." To my amazement she mounted nimbly into the cart which, save for the driver and his boy, con- tained only country girls, who crowded together to make room for us. 'Where are you going, Sophia?" I demanded. " Back to town," she answered briskly. " Come ! Hurry now ! You'll be late if you don't." Her tone implied a rebuke for me, as if the delay had been my fault, but she held out a hand to help me up and in a moment I had joined her amid the giggling group. The company in which we found ourselves were respectable, honest folk enough, who, on ordinary occasions, were little like to interest themselves in anything outside their own hum-drum lives; but on this night they all seemed moved by a great excite- ment, the cause of which was a mystery to me. There was light enough to see Sophia's eyes brim full of mischief, and at the first chance, as I was 148 Polly Trotter, Patriot jolted against her, I whispered a caution, but she paid no heed. "Now tell me. What is the fun a-foot?" she demanded of the company at large. The farmer drew in his horses with a jerk. " Be ye Tories? " he queried in a menacing tone. " If so ye be, then walk ! " " Nay," I hastened to tell him, for I know not what romance Sophia's fancy might prompt her to weave, " my father and brother are both out for the Cause." " How comes it then that ye know naught of the great news?" he asked. " What news? " questioned Sophia. " Why lass, us is free ! " he cried. " Congress have said so. 'Twas read out to-day to all the troops." " That was what was going on at the barracks," I said to Sophia. " Ay, never doubt it," the farmer went on. " Us is free to do as us likes from now on. Down with kings and taxes, say I ! " He slapped his horse vigorously to emphasize his words, and we started again. " But where is the fun to come in ? " Sophia in- sisted, never losing sight of her main interest. ' You come along wi' us, little missy," the farmer answered gleefully. " There'll be fine Tory rides and big fires out o' Tory trash and many a sight you'll remember all your lives." We went on in comparative silence until at last the town was reached, but we had scarce entered it ere 'twas plain that we were not the only ones on the lookout for fun. The streets were thronged, bells were ringing, and fires blazed at nigh every corner. We drew up before an orator upon a Independency 149 barrel and heard the British given a fine rating, while each fiery sentence was interrupted by roars of delight from all within hearing. Similar scenes were being enacted in every part of the city, and from each vantage point our ears were assailed by hoarse denunciations of the King and his Ministers. The excitement was contagious. I felt it myself, and Sophia shouted with the rest; but I liked it not and would have given much to be out of the cart, which, as it moved slowly forward, became more and more hemmed in by the ever-increasing press. As we neared our house I rejoiced that we would soon be set down and presently spoke to the driver as pleasantly as I could, for though of a rough sort he had been kind to us, and I was grateful for the lift. " Thank you very much for the ride," I began, raising my voice so that it might be heard above the uproar around us. " I live near here and shall be pleased if you will stop a minute and let us out." " Why lass, you haven't seen half the fun," he answered, turning toward me, and in the light of a nearby bonfire he had his first good look at me. As his eyes met mine I saw the expression of his face turn disagreeably. " By gum ! " he exclaimed. " I thought I'd seen ye afore and I was right. You're the Tory Doctor's gal. That's who you are. Well, your father give us the slip along o' young Hamilton, but you set right where you are, missy 1 " And he clucked to the horse. We clattered down the Broad Way, for the man now seemed determined upon some course of action and urged his horse, keeping out of the crowds as best he could, until finally, nearing the lower part of the city, he was forced to bring the animal to a walk because of the jam of people in the, streets who 150 Polly Trotter, Patriot closed around the cart in a compact mass. I might have jumped out, but there was Sophia to consider, and at any attempt to escape the farmer would be sure to raise a hue and cry while I was little minded to attract attention to myself in that throng. What was in the man's mind in regard to me I could not guess, but I scarce thought he meant any harm. He probably but wanted a Tory girl, such as he believed me to be, to have her fill of speeches levelled at the British and that was no great hard- ship for me. So my chief worry was not for myself. I but fretted to be home, where some emergency needing my attention might have arisen. From the fragments of talk I caught it was plain that the point of most interest was at the Bowling Green; but, as we neared it, our progress became slower and slower until the cart was finally stopped. " Take the reins, Dick," said the farmer to his boy. " I'm little minded to let this Tory gal miss a treat. Her and me be goin' forward at a smarter pace." He asked not my leave but bundled me out of the cart to the ground, where he seized my arm in a firm grasp and began to manoeuvre me through the press with some rapidity. I protested, but he heeded not my words, seeming to have but one thing upon his mind, which I doubt not was incapable of any greater effort. When we came within sight of the statue of King George, set in the midst of the Bowling Green, so great was the throng that 'twas seemingly impossible to go forward even on foot. But my man was cleverer than I thought, for he raised his voice and shouted loudly, " Way for a Royalist lady ! One of the Gentleman's friends wants to bid him good- bye 1" Independency 151 Though I had no notion wherein lay the magic of these words, they were quickly effective for mid much good-natured laughter, evidently at my ex- pense, the crowd squeezed back to let us pass until finally we stood before the statue, and at last I saw what was going forward with such excitement. From all sides of the great metal horse upon which the counterfeit of the King was seated, there were stretched ropes, the meaning of which was all too plain. The " Grateful Subjects " who had erected the statue were now intent upon pulling it down, and my farmer, thinking to cause me sorrow on account or my fancied loyalty to the Crown, had brought me thither to witness the effigy's destruction. The futility of his intention made me, on a sudden, so angry that I wrenched myself free of his grasp. " You're a stupid, stupid man ! " I cried scorn- fully. " Is it for this that you have brought me so far out of my way? 'Tis fine treatment for a maid whose father and brother are with Mr. Washing- ton's army. My mother is ill, and / am going home." For a moment he was taken a-back at my vehem- ence, but he was still mastered by his idea that I was a Tory, and, shaking his head wisely, he grasped me again by the arm. " Words is cheap," he remarked dryly. " There's those as say your father joined our side because t'other wouldn't have him." " And silly bumpkins believe all they hear," I re- torted. " If naught but deeds will satisfy you give me an end of a rope and I'll help to overthrow the King with a right good will." There had been more than one interested listener to this conversation in the crowd around us and, as I finished, a soldier, of whom there was a fair 152 Polly Trotter, Patriot sprinkling in the mob, thrust a rope into my hands while he addressed the man at my side. " She's spoke you fair, friend," he laughed. " Be she Whig or Tory see that you let her go free when all's done. There's a better way of showing patriotism for a great oaf like you than by bullying maids." Hardly had he ceased speaking than those who held the ropes began heaving and I pulled with the rest. There was a mighty shouting as the figure be- gan to give to the steady strain and soon, with a crash, the giant statue of George the Third fell to the ground. Upon the mass leaped a man and, at a sign, all seemed quiet for a moment. "A bad King!" he shouted at the top of his voice. " Let us hope he will make good bullets! " " Ay," came an answering shout. " He should be run into bullets to assimilate with the brains of the enemy! " And this saying seemed to find great favour, for it was passed from lip to lip amid laugh- ter and wise shaking of heads. How long I stood gaping there I knew not, but presently the soldier who had taken my part pushed through the crowd and handed me a bit of metal. " 'Tis one of the statue's buttons, missy," he ex- plained. " 'Twill be a bullet or so less for the British but 'twill make a fine keepsake for a maid who has had a hand in making history. Here's a bit of the rope, too," he added, and I took both with interest. Then he turned gruffly to the farmer. " Now see to it, master, that the maid goes free." " Ay, for all of me," was the shamefaced reply. " But, please," I appealed to the soldier, " he holds a friend of mine in his cart and I fear to trust him. Won't you order him to take me back to her and then let us go? " Independency 153 " To be sure," he replied heartily, " and to make all safe I'll set you on the road myself." Thus I was conducted back to the cart in some state, for the soldier insisted that the farmer keep a pace behind me while he walking in front, cleared a way through the curious gapers. We found Sophia, still standing up as I had left her, clasping in her hand mother's pottle of fresh fruit. It took but a moment to set her free, to thank our rescuer and to start upon our homeward journey. Sophia was slightly ill at ease, for well she knew who had led us into this fix, but she strove to carry it off with a show of gaiety. She no longer held back when I urged her to hurry, " for after all you've moved the King himself ! " she said. " But I was born under an unlucky star," she mourned a moment later. " I take all the pains and you have all the fun." " I see no fun in this adventure," I answered crossly. " Nay, but you will to-morrow," she insisted saucily. " You'll have something to brag of all your life, while I got naught but a stiff neck looking after you over the heads of the crowd." But I was annoyed and little inclined to meet her half-way. " 'Twas through you that I nearly got into se- rious difficulty," I cried indignantly, " and now I'll thank you not to mention the matter to any one. I'm vastly mistaken if this affair is likely to be pop- ular with the authorities." Which indeed was the case, for General Washington himself denounced the act publicly the next day. We reached home safely to find that mother had been wakened by the noises but had dozed off again upon Betty's assurance that I was with Sophia, and 154 Polly Trotter, Patriot that Mr. Watts was probably keeping us off the streets till they were clear of the mob. So no harm was done, except to our supper which was dried with waiting over the fire. CHAPTER XIX AFTER THE BATTLE SOME few days after Sophia's visit I first no- ticed a change for the better in mother's con- dition. She began to ask searching questions of what father and Will were doing and I was at first inclined to avoid answering as fully as I might for fear of giving her a setback; but if her mind had been slightly clouded for a time it was as clear as ever now. " 'Twill be no kindness, Polly dear," she said gently, " to keep me in ignorance of the true state of affairs. I should imagine matters to be worse than they really are." So I told her that father and Will were now sta- tioned on Long Island whither most of our soldiers had gone, and that a battle was expected at any time. She took the news with outward calm at least, and this proved to me that she was indeed gaining strength. To be sure it would be many weeks ere she could leave her bed, but I could now go to her with my perplexities without fear of doing her an injury; and this, in great measure, eased the strain of my responsibilities. During July and well into the next month, the city was in a tense state of excitement. Each day it was expected that the British would attack the town, but none knew for certain from which direction to look for the danger. The great fleet of war-vessels in the bay might land an army anywhere, so that our 155 156 Polly Trotter, Patriot forces must be kept in readiness to defend any point the enemy should select. Most of our troops, how- ever, were stationed on Long Island, the Com- mander-in-Chief expecting that there would be the first point of contact. Day after day went by and still no move was made, but one Wednesday night well on in August, the most fearful thunder-storm passed over the city. So violent was it, that a sense of foreboding re- mained in its wake, as if it heralded the end of our anxious waiting. And sure enough, in the morn- ing when I looked out of the window I was sur- prised by the unusual commotion. People of all con- ditions were running to and fro calling to one an- other anxiously as if distraught. Militiamen hurried through the streets toward the river, while wagons loaded with powder and ball rattled over the rough paving in the same direction. Not a little alarmed I slipped out to halt the first man I met and learned the news. " The British have landed on Long Island," he told me breathlessly. "And will there be a battle?" I asked, my thoughts flying to Will and father. "Ay, there'll be a battle," he answered. "No doubt of that, missy. It's been a long time coming, but 'twill be no less bloody on that account. Were I a maid I would seek friends outside New York." I thanked him and ran back into the house where Betty greeted me with a long face and dismal words. ' The war am come, honey," she said in a doleful voice. " I don't know whether it has or not, Betty," I replied. " We've had so many false alarms lately, perhaps this is another." " Don't you fool you'self, Miss Polly," she in- After the Battle 157 sisted earnestly. " This time it am come and fo' years and years people will remember this day. Listen to what I's tellin' you, fo' I knows, 'deed I does. Some folks says there ain't no second sight, but they's wrong 'cause I's got it, and I tells you, Miss Polly, I sees hundreds killed and bleedin' out in the battlefield, some with their ." "Betty!" I cried sharply, "Stop it at once!" for she was working herself up into a state of great excitement, and I had no mind to have my feelings harrowed by all the imaginary horrors she could invent. " Come, get to work," I went on, for it was only by keeping busy that I could put away, for the time being, the anxiety I felt about Will and father. It was not until the following Tuesday that the battle was really fought and then the booming of the cannon left no doubt in our minds of what was going forward. About noon this ceased, and almost immediately thereafter we were assailed with wild and distorted rumours of what had happened. That we had lost the engagement was soon estab- lished, then we heard that another conflict was im- minent, and that the British were but awaiting their ships to come up and bombard the town ports while they cut off the retreat of our army. No doubt there were those in the city who knew exactly what had taken place, but the news I received was very uncertain. All I was sure of was that our troops had fared badly and that worse might soon follow. But what had happened to father and Will? That question tortured me while I tried to keep a cheerful countenance before poor mother who fol- lowed me with her eyes whenever I entered the room, though neither of us ventured to discuss the subject in both our minds. 158 Polly Trotter, Patriot Early on the Friday morning following the battle I was awakened by unusual noises outside. How can I describe the sight that met my gaze as I looked from the window? Below me a large part of our army was camped in the streets and overflowing into the Common. Hundreds of men were there, wet through by the rains, so exhausted that they slept upon the bare stones, many hatless and coatless, muddy and begrimed, with here and there a red- stained bandage bound about a wound. " Oh, how they must have suffered to have come to this pass," I murmured to myself, and straightway my thoughts flew to those I loved who might be in like case. Were they, too, suffering as were these? Were they, too, hungry, worn with fatigue, perhaps wounded? I dared not think of it. But the men below me had need of succour. 'Twas plain they were half-starved. So rousing Betty I set her to making coffee, of which we still held a fair store, and after that to baking biscuits. In the meantime I filled a basket with what we had ready cooked and went out with it to the edge of the Common. My heart ached to see the eagerness with which the poor souls caught at what I offered them. They cheered me for a brave lass, but could give no answer to my anxious questions about Will and father. My first supplies lasted but for a moment and I went back again for more. There was not enough to feed them all and, seeing that others of our neigh- bours were bringing food, I confined my efforts to providing coffee, taking it out in a pail as large as I could manage, and serving it out by the cupful while it lasted, then going back for more until each man within reach had been supplied. When at last After the Battle 159 I returned to my household duties I felt that in help- ing these poor fellows I had perchance but returned a favour done my brother in some other part of the city. Late that morning father came to us, but only for a few moments. He had so many sick and wounded to care for that he had scarce time to eat and had not slept for two nights. He brought the welcome news that Will had come through the battle unhurt, but warned us not to expect to see him. I can't ex- plain why it was that father's brief report of my brother left me unsatisfied. It seemed as if he hid something, yet without hesitation he repeated his assurances that Will was safe, and I had to content myself with that. He told us briefly of the retreat from Long Island during the night. How General Washington had kept the matter so secret that the various regiments of our army knew naught of what was forward until they were ordered to leave their camps, where the fires still burned, and march directly to the boats which were to carry them across the river. He also had a word of high praise for young Mr. Hamilton who had taken an active part in safeguarding the retreat, and spoke with much enthusiasm of other young officers he knew. I asked him if by any chance he had heard aught of Roger Delancy but he shook his head, and my dis- appointment must have been plain to him. " Nay, Polly," he said, trying to hearten me, " re- member ' no news is good news,' and unless Roger were taken a prisoner we should hear naught of him." " I'm sure that he is dead," I answered, and though he tried to persuade me that this was but a foolish notion, I still clung to it. 160 Polly Trotter, Patriot The days that followed were filled with anxiety for every one. It was expected that any hour of the day or night might see the British attack upon the city. How to meet it was discussed by the young and old and there were nigh as many foolish plans as there were people who knew naught of the business they debated so heatedly. It was, however, seriously proposed to deliberately burn the city, and so destroy a fine winter quarters for the enemy. This would have been vastly harassing for us, see- ing the great danger of moving mother; but father, had his opinion been asked, said he must have voted to raze the town for the good of the Cause, in spite of the personal hardship it would entail. It was generally understood that General Washington favoured this heroic means of hampering the enemy ; but Congress settled the matter by commanding that, in any circumstances, New York was to be spared. However many precautions were taken to render their prize of as little value as possible, and one day a loud rat-tat-tat on the front door brought me down stairs in a jiffy to find several men bent upon official business. " We have come for your knocker, mistress," said the leader, and already one of them was taking out the screws. "Our knocker?" I repeated, wondering at so strange a request. " Ay," he made answer, " that and all other metals pewter porringers, copper kettles, or what not. Everything in fact that you expect to leave behind you." " But what for? " I demanded. ;< To keep such serviceable materials out of the hands of the enemy," he explained " Good bullets may be made of such things, so we have orders to After the Battle 161 take all we find and send them to Newark across the river." "But "I began. " Nay, you will have pay for them, and the knocker will be kept for you an you so specify," he interrupted, thinking it was for that I would protest. " Everything will be weighed and registered, all in proper order, and a receipt given." " Nay, 'tis because my mother is ill and we can- not leave the city," I started to explain. " Eh, now, that's too bad," he interrupted, " yet if you stay you must keep naught by you that you have not use for daily. The British are wonderful robbers, and where I come from they say one Hes- sian is as bad as ten red-coats. They descend upon the country like a swarm of locusts and leave it stripped." It took but a little thought to show me that this might easily be true and, seeing that there were many such articles that could be spared, I sorted them out amid Betty's loud protests. After duly weighing them, I was given a proper receipt and the men took the things away. But this visit brought home to me the problem of how we should manage if indeed the British came to occupy the city, and, though I could not foresee all that might happen, certain precautions plainly must be taken. To this end I gathered together such silver and trinkets of mother's as were of most value and hid them carefully. Also at father's sug- gestion, I began laying in a store of food-stuffs that would not perish, for provisions were like to become scarcer. This must be done a little at a time, so that I made frequent visits to the markets at the waterfront, buying where I could, for the farmers, Whig or Tory, sold to the highest bidder, be he 1 62 Polly Trotter, Patriot friend or foe, and I had need to keep on the lookout for bargains. These stores, too, I hid, against the coming of the enemy. Meanwhile our soldiers had set up a camp on the Common and although there was no real food short- age I took it upon myself to go every morning with a basket of sweets of Betty's baking to vary the monotony of their rough fare. There was not enough to give to more than a few of the soldiers on any one day, so I hit upon the plan of visiting a different part of the camp upon each occasion. As a result of this I was soon known to all, and their hearty greetings made the whole day brighter for me. 'Twas these men who bore the brunt of the hardships, and if in any way I could make their lot lighter I deemed it no more than my duty, though indeed it was a pleasure as well. In gratitude they had given me a name, call- ing me the " Coffee gal," because of that first dread- ful day; and whenever I appeared they would greet me with a cheery " good-morning " and pretend to be half starved when I passed them by. We had kindly jokes over whose turn it was to get the dain- ties, but there was never a rough word and the " cof- fee gal " might come and go as she pleased, sure of a friendly welcome. It must have been nigh ten days after the battle that I was taking my way through the camp as usual when my attention was caught by the raised voices of some men behind me. "Who are you, anyway?" I heard one say. ' You're not of our company. That I know. What are you doing here, with your soft hands and gentle speech? Tell us who you are or come along to the Captain." "Ay, Bill, that's the talk," counselled another. After the Battle 163 " He don't act right to my way o' thinkin'. Off to the Captain with him." I turned, out of curiosity only, and I could scarce believe my eyes for there before me, dressed as a Continental soldier, stood Roger Delancy, whom I had thought of as dead. CHAPTER XX POLLY TAKES A PRISONER 1WAS so close to Roger and so surprised and delighted to see him, that I was about to cry his name when he looked up and recognized me. For a moment his eyes widened in amazement and then, turning his head aside so that the soldiers might not observe him, he put his finger to his lips and signalled silence. I stood as if stunned, unable to comprehend what this portended, but understanding that he did not wish to be known, I held my tongue although at the moment I could not think why it was necessary. Then like a flash the meaning of it came to me. Roger was a spy. He was pretending to be a pa- triot, while all the time he was a Loyalist and was there to discover the plans of our army. It seemed impossible to believe, yet what other conclusion was open to me? He was going about among our poor soldiers, disguised as one of them, while I knew him to be an officer in the British army. My first desire was to run home and have naught to do with the matter. Then the thought came to me that I was a good Whig and unless I made known the fact that Roger was a spy I would be as guilty as he; but how could I denounce him? For that would be the same thing as sending him to his death. As I stood irresolute one of the soldiers recog- nized me. " Why 'tis the coffee gal ! " he cried good-na- 164 Polly Takes a Prisoner turedly. " Good morning, lass. Hast a pasty for us?" But seeing my round-eyed gaze fixed on Roger he added, " Know ye aught of this one, missy? We thought belike he was a sneaking Tory." " Ay, I know him," I answered, and for a mo- ment there was silence, while all three men looked at me and Roger paled a little, for he could in no wise tell what I might be going to say. Nor for that matter, was I sure, haying thought of naught but the necessity of saving him from the gallows. " And what might be his name, lass? " one of the men asked. " Roger," I said, unhesitatingly, but when I got that far I stopped perplexed and frightened, for Delancy was a name known throughout the Colonies for uncompromising Tories and to have spoke it would have turned their suspicions to certainty. My heart sank like lead and then bounded up again with relief, for the men, noting not my hesitation, believed that I had ended all I had to say. " Roger is a good Whig name," said one. " No better in the land," spoke the other, and I saw that they understood Roger to be his family name and that for the moment I was out of that dif- ficulty. Indeed the one who had taken the leading part in the controversy removed his hand from Roger's shoulder, seemingly quite satisfied. " No offence intended, comrade," he cried heart- ily. " 'Twas but a precaution while these pesky Tories swarm about. The maid has saved thee and us the bother of proving thy loyalty to the cause. In these days 'tis so easy to make an oath one day and break it the next." " Thanks, Polly," said Roger, and there was more meaning in his looks than his words as he took my 1 66 Polly Trotter, Patriot limp hand and pressed it warmly. But my task was by no means completed, for although these men might be satisfied that Roger was all that he seemed, I knew better; and, now moreover I felt responsible and was determined that he should not stay there to spy upon our army. But first the distribution of my provender must be gone through with. There was some playful bantering, with threats to take the basket from me then and there, and I, feigning fear, opened the lid and portioned out its contents on the spot. " Come, Mr. Roger," I said, making a show of gaiety which I was far from feeling, an you will carry the basket, mayhap we can find more goodies to fill it again." The others hailed this suggestion with delight, in- sisting that Roger should accompany me forthwith, and, like the silly, ignorant yokels that they were, making broad hints that we were sweethearts. This brought a blush to my cheek, which they took as a confirmation of their stupid suggestion. After which Roger's loyalty was firmly established in their minds and they let us go off together without the least suspicion of the real state of affairs. We spoke no word until we reached the door of the house and there Roger stopped. " I cannot go in," he said stubbornly. " You must ! " I insisted, in an anguish of suspense for his safety. " Nay, Polly, I cannot," he answered, shaking his head positively. For a moment I knew not what to do, then like a flash there came a solution of my difficulty. " Roger," I began, " you have no choice in the matter. You are a British officer dressed as a Con- Polly Takes a Prisoner 167 tinental soldier. I order you into the house. You are my prisoner." For a moment he looked at me with a queer little smile on his face, then, with a shrug of his big, broad shoulders, he went in and I followed. Once inside the door he grasped my hand again. " Polly, dear," he cried, " you have saved my lifel Had you not come up as you did I should have been lost. I can hardly find words to tell you of my thanks." " Nay," I answered, withdrawing my hand, " I want no thanks." For now that the immediate danger was over my anger at Roger's spying on our troops rose again. Nor was I sure my own part in the affair was that of a true patriot, though come what might, I could not see him led off to be hanged. "What is the matter, Polly?" he asked gently. " Have you saved my life only to refuse my thanks?" " Think you I want thanks from a spy? "*I asked, bitterly enough. "Spy?" he echoed. "And you thought that, too?" " How could I think otherwise? " I burst out. " Nevertheless you are wrong, Polly. But none could blame you on that account," he added with a smile. " I am not a spy! " He went on, and my heart grew lighter at this assurance. " The fact is that in the fight on Long Island I had a horse killed under me and was stunned by the fall. When I came to my senses I found it impossible to rejoin my regiment for I was surrounded by Continental sol- diers. Had I been right in my head I would have seen that my best course was to give myself up at 1 68 Polly Trotter, Patriot once, but this never occurred to me. I wanted to avoid capture in any way I could." " Ay, being a Delancy," I put in rather disagree- ably, for I was not yet wholly convinced. " Nay, an I had been of the house of Hanover itself I should have been naught but a prisoner of war," Roger explained. " But ere I had time to resolve the matter I was caught up in a rush of Pro- vincials, and I thought of course to be captured. However, these fellows were backwoodsmen and took me for one of your dandy Marylanders, whose regimentals are not unlike some of ours. Now this mistake put an idea into my head." " 'Tis easy to see how those men were mistaken," I commented. " But the Marylanders would have known otherwise." " Ay, that's true enough," Roger agreed, " but I had no intention of going near the Marylanders. I had but two paths open to me. Either to give my- self up, or to make my escape if I could." " But that does not explain this uniform, Roger," I insisted. " Yes, it does," he continued. " I made up my mind to escape, and changed clothes with a poor fel- low lying near me who would have no more use for his. I mingled with your soldiers, thinking that chance would let me escape to our own lines, but that opportunity never came. I was brought over the river with the others and I should have gotten away in a day or so, but that I was hurt more than I thought and fainted like a baby on the door-step of a good woman's house, not a block from here." " Roger! " I exclaimed, " were you as badly hurt as that? " " Nay, 'twas but a shaking up," he insisted, mak- ing light of it, " but when I was well enough to go, Polly Takes a Prisoner 169 why there were your men ready to pick me up the minute I put my nose out of the door." " And so you have been staying within a block of this house all these days," I said, " and I never knew it! " I added in an injured tone. " But Polly, I could not send you word," he pro- tested. " The woman took excellent care of me, but when I was quite well and still stayed on, she grew suspicious. I put her off with one excuse and an- other, hoping that the city would change hands and I could get back to my regiment; but this morning she told me I was either a shirker or a spy, and I was forced to show myself. I was almost taken. Had you not come along as you did, well " he shrugged, " I should have had hard work to con- vince any of your officers that my tale was not false. You know me well enough to believe me when I tell you it is naught but the truth." I did believe him at last, for there was no doubt- ing his earnestness and beside, when all was said and done, Roger was not the kind to make up such a story. " I'm glad you aren't a spy," I told him. " Now I can help you to get away with an easy conscience. Only only oh, Roger, why can't you be one of us? It's your country as much as it is Will's or mine ." " I'd do anything else for you, Polly," he an- swered, " but you wouldn't have me a turn- coat?" " Nay, if you can't find it in your heart to change you must go your own way," I replied with a sigh. " You will have to stay here till after dark. Then perchance you can escape without any one seeing you." " Ay, perchance," he answered, with one of his 170 Polly Trotter, Patriot old boyish smiles. " At any rate I'm your prisoner, Captain Polly, and must e'en do as you tell me. But 'twill be short shrift an I am taken. And I for one could not blame your officers. 'Twas a foolish thing to try but " " Roger, I can't have you taken," I burst out. " I'd rather keep you here till " I stopped short, for at that moment we heard some one running up the steps. We looked at each other in consternation, then going to the window I peeped out and saw father waiting for the door to open. Without a thought I started off to welcome him, but Roger stayed me. " Who is it? " he asked in an undertone. " 'Tis only father," I answered, and would have sped on, but he grasped my arm and held it. " Wait," he whispered, " you must hide me some- where." " Nay, that is not necessary," I replied impa- tiently. " 'Tis only father, and he would never be- tray you." " He would do that very thing," Roger insisted, " and so would I, were I in his place. 'Twould be a duty. You must hide me somewhere, or your rescue on the Common will go for naught." As he spoke there came another rap at the door, and I knew not which way to turn, for where, in that house, could I conceal Roger from my father? " Go up to Will's room," I whispered. " He's not apt to go there, and I'll tell you when it is safe for you to come down." And without another word Roger bounded upstairs and out of sight, while I hastened to the door. It seems as if all this must have taken a long time, but in reality it was only a moment for even stupid thoughts can travel faster than the cleverest pen. Polly Takes a Prisoner 171 " How is your mother? " father asked anxiously, after he had kissed me. " She is just the same," I answered, and I expected that he would hurry to her immediately, but in this I was mistaken for instead he led me into the sur- gery. Sitting down heavily as if he were very tired, he motioned me to another chair and as I looked at him more closely I saw that his face was set with anxiety. "What's the matter, father?" I asked, for his bearing was that of an exhausted and dejected man. " 'Tis about Will," he answered, half to himself. " I'm at my wit's end to know what to do." "Where is he?" I questioned, tremulously, for I saw by father's manner that my brother was in some peril. " He's hiding in the house of Anthony Lamb, the mathematical-instrument maker on the river-front near the Fly Market," father answered. " Word was brought to me that he was wounded and could go no further. I fear he will be taken, and at best he is without food and hurt. I know not what to do," and he patted his hands together, a way he had when he was much disturbed. " Cannot you go to him? " I asked in surprise. " I dare not," father replied. " Not for my own sake, but for his. The lower end of the city is in the hands of the British, or rather the Tories, for their troops have not come over yet, though they may at any moment." " But why did not Will go away with the others? " I demanded. " Because he was not with the others," father ex- plained. " He was off by himself gathering in- formation, and he has that on him that will hang him if he falls into the hands of the British." 172 Polly Trotter, Patriot ' You mean he is a spy? " I gasped. ' That's the name the British will give it, and 'twill go hard with Will if he comes into their hands. Oh, what can I do, what can I do? " He rose to his feet and began pacing the floor with nervous steps. "And who is to tell his mother?" he burst out after a moment. "And how is he to be fed? And and " He stopped abruptly and tried to calm himself. " You see, Polly, my girl, I can't go myself, for I am so well known that my movements would surely be followed, and I would but lead the Tories to his hiding-place. I'm in a cleft stick and know not how to help myself. "Why can't I go?" I suggested, the thought popping into my head. " Nonsense, child," he answered shortly. " 'Tis work for men, not maids." " All the better for that," I persisted, the notion having seized hold of me. " I can at least take food to Will without raising the suspicion a man might. 'Twill be easy to pretend I am marketing, for in truth I wish to lay in fresh stores and so can win my way to him. Surely, father, we cannot sit and do naught. Some one must go and it seems to me it were best if it were I, for the Tories will scarce harm a maid even if they stop me." I pleaded as earnestly as I could, and as I talked I saw that my words carried weight with father, who, though he muttered to himself and shook his head as if he saw no value in my arguments, was still becom- ing persuaded in spite of himself. " And what of your mother? " he asked. " We can tell her I go a-marketing," I answered. " Ay, so we can," he agreed. I saw that the matter was settled and jumped to Polly Takes a Prisoner 173 my feet to make ready, for there was no time to lose. Every hour brought our enemies nearer and if Will was to be saved it would have to be done promptly. I put on a wide bonnet so that my face might be hidden as much as possible within the hood, placed supplies in a covered basket, and started for the surgery to have a final word with father. 'Twas then that I remembered Roger up in Will's room and stopped, bewildered at the complexities of my af- fairs. But there was small use of puzzling long. Roger must e'en stay where he was, for he couldn't escape while father was in the house, but he must be warned to lay close till I returned. I went back to the kitchen where I could find naught more in the way of eatables save a box of hard biscuits. With these and a pitcher of water I hurried upstairs. Roger was for talking lightly over the matter, but I cut him short. " I have no time to waste in words," I interrupted. " Father will be in the house for some hours, and I am going out. Stay you here, therefor, till I come for you. Otherwise you will be taken." And not waiting to listen to his thanks I ran down again and, picking up my basket, found father awaiting me. " Mark well the place," he began, for once he had reconciled himself to my going he wished to hasten my departure. " 'Tis the shop of Anthony Lamb, as I told you. You cannot miss it, for it is nigh the old slip by the Fly Market. The sign is a Quadrant and Compass. Your brother is in one of the rooms upstairs. Go you in boldly by the door at the side of the shop, where you will find steps leading to the floor above. Anthony Lamb is gone and the shop is shut. 'Twere best that you take your way down 174 Polly Trotter, Patriot Maiden Lane and loiter about the markets so as to divert suspicion from your real errand. Now go." As he talked he had put bandages and other need- ful things in my basket so that Will's wound might be dressed, and with a word or two of good wishes he kissed me and I set forth hopefully, glad of a chance to do anything to lessen my brother's peril. TRAPPED ONCE started on my errand to find Will I de- layed not, but went off down the Broad Way at as brisk a pace as might be without attract- ing too much attention. The nearer I came to the river the more deserted I found the streets. On the way I passed many people but they were all headed toward the country. There were a few curious glances cast toward me, but those who were fleeing the town were too anxious for their own safety to take count of the doings of one lone maid, and I was glad to note that there was no turning to look after me. As I came out of Maiden Lane and walked to- ward the fort, a few market people, talking anxiously together, were all the population of that usually thronged quarter. None stopped me to cry their wares or to tempt me with vegetables, fruit and game brought from the country; and, although I insisted on making a purchase or two for appear- ance sake, naught was being done in the way of busi- ness but instead those who were there looked out across the river wondering, I doubt not, what the British soldiers would do, and how soon they would be in command of the city. Now and then I saw a man hurrying furtively along in the direction of the fort, looking nervously this way and that as if fearful of being seen. And i75 176 Polly Trotter, Patriot again there were others who took to boats and rowed hard for the Brooklyn shore, but, so far as I could tell, no one paid the slightest heed to me and, though I curbed my impatience and walked slowly toward the old slip, I thought it a useless precaution. I came at last to the shop of Anthony Lamb, " At the Sign of the Quadrant and Surveying Compass " and glanced at the long list of instruments he made. " Quadrants, Forestaffs, Nocturnals, Rectifiers," and so on, an endless number of things the very uses of which I had no idea of; but I had read enough to be certain of the house. With a glance around to make sure that I was unobserved, I opened the little door at the side and mounted the stairs leading to the upper floor. Within all was as still as death and, although I tiptoed up the narrow staircase, even the slight sound I made seemed to echo about me. On the landing a hallway, into which opened several doors, turned at right angles, and it was now my task to find the room where Will was lying, for father did not have that particular information. The first door gave into a chamber at the back, and I looked into it and was surprised to find that it was well furnished. It had the appearance of having been recently occupied so that I judged that those who had lived there had gone away in a panic, leav- ing all their goods behind. But Will was nowhere to be seen, and I passed on to another door which led into the room over the shop. I laid my hand on the latch to lift it and, as I did so, I heard the grating of a sword being with- drawn from its scabbard. Some one was there, and I gave the door a push and entered. At first I could see little, for the blinds had been drawn and it was very dark, but presently in a corner With a glance about me to make sure I was unobserved. Trapped 177 of the room, sitting on the floor propped against the wall, I made out the drooping figure of a man, and in his hand was a naked sword. It was Will, and with a cry of anxiety I spoke his name. " Is it you, Polly? " he asked in a weak voice, drop- ping his weapon. " Faith, I'm glad to see you. I was expecting less welcome visitors, and I hadn't the strength to bar the door. What have you in that basket? Give it to me for I am nigh starved, and, like a famished wolf, I can smell the food in it." I hurried to him and he was soon munching the cold meat and bread I had brought him. I found some water, drawn from a little well in the garden in the rear of the house, and he began to strengthen visibly. " Polly, you've made a new man of your brother ! " he exclaimed, " and when I bandage this leg of mine I'll be as good as ever I was. We must get out of this, for I have information which should be in the hands of General Washington now." I helped him with the wound in his leg which, though not dangerous, was painful and had lost him much blood; but when it had been washed and ban- daged he stood up and, though he swayed from weak- ness, he vowed he was as strong as need be. " We can't tarry here," he insisted. " The Brit- ish may be flocking over from the other side at any minute, and then our chance will be lost." He started toward the door, but I saw him reel and clutch at the wall to save himself from falling and I ran to him, putting my arms about him to hold him up. " Humph ! " he grunted. " Here's a pretty kettle of fish! I'm giddy in my head and as weak as a baby." 178 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Sit down and rest," I urged. " Gather some strength against our going." He took my advice, seating himself on the floor, and as he did so he closed his eyes wearily, letting his head fall against the wall, which showed me that he was indeed very weak so that I felt alarmed for his chance of escape. He sat quiet for ten minutes perhaps, and then opened his eyes and looked at me. 11 Polly," he said, " you must leave me here and get my despatches to the General." " Nay, I shall do naught of the kind," I returned. " You'll be better in a little and I will help you home. There are none to stop you, I think. At least* I saw none, and I'm sure father's fears were unfounded." " Nay, 'twill not be so easy as that," Will an- swered. " You may not have seen them, but I'll warrant there's a Tory at every corner who would like nothing better than to prove his loyalty to the King by giving up a Continental soldier. They would not bother a dozen or so together, but one man will have small chance with them. Nay, I can- not hope to get away in the daylight, but by night I'll be safe enough. In the meantime take my papers and give them to father. He will know what to do with them." And Will drew a small packet out of his shirt and handed it to me. I protested against leaving him, but he insisted, saying that under any circumstances he would be better off with the papers out of his possession. Then if worst came to worst, he would only be taken as a soldier, whereas, should they find the papers, he would be hanged without a doubt. This last argument decided me and I consented to go, though I was loth to leave him. I fixed him as comfortably as I could, fetched an- Trapped 179 other pitcher of water and was about to say good- bye when he raised his hand for silence. I held my breath and there came to us distinctly the sound of some one ascending the stairs with cau- tion. Weak as he was Will went to the door and silently shot the bolt; then, leaning against the door- jamb, he waited with his naked sword in his hand, while I cowered in a corner and hid my face. How long we remained silent to catch the noise of that shuffling footfall in the deserted house I know not, but it seemed an eternity. We heard the man mount to the top of the stairs where he paused for a moment and then moved stealthily in our direction. He stopped frequently, as if listening, then again he would draw nearer and I thought he might have heard my heart so loud was its beating. He opened a door on the opposite side of the hall, and there was no further sound from him for so long a time that I hoped he had gone away, but again the slow, shuffling of feet drew nearer to us. I took my hands from my face and looked at Will. He stood rigid, one hand braced against the doorway and in the other his sword, ready as I knew to fight till the last. The intruder reached the entrance to our room and the latch was lifted. The click, though slight enough, seemed to boom in my ears while I waited for what was next to come. There was .a little push, then a harder one and then silence. Evi- dently the man debated within himself whether or not to force an entrance, and I held every muscle tense, fearful of making a sound that would betray our presence. 'Twas a curious situation and I couldn't help wondering if the man outside had any inkling of what was within. i8o Polly Trotter, Patriot Again, after what seemed like an hour, the door was shaken rather violently and I thought that surely the time for action was coming, but suddenly the latch was released and we heard the footsteps move off, and finally the sound of the outer door closing quietly told us that our mysterious visitor had de- parted. I was brought to my senses by seeing Will slide gently to the floor, his sword clattering a little as it dropped from his hand, and running to him I found that he had fainted from the fatigue of stand- ing. Wetting a napkin I bathed his temples and fore- head, and at length he opened his eyes and smiled a weak little smile ; but he was too much exhausted to do aught else, so I whispered to him not to speak and sat for a while longer pillowing his head in my lap while he slowly gained strength. " 'Tis a great calf of a brother you have, Polly," he murmured at length. " Sure I'm as weak as a kitten." " You've lost much blood," I told him. " You must stay quiet. Do not tax your strength." " But the papers, Polly? " he muttered. " They must be despatched at once. Go now, and never mind me. You've brought food enough for a day or two, and by that time I will be able to take care of myself. Get you gone with the despatches, for I wish not that all my work should be wasted." " I care naught for that," I answered. " Were it not that they are a danger to you I would never step from here without you." " Nay, Polly," he retorted, "what is one man's life when there is a whole country to be saved? I'm not anxious to die, but I would die willingly if it would put those papers in the General's hands." Trapped i 8 i From this I saw that he attached a vast impor- tance to the documents and in a little I decided that it might be wise to leave him as he improved rapidly and gave no sign of fainting again. But, ere I went, I thought I would take a peep out of the window to see whether or not my way was clear. I peered cautiously through the blinds and was glad to discover that, save for a man on the other side of the street, no one was in sight. This man I thought little of at first, for he had his back to me and was looking across the water. I was sure I could slip away without attracting his attention and was about to leave the window when I caught a bright flash of light in his hand, as he shifted from one foot to the other. This brought my attention more closely to him, and I noted that, instead of looking across the river as I had first supposed, he was gazing intently at something held in his palm. For a moment I knew not what to make of this, then suddenly the flash of light was explained. The man held a mirror which reflected what went on behind him, so that without seeming to watch the house, he was all the time keeping an eye upon it. This discovery brought a fresh alarm. If the place was spied upon, then some one knew of Will's presence there. " The house is watched, Will," I whispered, cross- ing the room to him. " I cannot go now." "Are you sure?" he questioned anxiously, and started to get up. " Nay, stay where you are," I insisted. " 'Twill do no good to waste your strength uselessly. You may trust me to know that what I say is true. I dare not go now and we must e'en content ourselves with watching our watcher." 1 82 Polly Trotter, Patriot There was no argument to meet this, for to brave those outside would be to lose all. Moreover it might well be that I would be taken and if the papers were found upon me it would be fatal to my brother and do the Cause no good. "Think you they wait for more men and will then storm the place? " I asked Will. " Nay, Polly, I know not what to think," he an- swered gloomily. " 'Tis a bad outlook. The best we can hope for is that some one who knew you, watched you enter here and is curious to see what your next move will be. There is naught now to do but wait for night, and then perchance I may be strong enough to go with you and do a little fight- ing for us both. Oh, if I only were not as weak as a kitten ! " He ended with a deep sigh. I returned to the window to take up a vigil that was to last many hours. The man across the way had not changed his position nor did he for a long time, except now and then to shift a foot or move his arms. Hour after hour he remained thus, with his eyes fixed upon the mirror in his hand. During most of the afternoon Will slept. When he woke at dusk he was much refreshed and, coming to the window, vowed he was a new man again. "Where is this bugaboo of yours?" he asked, putting his eyes to the blind. " See. Right across the street," I answered. And, as if he felt our gaze upon him, the man we stared at turned his face toward us. With a little gasp of apprehension I recognized the weasel-faced spy. The discovery only confirmed our worst suspicions, and made no difference in our plans. We must out- wait the man who watched and yet be ready at a Trapped 183 moment's notice to leave our hiding-place and be gone. He was still on guard when night settled down, and then I began to worry, for since we could not see 'twas impossible to tell whether he stayed on or no. This also caused Will some anxiety, and another reason for apprehension was soon added to our already brimming cup of woe. We noticed that many people were assembling along the water-front and lanthorns were flashing here and there, showing that something was toward. Now and then there was a shout, the words of which had not been heard in New York for many a day. " God save the King ! " was the cry. And right well we knew what that meant. CHAPTER XXII BROTHER WILL GIVES UP FOR a moment Will and I stood rigid, and again the cry was raised. "God save the King!" " The villains ! " murmured Will under his breath. " The Tories are creeping up from their holes now that the British are coming into the City. Oh, but I wish you were out of this." " We must both get out," I answered. " Some- how or other we must get out, and quickly, for the longer we stay now the worse it will be." To this he agreed and we began to rack our brains to see if we could hit upon some scheme that might pass us through these Tories unrecognized, but there seemed no ready solution of our difficulties though we puzzled over it until our heads hummed. " There's naught we can do but make a break for it," said Will. " Belike if we walk out boldly, yet keep in the shadows, no one will take note of us." " Nay, do you fancy that man watched the house for sport? " I returned. " The moment we put foot outside there will be a cry raised that will bring a hundred Tories down upon us. We must think of something else." "Ay, but what?" he asked, and as he said it I had a sudden inspiration. "I have it!" I whispered in his ear excitedly. " We'll out by the back over the garden wall." 184 Brother Will Gives Up 185 " Right, Polly," he answered. " I'm a thick-head not to have thought of that an hour ago." We lost no time but hurried as fast as Will's lame leg would permit down the stairs and out into the garden where I had procured the water. It was but a small space, with a few fruits growing against a brick wall in which there was a green door, fast locked, alas 1 But by good fortune we found an old chair to help us scale it. Warned by my experience with the soldiers at home I placed this at a con- venient spot and mounted to look before we leaped. At first I saw no one and was about to signal to Will to come on when the moon, heretofore hidden under a cloud, suddenly shone forth and by its rays I discovered no less than three men on guard. I ducked my head, hoping they had not seen me, but my heart was like lead as I told Will that our escape was cut off here as well as in front. I had made so sure in my mind that the spy worked alone. " We might have known it," he muttered, and seat- ing himself on the old chair he put his head in his hands. " Let me think a minute." And for a while I held my tongue. As we waited there in the back garden we became aware of an increased noise in the front street. The shouts of "God save the King!" were redoubled, and presently another cry brought a chill to my heart. "Take the rebel spy! Take the rebel spy!" were the words. And Will raised his head at the sound and looked at me. " Now they're showing their teeth," he said. But there was a flash in his eye and he looked more de- termined than he had before. " They haven't got me yet, Polly, and they won't get me, either. Come, we'll go back. I've a mind to fool them after all. 1 86 Polly Trotter, Patriot You run and lock the front door on the way, it will serve to delay them a little." This I did, though I had no idea of his plan and was nigh in despair, thinking how dangerous were the papers I carried and that Will would be accused of being a spy because of them. At length I pro- posed that I should destroy them. " Never, if I can help it! " Will exclaimed. " If v/orst comes to worst, and we are about to be taken, then we can consider it. We're far from captured yet, and if I can find a lanthorn or a candle I have a hope we may slip through their fingers." " Would you set fire to the house? " I gasped. " Ay, an it were necessary," he answered with a chuckle, for the nearness of the danger seemed to put him in a fine humour, " but 'twill not be, I hope." " I saw some candles in the back room. 'Twas quite well furnished," I told him, and with a murmured, " Good," upon his lips he led the way there. We groped about in the dark till I found a candle. Will produced his tinder-box and lit it. Then he began a most curious performance the reason for which I could not guess. He took a sort of three-legged stand that was in the corner of the room, a " tripod " he called it, and bundling some papers he found into a good-sized ball, he wrapped it about with a table cloth. This done he set the ball upon the tripod, fastening it with some strips torn from the cloth, for we could discover no cord. Next he took off his coat and buttoned it about the stand and in the flickering light of the candle it did not look unlike the upper part of a man. Meanwhile the cries outside the house were be- coming more and more violent. Brother Will Gives Up 187 " Catch the rebel spy! " was the burden of them, and every moment the voices rose higher and more menacing. " Peep through the front window and see what is going on," Will suggested, and I crossed the hall and looked out. Before the house were gathered some two score or more men. The moonlight, and a few lanthorns here and there, revealed them plainly enough ; but, though they cried lustily, it did not seem to me that they were over anxious to do more than shout. There was one among them, however, who went about from group to group urging them to attack us, as I judged from his violent gestures to- ward the window. This man was plainly our chief enemy, and when he came under a swinging light I confirmed my belief that it was the Tory spy. As I looked he started forward, waving to those behind, and there was a general movement toward the house. I ran at once to Will. "They're coming!" I cried, for there was little use in keeping my voice lowered now. " Good! " he answered, and lifting up the stand with the coat and head upon it he started for the front room. " Have the candle at hand, Polly, but do not bring it in until I tell you." He placed the tripod at the window and, running back, returned with a chair which he put near the stand. " Now we are ready," he said with a gay note in his voice, as if he loved the danger. " Come on, my Tory friends! " As if to answer him, there was a yell and a blow was struck on the door below. With a shout Will flung open the blinds, making a great clatter as he did so, and squeezing in between the tripod and the window. Stooping so that his 1 88 Polly Trotter, Patriot head came on a level with the paper one, he leaned far out and called to those in the street. " Hey, below there ! Are you looking for me ? " Instantly there was a howl, followed by a mo- ment of quiet, in which Will spoke again. " I promise to shoot the first one of you that comes up here and to sabre the next so that I will have two to my account, at any rate. Now who'll be shot and who'll be sabred for the King? Come on, I'm wait- ing for you." He stopped and whispered to me. " Put the candle on the chair, Polly," and, as I did his bidding, he moved quickly from the window, leaving the dummy to show in his place. With the candle-light behind it, it must have looked to those below like a man waiting, as Will said he would do. There was a great hub-hub outside. The crowd, thinking that Will sat there defying them, shouted maledictions upon him with a right good will; but there was none seemingly who dared lead the at- tack. However we stayed not to listen to their cries. Back into the garden we hurried, and on the way Will told me that he hoped, by making it ap- pear that we were in the front, those who guarded the back might be drawn off and so give us a chance to scale the wall. But we were doomed to disappointment for, when I looked, two of the three watchers were still there, and my heart sank. I was sure we were lost, and even Will shook his head seriously, not knowing what to do. It was past a matter of simple capture now, with only imprisonment to follow. These Tories, being at heart cowards, would kill Will at once, fearing that he might execute his threats, so that we were indeed in desperate straits. Brother Will Gives Up 189 We stood for a moment hesitating, when sud- denly a shot rang out in the night, followed by an- other and then another, until a regular fusillade was poured into the front of the house. " They are shooting at the dummy," Will whis- pered, but his words were drowned by the shout of one of the men outside the wall. " Come on! They've got the rebel! " he yelled, and we heard them run off. " Now is our chance I " cried Will, and I scrambled to the top of the wall, while he followed almost upon my heels. A moment later we dropped down outside. My teeth rattled as I struck the ground and I noticed that Will gave a smothered cry of pain as he landed be- side me. " Hurry now ! " he called. I thought of naught but fleeing the place and was about to run toward Maiden Lane, which was the most direct way home. " Nay, we'll meet the mob, that route," cried Will, and we turned toward Hunter's Quay, which is at the foot of Wall Street. At first we ran swiftly, listening with anxious ears for any sound of pursuit; but, hearing none, we headed up into the town until we came to Smith Street where Will halted. " I must rest a minute, Polly," he panted, and his face showed white and drawn in the moonlight. " Oh, Will! " I cried, " does it hurt you so? " " The drop from the wall didn't help my leg any," he answered, his mouth twisting as if he were in great pain. " But don't worry. I'll be all right in a minute and we've given them the slip. A little farther and we'll be safe enough." It seemed as if what he said was true for about 190 Polly Trotter, Patriot us all was quiet and even the mob before Anthony Lamb's shop had ceased their racket. " On again," said Will, and he started, but this time he walked, it being quite impossible for him to run any farther, indeed it was all he could do to drag his poor wounded leg after him. " I wish they would make more noise down there by the river," he grumbled as we went along. "Why do you say that?" I asked, for it had seemed to me that the cessation of the noise was a good omen. " Because it shows that they have discovered the trick," he replied, " and I fear they will be after us." But there was no sign of that then, and we made our way as best we could until we came to Queen Street. Here there reached us, faintly at first, the pat, pat of running feet, and I guessed what it meant. " Hurry I " exclaimed Will between his teeth, and we turned up toward the Broad Way, for the sound seemed to come from Maiden Lane. But it was impossible for Will to go rapidly. Each step he took wrung a groan from him and, though I tried to help, it was all he could do to set one foot before the other. As we came in front of the new Dutch Church he staggered and clutched a paling to keep himself from falling. " I'm done, Polly," he whispered. " Run on and save the papers. I can go no farther." " Nay, Will I shall not do it ! " I answered posi- tively. " If we rest a moment you will be able to go on. You've come this far, surely we can escape them; but whatever happens I shall not leave you." He was too faint to protest, though he shook his Brother Will Gives Up 191 head and I heard him grit his teeth as if determined to beat the weakness that threatened to undo us both. " Come ! " he muttered, and staggered forward. I put my arm about his waist, trying to balance him, and we went on for a dozen yards more, but again the faintness overcame him and he grasped the fence. " Polly," he murmured, " my head is going round and round and I fear I shall swoon." And as he said it the sound of hurrying feet and a shout not more than a block or two away reached our ears. " Will," I whispered, nigh beside myself, " Will, rouse yourself or we are lost! " " I cannot go a step farther," he protested. " Not to save my life ! " I looked about me helplessly, and all the while the cries of our pursuers drew steadily nearer. " Will," I said excitedly, remembering the little door under the church steps, " you must get over the fence at once. There is a place we can hide. Come, try! 'Tis our last chance." I know well that the poor boy suffered terribly in the effort he made, and I am sure, too, that he thought more of me than of himself, for he was so near spent and so wracked with pain, that he cared not whether he lived or died. But the closeness of our pursuers spurred him and he made a gallant effort and scaled the fence. How he managed it I can't tell, but it was done and he fell inside with a groan. There was no time to waste now and I urged him on. "I cannot, Polly! I cannot!" he moaned, as there came a shouting, and cries back and forth at the corner of the block, where those who followed 192 Polly Trotter, Patriot us divided, half of them hurrying up the street close on our trail. "You must!" I implored. "It's only a little way," and grasping him by the arm I tried to drag him toward the church. He struggled to his feet and, panting from the pain he suffered, staggered forward only half con- scious now of what was going on, but doing all that he was able to gain the shelter of the steps. We were almost there when he stumbled and fell with a low moan, and I knew that he had lost his senses. But though he could do naught more to help him- self I did not mean that he should be captured. Summoning all the strength I possessed I lifted his shoulders and, almost falling backward under his weight, dragged him to the little door. As before I found it open, and, with a final effort, I hauled him inside the space beneath the steps and shut the door behind us. CHAPTER XXIII i UNDER FIRE ONCE within the space beneath the church steps I dragged Will back as far as possible and seating myself at the little door, braced my back against it. Hardly had I done so when several men ran up on the stoop and began to rattle at the lock. " 'Tis closed ! " cried one of them. 'Twere best to have a look about the yard. Quick now ! " " Ay, they might easily be hidden in the shadows under the trees," agreed another. " Come then," said a third, " but have your pistols in readiness. He's a desperate rebel," and they clat- tered down over our heads. I heard shouting back and forth. Others scram- bled over the fence to join the searchers, separating and moving cautiously, as I could tell by the sounds they made, but presently to my great relief they went off, evidently certain in their own minds that we were not there. Though we were rid of the immediate danger we were far from safe, and now that I had a chance, to think, the peril of our position came more nearly home to me. I changed my place and sat with Will's head in my lap, knowing that to show our- selves would be to court capture. Moreover Will was quite unconscious and, though he breathed, he was so utterly helpless that I feared he might die. 193 194 Polly Trotter, Patriot This thought however I put from me. Already I had enough to be alarmed about and I assured myself that there was no reason to suppose his hurt was mortal. There was, however, one clear fact. I could do naught but sit where I was and wait till Will should come to himself again. I made myself as com- fortable as I could in that narrow space, leaning my back against the wall. Then I wracked my brains once more to find a way out of our desperate situa- tion. It seems well nigh impossible to believe, but the fact is that I went to sleep. I was tired out with the strain both of mind and body that I had under- gone, and, feeling a certain security in our hiding- place and no immediate prospects of quitting it, I dropped off without knowing it. I awoke with a start and saw through the cracks in the little door that the day was beginning to break. The space inside was brighter also, and I looked down and found Will gazing up at me with a smile upon his face. " If you hadn't opened your eyes soon I should have had to shake you," he said, and raised him- self into a sitting position. " How are you feeling? " I asked anxiously. " I'm better," he answered, " but I'm no giant yet. Never mind about me, I want you to take those papers to father at once. Nay now, don't protest," he insisted, seeing that I was about to make objec- tions, " 'tis too serious a matter to argue over. You will be safe alone. The hunt for me is doubtless over, and you should win through to our house with- out trouble. And Polly, those papers must be de- livered. That's the important thing." " But what is to become of you? " I asked. Under Fire 195 " I shall follow later," he answered confidently. " I'm all right and can get through to our men, I'm sure, after I've had an hour or two more of rest. These Tories are night birds, and it isn't far to the Common now. Once there, I shall be cared for." " Yes, and you'll not be in such danger without the papers," I said half to myself, " and 'tis not likely any one would stop and search a maid by day." So, somewhat reassured, I consented to leave him, believing that in doing so I was acting for his good. He impressed upon me the importance of seeing the papers safe in father's hands, telling me once more that they must be delivered to General Washing- ton without fail and insisting that their value to the cause could hardly be overestimated. " Don't let all my suffering go for naught," he said finally. " If they do not reach His Excellency I shall have toiled and bled uselessly. Get you gone now to father and good luck! " I opened the little door cautiously and peered out. No one was in sight and, creeping forth stealthily, I soon won to the fence and was over in a moment. Once in the street I breathed more easily for now, though I might be stopped I need not betray Will's hiding-place. But as I went on I was more and more reassured, for there were no people abroad and the city seemed deserted. The sun had not yet risen and there was no sound save the first twittering of the birds in the branches above my head. Needless to say I hurried as fast as I could, and it was not long before I had pushed open our garden gate and was on into the house. I had expected that all would be asleep and was surprised to find the door into the kitchen open, but I had scarce entered when old Betty came into the room. 196 Polly Trotter, Patriot She looked at me for a moment and then raised her arms above her head. " Praise be, you's back, Miss Polly! " she cried. " We all has been mos' scared to death about you, and Dr. Trotter done act like he was crazy 'cause he sen' you off. Took mighty powerful arguments to get him to go away afore you come back." " Go away ! " I echoed in consternation. " Why yes, Missy, he's done been gone two or three hours, I reckon." "Gone away?" I repeated, looking blankly at Betty. " Sure enough, that's what I said," she answered. ' They was some officer gem'mens come for him and he jes' na'chally had to go, though he argued a heap, I tell you, and didn't want to leave nohow. But they tol' him they was men a-dyin' 'case he weren't there to take care of 'em, an' that he couldn't do no good sittin' here, an' well, Miss Polly, he done give in final, 'cause they said they'd 'rest him if he didn't come along. Leastways that's the way it seemed to me." The unexpectedness of finding that father was not there stunned me for a moment. All my thoughts had been centred in getting Will's despatches to him and so forwarding them to General Washing- ton. Now that he had gone I knew not what to do. Then I remembered the Common, full of Con- tinental soldiers, and sure that I should find officers among them, I turned about, meaning to be rid of my responsibility as quickly as possible. "Where is you-all gwine?" asked Betty as I started to go out again. " Only to the Common," I returned. " I'll be back in five minutes." I ran as fast as I could and soon came to the open Under Fire 197 square, but there I stopped appalled. Except for a few stragglers the place was empty of people. All the soldiers who had crowded it when I was last there had gone, and I gazed about me bewildered, scarce knowing what to do. A country boy was loitering near and I went to him for information. " Where are our soldiers? " I asked. " They've gone," he answered. " They went in a hurry, too, Miss. And they do say the British are coming over fast. But they ain't been gone long and most like you could catch them an you made haste." I thanked him and set off along the high road to Boston expecting to come up with the troops at any time, but I little guessed what was before me. A cloud of dust ahead showed where the soldiers were. I pressed forward at top speed without gain- ing on them until a stitch in my side warned me that I must go slower and save my breath. On I went, however, meeting now and then a man or two who eyed me curiously and pointed ahead when I asked for the soldiers. Still I pressed forward till I had left the city behind me and was plodding along in the open country with corn-fields and fallow land about me. At last I came to Inclenberg and saw Mr Mur- ray's house standing on a rise of ground. Had I looked closely I must have caught the gleam of red coats among the trees, for 'twas here the brilliant Madam Murray detained the British officers until our despairing troops had time to make their escape. But from what I had been told on the way, I thought I must surely find those I sought on the Kingsbridge road which ran through this property, and my mind was set on that alone. When I came to this highway I found everything in confusion. It was alive with soldiers running 198 Polly Trotter, Patriot toward the Hudson River at top speed, each man for himself and all seemingly in a great panic. I was appalled at first as I came up with them, and I stayed an instant on the outskirts of the panting crowd, for it was no hard matter to guess that the men were flee- ing in panic from something. It was but a moment ere I knew the cause. "The British are coming!" was the cry from hundreds of throats, and throwing away their muskets, dropping their coats, their knapsacks, their blankets, everything in fact that could hamper them in their headlong flight, they raced on, glancing over their shoulders with white, scared faces, for the most part silent, as if saving their breath to aid their es- cape. The sight of so many frightened beings brought terror to me. What would become of a maid if strong men such as these were using every ounce of their strength to escape pursuers who might appear at any moment? I made half a turn to retrace my steps, then, summoning what resolution I had, I joined the fleeing crowd, meaning to find an officer and deliver my papers, come what might. As I ran a soldier looked at me, his eyes opening wide in surprise, but when I asked him, panting out my words, where I could find some one in command, he shook his head as if to say he did not know or care. Yet he spoke no word. I gazed about me trying to discover who was in authority and, far ahead of me, I spied a man on horseback with his sword out, shouting at those near him. I moved into the thickest of the press, jostled by those around me, hoping to be swept up to this officer; but I could not reach him, try as I would. Then suddenly there came the sounds of shots fired back of us, a roar of fear from those behind and in Under Fire 199 a moment the pani'c was doubled. If the crowd had been crazed before, the noise of the firing increased their fears an hundredfold. I heard men beside me sob with anguish and moan as if their last hour had come. Others struggled fiercely to push those ahead of them aside; still others cried at the top of their lungs that all was lost and that the British would butcher them to the last man. Another volley of shots behind us, this time nearer, brought groan upon groan from the fleeing throng and spurred their tiring feet to redoubled efforts. " They are upon us! " was the hoarse shout, and a convulsive shudder went through the panting troops. Suddenly, bursting through the crowd ahead, I saw a horseman galloping toward us. His sword was raised on high and he shouted to the men who scattered hurriedly right and left, for the rider was coming at a furious pace. He reined in his horse not far from where I had paused and I heard his commands. "Stand!" he cried in a loud voice. "Stand! Must you run at the sight of a red-coat? Stand, I say! " and, as I came near to him, my heart gave a bound of joy, for the man upon the horse was Gen- eral Washington. I pressed forward without regard to whom I pushed or shouldered out of my way. I forgot that I was a maid. I forgot everything but the fact that I had won at last to the one to whom the papers must be delivered, and I meant that he should take them, come what might. He held his horse in the midst of the fleeing crowd and for a moment checked their rush. " Take to the walls ! Take to the cornfields ! " he shouted, and there was a general scramble for the 2OO Polly Trotter, Patriot sides of the road, so that I suddenly found myself almost alone beside the great horse he rode. "Your Excellency!" I cried at the top of my lungs, mad for fear that he would not see me and would perhaps ride off. " Your Excellency 1 Here are papers for you ! " He heard me, but for an instant could not place the sound, then he looked down and saw me holding out the despatches. "What are you doing here, Mistress Trotter?" he cried, recognizing me instantly, but he reached down to me and took the papers, and so glad did I feel to be rid of them that I was rid also of all fear and could have laughed for joy. " They come from my brother who was wounded and could not bring " But he cut me short with a command. "Get you behind that stone wall and lie flat I" he ordered, and at the same moment a volley of mus- ketry brought me to my senses, for I heard the whistle of the bullets as I ran for the wall. I looked back and there, but a few hundred yards behind us, were the red coats of the enemy just topping the rise. Another volley rang out, yet General Washington sat alone in the road watching me, and so he remained until he saw me mount the wall in safety, then with a wave of his hand he spurred his horse away, seeming to care naught for the shouts and bullets that followed him. I lay on the ground behind the stone wall and presently the British soldiers passed me on the road, but I was not to lie undiscovered. They were look- ing to make prisoners of those who had dropped from exhaustion and I was soon routed out; but, though they were enemies of my country, I cannot in justice say they treated me aught but kindly. Under Fire 2OI " This is no place for a lass," cried the big gren- adier who found me. " Get you to the rear as fast as you can," he added, and set me on my way, wav- ing a hand to those behind, as if to indicate that I was not to be molested. Nor was I. I returned as I had come, meeting many British in their red uniforms and, though there were bantering shouts and cries of surprise that I was there, it seemed to be taken for granted that I was but a harmless female caught between the two armies, perchance while I was picking berries in the country. Whatever they thought, they did not halt my prog- ress. But it was a weary journey back. I plodded along tired, bedraggled and footsore yet very happy that I had rid myself of the despatches. Will's work had not been in vain and I took some pleasure in the fact that, in a small way, I too had again had a chance to serve the cause of liberty in the Americas. I was nearly worn out and it was all I could do to drag myself to the house. It was as if I had sud- denly become an old, old woman, so tired did I feel and so full of aches, but I managed to reach the back stoop where I sat down and called feebly for Betty who in a moment came running to me. " Fo' de lands sakes, Miss Polly," she exclaimed, shocked at the condition in which she found me. " Yo' surely is dead beat. Yo' ma's been askin' fo' you but I done toP her yo' was on a errand for you' pa." " I must go to her at once," I said, struggling to my feet. " You'll do nothin' of the kind lookin' like that," she insisted. " If I runs up and say to her that yo' is back an' is eatin' yo' head off, mos' like she'll drop off to sleep." 2O2 Polly Trotter, Patriot "Ay, that's well thought of, Betty," I agreed, " but before you go please give me a drink." " No, honey," Betty returned, shaking her head. " I ain't gwine to give yo' none, nohow. Not yet awhile." "Why not?" I asked, puzzled. "Hasn't the Tea Water Pump man been here ? " " Oh, he come all right," she answered. " 'Taint that. We've a plenty 'cause I took double, for good- ness knows when we-all will see him again." " Then give me some at once," I demanded, for indeed my throat was parched. " No, no 1 OF Betty's got too much sense to go fillin' yo' up with water," she replied stubbornly. " S'posin' you-all brings in a horse that's all hotted up like you is. You ain't gwin' to give him all he can drink till he founders hisself. You sit still, honey chil'. I'll make you a cup of tea an' while the water's bilin', I'll up and tell Mis' Trotter." She started a kettle and bustled out, leaving me alone, and though I had little faith in Betty's argu- ments, I was too tired to do aught but what I was told. Later I learned that she had probably saved my life, for many died that hot day for no other reason than that they halted on the march to fill themselves with cold water from the wayside springs. Betty returned shortly and gave me not only tea, but milk and food as well, standing at my side and urging me to eat and drink my fill. " Yo' ma's takin' a nap," she assured me, " and she says yo'd better take one, too, Miss Polly. Which is mighty good a'vice." So refreshed was I by the food that I was not in the least minded to sleep, but seated myself on the stoop enjoying the fresh breeze blowing across the garden. Under Fire 203 I but half listened to Betty's constant chatter, my thoughts dwelling upon Will, and I wondered if he would be able to join his regiment now that the Brit- ish had landed in the city. The more I thought of this the more fretted I became, for he was in too weak a state to travel far and I greatly feared he would be taken after all. As I puzzled the matter a faint hail came to me and, springing to my feet, I ran to the garden gate and looked down the street. Coming toward me, limping painfully and glancing back over his shoulder as if he feared pursuit was Will. With a little cry of surprise and dismay I sped to him, and as I reached his side, he stumbled. "Hurry, Polly," he gasped. "Hurry! The red-coats are after me," and even as he spoke there was a shout behind us and looking back, I saw a dozen British soldiers running in our direction. CHAPTER XXIV THE BRITISH TAKE A PRISONER GRASPING Will by the arm we won to the garden while the soldiers were yet a block away. " Make haste into the house ! " I cried, and only stopping long enough to drop the bar across the gar- den door I followed on the run. I reached the house just as Will was entering. He staggered across the room, half falling into a chair and I turned the key in the lock and went to him at once. He was in pain from his exertions but I could not let him remain there to be taken. I knew only too well that the soldiers would be in upon us, for they could not fail to have seen where we went. " Come, Will," I cried, " out by the front and you will escape them yet." " Nay, that's impossible," he said, shaking his head, " but what of the papers? " " They are in General Washington's hands," I assured him. " Then it's all right," he exclaimed. " I don't care what happens now." " But I won't have you taken," I insisted, and at that moment we heard a shout and, glancing out of the window, I saw half a dozen British soldiers climbing the wall. " It was that Tory spy of yours that put them on 204 The British Take a Prisoner 205 the track," Will said bitterly. " I was safe enough till by some mischance I ran into him." " Never mind that now," I urged. " Think of something to do. I can't let you be taken." " I can't go on," he answered. " They would have me before I made half a mile." " Then hide somewhere in the house," I begged. " Go up to mother's room. They won't enter there. Go, Will, go ! " I grasped his arm and pulled him to his feet just as there came a thundering knock on the door. " Open in the name of the King! " was the com- mand. I heeded it not, but hauled my brother to the foot of the stairs, telling him again to go to mother's room. He protested that it was useless, but I in- sisted and up he went, though it was no easy task with his lame foot. Meanwhile the blows on the kitchen door were repeated and again came the summons, " Open in the name of the King! " An idea came popping into my head. I ran to the front door and, drawing the bolt, I opened it a crack, but hardly had I done so when there was a sound of splintering wood behind me and I heard the rush of feet inside the house. I faced about, but ere I had gone more than a step or two three men seized me. " Well, Miss," said the sergeant who was in com- mand, " where is he? " " That is for you to find out," I answered, trying to appear indifferent, and at the same time I gave a sidelong glance at the door standing ajar. One of the soldiers, noting the direction of my eyes, passed me and strode across the hall. " He's gone this route, sergeant ! " he cried, open- 206 Polly Trotter, Patriot ing the door as he spoke. " And in haste too, for 'tis not even latched. Come, we shall be wasting time here." The sergeant hurried forward and passed out on the stoop. My heart leaped with hope as I saw that they had taken the meaning I had intended. For a moment I made sure Will was safe. " He's nowhere in sight ! " exclaimed one of the men. " But he can't be far. Shall we after him? 'Tis most like he is but beyond the corner." The sergeant seemed to hesitate for a moment as if in two minds what to do, then he turned back to me. " Did he go out? " he asked. " Do you think I would tell you? " I answered. "And why not?" he questioned. "It can't be that so fine a lass is a rebel." " You may call me that an it pleases you," I re- plied, stoutly. " I'm not for your master the King, who is trying to make slaves of us." " 'Tis not my business to inquire why I fight," the man returned. " In faith I'd get no answers to such questions if I asked them. The King says fight and I fight, satisfied in my own mind that 'tis my duty to the hand that feeds me. But that's not finding our man and him I mean to have. Will you tell me whether he is in the house or no? " " Nay, I'll tell you naught," I made reply as defiantly as I could, and then added in sheer bravado, " Search the house an you've a mind to. It can't run away." " But a man can! That's your meaning, is it? " he exclaimed, thinking he had caught me, and turning to his men he ordered them out of the house on the run. " After him 1 " he shouted, starting toward the The British Take a Prisoner 207 door, and I, sure that I saw the end of the business, could not keep the joy I felt from showing and actually smiled. But that smile was fatal, for the sergeant had made hardly two steps toward the open door when he whirled suddenly and faced me. I tried instantly to compose my features but it was too late. He had seen the tell-tale light in my eyes and the lingering smile on my lips. " Halt! " he cried to the soldiers. " The one we want is here, and, though 'tis not a man's- work to befool a maid, 'twas necessary The next time, my lass, hide your joy till your enemy is out of sight. Now will you tell me where he is or must I turn the house out? " " I will tell you naught," I replied, tears com- ing into my eyes, which only went to confirm his suspicions, but I could not help it. The trick he had played me seemed to have taken all my courage and left me hopeless. I thought of poor mother, see- ing Will being led away to prison or worse, but how was I to prevent it now? The sergeant gave orders for a search and two more soldiers came in from the garden to lend their aid. A man was posted at the front door and an- other at the back with orders to let none pass on pain of death. Then the sergeant led the way to the cellars where a very thorough hunt was made. I had hoped to be left behind, but he kept me at his side and I followed disconsolately, while they looked here, there and everywhere, not leaving unexamined a hole large enough to hide a mouse. As I watched them my spirits became more and more downcast, for it was certain that sooner or later Will must be found. There was no particular hurry on the part of the officer, though he kept his men working briskly, but rather a steady thorough- 208 Polly Trotter, Patriot ness that argued ill for any one who hoped to escape his eye. " Well, he's not here," said he, when the cellars were finally gone over from end to end, and barrels and boxes and all things behind which a man might hide were dragged out and examined upon every side. " Up with you to the next floor." And up we all went. Here the search went on in the same careful way, but of course without result except to confirm my belief that Will's escape was impossible. At last the order was given to go through the next floor and mother's chamber being at the head of the stairs, I was nigh desperate. As the sergeant gave the command I rushed ahead and standing before mother's door, faced about, re- solved not to let them in without a struggle, though to tell the truth I hardly knew what I was doing or what purpose it would serve to oppose them further. 'Twas a confession on my part that what they sought was concealed there, but I thought not of that. My only impulse was to keep them away, to put myself between them and those I loved, to save my brother and my mother also, for I feared that such a shock might kill her. I was beside myself with grief and apprehension, yet against five strong men, determined to have their way, there was naught that I could do. That thought I put from me and, spurred on by the anguish in my heart, I stood with my back to the door defying them. They came up to me slowly with the deliberation that had characterized all their actions. " 'Tis the end of our search, sergeant," said one of the men. " Ay," agreed several of the others, but the sergeant whose eye was on me guessed something of The British Take a Prisoner 209 my purpose and looked to see a struggle not to his taste, for without doubt he was a kindly man though he was a Britisher. " Now lass," he began, somewhat sternly, intend- ing to fright me a little, " do not be a silly girl, for 'twill be useless to battle against five men. Give back and let us in." " Nay," I cried, " you shall not go in an I can help it! 'Tis my mother's room and she is very ill. Search all the rest of the house an you like, but here you may not go." " 'Tis just here we wish to go," he answered me. " Come, my girl. Don't force us to be violent with you. We are not here to war on women and chil- dren. But I have been sent after the man and must have him. Unless I miss my guess we have reached the right spot to find him. Come, out of the way! " " You shall not go in! " I insisted. " Twill be the death of my mother to see you rushing in upon her. You shall not go ! " and I stretched my arms across the door. " Now this vexes me mightily," said the sergeant, " but we have already spent too much time upon this business and we can't waste any more. Come, lass," and he grasped my wrist. "You shall not! You shall not!" I almost screamed, as I wrenched my arm vainly, trying to free it from him, but I might as well have struggled against a giant for, without any effort, he drew me from the door. I had done all I could to save Will, and now the end had come. " That's better," said the sergeant in a kindly tone, " you've done your best and you are a brave lass, but we must do our work. Open the door," he commanded one of the men, who put his hand upon the latch. 210 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Poor mother ! " I murmured, and as I said the words the door was opened and the sergeant stepped to the threshold with me beside him. We stood gazing in, but save for mother lying quietly on the bed, there was no one in the room. Will, whom I had expected to see at once, was not visible. The sergeant stepped across to the powder- ing closet, then stooped down to look under the bed, only to shake his head in perplexity; and, though I tried not to show it, I was as amazed as he, for I had been as certain as I could be of anything in this world that we should find my brother in that room. " Your pardon, Madam," said the sergeant, back- ing out and closing the door. As he did so a voice spoke from behind us. " You seem to be searching for some one, ser- geant? " At the words we all turned and there, dressed in a Continental uniform as I had left him, save that he was now without a coat, stood Roger Delancy look- ing coolly at us. I had forgotten him completely and I stared as if he had been a ghost. The sergeant seemed surprised, too, but he recov- ered himself instantly. "Seize him!" he cried. " 'Tis our man!" And then to Roger, " 'Twill be useless to struggle. We have five men here and more below, so don't be making trouble for yourself." Two of the soldiers stepped forward and seized him, and Roger uttered no protest, though I expected him to proclaim himself a British officer. But he did naught of the kind, only looked down at me with a slight smile. " You did what you could, Polly, and and I can never thank you enough." Again he turned to the sergeant. " Madam Trotter is very ill, as The British Take a Prisoner 211 her daughter here has doubtless told you, and this commotion will only add to her sufferings. Let us go at once." " Very good, sir," replied the sergeant. " Have I your word that you will not attempt to escape? " " Ay," said Roger. " 'Twould be useless to try, sergeant." " You gave us a pretty chase though and I don't want another. But a gentleman keeps his word even in the Americas they tell me, so I will e'en trust you. Forward ! " He gave the command roughly and Roger led the soldiers down the stairs with a marked limp. The sergeant loitered for a moment and I, fear- ing the amazement that was in my face would be- tray for the second time the mistake he was making, took the advice he himself had given me and, putting my hands to my eyes, pretended to sob violently. " I'm sorry, Miss," the man said gently, laying a kindly hand on my arm, " but 'tis the way of war. You're a brave girl and I hope for your sake that our prisoner will be exchanged. Good-bye, and good luck to you." But though I knew that a mistake had been made, I stood for several minutes after they had gone pon- dering on the matter before it came plain to me. CHAPTER XXV A FAREWELL THE sound of the front door closing assured me that the sergeant had departed with his prisoner and I breathed a sigh of relief. Exactly what had happened I did not know but one thing at least was clear; Roger had given himself up deliberately, and the British soldiers, seeing him dressed as a Continental, were satisfied that they had captured the man they sought. So far Will was safe, but what had become of him? With a bound I mounted the stairs and rushed to his room. There he was, stretched out on the bed, looking very white and exhausted but smiling hap- pily, nevertheless. " Come right in! " he exclaimed, teasingly; but I paid scant heed to his raillery. "I thought to find you in mother's room?" I cried. "Nay, in decency I could not go there to be taken," he answered, " so I hobbled up here to find a rascally red-coat in possession ! " " Then you've seen Roger? " I burst out. " To be sure," he replied, " but how comes it that you harbour a pernicious Britisher in this honest house? " " Have done with your foolery and tell me what happened," I insisted. " I clean forgot Roger." " So he said," Will laughed. " He's been starv- 212 A Farewell 213 ing on a few dry biscuits and a jug of water. 'Tis scarce generous treatment of a guest." " He was no guest but a prisoner," I retorted, a little resentfully, though I could not tell why. " He proved a good friend," Will went on more soberly. " We were so surprised to see each other that before we knew it our hands were clasped for the sake of old times. Then he saw how matters stood and took my place. We may fight on dif- ferent sides, but there stands no quarrel between us personally now." " He will be let go," I asserted. " Ay, the minute he gets to his own camp," Will agreed, " but, for all that, we owe him something for saving my life." " Nay, the score is even," I answered, " for I saved his." " So Roger told me," said Will; " but," he added, looking at me curiously for a moment, " what's wrong 'twixt you and Roger? " " Naught," I replied shortly, " the score is even, that is all." " I used to think you liked him," Will insisted. " Sure you were ready enough to defend him once if I so much as hinted at a criticism." " He was a friend then," I made answer. " And so he is to-day," Will began. " Nay, he is our enemy," I interrupted, " but we have more important matters to think of now. I must away to mother and were I you I should try to make up some of my lost sleep." " Faith," he laughed, " I'd best do as I'm told, lest I be treated like poor Roger." " Poor Roger ! " I burst out. " Had you seen our soldiers, as I did, after they had battled on Long Island, you'd have had little sympathy for those 214 Polly Trotter, Patriot who brought them to such a sorry pass. Poor Roger, indeed ! He's one of the British officers who are driving our men out of the city, killing them and and" My voice broke, tears filled my eyes in a flood, and I ran from the room scarce knowing why, on a sudden, I should feel the way I did toward Roger Delancy. But I was at pains to compose myself be- fore I faced mother, for I had no wish to add my troubles to her worries. I found her calm, but curious to know the mean- ing of the British sergeant's visit and I saw at once that she had no suspicion of its purport. 'Twas Will they sought, mother," I said. " They didn't catch him," I hastened to add, seeing her eyes widening with apprehension. " Tell your tale," she demanded. " And, hiding naught, I recounted all that had happened since I had started out the day before to find Will at the shop of Anthony Lamb. Mother heard me out with little or no comment, but at the end she sat up against her propped pillows. "How badly hurt is he?" she asked, referring to the hurt in Will's leg. " I think not seriously, mother," I assured her. " It needs but time to heal." She remained a moment in deep thought, then be- gan to stir about in the bed. " 'Tis high time I was out of this, Mary! " she exclaimed, showing a strength and energy I scarce would have believed she possessed. " I've been here too long already." " But, mother " I began, in protest. u Nay, I shall never be well so long as I lie a-bed doing naught," she went on. " Oh, I shall not be foolish," she added. " But there must be a begin- A Farewell 215 ning. Fetch me my dressing-gown. I wish to sit by the window." There was no debating the matter further. Mother had made up her mind, and so determined was her manner that I felt it useless to gainsay her. A few minutes later I had her seated by the window overlooking the garden, and she seemed to gain in strength with her resolve to be quit of the bed. Unthinking, I would have stayed longer to talk to her of the events which had transpired in the last few days, but she reminded me of Will and his needs, bidding me go at once and have broth and posset made against his awakening. " He must be strengthened ere he attempts to escape," she warned me. " Escape ! " I echoed vacantly, not catching her meaning. " Ay," mother answered, " did you not tell me that the city was in the hands of the British? " 'Twas then for the first time I realized Will's pre- dicament. He was a prisoner in the house and dared not show himself outside for a moment else would the British soldiery, who now held New York, seize him. Our army, which had been in possession only that morning, had fled, and until they retook the town there would be no more visits from father or Mr. Hale, and the other Continental officers who were wont to come and go. I had been so much occupied with Will's escape that I had had no time to speculate on the alteration in our circumstances. Indeed it was not until several days had passed that I reached a full understanding of how complete the change was. Mother and I agreed that it was best to tell Betty at once that Will was in the house, for although we might have made shift to keep him hidden even from 2i6 Polly Trotter, Patriot her, there was little to be gained by concealment. We ran some risk of her inadvertently betraying his presence should a further search be made, but at the time we had small fear of that. I found her in the kitchen, looking very spick and span in a fresh dress, and busy at her work as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. At sight of her I began to wonder where she could have been while the sergeant and his men were going through the house; for now that I thought of the matter, I remembered that she had never appeared. " Where have you been, Betty? " I asked. " Did you go out in the street while the soldiers were here?" " No'm, Miss Polly, I didn't seein' there was a soldier man right at that very door, barrin' my way," she answered resentfully. "Were you in the house all the time?" I ques- tioned. " Not 'zackly in the house, Miss Polly," she re- plied. " Nor yet I wasn't 'zackly out of the house." "Where on earth were you, Betty?" I insisted, becoming more and more mystified. " I weren't 'zackly on the earth neither, Miss Polly," she replied tantalizingly. " You must have been somewhere. Tell me at once ! " I demanded. " Well, if you must know, Miss Polly, I were in the rain-bar'el! " " The rain-barrel ! " I repeated in astonishment. " Yes'm, the rain-bar'el," she went on, voluble now that she had at last betrayed her hiding-place. "You'll be thinkin' I was scared of them soldiers; but 'tweren't so, Miss Polly, 'deed it 'tweren't. Seemed like I didn't have no control of myself no- how, and when I heard all that knockin' an' A Farewell 217 poundin' I jes' naturally went away, and the fust thing I knew I was a-clamberin' out of the winder of my room an' floppin' into the rain-bar'el. 'Tweren't till then I rightly come to myself." " But why " I began. "Why?" she exclaimed, cutting in upon my speech. "Why? 'Case there was four feet o' water in that bar'el an' I thought I was sure drowned. Weren't that enough to bring a body to their senses? An' to prove I weren't scared of them soldiers I jes' naturally clum right out ag'in as fast as ever I could. Don't know what got into ol' Betty, actin' that a-way; but it sure was kind o' damp in that bar'el." She ended, still shaking her head in perplexity, and I was at pains to suppress a strong desire to laugh ; yet her experience had put a thought into my head. The rain-barrel, into which Betty had popped, was a great cistern set beside the wash- house over which were the servant-quarters. Our drinking water we had from one or other of the public pumps, but for all domestic purposes we used the rain gathered into this butt which was outside the window of Betty's bedchamber, and it flashed across my mind that here, if only the water was drawn off, was a most excellent hiding-place. I said naught of this to Betty at the time but told her of Will's escape and of his presence in the house. " Land sakes, Miss Polly! " she exclaimed, " ain't that boy the greatest on earth fo' comin' back? " " He's upstairs in his room at this minute," I said. " Deary dear," she muttered, " and I thought he'd done got clear away. Why, Miss Polly, this town is jes' full of them pesterin' British." " Yes, I know, Betty," I replied, assuming a con- fidence I was far from feeling, " we'll have to keep 2i8 Polly Trotter, Patriot him hidden till he's strong enough to get away in the night. Meanwhile he must have food a-plenty." Here was a matter which needed no puzzling over, and Betty went to work with a will. The rest of that day I busied myself attending on my two invalids. Will, after a hearty meal went off to sleep again like a baby, not waking till nigh dusk. Mother, after a few hours at her window, deemed it prudent to go back to bed, though she protested that she could have remained up much longer had it been necessary. At even all three of us had tea in her room to- gether, Will insisting upon hobbling downstairs ; and, in spite of our anxieties, we were brave enough to be happy in the present rather than to dwell upon the possible dangers that might be in store for us, as many folk are wont to do. Will, of course, laughed and joked, and it was quite a merry little meal we had, eaten from a tray beside mother's bed, talking over what we should do, with entire confidence that all our plans would be successful. I was surprised to find how firmly resolved mother was to quit New York at the first opportunity. She vowed that she could not remain there while the British held possession, and I verily believe that, had we urged it, she would have been ready to make the attempt to leave that night, so determined was she. This however, was not to be thought of. We women-folk needs must wait till Will could make the necessary arrangements for us and, on account of his injured leg, it was settled that he should not move until the next night. It may appear that we took this matter of Will's escape very lightly, seeing that the British held the town, yet it was not until my brother explained it A Farewell 219 to mother and me that I saw a clear road to our freedom. He said we had but to win to the river to find patriots a-plenty who would row us up the stream to our own camp above the Heights of Har- lem. Will assured us he would have no difficulty in getting away himself and could find a man both willing and able to undertake our flight, but first he must spy out how lay the land. " Our chief hazard will be in getting to the river shore," he told us confidently. " And at night we shall have little trouble. The British are slow- pokes. It will be weeks ere they have the city fully guarded." " And by that time, mayhap, we may have beaten them and won it back again," I put in hopefully. "Mayhap," Will answered, a trifle ruefully, for in truth we had little expectation of any such good fortune. However, we anticipated no great hindrance to our slipping out of New York, and indeed talked much of seeing father when we should have gained the Continental camp; after which we could journey on to Uncle James's as we had planned to do before mother's illness. In the midst of our happy talk a sharp rat-tat-tat on the front door silenced us on the instant. In the circumstances such a summons was likely to be the signal for a calamity and mother and I glanced at each other apprehensively, both thinking of Will's safety. I rose to my feet intending to go down at once but my brother stayed me. " Let Betty bring the news," he whispered. 'Twill give us a little more time in case " He ended with a shrug of his shoulders, but 'twas not hard to take his meaning. 220 Polly Trotter, Patriot So we waited, straining our ears to catch a sound that might give a clue to the identity of our visitor, but naught reached us till we heard Betty mounting the stairs. She entered the room with a broad smile on her face and 'twas plain that she brought no ill tidings. " Mister Roger Delancy sen's his respec's to Madam Trotter an' says may he have a word with Miss Polly, please ma'am," she announced with much formality. Mother gave a little sigh of relief and nodded to me with a smile. Will, with a sly glance, leaned forward and spoke to me in an undertone. 'Tis not every prisoner who shows such fond- ness for his jailer," he chuckled softly. But I heeded not his words. I dreaded the scene I knew lay before me and yet I could not shirk it. I would have given nigh anything could I have escaped seeing Roger then, but I knew that I must meet him, face to face, at least once again. As I rose to leave the room Will halted me a mo- ment. " Do not tell him I am still here," he whispered. '* There is no necessity to strain his conscience more than need be and Polly," he added, earnestly, " don't forget that he saved your brother's life ! " There was more meaning in his speech than his words showed, and even then it occurred to me how passing strange it was that Will should be pleading with me in Roger's behalf; but I was little like to forget that service, nor a hundred other things that must be laid to Roger's credit; yet against them there was one fact that outweighed all. It was with a heavy, heavy heart that I went down the stairs to meet one very dear to me, believing that in all likelihood I would never see him again save A Farewell 221 by some accident. The bitterness I had felt that morning, when, on a sudden, I had realized my changed feelings, had passed away, and with the passing had come a clear vision of my duty to myself and to Roger as well. I found him pacing the room impatiently, but as I entered he sprang toward me and, ere I knew it, held both my hands in his. " Polly, dear," he cried, " I just couldn't wait a minute longer to see you ! " I looked up into his face, and the light in his eyes confirmed his words. He was glad to see me, there was no doubt of that, and 'twas useless to deny, even to myself, that the sight of him brought a joy to my heart. He was so big, and so manly, and so honest withal, that no one could help liking him, and I, who had known him for years, had never found him aught but thoughtful of my welfare and the happiest companion in all the world. He was dressed bravely in a captain's uniform and to my thinking was very handsome, tricked out in all his finery, but oh, how glad I would have been, had the gilded buttons borne another emblem than that of the British crown. There lay the barrier be- tween us, and the gay attire that so well set off his fine figure was the sign of all that made our further friendship impossible. " Now that Will and I have settled our silly quar- rel," he went on gaily, " I can come to the house as in the old days. But you don't seem very glad to see your prisoner again." " Yes, I am," I answered with truth, withdrawing my hands from his and seating myself. " I want to thank you for what you did for Will." " Oh, Polly ! " he cried, taking a chair opposite me, "why should there be thanks between us? I 222 Polly Trotter, Patriot could do no less, seeing that you had saved my life." " We'll cry quits then," I said, though 'twas not a gracious speech. " Nay, we'll do no such thing," he insisted. " I prefer not to forget my debt to you. But speaking of Will," he went on hurriedly, " I have no wish to know aught of his whereabouts; but were I he, and found myself in New York, I should not delay to quit the town. We mean to guard it close." He intended the words to be a kindly warning, and I doubted not in telling me this, took liberties with his strict duties, but to my ears there was some- thing of a threat in his speech, though I knew he had no such thought in his mind. " Do not let us talk of Will," I said, for I had no wish to be further beholden to him, " there is some- thing I must say to you." He noted the seriousness of my manner and be- came grave on the instant. " What is it, Polly? " he asked. " I knew there was something amiss the moment I came in." I would gladly have spared Roger unnecessary pain, and searched about in my mind for words to ease the blow, but I was ever blunt of speech and could only blurt out what I had to say. 4 You must not come to see me again, ""I declared with as much positiveness as I could muster. He looked at me a moment as if not able to com- prehend what I had said. " What are you thinking about, Polly? " he asked. " Know you not that Will and I have made up our quarrel? " " This has naught to do with Will," I told him. " 'Tis a matter betwixt us, Roger, and 'tis not a quarrel, at least of our making." " Of course, there is no quarrel between us," he A Farewell 223 assented. "How could there be? I don't under- stand, Polly." " Can't you see, Roger," I explained, " that we can't be friends and enemies, too?" " Enemies ! " he repeated vaguely, and then on a sudden he took my meaning. " Is it because I am fighting for the King?" " Yes, that is it," I replied. " But, Polly, you said a year ago, when first I went to Boston, that this war could make no difference between us," he asserted. " Ay, but that was a year ago," I murmured. " Is it Hamilton? " he burst out, and I saw the light of jealousy leap into his eyes. " Nay, Roger, it is not Mr. Hamilton," I said as gently as I could. " Surely it is enough that you are against all I hold most dear." " But what has a maid to do with politics? " he challenged. " Naught, perhaps," I assented, " but when war comes 'tis not the men only who have parts to play. I, too, am a patriot! " " What is that between us? " he demanded. " Everything! " I declared solemnly. He looked at me in silence for a time, then strode across the room restlessly. " I don't understand, Polly," he burst out, and in truth I knew he did not. " I think no less of your father and Will because we differ honestly over what is best for these Colonies. I think they are wrong to take up arms against the King but I love them none the less on that account. Why then, should you, who are outside the conflict, let this wretched war come between us? " " But I am not outside the conflict," I insisted warmly. " The patriot cause is the cause of every 224 Polly Trotter, Patriot man, woman and child in our land. Could I shoot a musket I should be with our soldiers; but, failing that, I must do what comes to my hand, though 'tis little enough." " You're not the old Polly any more," he sighed. " Ay, there you're right," I agreed. "But what has changed you?" he questioned. " You had no such thoughts as these a year ago." " I was a child then," I answered, with more truth than even I realized. " I knew naught of what war meant, and thought to thrust it out of my life. I said to myself that it was all politics " " And so it is, Polly," ^ Roger cut in. " Tis all the work of selfish politicians on both sides." " Nay," I protested, rising to my feet, angered at his scornful tones. " You English may be ruled by selfish men, but with us 'tis different. Think you Mr. Washington or Mr. Franklin are seeking aught for their own advantages? " " How can a maid know what may be in the minds of such fellows? " he retorted with a sneer upon his lips. " Because I have seen and talked to those who have followed them," I returned. " Oh, young captains," he said, with a derisive laugh. " 'Tis a kind of junket for them, and " " Should you chance to meet Mr. Nathan Hale you would learn better," I interrupted. " They can all talk, I grant you," he mocked, " and 'tis evident you have been carried away by their endless oratory." It was so plain that he could see no side but his own that my resentment cooled. To argue further was useless for I doubted not the honesty of his con- victions, yet I did want him to understand how I felt about the matter. A Farewell 225 " Listen, Roger," I began earnestly; " 'tis not talk that has changed me, though I grant you I have heard a deal of that. How it has come about I scarce know myself, but oh, Roger, I cannot think of the poor soldiers that your men drove out of Long Island, without a pain in my heart. I saw them wounded, hungry and well-nigh dropping with fatigue, and heard their pitiful cries of joy at the sight of the little food I could offer them. I had called myself a patriot before, but, when I saw how brave they were to meet death, I asked myself why they did it." "And could you find an answer?" Roger ques- tioned soberly. " Ay, the real one," I told him. " They were ready to give up their lives so that those that came after them might be free. They were ready to go to their graves for the cause they believed in, and that cause was mine, too. I want to be a patriot in more than words how then can I be the friend of one who is an enemy to those who suffer for my country." " Do you mean that we shall never be friends again?" Roger asked. " How can we be? " I answered. " Polly, I'll give up my commission in the army. I'll do anything for your sake," he burst out. " But in your heart you would be an enemy still." " Nay, and you must have the truth there is naught but you in my heart ! " cried Roger. " Say the word and I'll give up my sword on the morrow." I shook my head sadly. 'Tis not my word that must decide the matter," I said. " I would not have you change for no better reason than that. No, Roger, we must say good- bye," and I held out my hand to him. 226 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Do you really mean that I must not come back? " he faltered, his voice breaking as he spoke. " Yes," I answered, " there is no other way." He looked at me searchingly for an instant, then seizing my hand he kissed it, and the next moment passed quickly out of the house. For a time I stood as he had left me, unconscious of aught but a great ache in my heart. Dumbly I turned to go upstairs, but had not the courage to face mother and Will then, so I sought the surgery and threw myself upon the couch, letting my tears flow as they would. Surely, if to send Roger away was a measure of my love for my country, then indeed was I a patriot. Seizing my hand he kissed it and the next moment passed swiftly out of the house. CHAPTER XXVI UNWELCOME GUESTS IT is perhaps fortunate that I had little leisure after Roger's departure. To be sure I hadn't seen him for a year or more and had even thought of him as dead, but the hope that he might be alive had never been wholly abandoned. Now he had come back to me only to go again, leaving an empty place in my life, and had I found the time to dwell upon the sorrow of it I should have passed many hours of misery. As it was, my anxieties for those dear to me kept my mind on other matters, and it was only when night came that my pillow was sometimes wet with tears ere I went to sleep. I was scarce dressed next morning when a great hammering on the front door set my heart a-pound- ing for fear that another search for Will was about to be made, and I hurried down stairs. Betty was ahead of me and as I reached the en- trance she glanced at me with apprehension. And well she might for there stood a British ser- geant with half a dozen men behind him. It seemed as if my worst fears were about to be realized and there was a huge lump in my throat, but I nerved myself to face them as bravely as I might. " Whose house is this? " the sergeant demanded, abruptly. 'Tis the house of Dr. Trotter, sir," I answered politely, lest I should anger him. 227 228 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Where is he?" he asked. " He is away upon his duty," I replied readily. "Duty? What duty? '\ " For a doctor, sir, 'tis attendance upon his patients." " And these patients? Are they rebels or Loyal- ists? " he snapped. " Father physics both," I answered after a mo- ment's hesitation. " I've heard him declare that sickness takes no account of politics, favouring neither King nor Congress." " Ha ! " he grunted. " 'Tis a wise and wily man who can please both sides. But 'twill scarce gull me. Paint the letter, Bill!" And forthwith a man armed with naught more warlike than a pot of paint and a broad brush, scrawled a huge red " R " upon the door of our house "What does that mean?" I asked, and a titter went up at my evident dismay. " It means that this is a rebel house, young missy," the sergeant answered, " and you may take it from me that we shall keep a good watch upon it in case the doctor returns on a sudden." With that they went off to another dwelling and so marked many throughout the city. For myself I cared naught what the British might paint upon the door, and had no fear that father would return that way, but two facts were evident from this visit; first that the British were prompt to force their rule upon the city and second; that a special watch would now be kept upon our house, tnus adding one more obstacle to Will's escape. But this was by no means the end of our difficul- ties for I had scarce reached the top stair again on my way to Will's room when another sharp bang on the door brought me to a halt. Unwelcome Guests 229 " Fo' the land sake who's comin' now? " I heard Betty mutter, as she went back to answer this second summons. I ran down and was just behind her as she admitted a group of British officers, who pushed through into the. passage with scant ceremony. A rather elderly man led and, seeing me, scowled darkly. " Where is the mistress of this rebel house? " he demanded, without any compliment of hat or greeting. " That duty is mine, sir," I replied, " seeing that my mother is ill." " Humph ! " he grunted, and without further ado began an inspection of the first floor followed by two or three younger officers. My one thought, of course, was that another party had come for Will, and a great fear entered my heart for I could see no way to warn him. Should I leave my unceremonious visitors abruptly any sus- picion they might have entertained would be con- firmed and moreover, even should I succeed in tell- ing my brother what was a-foot, I saw no ready means for him to escape. With a double pang of regret I realized that this time there would be no Roger to save him. But though I was still trembling with alarm I soon saw that I was mistaken in our visitors' purpose. The elder officer seemed not to be making any thor- ough search. He but glanced into one room after another, and though now and then he would nod his head as if what he saw satisfied him, there was no close scrutiny and I began to have a measure of hope. " What rooms have you above? " he asked, com- ing to a stop at the foot of the stairs. I told him, though why he should wish to know was still a mystery. 230 Polly Trotter, Patriot " And do I understand that you and your mother are the only occupants of the house? " he questioned. " There's Betty, too," I replied, indicating the black servant at my side. He glanced at her sharply as if he had been un- aware of her presence till that moment, and she curtsied politely, though I felt sure her knees were shaking. " You will take three," he informed me, and made a move to leave. " Three what, sir? " I asked blankly. " Officers," he said, shortly. " Soldiers here ! " I cried in dismay. "Ay, why not?" he demanded, his thin jaws coming together with a snap. " My mother, sir, is very ill and ." " Your mother need not be disturbed," he inter- rupted. " The officers of His Majesty's service are gentlemen." " But, sir," I pleaded, " there are hundreds of empty houses in the town. Cannot these officers take one of them?" " Nay, an empty house holds a cold welcome," he answered, with a grim chuckle. " I'm but an indifferent housekeeper, sir," I began, but again he cut me short. " Enough," he retorted angrily. " 'Tis plain you are an unwilling hostess. Nevertheless, you will have three officers quartered on you, and if you take my advice you will prepare at once for their recep- tion. We mean to teach the rebels of this city where their duty lies." With a curt nod he turned his back upon me and stalked out of the house, followed by the others. For a moment or two Betty and I gazed at each other in consternation. Unwelcome Guests 231 " Sakes alive, Miss Polly ! " Betty exclaimed at length, " how is we-all gwine to feed them hungry soldier mens? " Her words brought me back to my senses and I started up the stairs. " Come, Betty, I'll need your help," I called to her. " As to feeding the British officers, that must take care of itself when the time comes. We have graver things to occupy us now." I hurried to Will's room, Betty following more slowly, and found him seated at the window with his injured leg propped up on a chair. He was fully dressed and I was amazed that a night's rest could have altered his appearance so much for the better. He seemed strong, alert and ready for any emer- gency, so that for the moment my joy at seeing him so well recovered put all other thoughts out of my head. 1 You're better, Will! " I exclaimed. " Ay, I'm fit for anything when I've had some breakfast," he added with a laugh. " And how is your poor leg? " I asked. " 'Tis nigh as good as ever," he answered, get- ting to his feet, and limping about the room to show me. " I'm keeping it cocked up so that it will be well healed against my adventure to- night." This brought me with a jerk to the difficulties ahead of us. " I fear you cannot wait until to-night, Will," I said. "What's up, sis?" he asked, noting the anxiety in my voice. " The house is marked with a great red ' R ' to show that we are rebels, and we are to have three officers quartered upon us." I rattled off the words 232 Polly Trotter, Patriot in one breath in an effort to give him the whole of my news at once. "Humm! The Britishers are not so slow as I thought," he murmured, half to himself. " When do you expect your new guests? " " I was ordered to prepare for them at once," I answered. " 'Twill be awkward," he said absently, shaking his head in perplexity. " Will it not be best for you to leave before they come?" I suggested. " Nay, 'tis impossible to slip through in the day- time," he replied. " I have been peeping out from behind the curtains, and the city is alive with bloody- backs. I think they must have brought their entire army in. No, I can't go to-night, Polly." " Then you must e'en hide somewhere," I de- clared. " This room will be taken by one of the officers, another must have my room and the third the spare chamber. Where can I put you? " " There's the rain-bar'el, Miss Polly," Betty sug- gested, having come in as we talked. " I done let out the water jes' in case," she added. " 'Tis well thought of," I agreed, heartily. " You can stay safe in the cistern till it is dark." " Nay," said Will, with a positive shake of his head, " I'll not sit in a damp rain-barrel with this leg of mine for all the British in the Americas. I'll stay quiet with mother till dark. 'Twill be as safe as a church. The officers are scarce brutes enough to disturb a lady when she is ill." " Ay, they said as much," I assented, and so the matter was settled. Will went down at once, while Betty and I began setting his chamber in order, taking good care to put out of sight all evidence of his recent occupation; Unwelcome Guests 233 for it was in my mind to conceal the very fact that I had a brother if I could manage it. Betty and I worked hard, but there was still much to be done when a third summons interrupted us. " There they is now," Betty half sobbed. " Nay, 'tis too soon," I answered, as I left her to finish and went myself to see who knocked. On opening the door I faced a young officer who was quite different from any one I had ever seen before. My brother Will had no taste for finery, deeming such fallals fit only for women. Indeed, he was rather inclined to poke fun at Roger, who had a liking for rich velvets and at Mr. Hamilton, who was accounted a great dandy; but even these would have appeared ill-habited beside the master- piece who greeted me upon the stoop. He was small, well-nigh insignificant in stature, but he man- aged to convey an impression of distinction and ele- gancy that is difficult to put into words. He stood at the entrance holding up a gold quiz- zing-glass and as I curtsied he honoured me with a bow which no dancing master I had ever seen could approach, so graceful was he and withal so dignified. At first sight this gentleman looked very young in- deed, but Tater I decided that he must be a man of at least thirty years. "Is it Madam Trotter?" he asked, smoothly, and at my nod went on. " I pray you pardon this intrusion, which I vow is inexcusable, and remember in my favour that I am but a pawn in the game. I must e'en go where I am sent, but I shall do my utmost to make my residence as little irksome to you as possible." I saw that here was the first of my unwelcome guests, but his words reassured me somewhat and I was about to acknowledge his courtesy when he 234 Polly Trotter, Patriot stepped into the house and closed the door behind him, still talking as if he had a speech to make and wished no interruption till it was finished. " 'Tis little I require. A pallet of straw for my- self and a bed on the floor for my servant. The only favour I would ask of you is a pair of silken sheets, for I find it impossible to sleep 'twixt home- spun. As for food, my tastes are simple. Orto- lans, cooked with slices of China ginger, or larks' tongues seethed in milk " Here he was interrupted by a double knock on the door and with a glance of annoyance went on hurriedly. " 'Tis the others, no doubt, and I call you to wit- ness, Mistress Trotter, ma'am, that I was first upon the ground; for ' first come is first served ' in these rough campaigns." I could not but smile at my pretty gentleman's anxiety as I opened the door to admit two other officers, one of whom was bluff and ready, while the third was considerably older and had a foreign air about him. "Egad, Hauptman!" cried the first of these, " we're none too soon. * Gone away,' I shouted, when I heard we were to lodge together, and gave the view hello ! Off we trotted, hot upon the scent and" " And arrive' late ! " the third officer interrupted, and at his speech with its marked German accent, I knew that here we had one of the dreaded Hessians to deal with. " Ay," agreed the younger man readily, " he has the edge on us. And I lay you five to seven he has already asked for ortolans with ginger." " I take you," said the Hessian, solemnly, " and to you I'll say 'tis larks' tongues seethed in milk." Unwelcome Guests 235 With great seriousness the two gentlemen drew forth their tablets to enter these wagers, ignoring the little dandy who stood silently regarding them through his quizzing-glass with an expression of utter weariness in his face. "And now who wins?" demanded the younger man gaily, looking to me for an answer. Though I had been brought up to abhor gambling I could not, for the life of me forbear a smile. " He asked for ortolans," I said to the English- man, and would have gone on but he cut me short with a great shout of triumph. " Ah, ha ! " he cried in high good humour, " hand over the yellow boys, Hauptman." With no very good grace the Hessian drew forth a netted purse and counted out the money, giving up the coins with evident reluctance. " But he also asked for larks' tongues seethed in milk! " I explained, as the money changed hands. " The glutton ! " exclaimed the young man, giving back the gold pieces cheerfully. " Who would have thought he'd ask for both? " "Thinking differs from laughing, in that he who thinks first thinks best," drawled the dandy, speaking to no one in particular. " Ay, Dawson, with all your foppery you're quick enough when your comfort is concerned," the young Englishman commented merrily. " If you will permit me, Mistress Trotter," our macaroni went on, addressing me and ignoring his friend, " I shall be glad to present these noisy per- sons to you. This," he waved a hand airily toward the Hessian, " is Herr Adelbert Hauptman. This," languidly indicating the young Englishman, " is Lieu- tenant, the Honourable Ethelbert Mauleverer Scott" 236 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Scotty, for short," put in the incorrigible youth with a loud laugh. " And I," the dandy continued, scorning the in- terruption, " am Captain Laurence Dawson, your obedient and humble servant to command." He ended with a most elaborate bow, and I curtsied to each of the men in turn, who acknowl- edged it most ceremoniously. " Gentlemen," I said, thinking it as good a time as any to speak my mind to them, " that you may be comfortable in this house is my hope, but if you have come expecting luxuries I fear you are doomed to disappointment. My mother is ill. All of our trained servants have fled at the approach of your armies, and it is scarce possible to secure the bare necessities; so that there will be no flummeries and such like." " Nay, Mistress Trotter, do not worry on our account," said Mr. Scott heartily. " Give us what you have and we shall be more than thankful. As for Dawson and his ortolans " " Your pardon, Scotty," the exquisite captain broke in, " Dawson hath a tongue of his own. Mis- tress Trotter," he went on, turning to me, " I allow no man to exceed me in consideration. I shall do my humble best to make our presence in your home as little irksome as the exigencies of the position per- mit. As for the ortolans eh oh ah ! " His voice rose in a little sing-song and he ended with a graceful wave of his hand skyward, as if waft- ing away for all time a subject in which he had no further interest. The ready courtesy of the two Englishmen quite won me to them, and I confess that neither then nor later could I muster any degree of hatred for the mannerly gentlemen who were indeed the enemies of Unwelcome Guests 237 my country but ever thoughtful and considerate of mother and me. As for Herr Adelbert Hauptman, the Hessian, I noted at the time that he uttered no expression of regret for the trouble his presence might entail nor any promise to ease the burden of it. CHAPTER XXVII AN OPEN DOOR IT was perfectly evident from the beginning that the relations between the two Englishmen and the Hessian officer were none too cordial. This became apparent when, in selecting which rooms they should occupy, Captain Dawson, who was entitled to the spare-room, elected to share Will's quarters upon the third floor with Mr. Scott because he refused to see me put to inconveniency by giving up my chamber to the German. This quite won my regard, for although Ihad determined to sleep with mother in any case, by this arrange- ment my belongings were in no wise disturbed. At this time it scarce seemed to make any difference how our enforced guests disposed themselves, but no later than that night I found that many anxious days might have been spared us had Herr Hauptman been more popular with his fellow officers. By this arrangement, however, there was little to do in preparation once Will's room was in order, and I left the men to install themselves as they pleased. This they did promptly and soon order- lies were coming and going, bearing bags, boxes and despatch boxes innumerable. They made an office for themselves in the surgery and I may say here that they were busy all the day and often well into the night. My chief concern was, of course, for Will. The presence of the strangers added many times to the 238 An Open Door 239 danger of his being discovered and kept me on ten- ter-hooks for fear a chance word or an accidental noise might betray him. He was safe, for the time being at least, in the little powdering-closet adjoin- ing mother's room, as all the officers were at great pains not to disturb her. Indeed, 'twas as good as a play to see Dandy Dawson, as Mr. Scott called him, go mincing by the door on tiptoe lest the patient within be annoyed, an example which the others were prompt to follow; for in spite of his womanish ways and pretty vanities Captain Dawson was no weak- ling and, when he was so minded, put a force into his politest speeches that made him much looked-up to by his fellows. Notwithstanding their consideration it was with considerable impatience that I awaited the nightfall, desiring to see Will started upon his journey. I lost sight of the hazard he was like to encounter outside of the house in view of the closer menace within. And Will himself held to this opinion of the mat- ter, or at least so he expressed himself. " Once away from here I shall be all right," he whispered confidently, as we talked it over in moth- er's room. " When they are sound asleep I shall steal down, and none will be the wiser." So certain was I of the success of his plan that I fretted only that the hours passed so slowly. And until evening naught happened to shake this con- fidence. At noontime, while the officers were having their dinner, I loaded a tray with food enough for all and took it upstairs where we three had a happy, though very silent meal together. Mother, firm in her de- termination to grow strong against the time when we could quit New York, sat in a chair before the little 240 Polly Trotter, Patriot sewing-table whereon I had set the tray and seemed to improve hourly. Again at eventide we had a hearty supper for, thinking it more than probable that he might be de- layed upon the road, I was minded to have Will well fortified for his journey, and to this I lay the start of the suspicion that upset our project. Following my plan of dinner-time, I carried our supper upstairs while the officers were at table and, when we had eaten, piled the dishes upon the tray intent upon returning them to the kitchen while our guests lingered over their walnuts. With Will out of sight in the powdering-closet, I left the room in- cautiously, having little fear of meeting anybody. I was obliged to place the tray on the floor of the hall in order to close the door behind me and as I stooped to pick it up again I heard some one come bounding up the stairs. I straightened with my bur- den and faced Herr Hauptman just as he reached the top step. He looked surprised, moved back a pace to let me pass, and then his glance fell upon the tray I carried. " It is a heavy load for a miss to carry," he said, lifting his bushy brows, but I noted he made no effort to relieve me. " 'Tis not too heavy," I replied, and was for going on, but he made a motion as if to bar my way. " Your mother has a fine appetite for an invalid," he commented, gazing down upon the empty dishes. " I, too, must eat," I told him boldly. " Ach so ! " he murmured, his harsh accent more pronounced than ever. " Still, even for a stout girl " He shrugged and turned his look upon mother's door, shaking his head thoughtfully the while. An Open Door 241 He seemed in two minds what to do, and I grew fearful lest he should push his inquiry further. So for a moment we stood in silence. Then, with never a civil word, he passed me and went straight to the guest-chamber at the end of the hall. I saw naught in this incident to cause me any great alarm, but it made me uneasy, and, after depositing my dishes in the kitchen, I hurried back to tell Will of it. He made light of the affair as was his wont, and so I was reassured, nevertheless I could not deny that it would be a huge relief to have him quit of the house, and we settled down to wait as patiently as we could for the time of his escape. Our plan was simple enough. After nightfall, once the streets had grown quiet, I was to make sure the coast was clear inside, whereupon Will would slip down the stairs and out the back by way of the garden. We reckoned eleven the right hour and, when at length it struck, Will kissed us both good- bye, reminding us again of the plans he had for get- ting us out of the city. " I will see you soon again, mother dear," I heard him whisper, and I blew out the candles ere I ven- tured forth to spy whether or no any one was about. It was understood that Will was to await my re- turn from this inspection of the lower floor and the garden, so I opened the door softly and stepped forth. But at the threshold I halted, scarce able to suppress a cry. Our way was blocked at the very outset, for there was Herr Hauptman, sitting at the little desk in the guest-chamber with his door set wide so that he had a view of the entire length of the hallway. He held a pen as if he had been writ- ing, but even the slight click of mother's latch had attracted his attention and he was looking at me 242 Polly Trotter, Patriot over his shoulder. His face was in shadow so that I could not see the expression of it, but his motion- less figure gave an impression of sinister vigilance and I was minded of a cat watching a mouse-hole. For an instant I was about to turn back, but realized in time that this would but confirm any suspicion he might have, so, with a firm step albeit my knees shook, I went to my own room. There I opened a drawer in the press, took out the first garment my hand touched, and at some pains to make a noise as I closed it, returned to mother's room without haste. As I entered, I looked back at Herr Hauptman. He had not moved a hair's breadth but still sat slightly bent forward across the desk, as if crouched and ready on the instant to spring. I shuddered as I went in and closed the door behind me. ;' Is all safe, Polly? " Will whispered. " Hush ! " I murmured, and at the tone he guessed that something was amiss. "What is it? " he asked, his mouth close to my ear. " I think we are watched," I answered, " come away from the door. He may be listening." We went to mother's bed on tip-toe. There, with our heads together, and but half-breathing the words, I told them the situation. " Without doubt the Hessian has some sus- picions," said Will. " Ay," murmured mother, " and we dare do naught to confirm it. " He'll soon tire of his task," Will declared, con- fidently. " But 'twill be a risk to let Mary go out again," mother cautioned. " Will it not seem strange to have her going in and out at night in this way? " " Jhat's well thought of," Will agreed. An Open Door 243 " Nay, I could try once again safely," I predicted. " In an hour or two I can go to the kitchen to seek a posset for mother. 'Twill seem but natural for an invalid, and " " Ay, that's a likely plan," my brother inter- rupted, and so 'twas settled. While we waited I went into the closet and donned a dressing-wrapper, braided my hair into two tight pig-tails and slipped on my slippers. This I did in order that it might look as if I had but newly risen from my bed, should I meet any one upon the way. 'Twas well past midnight when I set forth again and for an instant hope sprang up in my breast for the candles were out in the Hessian's chamber. But the next moment my spirits drooped. In the dim light I made out that the door of his room still stood open and I could not be certain that the man slept. But I was not left long in doubt. Out of the darkness came the harsh voice of Herr Hauptman. " Is aught amiss? " he asked, and though I could not see him for the gloom, I guessed he stood just within the chamber. " Nay, I go for mother's posset," I answered, but my lips trembled with fear and vexation, and I was thankful he could not see me. " I regret I cannot help you with that," he re- marked, " but should aught occur where I can be of service, I beg you will summon me. You will not need to call loud for I am a light, a so light sleeper, Miss Trotter." The words were polite enough and I could do no less than murmur hurried thanks, but there was menace rather than courtesy in his speech and I sped to the kitchen knowing well that my brother dare not quit the house that night. 244 Po% Trotter, Patriot I returned betimes with the milk and wine and told my tale to mother and Will. They, too, saw the danger of any further attempt, and that there was naught for it but to wait through another day. We tried to get what sleep we could, poor Will being obliged to stretch himself out on the floor of the closet, but my slumbers were fitful and I dreamed more than once of Herr Hauptman seated at the desk, gazing malevolently at me over his left shoulder. Yet on the following day there was naught to show that the Hessian officer even harboured a sus- picion. He greeted me as politely as he knew how, going about his business with complete indifference, so far as I could judge, to my comings and goings. As a matter of fact I saw little of him or the others for I kept away from the front of the house as much as I could. When we talked the matter over in mother's room our confidence returned and we concluded that Herr Hauptman's actions of the night before had no par- ticular significance, though of this I was not wholly satisfied. At any rate we looked forward hopefully to Will's escape that night, only to be disappointed again, for once more the Hessian kept wide his door and Will dared not venture forth. It was exasper- ating enough to strain the stoutest fortitude. In three strides from mother's room my brother would be out of sight of this silent watcher; but though the distance was short 'twas long enough to hang him an he tried to compass it. We strove to bolster up our courage by telling each other that it was mere accident and that the next night our chance would come, but I cannot think any of us really believed it now, though Will lacked not the pluck to laugh silently at our alarms. An Open Door 245 Another day came and with it an end to all doubt. Early in the forenoon, bent upon some errand I have now forgotten, I had just passed the open door of the surgery when the grating voice of Herr Haupt- man brought me to a sudden stop all a-tremble. " But I insist that the room shall be searched," he stated loudly. " Ah, yes, so you said before," said Captain Daw- son suavely. " And I must point out once, more, Herr Hauptman, that 'tis not the British custom to war on invalids and children." "Yes, you English are fools!" the Hessian blurted out. " In your teeth, sir! " Mr. Scott cried angrily, and I heard a chair pushed back. " This Hessian dog needs a lesson in the civilities," came the calm accents of Dandy Dawson, " which I shall be most happy to bestow." The next instant I heard the rattle of a blade be- ing drawn from its scabbard and, returning to the door, looked into the room. 'Twas not Captain Dawson's weapon that had made the ominous noise. That exquisite gentleman stood calmly before the wrathful foreigner, as im- perturbable as ever, daintily turning back the lace ruffles at his wrists while the Hessian, brandishing his naked sword, growled not unlike the animal to which he had just been compared. " Nay, Dawson ! " exclaimed Mr. Scott, " there is no need to soil the best blade in the army to teach this fellow manners. I'll put him through his paces," and his hand went to his side as he stepped before the Captain. " Oh, I pray you," I cried in panic, " do not quar- rel, gentlemen. Remember that my mother is ill and that her room is just above." 246 Polly Trotter, Patriot Mr. Scott's face showed something of disappoint- ment as they all turned, but Captain Dawson looked both grieved and embarrassed. " A thousand pardons, Mistress Trotter," he said, coming toward me. " I fear there is no excuse for our unseemly brawling, but I assure you 'twill go no further." " Not here," Mr. Scott, put in with an angry glance at Herr Hauptman, " but there are other times and places." " I but do my duty," the Hessian interrupted, " and for my heated words I offer you apology; but as to the matter which brought about this controversy, that I shall see through, though it take me to head- quarters! " There was no doubt that the man meant what he said and Captain Dawson exchanged a glance with Mr. Scott that showed a resignation to the inevitable. As for me, my heart sank at the prospect ahead of me, for I could not escape from this difficulty. " Be so kind as to be seated, Mistress Trotter," Captain Dawson begged, placing a chair for me by the table. I did as he asked and tried to summon courage to face the ordeal, but the strain of the situation was telling on me and 'twas all I could manage to hold back my tears for the time being. The other gentlemen seated themselves and the quizzing began. " 'Tis a vastly delicate matter, Mistress Trotter," the dandy hesitated, but Mr. Scott cut him short. " Nay, you can put it in a nutshell," he said ir- ritably, as if he hated the business and would have done with it quickly. " Herr Hauptman wishes to search your mother's room. Why we do not know, but he says " An Open Door 247 " 'Tis as a precaution," the Hessian broke in. " How can we tell she has not some spy concealed there?" " We can not, absolutely, I suppose," Mr. Scott admitted, " but I vow 'tis a sin to harry a child and an invalid." " You will observe, Mistress Trotter," Captain Dawson began, " that Mr. Scott and your most obedient have no wish to pry into your private ar- rangements." " Egad, I should think not ! " declared Mr. Scott, wholly disgusted. " But Herr Hauptman means to press the mat- ter," the Captain went on, " and we are therefore, most reluctantly obliged to take some action. 'Tis most distasteful to us. Perchance you can suggest a way out of the difficulty? " " Why, sir, 'tis not four days since that a sergeant and half a dozen troopers searched the house from top to bottom," I faltered, my distress mastering me. " Did they look into your mother's room?" de- manded the Hessian. " Ay, that they did," I answered, my voice full of tears, " and I feared the shock would kill her." " I pray you, do not grieve so," Captain Dawson said, with sincere concern in his voice. " It desolates me to see you suffer at our hands." " 'Tis for my mother I am fearful," I replied. " Tell us whether or not there is any one else in her room now?" Herr Hauptman insisted, and to do him justice I think he, too, was a little touched at my misery. " Nay, you would not believe me," I sobbed. He shrugged his shoulders as if what I said was indeed true. 248 Polly Trotter, Patriot " There's naught for it but a search of the room," he muttered, and I was sure Will must be taken. " Oh, please, Captain Dawson," I cried appeal- ingly, " don't do that ! I dare not think of the shock to my mother if more soldiers broke in upon her. She is nigh distracted now, with worry and " I stopped, for Captain Dawson and Mr. Scott were looking over my head at something behind me. My back was to the entrance of the room, but in- stinctively I turned and there, framed in the door- way, stood Mr. Nathan Hale, bowing smilingly to my enemies. CHAPTER XXVIII THE SCHOOLMASTER PAYS A VISIT THE sight of Mr. Hale so dum founded me that I sat with my mouth a-gape, staring at him as if he were a ghost. He was dressed plainly in a full-skirted coat, dark knee-breeches and square-toed shoes with brass buckles. In his hand he twitched a schoolmaster's hat of dull brown or black, and his appearance contrasted mightily with the remembrance I had of him when last he was in our house. Then he was brave and erect in his bear- ing, while now he stood slightly bent, humble in mein, with a supplicating smile upon his lips. " Egad, 'tis our schoolmaster ! " cried Mr. Scott, and the other men greeted him as an old friend. " I fear me I intrude upon your duties, gentle- men," Mr. Hale remarked, and even his voice was changed, for he spoke in a nasal whine, much affected by the pedagogues. " Ay, we have pressing business," grunted Herr Hauptman. " Most distasteful, most distasteful," murmured Dandy Dawson, half to himself. " I regret exceedingly to have interrupted upon your useful labours," Mr. Hale went on, " but miss- ing you for the last two days I took the liberty of inquiring your whereabouts. Perchance I may call again when you have more leisure." " Nay, wait in the next room till we've finished this pesky affair," suggested Mr. Scott. 249 250 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Ay, do that," put in Mr. Dawson. " I vow I've missed your drolleries infinitely. We must ar- range for another merry meeting at the coffee-house." " I await your pleasure, gentlemen," Mr. Hale responded, and with a low bow he walked softly away. " If all your Provincials were as loyal as Master Squaretoes we should not be here, Mistress Trotter," Mr. Scott remarked to me. " 'Tis no great larks for us, I can tell you." But I scarce heard him. I was too bewildered even to think. Not once had Mr. Hale so much as glanced in my direction, and so different did he seem that now he was gone I began to doubt my senses. Could I be mistaken? I asked myself. In form and features the man was no other than Captain Hale, but there the resemblance ended. In naught else was there the slightest hint of the dashing, Conti- nental officer who had braved death to take a British sloop but a short time back. " And now," said Mr. Scott, " let us be done with this plaguey search." Confused though I was, I ceased to puzzle over the mystery of this strange appearance of Mr. Hale and summoned what wits were left me to save Will if I could, though I felt that the battle was already lost. " Nay, have a thought for my poor mother," I begged, looking from one to the other, for to work upon their compassion seemed my only hope. " We shall be but a minute," Herr Hauptman re- plied, getting out of his chair restlessly. " She need have no fear of us." And at that I broke down and wept, for I could see no way to thwart this surly officer who was not to be moved from his purpose. The Schoolmaster Pays a Visit 251 " Egad, I can't support this," declared Captain Dawson. " Nay, do not cry, Miss Trotter, 1 beg of you." " Will naught less than a search satisfy you, Hauptman? " demanded Mr. Scott. " Must we all go blundering into a sickroom on a fool's errand to ease your suspicions? " " Nay, we need not all go," retorted the Hessian. " I can see for myself." "You would not doubt my word, I take it?" Captain Dawson inquired. " Certainly not," Herr Hauptman replied, a little nettled. " I have no wish to persecute a sick person. All I ask is that some one I can trust takes a look about. 'Tis a duty." " Come, Mistress Trotter," Captain Dawson went on, laying a kindly hand on my bowed shoulder, " I promise not to alarm your mother, and we will have it over with in a jiffy." " The mere sight of your uniform will fright her," I sobbed. " She may think you have come to take her prisoner and " " Then let the schoolmaster go," the Hessian burst out, more moved by my tears than I would have expected. " He wears no uniform and I have heard him say he knows something of simples. Take him to your mother in the guise of a physician." " Now that's well thought of," cried Mr. Scott, and forthwith called out through the door. " Hey, Master Squaretoes ! We have a mission for you." " I wait upon you on the instant," came the whin- ing reply from the other room. Once more my thought went back to Mr. Hale and for a moment it occurred to me that here was an es- cape from the threatened peril, but this hope quickly 252 Polly Trotter, Patriot faded. 'Twas plain enough the man must be a traitor to be on intimate terms with officers of the King's army, and, after the manner of traitors, he was like to be more ruthless than those who kept faith, albeit they were enemies. Had I dared I would have protested against the suggestion that he make the investigation, but I had come to the end of my pleading. Having based my entreaty on mother's alarm at the sight of a soldier, I could not in reason murmur against the schoolmaster. " In what way can my poor talents serve you? " asked Mr. Hale, as he stepped into the room. " Are we mistaken in thinking you know some- thing of medicine? " asked Mr. Scott. " Nay, I have some small knowledge of the art of healing," was the ready answer. " But I make no claim to any great skill." Whereupon Captain Dawson aided by the Hes- sian who failed not to point out the need of a thor- ough search, explained the situation while I, with my head bowed over the table, struggled to stifle the dry sobs that shook me. " I think 'twill not be beyond my small abilities to personate a doctor for a time," said Mr. Hale at the end, " and I promise you, Herr Hauptman, that naught shall escape my notice. It is no small pleas- ure, gentlemen, that I find myself able to be of service." At his treacherous words my anger at the mean part he seemed to be playing dried up my tears and stung me into self-control. I lifted my head and looked at him, standing humbly before these officers whose sworn enemy he had been but a short time be- fore. Now he was ready to fawn upon them, to do their slightest bidding, even to betray an old com- rade if need be. The Schoolmaster Pays a Visit 253 But to Captain Dawson this solution of the diffi- culty seemed a most happy one. " I am rejoiced, Mistress Trotter," he said, en- couragingly, " that we have been able to resolve all your doubts. Sure your mother need take no fright at a visit from a new physician, albeit he is a school- master. Let me make you known to Master Nathan, who hails, I believe, from the Massachusetts." " Your most obedient," murmured the school- master, and as he bowed to me our eyes met, while for the fraction of an instant I seemed to see the Captain Hale I had known before, for in the glance there was a meaning that set my heart a-pounding. " Your pardon, miss," he went on, " but I did not catch the name." Of a sudden a light seemed to break upon the darkest of my doubts and a wild hope began to struggle with the fear in my breast. " My name is Polly Trotter, sir," I said, rising to my feet. " I will warn my mother to expect your visit." I waited not for permission, but went straight out of the room and up the steps in a sort of daze, only half conscious of an objection on the part of Herr Hauptman. "Nay, man!" I heard Mr. Scott exclaim, "we can watch the door from the foot of the stair." I found mother dressed and seated at the win- dow. At sight of me she straightened in her chair and seemed to go a shade paler, though there was scant colour in her face at any time. Without doubt my wrought-up feelings were plain to be seen, for the tears had hardly dried on my swollen eyelids. "What is it, daughter?" she implored me, as I went swiftly to her. " Oh, mother, I scarce know myself," I replied, 254 Polly Trotter, Patriot struggling to keep my feelings in hand, " but the Hessian insists upon a search and where is Will? " " In the powdering-closet to be sure," she an- swered, and in a moment I had fetched him out. *; Oh, Will," I murmured, " Mr. Hale is down stairs and " "Nathan Hale?" he interrupted, his eyes going wide with astonishment. "Ay, Nathan Hale!" I answered. "He's dressed in the garb of a schoolmaster and is a great favourite with the British officers." ; ' With the British officers ! " Will repeated, amazed. " Are you sure 'tis Hale? " ' There is no doubt of it," I answered, though he is named Mr. Nathan among them. He seems a traitor, but but " "Never ! " Will broke in. " Not a drop of blood in his body but beats for the cause." " Yet is he most friendly with our enemies, Will," I faltered. " Nay, an he hob-nobbed with General Howe I should ne'er doubt him," declared Will with a loy- alty and positiveness that ended my lingering dis- trust. " See you not that he is here upon a mis- sion? I would as lief question the patriotism of Washington as of Hale. What is toward? " " The Hessian means to search this room " I began, but Will cut me short. " Then give me my sword and let me out of here," he cried, the light of battle coming into his eyes. " I'll not be taken without a fight for it," and he took a step toward the closet where lay his weapons. " Nay, Will, wait," I said, hurriedly, clutching him by the arm. " I pleaded with them not to send soldiers for fear of frighting mother, so Mr. Hale comes in their stead." The Schoolmaster Pays a Visit 255 He gazed at me for a moment as if he could scarce believe me, then he smiled broadly. " You've diddled them between you," he chuckled. "When comes he?" " He but tarries while I prepare mother for the visit of a new physician," I answered. " Fetch him up, Polly," Will said, eagerly. " I vow I can scarce wait to clasp his hand. Hurry now and I'll hide in the closet to give him a surprise, but have a care lest you betray him." So confident was my brother of Mr. Hale's loyalty that my own suspicion was wholly set at rest and I went out of the room to the head of the stairs. The four waited below and, on a signal from me, Mr. Hale, with a servile bow to the others, slowly mounted the steps. Again doubts assailed me. There was so much of the cringing schoolmaster about him, and so little of the gallant Captain I had known that I could not but be fearful. Never- theless I had no choice and I led him boldly into mother's room, once more a prey to all sorts of mis- givings. But the instant the door closed behind us Mr. Hale changed in a twinkling. The manners of the pedagogue dropped from him like a mantle and he was the alert young soldier that I had known a few months earlier. " Quick, Miss Polly," he murmured, " I have much to say," and he strode across to mother and seated himself beside her while I followed close. Mother gave him her hand in silence and he held it for a moment or two as he talked. " I am glad to see that you are better, Madam Trotter," he began, speaking rapidly, in a low un- dertone. " I bring you word from the doctor." " Is he well? " mother asked anxiously. 256 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Ay, in the best of health, but much concerned for your welfare," Mr. Hale went on. " He is most anxious to have you out of the city and bids you make ready to leave upon the instant. We shall contrive to arrange the matter with some one of our loyal friends who is still here, so, when the message comes, be ready to follow its instructions without hesitation." " Dr. Trotter still thinks me bed-ridden? " mother questioned. " Yes, but I shall be glad to relieve him on that point," Mr. Hale answered. u He plans to have you taken away in a chariot if possible. 'Twill not be easy, but I think it can be managed. 11 We shall be ready," said mother firmly. " Good," he murmured, and then a sad expression came into his face. " I have a word to say, Madam Trotter, which I would could be left unsaid," he went on. " We have heard naught of Will since " Now as we had listened, absorbed in Mr. Hale's words my brother had tip-toed across the room and stood behind the Captain's chair all unbeknown to him. " Do not fret for that scapegrace," he whispered, leaning down, and at that Mr. Hale sprang to his feet. " Sure I'm right glad to see you, Trotter ! " he exclaimed, softly. " We'd given you up for lost, and here you are living on the fat of the land, safe and sound." " Ay, sound enough, but none too safe," Will an- swered, at which Mr. Hale, remembering what had brought him there, turned to me. " My friend, the Hessian, was not far wrong in his suspicions after all!" he said. "But have no fear. The schoolmaster will satisfy him. I think The Schoolmaster Pays a Visit 257 you did not altogether trust me, Miss Polly," he added, with a sly twinkle in his eyes. " Oh, forgive me, Captain Hale," I pleaded. " I am ashamed that I should have suspected you for a moment, but I was so wrought-up and " " Nay, ma'am," he interrupted, " say no more. 'Twas a great compliment you paid to my acting, and moreover stood us both in good stead. Had you not entertained some doubt of my intentions you might have betrayed a previous knowledge and so spoiled our play. As it is our friends downstairs will be quite content with what I tell them." "Why are you here at all, Hale?" Will de- manded. " 'Tis no place for you." " His Excellency needed information," the Cap- tain explained. " Then there were others whose business it was to get it for him," said Will heatedly. " The cause can ill spare you for such work." " Nay, 'tis no ordinary mission," Mr. Hale in- sisted. " A man who knew something of the art of war was needed, and so I volunteered." " Nevertheless you should not have undertaken it," Will declared stubbornly. " I'll warrant Hull said as much to you." " Ay, he did and more," Mr. Hale admitted, then added a solemn tone coming into his voice. " But I told him that I owed it to my country to accomplish an object of so much importance and I knew no mode of obtaining the information but by assuming a disguise and passing into the enemy's camp." " You are running a grave risk, Captain Hale," said mother softly. " Ay, madam," he responded with great gentle- ness, " I am fully sensible of the consequences of 258 Polly Trotter, Patriot discovery and capture in such a situation, but for a year now I have been attached to the army and have not rendered any material service." " Why, you took the sloop 1 " I protested. " An adventure," he returned scornfully. " That was a poor return for the compensation I receive." " They'll make you a colonel when you get back," Will predicted. " That will be some satisfaction." " Nay," returned Mr. Hale earnestly, " I am not influenced by any expectation of promotion. I but wish to be useful. But enough of this. We must plan to get you out of the city, Trotter." " Nay, an you're here I shall stay too," said Will. " Surely you can make some use of me. ,Two strings to a bow are better than one." " Now that's well thought of," agreed the Cap- tain. " I have wished many a time that there was some one at hand I could trust to get my despatches to His Excellency. Let me consider a moment." We stood in silence watching Captain Hale, erect and eager, and I could not help wondering how com- pletely the schoolmaster had vanished. To be sure he wore the same clothes, but in this case, at least, they did not make the man. " Listen, Trotter," he began presently, " in three days I return to our camp by way of Long Island. 'Tis so arranged, and those who brought me over will take me back. Now I propose that you should go by way of the North River, carrying copies of the information I have to His Excellency. One or other of us is sure to win through." " I'm your man," Will agreed sturdily, and his sister felt a thrill of pride in her big brother. " Good ! " Mr. Hale went on. " Know you 1 Squinty ' Robinson, who has a boat near the Bat- tery?" The Schoolmaster Pays a Visit 259 " Right well," answered Will with a chuckle. " I'll warrant him a good patriot in spite of his crossed eyes." " That he is," declared the captain, " and has made more than one midnight trip up the river. I shall arrange with him to take you. Meantime I'll copy out my despatches and, Trotter, they'll be on thin paper so you can slip them 'twixt the soles of your shoes." " I know that trick," Will replied, " but how shall I win to the Battery?" " Worry not about that," Mr. Hale assured him. " Is not Master Nathan, the schoolmaster, a friend to scores of British officers. They tell me I have a pretty wit and, in return for amusement, load me with information. I shall send you the pass- words with the despatches. Now I must be off, or those fellows down stairs will be growing impa- tient." He said good-bye tenderly to mother, who gave him a blessing in return, pressed Will's hand and started with me to the door. " Miss Polly," he whispered, " I trust you to be on the lookout for the schoolmaster who will visit the house once more. And I pray you be on your guard to take any paper he may slip to you." And with that I let him out of the room and he became again the cringing Master Nathan. I watched him make his way to the floor below and listened to hear what he might say to the three officers. " You've been a weary time gone, Master Square- toes! " cried Mr. Scott at the top of his voice. " A most interesting case, gentlemen," came the whining reply. " The patient should recover in good season, provided she is not disturbed." 260 Polly Trotter, Patriot " But what of the search? " demanded the Hes- sian. " 'Twas most thoroughly made, I assure you, sir, but, as you see, without result." " A plague upon such a pother for naught ! " Dandy Dawson complained airily. " I was certain there was no one there, and now I vow I shall have the vapours for the rest of the day. " We have but done our duties, sirs," declared Herr Hauptman. Upon which sentiment some one shut the door, and I heard no more. CHAPTER XXIX A PACKET OF PILLS THE strange and unexpected appearance of Mr. Hale changed our spirits as if by magic. Whereas before we had been in constant dread of disaster, it seemed that now our troubles had vanished and that all we needed was a little pa- tience to reach the end of our ordeal. Will had unbounded faith in the Captain's ability to carry out his part of the plan, and once more we talked confidently of the time when we should see father and the family be together again. And, to hearten us still further, Herr Hauptman was ordered to another post that afternoon. He departed, bag and baggage, leaving none to mourn his going; nor, do I think, was he greatly displeased to be quit of companions who daily grew less con- genial. He thanked me politely enough for my hos- pitality, complimenting me for an excellent house- wife in a manner which showed that to his thinking no higher praise could be bestowed upon a mere miss. In the place of Herr Hauptman came another Eng- lish officer, Major Haughton, whose conversation consisted, so far as I ever heard, of " Yaws " or " No," drawled out laboriously as if the effort hurt him. He was a dull-eyed man, fair of hair, with pink cheeks like a baby's, and I saw him settled in the guest-chamber with a huge sense of relief. I doubted not that he would sleep like a dormouse in winter, and that Will might dance a sailor's horn- 261 262 Polly Trotter, Patriot pipe in the hallway without disturbing Major Haugh- ton's peaceful slumbers. I should have gone to bed that night with a lighter heart than I had carried for many a long day, but, once my mind was eased of Will's peril and I saw a clear road to mother's happiness, I straightway thought of Roger Delancy, and my own sorrows came to plague me. I grieved not at the stand I had taken with him, nor was I less a patriot if I found it hard to bear, only it seemed too bad that of all the young men I knew Roger should be the one to side with the King. And worse still, I could not but admire him for holding to his convictions, though I tried to think him stupid for having such faith in so unworthy a prince. I was very young and the years of spinster- hood ahead of me seemed interminable. Small won- der if, ere I went to sleep that night, I was much put to it not to disturb mother with my sobbing. The next day I took up my watch for the school- master. How or when he would come I knew not, nor could I foresee any plan by which he could slip me the papers he meant for Will. There was a constant stream of messengers and orderlies going in and out of the house, besides a soldier or two al- ways stationed at the entrance : it would appear more than suspicious were any of our enemies to observe the so-called Mr. Nathan handing me a paper, and I doubted Captain Hale running any such risk. Then it occurred to me that he might venture another visit to mother's room in the character of physician; but again I dismissed this as unlikely. It had been for the ostensible purpose of deceiving mother, not the British officers, that the schoolmaster had pre- tended to be a doctor, and, this pretence having served its purpose, Captain Dawson and Mr. Scott were like to wonder should another call be necessary. A Packet of Pills 263 It would be highly dangerous to have any one think that there was the slightest personal interest in any member of the Trotter family on the part of the Tory pedagogue. The more I puzzled the matter the more difficult appeared the problem which I had heretofore held a simple one. " Nay, have no fear," said Will, when I spoke to him about it. " I know not how it will be done, but I'll trust Nathan Hale to think of a way. You need but be on your guard, Polly, to follow his lead and I'll warrant we get the papers without the Brit- ish knowing aught of it." But that day he came not nor in the evening, though I was about the house later than was my wont in case he should put in an appearance. Nevertheless our spirits were in no wise dampened on that account, for there had been no time set and so our confidence that he would return stood un- broken. About eleven of the clock I stole into the hall to see if our new guest had any of Herr Hauptman's tricks; but all that I saw, and heard reassured me on that score. Not only was the door of the guest- chamber tight shut, but there came from within the most prodigous snore. Major Haughton slept. There was small doubt of that for the regularity of the uncouth noises he made could scarce be counter- feited. I went back to mother's room well satisfied that we had naught to fear from that direction. If, in the beginning, Major Haughton had come instead of the Hessian, Will would have long since made his escape from the house; but ere the opportunity af- forded, our plan was changed, and now that he might go with little fear of hindrance, he had some- thing more than his own safety to think of. 264 Polly Trotter, Patriot not till later, however, that I fully realized how in- finitely this new business was to increase the peril he stood in. 'Twas nigh noon the next day that Mr. Hale ar- rived. To give excuse to my presence in the front of the house, I had taken a cloth and was busying my- self polishing the handles of the front door. This afforded me an opportunity to look about the Broad Way and presently I spied Captain Dawson and Mr. Hale, the latter in schoolmaster's garb, strolling leisurely toward me. They were in an animated talk together and I thought they would never come, but at length they reached the foot of the steps. The dandy was laughing gaily as they mounted, clapping his companion gently upon the shoulder. "Egad, Master Nathan!" he cried, "I must have you in London when these misguided rebels come to their senses. I vow you have a wit that will make Horrie Walpole perish with envy. Oons, man! You are wasted in this country of pesky Whigs and pretty women. Ah, here is one of them now," he went on, in high good humour as he spied me. " Your most obedient, Mistress Trotter," he added, giving me, as usual when we met, a most elaborate bow. Mr. Hale following closely, doffed his hat humbly and I curtsied to both, intent upon what was to fol- low; for here was the occasion to which I had been looking forward and I wondered how we were to get rid of the dandy. " I trust, Mistress Trotter, that your mother suf- fered no set-back from my intrusion upon her pri- vacy?" the schoolmaster inquired solicitously. " Nay, sir, she is no worse," I answered, alert to follow his every move. " I am most happy to hear it," he replied, and took A Packet of Pills 265 a step with the seeming intention of leaving me. Then, as if he recollected something on a sudden, he stopped and began to fumble in his waistcoat. " I had nigh forgotten," he went on, fetching a box out of a pocket. " 'Tis a medicine, Captain Daw- son, which I had prepared for Madam Trotter. I thought 'twould do no harm to carry the play to a conclusion. 'Twill benefit her, I am sure." I know not what answer the dandy made, for my whole being was centred on the box. In it, I felt cer- tain, lay the papers, and I marvelled at the coolness with which Mr. Hale handled it. Should the cover fall off by accident I was sure we would be betrayed, and yet he toyed with it carelessly as he listened re- spectively to the Captain's chatter. " Egad, Master Nathan ! " he was saying, as I began again to be cognizant of what was going on about me, " I doubt I should permit you to go so far. I know not where this combination of schoolmaster and physician will lead. Mayhap to Paradise.'* "Or Harlem Heights," said Mr. Hale, with a quiet laugh. "Eh, what? What?" quizzed the captain. " Harlem Heights ! 'Tis where this Washington and his tatterdemalian army is hid." " Ay, and the very opposite of Paradise, I should say," explained the schoolmaster. " Ho, ho ! A pretty wit, indeed," chuckled the Captain. " Yet somewhat grim withal, for Harlem Heights might well prove the opposite of Paradise for you, my friend, an the Whigs catch you; but Madam Trotter scarce craves so fatal a journey. Let's see what you have brought her." At this demand I caught my breath for I was sure we were undone, but Mr. Hale, in no wise dis- mayed, lifted the lid and displayed six grayish-green 266 Polly Trotter, Patriot boluses each of the bigness of a small marble. Naught else was visible. " Indeed, Captain," he said, offering the box to the dandy, " Madam Trot- ter need have no fear. I'll stake my life she'll find in them an excellent tonic." The captain took the box daintily 'twixt his thumb and forefinger, sniffed at the pills, and with a funny little shudder handed them back. " What is in the horrid things? " he asked, making a wry face. " Drugs well compounded, sir," said Mr. Hale, " and certain other substances designed to ease the mind and calm the spirit." " Egad, I'll wager they calm not the body," laughed Captain Dawson, and then to me, " What say you, Mistress Trotter? Think you your mother could survive so unappetizing a medicine ? " " Nay, sir, I cannot tell," was my reply, " but sure I know she would do anything in reason to re- gain her health." " Perchance the patient will be the best judge," suggested Mr. Hale, and with a bow he handed me the box. " If aught harmful comes of this, Master Na- than," said the dandy, " I'll bring you to account for it right smartly." " Nay then, my life is forfeit an it goes astray," the schoolmaster answered in his most whining tones, and, at that, with a curtsey to both, I made my way upstairs taking care to curb my almost uncontrollable desire to run as fast as my legs would carry me. Mother and Will knew that something was a-foot the moment I entered the room, for once hidden there I had no need to conceal the excitement I felt. "He's come, has he? " Will whispered, guessing at the news I brought. A Packet of Pills 267 " Yes. He is with Captain Dawson below," I answered. " Well, have you got the papers? " he demanded. " I don't know," I replied hesitatingly. " He gave me naught but this, and there are only six pills in it." Whereupon I handed him the box which he snatched eagerly. " What we seek is here, be sure of that," he said, confidently. " I doubt not it has a false bottom. With that he dropped to the floor and I flopped beside him, keen to unravel the mystery. With trembling fingers my brother opened the box and after carelessly dumping out the contents on the floor, began a thorough examination of its struc- ture. He scrutinized the sides and bottom, but find- ing no crack or seam to mark a hiding place, took out his knife. " 'Tis excellently contrived for the purpose," he commented, beginning to cut the box apart; but though he spent the best part of an hour picking and prying with patient care lest by accident he damage the hidden papers, naught did we find to reward us. " It must be in the lid," said Will, when he had whittled the box into tiny pieces ; but again we were doomed to disappointment and, amid a litter of scraps scattered about the floor, we looked at each other much perplexed. Then, in a flash, the talk between Captain Hale and Dandy Dawson came back to me and I clapped my hand to my forehead with an exclamation of chagrin. " Oh, dolt that I am!" I cried. " Mr. Hale as good as told me where lay the message," and with that I picked up one of the pills and broke it open with my fingers. Inside, carefully folded, was hid a small piece of 268 Polly Trotter, Patriot thin, parchment-like paper which, upon being opened, was found to be covered with finely written words. " 'Tis but a fragment," said Will, as he read. " Break open the others." I obeyed him at once and in each of the boluses we found a similar slip which Will pieced together with some difficulty, till all was clear. There were two messages, one a long despatch to His Excellency, General Washington which, when Will had digested it, set his nerves a-quiver. " 'Tis Howe's plan to capture our whole army! " he murmured excitedly. " They mean to deceive Washington by fortifying Macgowan's Pass as if the attack were to come from there, but the van of their army is to go secretly by ship to Throg's Neck and so get behind us. That would cut off our retreat and our cause would be lost. An this news reaches His Excellency, and I mean that it shall, Hale will have saved our country to us." " How came he by it? " I asked. " Nay, I know not," Will answered. " But I'll warrant Howe's eyes would pop out with astonish- ment an he knew we had it." The other message was for Will and read as fol- lows: " Meet R., Whitehall slip, 1-30 A.M. Sunday. Watchword, London. Countersign, Home." " Half past one Sunday morning is to-night, Will," I said, as he finished. " Ay," he answered. " I should reach the camp on Harlem Heights before dawn. Now to hide the despatches." He slipped off his boots and lifting the thin cover- ing inside the soles, put half the precious papers in each replacing the leather with such skill that none could tell it had been disturbed. The instructions A Packet of Pills 269 for meeting the boatman, " Squinty " Robinson he destroyed forthwith by burning. " No fear that I shall forget," he said. " ' Watchword, London. Countersign, Home.' I vow the British will be wishing that ere long." " Would it not be well, my son, to rest against your journey to-night?" asked mother who had watched us, mostly in silence, though with no want of interest on that account. "Nay," answered Will, "I couldn't lie still, mother dear. I scarce can tell you how vital it is that this information gets into His Excellency's hands." " For that very reason you should gather all your strength," mother reminded him. " 'Tis your coun- try you must think of now, naught else." At that Will sobered. " You are always right, mother," he answered. " I'll stretch out and try to sleep though I know the hours will crawl till the time comes for me to start, for I am nigh distracted with impatience to be on my way." He went to the powdering-closet and, lying down, rested his head upon the pillow I brought him from the bed. " Thanks, sis," he whispered. " I warrant you'll be glad to be rid of a bothersome brother." " Nay," I told him, " I shall not be content till we are all together again among our own soldiers." Naught happened throughout the rest of the day nor that night to change our plans in any way and, though the hours passed very slowly, they did pass till at length the moment came. I went ahead to see that all was clear, tiptoeing through the house (all silent, save for Major Haugh- ton's reassuring snores), and out through the garden 270 Polly Trotter, Patriot to the gate where a peep up and down showed me that the street was deserted. I hurried back to tell Will that all was well and he kissed us each good-bye. " Forget not to be ready, Polly, when father sends for you," were his parting words to me and with a noiseless step he vanished down the stairs. For perhaps five minutes we waited with strained ears to catch any sounds that might tell of an en- counter, but naught untoward happened and mother and I lay down to sleep, well assured that at last Will was set straight upon the road of escape from the city. I know not why I should have been so thoroughly content to have Will quit of the house. It needed no very little imagination to picture him seized a dozen times on his way to meet the boatman in spite of his knowing the British watchword and counter- sign. Yet so certain was I that naught would hinder him that, after a loving little talk with mother as I lay for a moment or two in her arms, I turned over and went to sleep like a baby. Some two hours later I awakened suddenly with a sense of great confusion about me and as I sat up there came a heavy knock upon the chamber door. " What is it? " I asked, hopping from the bed. " I beg that you and your mother will dress at once," came the voice of Captain Dawson in a tone that betrayed the man inside the dandy. " What is the matter, Captain? " I asked. " Some rascally rebel has set fire to the city," he answered. " Half of it is gone and I know not how soon the flames will reach here. You must prepare to quit the house if need be." With that I heard him clatter down the stairs. 'Twas then that I began to realize that a dull red A Packet of Pills 271 glare filled the room and distant sounds, as of a great clamouring, reached me faintly. Mother, by this time, was up and already putting on her clothes, for she had gained so much of her old vigour that she no longer needed my help. I, without loss of time, prepared to awaken Betty, for I knew not whether she had been warned. But after I had hurried downstairs on my way to the servants' quarters I met her just outside the kitchen coming to us upon a similar errand. " Land sakes; Miss Polly," she moaned, " the end of the world am surely comin'. What wif war an' fire the good Lord am chastenin' his sinful chillen." There was no gainsaying Betty's pious words but ere I could answer Mr. Scott, spying us, shouted a reassurance. " 'Twill never reach us, Mistress Trotter," he in- sisted. " An the wind holds I stand to make a for- tune out of Dawson. I told him not to disturb you but he vowed it was his duty. And I say, Betty," he went on, striding down the hall toward us, " I'd give something handsome for a dish of tea. This soot and smoke would choke a sweep." In spite of his hated uniform Mr. Scott had a win- ning manner, and Betty, though she grumbled at making tea by candle-light, went off to do his bidding, I being well content to have her occupied if only to still her ill-omened prophecies. "You really think we are safe?" I asked Mr. Scott. " As a church, Mistress Trotter," he answered. " Come to the front door and see. It is something of a sight, but we stand in no danger unless the wind veers again." I would that I could tell something of the beauty and awesomeness of that great fire which left half 272 Polly Trotter, Patriot the city a blackened ruin. As I stood upon the stoop and gazed upon the terrifying scene scarce two blocks away, my first action was to cover my eyes to shut out so appalling a sight. High into the sky sparks flew to the west as thick as snow-flakes in a winter's storm. Now and then, with a great crash, the blazing roof of some building fell and from the centre of the raging mass there arose a cloud of flaming yellow light that illuminated the city as on a sunny day. Against the sombre wreaths of black smoke, living sheets of fire leapt up and up into the darkened Heavens, while below a glowing heap of crackling embers marked the path of destruction. But I was not permitted to watch very long for presently there came marching up the street an offi- cer, followed by a squad of soldiers, who, when they had reached the house, came brusquely in. This newcomer was evidently in high command for Mr. Scott saluted stiffly and stood at attention awaiting his superior's orders. " Where is Captain Dawson? " was the first ques- tion. " Gone to headquarters scarce five minutes ago, Colonel," replied Mr. Scott. " Humph ! " grunted the other, plainly annoyed at this information. u Do you know aught of the whereabouts of a certain schoolmaster calling him- self Nathan?" " He was here at noontime, sir; but I know not where he may be now," was the answer. " Well, sir, there is an order out for his immedi- ate arrest," the Colonel continued. " It seems that this innocent pedagogue is a rebel spy." " A spy 1 " echoed Mr. Scott. " Nay, sir, 'tis not possible." " Nay, sir, 'tis not impossible ! 'Tis bitter fact! " A Packet of Pills 273 came the sharp retort. " He has gulled us all and gained much valuable information. You are cer- tain he is not here? " "Ay, Colonel, I am certain of that," said Mr. Scott and then his eyes fell upon me standing near, a prey to growing anxiety. " Do you know aught of him, Mistress Trotter? " he demanded suddenly. " I know naught of his whereabouts," I answered truthfully, but I think Mr. Scott would have cate- chized me further had we not been interrupted by the arrival of my old enemy, the Tory spy. He crowded his way through the knot of men standing at the door and came hurriedly to where we stood. " Ah ! " exclaimed the Colonel, " here is the fellow who warned us of this schoolmaster." "Is he here, your Lordship?" asked the spy, doffing his hat. " Nay," was the short answer. " Have you searched the house ? " " We thought that not necessary." " 'Tis very necessary, your Lordship," the spy went on. " There's more than one in this business, and this house is a very nest of rebels." He stopped looking keenly about him and then, seeing me for the first time, he thrust his wrinkled face close to mine and snarled. "Where is your brother? I vow he knows where Master Nathan Hale can be found." At this there was great volley of questions hurled at me from all quarters, but I had but one answer for them all. " My word would not be believed, gentlemen," I answered boldly. " I know no better way to satisfy you than by advising that the house be searched forth- with." " Ay, we'll do that, miss, on the instant," declared 274 Polly Trotter, Patriot the Colonel, " without advice from you ! " and at once gave the necessary orders. " Perchance your mother has lost her fear of soldiers, Mistress Trotter," sneered Mr. Scott, in an undertone. " I have assured her she had naught to fear from you," I answered him, and was for leaving them, but here I had miscalculated. '" Nay, miss, you will stay with us," was the Colonel's command. " I have no mind that you shall carry warning of our coming." But I cared not. I felt certain that Will was far up the river by now and hoped Captain Hale, too, had made good his escape, knowing it had been planned for that night. I accompanied them in- differently throughout the search, which took a deal of time, hunting about in corners by lanthorn light, so that the day was breaking ere they finished. In mother's room they left no nook or cranny unex- plored, for here the spy seemed, like a dog, to scent my brother. But mother they treated with con- sideration, though they neglected not their business on that account. " I rejoice that your mother's health is so vastly im- proved, ma'am," said Mr. Scott ironically, as we at length left the room. " I was under the impression she could not leave her bed." " 'Twas because of the fire Captain Dawson or- dered her to dress," I answered, for though 'twas on my lips to give a saucy answer, I held my tongue, seeing no good to be gained by angering him. Nevertheless that vain hunt was something of a triumph for me, albeit I could not but realize how near a thing was Will's capture. A few hours would have made all the difference. A Packet of Pills 275 At the end, the Colonel, angry that naught was forthcoming from his quest, was for quitting the place with his men to go elsewhere, but once more the spy interposed. " If I may suggest it, your Lordship," he said, " I would post the house." " And why, man? " asked the Colonel. " In case either of those we look for return," he explained. " Being headed off in all directions out of the city they are like to come here hoping to find a refuge. 'Twould be their last chance, your Lord- ship." " Ay, you're right," agreed the Colonel, and at once gave his orders. " And see to it," he said, ad- dressing Mr. Scott, " that there is a man on duty, night and day, both back and front. And as for this rebel miss," he went on, with a scowl at me, " she and her mother are to be kept within till further orders." With that all departed, leaving me and Mr. Scott vis-a-vis at the front door. " Is it permitted that I ask Betty if your tea is served? " I asked pertly, dropping a curtsey. " Go where you please," he answered, in a rare ill-humour, " so long as it is not out of the house," and he turned his back upon me and went into the surgery. Thinking that a dish of tea would be pleasing to mother I hurried to the kitchen to get it; but there my hopes came tumbling fast and in a moment my spirits dropped from happy confidence to deep de- spair. " Oh, Miss Polly," moaned Betty, as she hurried to meet me, " what's we-all gwin' to do? " " Going to do about what, Betty? " I asked. 276 Polly Trotter, Patriot " 'Bout Mars Will," she answered. 'What about Master Will?" I demanded, a great fear coming over me. " Oh, Miss Polly," she sobbed, " he's in the rain- bar'ell" CHAPTER XXX BETTY GOES A-MARKETING BETTY'S incredible news staggered me, and only after she had repeated her assertion that Will was in the rain-barrel, could I bring myself to realize the fact. " When did he come back, Betty? " I asked breath- lessly, for the servants' quarters had been searched most thoroughly. " 'Twas jes' the minute them soldier men left the wash-house an* starts Vestigatin' the cellar, Miss Polly," she explained. " Did he come into the kitchen? " " No'm," she went on. " I were a-lookin' out o' the door and I sees a shadder movin' in the garden. It was kind o' dark, spite of the fire, Miss Polly, and I couldn't rightly make out what it was; but I notices it kind o' dodged among the bushes and I says to myself, ' Now what new pestilence am that there ? ' f o' I was plum nervious wif all these calami- ties gwin' on an' was fo' closin' that door right smart. But as I were a-doin' it I hears a voice callin' soft in a whisper; ' Betty,' it says, timid-like, * Betty, come here ! ' But, land sakes, miss, I were too scared to" " Scared of Master Will? " I broke in. " I didn't know it were Mars Will then," she an- swered indignantly. " It weren't till I beared that voice sayin' ' Betty, you worthless ol' curmudgen, come down here,' that I rightly knowed who 'twas, 277 278 Polly Trotter, Patriot 'cause Mars Will allers calls me some such jokirT name and " " Yes, yes, I know, Betty," I interrupted, impa- tiently, " but do hurry and tell me what happened." " Well, Miss Polly, Fs tryin' to," she maintained, " but my poor head's been that upset wif all these here confligrations " " Did you go down to Master Will when you recognized him? " I demanded. " Why to be sure I did, Miss Polly, right away," she replied. " And what did he tell you? " " Fust of all he was fo' gwin' right into the house," Betty explained, once more upon the straight track of her tale, " but when I tells him that the house was full o' them unmannerly red-coat soldiers he whistles low, like he was surprised. ' That's no place for me, Betty! ' he says, jes' as calm as calm. * How's that rain-bar'el o' yours empty, eh ? ' and when I tells him it were he says, ' Let Miss Polly know,' an' off he goes to the quarters like he was gwin' to a party. An' there he is this minute, Miss Polly," she ended. Ay, there he was, as Betty said, and there he was like to stay for, in the growing light I could see, through the window, a scarlet-coated figure with a musket, pacing slowly up and down before the gar- den gate. By a miracle Will had managed to con- ceal himself in the time between the ending of the search and the posting of the guard. So far luck had been with him; but I dreaded the days to come, though as yet I had not fully fathomed the peril of his situation. My first desire was to run to him, to see with my own eyes that he was unhurt, and to hear how it came about that he had been driven back after so Betty Goes a-Marketing 279 promising a start. But I hesitated, sensing the dan- ger though not entirely realizing it. " Betty," I said, " you will have to change your room; for I know not how long Master Will must stay hidden." " I'll go at once, Miss Polly," she answered, mak- ing for the door. " Nay, there must be no haste," I cautioned. " In a hour or so go quietly, as if naught was the matter. And Betty, whisper to Master Will that I will come to him as soon as I dare." " I'll tell him," Betty promised, solemnly, " an' there won't be no 'spectin' me, Miss Polly; but if you-all hears me a-singin' fit to wake the dead, you- all can reckon I'm havin' a conversation wif the rain- bar'el." I left her with the intention of going straight to mother with my bad tidings, but my feet lagged upon the road. After all there was naught to be gained by telling her that instead of being safe, as she be- lieved, Will was in greater danger than before. If matters so shaped themselves that I stood in need of her advice, then I would break the news as gently as I might; but as yet I had not the heart to kill the certainty I knew she had that Will was well upon his way to safety. I guessed that this forced return had come about through the great fire which still raged, though the angry glare of the flames was growing paler in the light of the slowly rising sun. But I curbed my curi- osity about that, being concerned only with the dread- ful fact that he was trapped and like to be discovered at any moment. While I stood hesitating at the foot of the stairs, puzzling over what steps I should take to meet this new situation and dreading mightily lest I take a 280 Polly Trotter, Patriot false one, I suddenly became conscious of Captain Dawson saluting me gravely. It was evident at once that he had laid aside, for the time being at least, his mincing, macaroni manners, though he still re- tained his courtesy. " You will be glad to know, Mistress Trotter," he said, " that the fire is abating and that we stand in no danger." " I thank you for telling me, Captain Dawson," I answered politely, for though an enemy, I confess his thoughtfulness always tempered my resentment against him. " I am sorry that all my news is not so good," he went on, soberly. " Certain things have happened that are bound to make our relations less less what shall I say less friendly? " " I have never pretended to be aught but a pa- triot, sir," I replied, with some show of spirit, though I guessed not at what he was hinting. "Ay, to be sure," he agreed, " but heretofore you have played the part of hostess excellently well, while I have been a guest, though somewhat unwelcome perchance." " You have ever been most considerate, Captain Dawson," I replied, with truth. " I am much gratified to learn that you have felt that way now that my position is perforce changed," he remarked, with a shade of regret in his voice. " Changed? " I repeated. " Ay, from guest to jailer, Mistress Trotter," he continued. " A most unwelcome honour; but, in this grim game of chess we are all playing, each move is a gain or loss to one side or the other. This time we have won. Captain Nathan Hale of your Army, was taken last night in Long Island." I do not think Captain Dawson told me this with Betty Goes a-Marketing 281 any intention of tricking me into a confession of my knowledge of poor Captain Hale, but so unexpected was the announcement that I was completely taken off my guard. " Oh, it can't be true ! " I burst out. " Not taken ! You can't mean he is a prisoner? " " Yes, a prisoner," he replied quietly, " and a most interesting one. We found complete details of his plans hidden in his boots." "In his boots!" I gasped, feeling as if an icy hand clutched my heart. " Ay," said the captain, not seeming to notice my agitation. " '.Tis one of the first places we look when we lay our hands upon a suspected person." 'Twas then the full peril of Will's position flashed upon me. In his boots, too, were papers. " And what will they do with this Captain Hale ? " I asked, struggling to hide my personal concern. " The court martial will sit to-day," he answered, " but there can only be one outcome to their delibera- tions. Captain Hale is a spy and his life is forfeit." He told me nothing that I did not know already, and yet the quiet certainty with which he spoke, seemed to close the door to all hope and to bring the awful reality of my brother's danger close home to me. I felt that I must speak. That for Will's sake I should deny a personal interest in Captain Hale's fate. But I could not bring my tongue to shape the words and my brain was numb. Fortunately, however, Captain Dawson made it plain that any pretended indifference on my part would but confirm his already settled conviction. " You need not be at pains to conceal your pre- vious knowledge of Captain Hale, Mistress Trot- ter," he continued. " We know that he frequented 282 Polly Trotter, Patriot this house ere our troops took the city, and you must have been well acquainted with him." " I thought he was a traitor when he came with you ! " I cried, scarce knowing what I said. " And I that he was a schoolmaster," Captain Dawson remarked reminiscently. " To be sure I might have guessed that no provincial pedagogue possessed his wit. He gulled us all, and that's a fact; but 'tis past and done. What concerns us now, Mistress Trotter, is what happened to that in- nocent box of pills he gave you. I confess to a very deep interest in those pills." " They have been destroyed, sir. My mother did not care to take them," I answered, for I had burned every scrap in the kitchen fire. " I am sorry," he replied, and there was a note of genuine regret in his voice, " though indeed, I ex- pected it. But failing their recovery, Mistress Trot- ter, we must consider you and your mother impli- cated with the unfortunate Captain Hale." " How can that be? " I demanded, staring at him in consternation. " Surely you cannot think we are so stupid as to believe there was naught in that box but pills? " he protested. " And moreover, there is a well-founded belief that your brother came with Hale upon this mission." " Nay, that is not true ! " I declared, glad that I could state the fact so positively. " I hope it is not, for your sake," he said. " Nevertheless, you must keep to the house until further notice. I pray you do not make my task of jailer more uncomfortable than it already is." " May I not even go into the garden? " I asked, and he guessed not how much hung upon his answer. " Of course you may do that," he assented, read- Betty Goes a-Marketing 283 ily. " But the sentry at the garden gate is instructed to permit no one to pass either in or out." ' And how are we to obtain food? " I questioned. " We must depend upon Betty," he answered. " She is a good cook, I grant you, but I doubt her usefulness as a go-between. However, to avoid temptation I shall send a guard with her when she goes a-marketing." And so ended our talk. Captain Dawson had been at pains to show me our exact position, and in the process had all but broken my spirit. I went back to the kitchen and, seating myself upon a chair, stared blankly at the wall. I was ready to give up ; to say to myself that sooner or later Will would surely be taken; that like Captain Hale his life, too, was for- feit. He was hemmed in on all sides, under suspi- cion, watched for day and night, driven into a corner from which no escape seemed possible. To my shame I confess that I was ready to admit my- self beaten. Meanwhile Betty had gone back to the servants' quarters and I was brought to my senses by hearing her chanting a darky melody at the top of her voice. I knew well enough what that meant and the thought came to me that here was a good chance for me to see Will. I had no fear that we should be spied on by the sentry, in the garden, for the top of the cistern came well above the sill of the window, but I was not so sure we might not be overheard if all were quiet. Therefore I deemed it wise to take advantage of Betty's singing to hide our whispered talk. The sentry eyed me sharply as I passed deliber- ately through the garden, but made no move to halt me, and in a minute or two I had run upstairs to Betty's room. Her song stopped abruptly at my appearance, and speaking loudly in the hope that 284 Polly Trotter, Patriot the soldier below might hear, I addressed her rather tartly. " This room is a disgrace, Betty ! " I cried. " Get a besom and sweep it at once." She looked at me in wide-eyed amazement, for the little chamber was like a new pin for neatness, and opened her mouth to protest; but I silenced her with a gesture. " Do as I bid you," I murmured. " And Betty, sing! Sing like mad! " She understood and fetching a broom, set to work with a will, lifting her voice lustily the while. Under cover of this racket I went to the window next the rain-barrel. "Will," I whispered. "Will, are you there?" " Ay, like a rat in a trap," he answered with a faint chuckle. " Faith, Polly I keep turning up like a bad penny." ;' Was it the fire? "I asked. 4 Yes. It started in a tavern near the Whitehall Slip," he told me. " 'Twas raging when I reached there and, foot by foot, I was driven back till there was naught else for me to do but come here. I'll try again to-night, counting upon Robinson to guess what hindered me." " Nay, 'tis impossible," I informed him. " There is a sentry posted at the garden gate, night and day." " 'Twill take more than one sentry to stop me," he answered. " I'll make short work of him in the dark." " But the city is being searched high and low for you," I went on. " You could scarce go a block without being halted. Oh, Will, I don't know how to tell you, but but Captain Hale is taken." "What! Hale taken?" he broke out. "It can't be true, Polly! " Betty Goes a-Marketing 285 " Oh, but it is, Will," I declared. " That Tory spy recognized him and set them on his trail. Now they are after you." He was silent for what seemed a long time and I knew that he was struggling to master himself, for the news I had given him went straight to his heart. " Polly," he said, at length, his voice betraying the emotion he felt, " did you hear aught of the despatches he carried?" " Ay, they found them in his boots," I whispered. "Poor Nathan 1 Poor Nathan!" he repeated, and I needed not to see his face to know he suffered sore. " He was the brightest spirit in our army and the Cause can ill-afford to lose him. I had rather you brought me news of a lost battle than this cap- ture of Nathan Hale." " Will he surely be put to death? " I asked. " I see naught else for it," he answered sadly. " And is there no way to save him? " " None ! The papers he carried will cut him off from all hope of clemency." " Then Will, you must destroy the despatches you carry," I insisted. ** Never ! " he asserted, positively. " That poor Nathan did not win through is all the more reason that I should try. The plans must go to Washing- ton." " But think of yourself, Will," I begged, selfishly, perhaps, but my heart was nigh torn asunder. " Polly, you don't mean that," he replied gently. " Then give me the papers." " No, no," he answered hurriedly. " They will be searching high and low for what was in that pill box. They were fools an they did not guess now that there was more than boluses in it." " Ay, Captain Dawson said as much," I admitted. 286 Polly Trotter, Patriot " You see," he challenged. " They'll be on the hunt for them." " Then you must destroy them, Will," I persisted. " Think of mother if aught happens to you." " Nay, Polly, do not press me further," he de- clared. " I owe it to Nathan Hale to see that his life is not given in vain. I'll take the despatches to Washington by hook or crook. Now tell me exactly how stands the case against us." While Betty continued to sing I recounted my talk with Captain Dawson and explained what arrange- ments had been made to keep us prisoners. Will listened attentively, putting in a question, now and then, but at the end I could tell from the sound of his voice that he saw no ready road out of our perplexities. " We'll befool them yet, Polly," he said, trying to reassure me, but his words lacked conviction. " But we must not be in haste," he went on. " I'm safe enough here for the present and at night I can get out and stretch a bit. Betty can bring me food then, too. Have you told mother?" " Not yet," I answered, and pointed out my rea- sons for keeping her in ignorance. He agreed with me that it would serve no good purpose to worry her, and, at that I left him, fear- ing that suspicion might be aroused by too long a stay. Betty eyed me questioningly, still shouting her song, and when I signalled that she might cease, she ended with a huge sigh of relief. " 'Deed, Miss Polly," she whispered, " it am sure mighty hard labour to sing when you ain't got no heart in it." The day passed without further incident to alarm me. Both Mr. Scott and Captain Dawson were Betty Goes a-Marketing 287 away from the house and Major Haughton kept to the surgery. At night I stole out to Will for a final word before going to bed and was relieved to find that he would make no attempt to leave his hiding- place for the present. " I have decided to wait awhile, Polly," he told me. " 'Twould be folly to try to elude them while they are keen to take me. In a few days, an they find me not, their interest will wane. Doubtless they will conclude ere long that I am back in our own camp and their vigilance will be abated. Then will be my chance. So," he concluded, " you are to have me on your hands for some time, yet." I could in truth tell him that I was glad to find that he had come to so sensible a decision, for I was convinced that he was doomed the moment he left the rain-barrel. On the other hand my nerves were on the stretch for fear some accident would betray his hiding-place, and the papers in his boots weighed upon my thoughts like lead. Nor was my task of seeming cheerful before mother an easy one. 'Twas no simple matter to hide my real feelings from her, and when we went to bed I had liefer wept my eyes out upon her com- forting shoulder than pretend to believe Will was safe and sound on Harlem Heights. Next morning, Betty, under the escort of a British soldier who carried the basket and so reconciled her in a measure to his presence, went forth to buy pro- visions for our household. I was busy in the kitchen when she returned and but half-heeded her chatter as she recounted her ex- periences. She bemoaned the high price and scant choice of food, but this was an old story which seemed to have no ending. I was indifferently aware that she was unpacking the basket, when she gave 288 Polly Trotter, Patriot an exclamation of surprise that claimed my instant attention. " Fo' the land sakes 1 Somebody am writin' me a love letter I do believe! " she burst out with a laugh, and I looked to see her holding a square piece of white paper with the writing upside down. Instinctively, for my anxiety kept me always on the alert to divert suspicion, I ran to her with a warn- ing on my lips. " Be careful, Betty," I whispered, and took the missive, concealing it beneath my kerchief until I was sure I was unobserved. 'Twould be easily possible for the sentry outside to see us through the window and in my then state of mind I was fearful of my very shadow. When assured that no one could surprise me, I looked at the paper and found written thereon the following : " If Mistress Trotter, her mother and black Betty will be at the garden gate to-night, two hours after midnight, they will find a chariot to take them out of the city. Fail not to be ready at the appointed time. Fear naught, keep silent. All will be well if this note is followed to the letter." 'Twas writ in a crabbed hand, plain enough to read, but giving no clue to him who penned it. " Where found you this? " I asked excitedly. " 'Twas in a packet from the butter and eggs man," Betty answered, referring to a trusty farmer from whom we had bought these commodities for many years. " Did he say aught to you? " I questioned. " No'm, not a word, Miss Polly," she returned. " He didn't even look nuffin'. I was that unsus- pectin' I jes' opened the bundle an' there was that Betty Goes a-Marketing 289 letter slap on the bottom of a butter print. What is it, Miss Polly?" " 'Tis a message from father, Betty," I said. " We are going out of the city to-night." " Glory be 1 " she exclaimed, fervently. " Hush I " I warned her, " not so loud. I must to Master Will with this. See to it that you do naught to betray us." Conscious of the soldier on guard I loitered about the garden on my way to the servants' quarters, but once inside, I fairly flew to Betty's room. My voice dropped to a low whisper, I told Will my news and read to him the message. " But 'tis not writ in father's hand," I explained. " Nay, of course not," Will replied. " Father dare not come himself. 'Tis some one of our friends he has been planning with. But Polly, they know not of the sentry at the garden gate nor of my being here." " Oh, I forgot the sentry," I murmured in dismay. " Be not cast down on that account," Will reas- sured me. " I'll see to that gentleman ! But some- how I fear a trick." ' Trick ! What kind of a trick? " I asked. " Of course I cannot be sure," he explained, " Na- than told us father had some such thought in his mind, but every Whig in the city is suspect and I scarce see how they would dare to drive a coach out of the town even at night. None but an officer of their own army could do that, or I'm very much mis- taken. It smacks of the impossible." " Then you think we had best not heed the note ? " I questioned. " Nay, you and mother and Betty must go, of course," he declared. 290 Polly Trotter, Patriot " And you, too," I insisted. " That needs thinking over," he replied, and for a while was silent. " Listen, Polly," he went on presently. " If 'tis a trick it must be planned to catch me. The British may guess that we are in communication and that you would send me word of this chance to escape. They may only purpose to drive from the back to the front of the house after taking me. That is, if the British are at the bottom of it. On the other hand it may be from father and mean exactly what it says." " But how will we know which without your be- ing taken? " " We must risk something," he said thoughtfully, " for it seems too good an opportunity to let slip. This is what I propose we shall do. First of all, have Betty fetch me some stout cord and a coffee sack when she comes up to bed. Then, half an hour before the chariot is to be here, do you come down into the garden and engage the sentry in talk. While you are doing this I shall seize him, covering his head so that he makes no outcry." " And I shall manoeuvre him so that he has his back to you, if I can," I cut in, carried away a little at the prospect. " Ay, that's your part," Will assented. " But I don't quite see " I began. " You will in a moment," he interrupted. " I shall drag the sentry into the wash-house and put on his uniform. Then I shall come back and take his place. If the carriage brings friends I can go off with you. If not, I have a chance to escape in a red coat." That then was the plan, and throughout the rest of that day until the time came for me to act, I thought of naught else. Mother took the news Betty Goes a-Marketing 291 calmly and thankfully, no doubt entering her mind that all would be well, as the message foretold, in- deed the prospect of escape from the city seemed to give her new strength. Betty, to whom I gave careful instructions, made her preparations with more composure than I expected, going off to bed with the bag and cord under her apron and with a grin of pleasure at the prospect of soon being out of the clutches of the British. Mother and I were dressed warmly for the jour- ney long ere the time came, and at half-past one I left the room explaining that I went to reconnoitre. I reached the garden without hindrance and made my way to the gate. There was no moon but the sky was clear and the stars shone brightly, so that there was light enough to see the red-coated soldier pacing slowly up and down. As I approached him he stopped and halted me in an undertone. " Why are you not in bed, Missy? " he asked, as he recognized me. " Indeed, I could not sleep," I answered with per- fect truth. * You'd best go back," he said, suspiciously. " Nay, I can do no harm talking to you," I replied and, walking around him, stood fronting the quarters. As I expected, he moved to face me, standing stiffly before the gate. " Isn't it very lonely out here at night? " I asked him, struggling to keep down the excitement that threatened to betray me. " Ay, that it is, Missy," he answered. " There's times when the hours crawl like lame snails. But we grow used to it." 292 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Of course it's your duty," I murmured, finding it most difficult to make conversation. " There's always some duty ," he began, but at that moment his head was jerked back and the coffee- sack pulled over it. There was a short, sharp strug- gle, but Will was strong and in a moment or two the sentry was on the ground with never a sound out of him. With quick fingers Will tied the bag about the man's head and together we trussed him up in short order. " In with you, Polly," Will whispered, starting to drag our poor victim into the wash-house. " Do not come again until the stroke of two." I left him, meaning to go at once to mother's room, but in the kitchen I lingered, staring out of the win- dow to see how Will fared. I had not long to wait for presently, I saw a figure steal forth and a mo- ment later my brother was pacing slowly up and down before the gate with a musket over his shoul- der. So far all was well, and I mounted the stairs with the growing certainty that at last we should escape. Mother and I, hand in hand, sat patiently while the few remaining minutes crawled by, then, as the little French clock on the dresser began to strike two, we rose and started down. Without mishap we reached the garden where Betty, looming large in the darkness, met us, and to- gether we made our way to the gate, which, to my surprise stood open. Outside we found a chariot, drawn by two horses, and without a word to the muffled figure on the front seat, we mounted the steps. But of Will there was no sign. Inside the car- Betty Goes a-Marketing 293 riage, where I had thought to find him we three were the only occupants and, as we started off, my heart sank with apprehension. What had become of the substitute sentry? CHAPTER XXXI IN THE WOODS ON HARLEM HEIGHTS SO convinced was I that the trick Will had feared was being played on us that I looked to find the chariot halted in a moment or two at the front door of the house. I was certain that we had fallen into the hands of our enemies. By no other explanation could I account for my brother's dis- appearance. Whether he had been taken or, see- ing the peril in time, had made off in the uniform of the sentry, I had no means of knowing; but I ex- pected my doubts would be resolved shortly. Those British officers who were at the bottom of this plot, would presently open the door of the carriage and escort us back to our prison with lame excuses for having put us to so much inconvenience, or with half-concealed smiles of triumph. This, I confess, is what I anticipated in the first five minutes after we had entered the chariot; but nothing of the sort happened. We went straight on until the cessation of the rattling of the wheels told me that we had left the cobble streets of the city be- hind and were on the country roads leading out of the town. I puzzled my brains a-new, but came on no satis- factory key to the riddle. We seemed to be set upon the way of escape, yet Will's absence made that happy outcome most unlikely. At length I ceased to speculate further and settled down to await what was before us with as much pa- 294 In the Woods on Harlem Heights 295 tience as I could muster. The curtains of the chariot were drawn so that we sat in absolute darkness, hav- ing but the slightest notion of the direction in which we travelled and wholly at the mercy of the driver, of whom I had caught but a fleeting glimpse. At the start we had gone very slowly but increased our pace when, as I judged, we had left the city well behind. Still, at best, our progress was by no means rapid, for the state of the roads made fast travelling impossible. At the end of half an hour mayhap, the raised voice of a sentry challenging our further progress halted us abruptly. Our driver replied, but in so muffled a voice that I could gather neither the import nor the manner of his greeting. A low-tone conversa- tion followed, the quick exchange of what were evi- dently countersigns, though I could not distinguish them, and a moment later we were off again. 'Twas plain that he who conducted our journey was well prepared to pass through the British lines, if he were so disposed. Of that I was as yet in no wise convinced and when, ten minutes later we were stopped once more, I did not think it unlikely that we had reached the end of this adventure and would find ourselves still prisoners of the British but in a less comfortable jail. I could not rid myself of the significance with which Captain Dawson had re- marked that we were implicated with the unfortunate Captain Hale. That seemed to me to be the only theory that would fit all the facts of the case, and I awaited the final proof with despair in my heart. The commotion caused by our arrival at this new post seemed to set a seal of certainty upon my worst fears. From the sound of the many voices that reached us I judged we were in the midst of a con- siderable camp. Through the cracks of the curtains 296 Polly Trotter, Patriot lights gleamed now and then, while shouted orders and the noise of running feet appeared to indicate that our arrival had created a considerable stir. I heard the murmured answers of our driver but could not distinguish his words and so caught no clue to what was going on ; but suddenly the door of the carriage was jerked open and a young lieutenant, with a frank boyish face, thrust a lanthorn into our compartment. " Your pardon, ladies I " he remarked, as he sur- veyed us, and without further comment withdrew, shutting us in once more. "A special mission, eh?" I heard him say, and then, as the driver muttered an answer, he gave the order to let us pass, and again we rumbled on. Once more I had been mistaken, and my tired brain refused to speculate further upon the strange- ness of these proceedings. Had it not been for Will's unaccountable absence I could have let myself hope that father's friends were taking us to him, but even if this were happily true my brother had been left behind and he had in his boots that which would make his life not worth a penny's purchase. Mother and Betty were very silent, so that at last I dozed, and 'tis small wonder I did, seeing that I was nigh worn out with anxieties and fatis^ie. .,0 rrhb I awoke with a start to hear a man 'if* just outside the carriage and I shall nevfi- ^rget his words. " Here comes Captain Hamilton, sir," he said, and at that I knew that we had reached the patriot camp on Harlem Heights. With a cry of joy I threw open the door and leaped to the ground. The daylight had come and I found myself in a deep wood, dotted here and there with the huts of In the Woods on Harlem Heights 297 our soldiers. The sun had not yet risen but the men were astir, and in and out of the dark shadows of the tall trees, the cheerful campfires burned brightly. A half-dozen Continental solders were grouped about us, looking none too cordial; but as I stepped out one of them gave an exclamation of astonishment and welcome. " Burn me 1 " he cried, " 'Tis the coffee gal come back to us! " I turned a beaming face upon him and would have replied, but at the same moment Mr. Hamilton came up to me. " Mistress Trotter! " he called, as he caught sight of me. " I'm right glad to see you. They told me they had bagged some Tories." " Nay, there's only mother and me and Betty," I answered, holding out my hand to him in greeting, " and we are all stout Whigs still." ' You need not have told me that," he answered. " Do you know where father may be found? " I asked, eagerly. " Ay, he's not far away. I'll send for him," and he gave the necessary order. " Now take me to your mother," he went on, " that I may pay my respects to her." We started back to the carriage, but as we did so the ame down from the front seat and faced Foi cnt I could not believe my eyes for there, among his enemies and dressed as a civilian stood Roger Delancy ! While one could count ten slowly we three gazed at each other in silence, then, as the truth dawned upon me, I went to him. "Was it you who brought us here, Roger?" I faltered. 298 Polly Trotter, Patriot " Ay," he answered, with a sober smile upon his lips, "Art sorry, Polly?" " Nay but but " I stopped, finding no words to tell him what was in my heart for I saw clearly that 'twas Roger and not father who had contrived to bring us safely out of the city. I could but give him my hand, which he took eagerly, and I think he lacked not understanding of my gratitude. Roger and I forgot our surroundings for the mo- ment, but Mr. Hamilton brought us to our senses. " Mr. Delancy," he said, in a cold formal tone, " I find you within our lines out of uniform. 'Tis but fair to tell you that we are in no complacent mood to deal with spies. But yesterday Captain Hale " " Ah, you've had that news? " Roger interrupted, his voice falling. " Ay, such news travels fast," Mr. Hamilton re- plied. " 'Tis the fortune of war, but I would that Fate had spared so gallant a gentleman." " Is Captain Hale dead? " I asked. " Yes. Yesterday morning at daylight the Brit- ish hanged him," Mr. Hamilton answered, bitterly. " Oh, they are cruel 1 " I murmured, tears coming into my eyes. " Nay, we cannot complain if General Howe sees fit to execute a spy," Mr. Hamilton replied. "But we may complain of the manner of it!" Roger broke in passionately. " 'Twill be to the everlasting disgrace of the British forces in America that so foul a man as Cunningham could torture a brave and honest gentleman like Nathan Hale." " Torture ! " cried Mr. Hamilton, in a loud voice. " What mean you, man? " " Not bodily torture," Roger answered, " but tor- ture of the soul. Cunningham, like the brute that In the Woods on Harlem Heights 299 he is, would not even give his prisoner a Bible for final consolation. Hale begged for means to write his farewell letters; but his requests were refused. I was on guard and gave him pen and paper in spite of orders, but on the morrow they found his last messages and tore them up before his eyes. Cun- ningham vowed the rebels should not learn that they had a man who could die with such firmness; but they shall learn. I saw him die, and never was there a braver man born than this same Nathan Hale." There was no word spoken for a time after Roger's outburst and then Mr. Hamilton broke the silence. " This does not explain, Delancy," he said, with measured accents, " why you are in our camp out of your uniform." " It is because I have quit His Majesty's service," Roger answered. " My resignation is now in Gen- eral Howe's hands. I cannot in honour betray what plans are a-foot in the British army, but if my poor abilities can do aught to thwart them I am at your command. And Hamilton," he added, stepping for- ward, " I once refused to take your hand. I was wrong then but I have learned better. Will you take mine now? " " With all my heart! " cried Hamilton, seizing it eagerly. " I never doubted your intentions, De- lancy, and a man who can frankly own himself in the wrong is to be counted doubly honest. We're right glad to have you, and I doubt not His Excellency will be quick to find a place for you." 'Twas then that father came running and soon he and mother and I were hugging each other, so over- joyed to be together again that we laughed and cried by turns. But there was one matter that dulled the edge of my happiness. I knew that it must be but a 300 Polly Trotter, Patriot few minutes ere mother asked for Will, and with this in mind I went quickly to Roger who, with Mr. Hamilton, stood talking a little distance away. " Roger," I said, " did you see aught of a sentry at our garden gate? " " Save us! " he cried. " I'd forgot all about the fellow. I brought him with us, fearing he would raise an alarm." "Brought him with us?" I repeated, not at all comprehending. " Ay," he answered with a chuckle. " You see, Polly, I had to silence him so I crept up behind him, clapping a sack over his head and ere he knew what was going on I had him trussed up like a fowl. He was a sturdy rascal, but I made short work of him." " But what did you do with him? " I cried, in an agony of suspense. " Faith, I just dumped him into the rumble-tumble of the chariot," said Roger, not at all understanding why I should be so much interested in a British pri- vate. " Come, I'll let him out." We hurried to the basket at the back of the chariot where boxes may be stowed, and there, gagged and bound, lay my poor brother. Roger untied him, took the sack off his head and with a great shout of surprise stepped back. " Will ! Will ! " he cried. " Can it be you ? " Nor was my brother less astonished. He stood gazing from one to the other of us as if he could scarce believe his eyes and we stared back at him, for in the daylight he made a comical figure in his ill- fitting scarlet uniform. Then mother spied him and, caring naught for his looks, took him in her arms. 'Twas no easy matter to explain all the events that had brought us together in safety, but I was too happy to care greatly whether or not it was all un- In the Woods on Harlem Heights 301 derstood. Will was in no wise hurt, but vowed, jestingly, that he would pay Roger back for his rough handling, though he rejoiced mightily that his old friend had quitted our enemies. " 'Twas that he was so good a fighter I was grieved to see him with the bloody-backs," declared Will. " We'll give him plenty of that to do," replied Hamilton, and then, sorrowfully, " Did you hear the news of poor Hale? " " I knew that he was taken," Will replied, " and guessed the worst, but I have copies of his des- patches." "You! What?" cried Hamilton, stuttering in his surprise. " You have his despatches? " " Ay," answered Will, and tapped his boot. " 'Tis glorious ! " said Mr. Hamilton, with marked emotion. " He will not have died in vain now. You must to His Excellency with them at once." " Ay, they make interesting reading," declared Will, and a moment later they went off together. So, on a sudden, I found myself alone with Roger and, for some cause I could not explain, I felt very shy. And yet my heart was singing a song of glad- ness for now there was no war 'twixt my fondness for him and my patriotism. "Polly, are we friends now?" he asked pres- ently. " Of course, Roger," I answered. " But tell me, how did it come about? " " 'Twas Nathan Hale brought me to my senses," he began. " They put me to guard him that night before he died, thinking, no doubt, to teach a lesson to a luke-warm provincial." " Did you talk to him, Roger? " " Ay, fitfully at first, but 'twas when we spoke of 302 Polly Trotter, Patriot you that our tongues were loosened. He put it into my mind to take you and Madam Trotter out of the city. Not in so many words, perchance, but he played on my dull wits till I came to see that I was but helping those who would make slaves of us. He railed not at the King, even, nor had he a hard word of reproach for those who were to hang him. He thought not of himself nor of his fate. But for the cause of liberty in this dear land of ours he had burning words that shook my faith in all the things I had believed in." " He was indeed a patriot," I murmured. " Ay, that he was ! " Roger replied. " Yet 'twas not so much what he said but how he died that brought me to a better understanding. Cunningham commanded that I should form one of his escort, though I would have given much to have escaped that duty, but now well, now I am not sorry I was there, for I saw as brave a man as ever lived face death with a smile upon his lips." Unconsciously we had walked slowly into the woods and paced on in silence for a time. ;< Tell me about him, Roger," I begged. " Ah, if I had a gift of words like Hamilton," he sighed. " Nay, I want no oratory," I protested. " Tell me how you felt yourself." " I scarce can, Polly," he went on. " I forgot all about myself and knew only that for me all things were changed. Till I die I shall remember the last glimpse I had of him as he stood looking out across the land he loved. He saw not the rabble below, with the snarling Cunningham at their head, and I know that there was no hate in his heart even for the brute that tried to break his spirit. Then, suddenly, there came a hush, even the birds stopped In the Woods on Harlem Heights 303 their morning-song as if to listen, and Hale, as if addressing a world unseen spoke slowly. ' I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my coun- try,' he said, and oh, Polly, I cannot tell you how those words have sunk into my heart. I covered my face with my hand and turned away resolved on the moment, that although mine was a poor life to give in exchange I should bring it to the cause Hale died for. That is why I am here, Polly. I, too, want to be a patriot." I could not speak, and indeed there was little need of words between us; but I looked up into his face and he read in my eyes that which I no longer wished to hide from him. And it seemed to make him very happy, for he seized my hands and kissed them. THE END PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A 000 057 956 5