CAPTAIN SHAYS. 
 
"My name is Shays, 
 In former days 
 In Pelham I did dwell, sir ; 
 I was obliged to quit that place 
 Because I did rebel, sir." 
 
CAPTAIN 
 SHAYS 
 
 APOPVLIST-OF-1786 
 
 BY GEORGE -R-R- RIVEiRS 
 
 AVTHOR. 
 
 THE-GCVERNORS GARDEN- 
 
 BOSTON LITTLE BROWN-AND-CO 
 M-O-CCC-XCVII 
 
Copyright, 1897, 
 BY GEORGE R. R, RIVERS. 
 
 JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A. 
 
TO THE PRESENT OWNERS OF THE OLD FARM IN 
 
 PETERSHAM, WHERE MANY OF THE SCENES 
 
 OF THIS STORY ARE ENACTED, 
 
 31 IBeUicate tfjts ILittlc 23ooJt. 
 
 M47041 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THERE is nothing new under the sun. Dur 
 ing the past few years our country has been in 
 the throes of an agrarian and financial agita 
 tion ; and there are many among us who think 
 that this condition of affairs is something new, 
 that we have a new problem to solve. This 
 is far from being the case. We have but to 
 turn to the pages of the histories of the United 
 States dealing with the period directly suc 
 ceeding the Revolution to learn that the first 
 troubles that confronted government were 
 much the same as those that confront it 
 now. From the close of the Revolution 
 until 1787-88 the agricultural classes, espe 
 cially in New England, were in very much the 
 same frame of mind as that in which we find 
 the farmers of the Western States to-day. 
 Their farms were heavily mortgaged ; they 
 
VI 
 
 Preface. 
 
 were deeply in debt ; and they had the same 
 real and imaginary grievances that we hear 
 about now. Whether there was any cause for 
 this discontent it is not necessary to decide ; 
 but that it existed in 1786, and has again 
 appeared in 1896, there is not the slightest 
 doubt. In each case the results have been 
 much the same. The aggrieved have arrayed 
 themselves against the aggressors, and, led by 
 demagogues, who set the masses against the 
 classes, have lost sight of the real evil and the 
 true remedy in their desire to punish those 
 whom they blame for all their misfortunes. 
 
 It cannot be denied that in 1786 there was 
 much distress among the farmers of Massa 
 chusetts and other New England States, and 
 that in a large degree they were justified in 
 their feelings toward government and the rich 
 merchants of Boston and Salem. But it must 
 be said in fairness to the latter that they did 
 all in their power to make matters easier ; and 
 had it not been for the evil and selfish leader 
 ship of Daniel Shays and his lieutenants, much 
 suffering might have been prevented. So to- 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 day no one will assert that there is no cause 
 for the complaints of the farmers of the West 
 ern States, and we cannot blame them if they 
 feel that their trials are due in a measure to 
 the inactiveness of government and those men 
 whom they consider the plutocrats of the sea 
 board towns ; but now, as one hundred and 
 ten years ago, they exaggerate their griev 
 ances, and seek the wrong remedy. The 
 spirit of Daniel Shays still lives in the hearts 
 of some of those leaders who are showing the 
 farmers the wrong path, and who have noth 
 ing in view but their own selfish ends. 
 
 The case of 1786 is so similar to that of 
 1896 that this little story of Shays Rebellion 
 may be of interest to some of its readers. 
 I have endeavored throughout to maintain 
 historical accuracy ; and this may make the 
 book of some value, even though the nar 
 rative be dull. 
 
 GEORGE R. R. RIVERS. 
 
 MILTON, March 13, 1897. 
 
CAPTAIN SHAYS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 DEACON BROWN, the blacksmith, was stand 
 ing by the forge holding a horseshoe between 
 the pincers in his left hand, while with his right 
 he raised the hammer, but paused before he 
 struck, and looked over his shoulder toward the 
 youth who was blowing the bellows in a heedless, 
 careless manner. The young man did not notice 
 him, but stood peering out of the little window 
 toward the long row of maples that lined the 
 narrow roadway leading to the house, a few hun 
 dred rods distant beyond the pasture. 
 
 " What s ailing ye to-day, Jimmy ? " said the 
 blacksmith, still holding the hammer aloft. " Ye 
 don t give us enough wind to blow the dust off of 
 a fly s back, and ye re standing there star-gazing 
 with your mouth wide open. Put some life into 
 it, boy, or I sha n t get this mare shod in a week, 
 
 9 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 and that pretty gentleman will be back after her 
 in a half hour. What are ye thinking about, 
 anyway ? " 
 
 "Nothing in particular," answered the young 
 
 man;, roais/ng himself suddenly, and beginning to 
 
 1 pump vi gtif ously at the bellows. 
 
 - k *? That s -what I should say, nothing in particu- 
 
 1 lar. 1 Just walce up and think of what ye re doing, 
 
 for I m going to charge a shilling extra for a duty 
 
 on them silver buckles he s wearing. They can t 
 
 keep on bleeding us and we get nothing in return, 
 
 no money, no victuals, no nothing; only work 
 
 at the forge and on the farm all day through the 
 
 year for the sake of seeing these city dandies in 
 
 their velvet breeches and silver buckles. That s 
 
 better. Ye re putting a little more muscle into it 
 
 now." 
 
 The bare sinewy arm brought down the ham 
 mer, and then neither spoke again for some mo 
 ments. When the shoe was finished, Deacon 
 Brown threw it into the bucket of water by his 
 side, and going to the open door looked out 
 across the road and fields toward the hills be 
 yond the tannery. 
 
 Deacon Isaac Brown was of old New England 
 stock, and his grandfather had settled in Nichewaug 
 long before Petersham had become a town, and 
 10 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 when remnants of the old native tribe still roamed 
 about the hills and through the valleys. 
 
 Deacon Isaac himself was born in Nichewaug, 
 and was now fifty-two years old. He was a large, 
 muscular man, with red hair and bristling beard 
 streaked with gray, and red-brown eyes shadowed 
 by grisly brows, between which were deep furrows. 
 His face was hard, but it was honest. He wiped 
 the sweat from it with his bare arm, passed his 
 fingers through his beard and hair, drew a long 
 breath, and then turned back into the shop, and 
 going to the mare s head, tightened the hitch-rope, 
 and called his son. 
 
 " Get her off hind foot betwixt your legs, Jimmy, 
 and mind she don t kick ye, for by the looks of 
 her eye she s an ugly brute. There." 
 
 Jimmy got under the mare s belly and soon held 
 her foot securely. When the shoe was set, the 
 blacksmith threw down his hammer and went to 
 the door again. 
 
 " Jest in time," he said, looking back at his son. 
 " He s coming down the hill, and I guess he s 
 been to the tavern." 
 
 " No, he ain t," answered his son, coming up to 
 the door. " I saw him talking to Ruth up by the 
 barn. That s what I was looking at when you 
 called me." 
 
 ii 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 "The devil he was, the impudent coxcomb," 
 said the blacksmith, the furrow between his brows 
 deepening. " I guess I 11 choose the company 
 my daughter keeps. What is he, anyway, d ye 
 think ? He looks to me like one of them 
 Britishers." 
 
 "And to me, too, father. He s almost here 
 now, so we d better not be staring at him." 
 
 The man walked briskly up to the door of the 
 shop, tapping his boot with his riding-whip as an 
 accompaniment to a song he was humming. He 
 was perhaps twenty-five years old, with black hair 
 and eyes, and a handsome face with a pleasant 
 smile. He wore a brown velvet coat and breeches, 
 fastened at the knees with silver buckles; high 
 boots, and a sugar loaf beaver hat. He bowed and 
 raised his whip to his hat as he entered the smithy. 
 
 " Ah ! she s ready," lie said as he went up to 
 the mare and patted her on the neck. " I m 
 obliged to you, sir, for being so prompt. How 
 much do I owe you ? Is that all ? I must hurry 
 on, for I ve already lost an hour, and I must get 
 to Worcester to-night." 
 
 " You Ve a long ride, sir," said Brown, " but I 
 guess she 11 carry ye there all right. May I ask 
 where ye came from ? " 
 
 " From Springfield. There are great times in 
 12 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Springfield now. The troops are gathered there, 
 and they expect trouble. Good-day, sir. I 11 be 
 passing by this way again before long, and I 11 call 
 on you." He vaulted into the saddle, and was 
 soon disappearing round the corner of the hill 
 towards Barre. 
 
 " He is n t so bad after all," said Brown to his 
 son, as he watched the stranger passing over the 
 ledge under the elms. "I don t believe there s 
 much to him one way or another. Some college- 
 bred boy who don t know no better. Put the 
 tools together, Jimmy, and come home to dinner. 
 The horn s blowing." 
 
 Instead of going round the steep curve and up 
 the lane, the two men strolled leisurely over the 
 rolling field until they reached the stone wall, 
 which they climbed at a point just opposite the 
 house. It was a plain two-story New England 
 house with a long shed in its rear, used as a barn 
 and dairy, although there was a larger barn across 
 the road in the field. The blacksmith and his 
 son passed through the shed into the kitchen, and 
 were met by Ruth, a bright, pretty girl of eigh 
 teen, with auburn hair, and a fair, rosy complex 
 ion. The two men washed at the sink, and then 
 sat down to dinner. 
 
 "Ruth," said her father, "so ye ve had a 
 13 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 pleasant talk with our young friend whose mare 
 cast a shoe. I hope he was civil. I don t like 
 to have every young popinjay who goes by here 
 make too free with ye. But I guess he s harm 
 less. What did he say?" 
 
 " Not much, father," said Ruth, with a laugh. 
 " He took off his hat and said it was a fine day 
 and asked me if I liked cows. I told him I did, 
 and then he wanted to know if I could tell him 
 who the blacksmith was. I did n t find that very 
 hard to answer, and so he said good-day and 
 lifted his hat again. He was a very good-looking 
 young man, though, but I guess I can get along 
 without him," and she laughed again. 
 
 " Well, there s one good thing about him, any 
 way," said Brown, putting his hand in his pocket 
 and drawing out three silver shillings. " He give 
 me these, and I 11 wager my last cow there ain t 
 the match of em in Petersham. Them s British, 
 Ruth, but they re worth more than a peck of 
 potatoes, and that s what Joe Reed pays me in. 
 It s all very well for the like of this stripling to 
 have all the silver he wants; buckles and money 
 too, but how about we poor folks who do the 
 work? There s got to be a change, and there 
 are signs of it already. If one revolution ain t 
 enough, why, then we 11 have another." 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Don t ye think things will take care of them 
 selves, father, if we only give em time ? " said his 
 son. " I can remember when you came home 
 from the war, and I don t want to see any more 
 of it. Seems to me that fighting would be worse 
 than what we re going through now." 
 
 " It s pretty bad, that s a fact," answered the 
 blacksmith, raising his hand and passing his fingers 
 over the scar on the back of his head. " But we 
 must have money, and work, and a chance to 
 live. Look at this young fellow who was here 
 to-day ! He has plenty. Where does he get it ? 
 What right has he to it any more n we have ? 
 God did n t put one man into the world to have 
 everything, and another one to starve. I tell ye, 
 Jimmy, there s something wrong somewhere, and 
 I guess I know where it is." 
 
 " What is it, father ? " asked Ruth, putting on the 
 pancake which she had just prepared. 
 
 "It s this. Some twenty years ago this great 
 country was being trodden under foot by the 
 British, and finally got sick of it, and threw em 
 overboard. All of us j ined in and did our part. 
 We fought for our country, and would do it again ; 
 but what has happened now ? Instead of giving 
 us poor folks an equal chance, they put everything 
 into the hands of the lawyers and the courts, and 
 5 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 those blood-sucking merchants in Boston. I tell 
 ye both, the time s coming when the New Eng 
 land country folks will have something to say. 
 They re having meetings now, and I guess they 
 mean to improve things a little. But all the same 
 I Ve got that tire to put on Bill Sear s chaise, so 
 we 11 be going down to the shop, Jimmy. If any 
 more of them dandies come along this way, Ruth, 
 send em down to me. I 11 make love to em for ye." 
 He picked up his hat, and with a laugh walked 
 back to the forge, followed by Jimmy. Ruth 
 watched them a moment, then went back into 
 the kitchen, washed the dishes, and cleared up 
 the room. After she had finished her work she 
 walked through the front hall out onto the stoop, 
 which was covered by a trellis, over which grew 
 red honeysuckle, and thence down the stone steps 
 into the garden. It was late in August, and there 
 were but few of the most brilliant flowers in 
 bloom ; but Ruth gathered such as she could find, 
 and took them back to the house. Before she 
 went in, however, she strolled across the lane to 
 the stone wall leading to the rear of the barn, and 
 stood a moment looking over the valley toward 
 the hill, beyond which, about two miles distant, 
 rose the white steeple of the village church. Then 
 she ran in through the shed and kitchen to the 
 16 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 little front parlor and put her flowers in the china 
 vase on the mantel. It was a Saturday afternoon, 
 and she felt sure that some one would call that 
 evening after the day s work was over. She 
 stood a moment before the mirror in the gilt 
 frame, and looked first at the picture of the ships 
 painted at its top, then at the picture of herself 
 reflected in the glass below. She laughed, and 
 ran back to the mantel and chose a marigold from 
 the nosegay, and returning to the mirror put the 
 flower in her hair. Then she went to the side 
 door and looked up and down the lane, and finally 
 with a skip and a jump she passed through the 
 hall and up the stairs to her room. 
 
 It was five o clock when Deacon Brown and 
 Jimmy returned for their supper, and found Ruth 
 in her best frock frying pancakes. The black 
 smith stopped short and laughed. 
 
 " Them girls," he said, examining his daughter 
 with evident pride. " That s jest the way your 
 mother used to do when I was courting her. 
 Did n t think of anything but fixing herself up, 
 and setting in the parlor Saturday nights. But it s 
 all right," he went on, noticing the little motion 
 of annoyance, and the blush on Ruth s cheek. 
 " Abe s a good boy, Ruth, and if he ever gets 
 round to asking ye " 
 
 2 I 7 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Ruth ran to him and put her hand over his 
 mouth. 
 
 "Now you keep quiet, father, and don t tease 
 me any more about Abe. You know as well as I 
 do that he only comes here because it s the nearest 
 house, and we have always been together. He 
 is n t any more to me than lots of others." 
 
 " Ain t he though ! " said her father, looking at 
 her with feigned surprise. " Well, I never. The 
 belle of Petersham, Jimmy ! Well, if he ain t much 
 to you, ye are seemingly something to him, for he 
 don t go nowheres else of a Saturday night. Per 
 haps he ain t very strong, and can t walk far," and 
 he began to laugh. Then he went on : " Sit down, 
 girl, and eat your supper. I m only chaffing ye. 
 Jimmy, go out and milk, and leave Ruth alone." 
 
 " I ain t said nothing to her, father," said Jimmy, 
 rising and going toward the door. 
 
 " I know ye ain t, but ye looked as if ye were 
 going to, and I don t want the girl bothered." 
 
 With this consistent remark, Deacon Brown got 
 up, and went into the shed. After he was gone, 
 Ruth looked out of the window through the orchard 
 to the grove. Then she washed her dishes again, 
 and when all was done, ran out to the stone 
 wall and stood gazing down the lane between the 
 maples. 
 
 18 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " He said he was coming back this way," she 
 said to herself, "but perhaps he didn t mean 
 to-day. I suppose I 11 have to go and sit up for 
 Abe. Poor Abe, he s a nice boy, but he is n t any 
 thing special to me. There s Tom Hall and Sam 
 Barnes. They d come just as often if they lived 
 as near. Father seems to have set his heart on 
 Abe, though, but I don t want him." 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE young man who had had his mare shod by 
 Deacon Brown rode along over the Barre road 
 humming, singing, and whistling. As he reached 
 the level stretch through the pines, he broke out 
 into a song which he had been trying to catch for 
 some time. 
 
 " Now I Ve got it," he said, throwing back his 
 head, and opening his mouth : 
 
 " The dairy-maid was shy, she said, 
 And did n t want to kiss me, 
 But when I m gone, she 11 be forlorn, 
 And I am sure she 11 miss me. 
 
 " That s it," he mused. " I remember we used 
 to sing it at college, and that red-headed girl made 
 me think of it. She was mighty pretty, though, and 
 I don t like to think of that shaggy-bearded old 
 pirate being her father, but I suppose she can t 
 help that," and he burst out into a loud laugh that 
 rang through the trees. 
 
 " I believe the old monster thought I was mak- 
 20 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Ing love to her. Well, I don t know that I d be 
 to blame much if I did, but I did n t." He rode 
 on quietly for a while, and then said half aloud : 
 
 " Get up, Molly, we Ve got to be in Boston by 
 to-morrow night, for there s work for me to do. 
 We couldn t get a hearing in Springfield, and I 
 don t believe we can in Worcester either. Dan 
 Shays seems to be getting the best of things out 
 west. How the farmers are grumbling! I don t 
 blame em much, and they re having a hard time 
 of it. But they seem to think that we re the 
 cause of all the trouble. Well, what s the use 
 in worrying ? I m enjoying my ride, and here s 
 Barre." 
 
 As he rode up to the inn where he had decided 
 to rest and dine, he noticed that the triangular 
 village green was crowded with people. A man 
 was standing on a barrel in their midst, his coat 
 and hat lying beside him, haranguing them violently. 
 The young man threw the bridle to a hostler, and 
 walked out to the edge of the crowd to hear what 
 the man was saying. He caught the following, 
 which caused a murmur of approval. 
 
 " Fellow-countrymen, we Ve got rid of the French 
 and British, but we ain t got rid of the lawyers and 
 judges. Shall we be robbed by them ? Shall we 
 be skinned by the rich folks in Boston and Salem ? 
 
 21 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Shall we allow them leeches to suck our life s 
 blood from us, and never say a word ? Never ! 
 That s what I say, never ! Dan Shays, God bless 
 him, is in Springfield with six hundred men, and 
 he 11 fight for our rights, and break up that mur 
 dering court that s setting there. Jine me, friends. 
 Form a company to help Daniel ! " 
 
 * Pay me for them apples, Jim, and I 11 jine 
 ye," said a voice from the crowd. 
 
 "Who s that speaking? You, Si Fletcher? 
 Take him out of this meeting. Do ye think, Silas, 
 that ye can change the feelings of these here people 
 by such talk? It s the fellows like you that is 
 making all the trouble. Listen a minute. How 
 can we pay without money, and how can we get 
 money unless the government gives us some? 
 Ye ve got a mortgage on your farm, ain t ye, 
 Silas ? When ye ve paid that, I 11 pay for them 
 apples." 
 
 There was a shout of laughter from the crowd, 
 and Fletcher retired without answering. William 
 Perry (for that was the young man s name), 
 watched the proceedings with much interest. The 
 man on the barrel continued his oration, when 
 suddenly he stopped and pointed straight at 
 Perry. 
 
 " Look at his finery ! Velvet and silver 1 That s 
 22 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 the kind of stuff they send us, don t they ? What 
 are ye doing here ? " 
 
 " I m listening to you, if you want to know," 
 said William. " I presume you re speaking for 
 the benefit of the people." 
 
 " Do ye call yeself one of the people ? Well ! 
 Well ! I never. The people don t wear that kind 
 of clothes." 
 
 " Well, I do if I want to," answered Perry, fear 
 lessly, " and it 11 take a bigger man than you are 
 to take em off of me. Just jump down off that 
 barrel, you big wind-bag, and try it yourself." 
 
 " Keep quiet, Jim, and leave the young man 
 alone," called some one from the crowd. "He 
 ain t doin no harm. Perhaps he *s friendly to us, 
 and if he is ye re only changing him about. 
 Where do ye come from, young man ? " 
 
 " I ve just come from Springfield, and I m 
 going to Worcester. Anything else you want to 
 know ? No ? Then I 11 go in and get my dinner, 
 and if that old pair of bellows is out of wind when 
 I m done, I m at his service ; if not, I 11 move on 
 toward Princeton." 
 
 He touched his hat with his whip, and pushing 
 his way off the green, went into the inn and 
 ordered dinner. This finished, he mounted his 
 mare and descended toward Princeton. 
 23 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " A nice pack of ruffians, to be sure," he 
 thought as he rode along. " Calling on Dan 
 Shays as if he was the Saviour. What s he but 
 a gaolbird, anyway ? Holloa ! who s this coming 
 up the road ? " He pulled rein, and sat staring at 
 a group of about a dozen horsemen galloping 
 toward him. 
 
 " I 11 get one side, or they 11 run me down," he 
 thought, suiting the action to the word. Just then 
 they rode by him. " That s Daniel Shays." He 
 turned in his saddle and looked after the men. 
 " Ha ! Ha ! They re stopping." 
 
 He was right. The leader had caught sight of 
 the young man as he passed him, and had imme 
 diately given the order to halt. Then the men 
 wheeled about and came up to him, and Shays 
 spoke : 
 
 " Ain t you the young chap that plead that case 
 in Springfield about two weeks before we shut up 
 their shop for em ? " he said, eying Perry closely. 
 
 " I would n t be surprised if I were he," an 
 swered the young man, carelessly. " And are n t 
 you Captain Daniel Shays of the Continental 
 army, who tried to prevent me from speaking? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, and I 11 prevent you and all like you, 
 every time you open your mouth. What do you 
 mean, sir, pleading for them money-lenders and 
 24 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 thieves ? Don t you know, sir, that there s a 
 change going on here, and that all the courts are 
 closed, and that I m on my way to Springfield ? " 
 
 " You 11 find some friends to your taste up in 
 Barre, Captain Shays," said Perry, with a laugh. 
 " Do you really mean to tell me that you expect 
 to prevent the law from taking its course ? Don t 
 you expect any one to pay his debts ? " 
 
 " No, I don t, not so long as we have n t any 
 money to pay em with and nothing to say about 
 the law. Where re you going now? Down to 
 Worcester, I suppose," and he began to laugh 
 disagreeably. "Well, go ahead, we won t stop 
 you. Our men have got Worcester, and if you 
 get into it you 11 have a lively time. I m going 
 to Springfield, and while I sweep east, the men in 
 Worcester will sweep west, and we 11 meet some 
 where round here. Good-day, Mr. Lawyer. You 
 can thank your -tars that you Ve got off with your 
 good clothes and silver buckles. I advise you to 
 make a change before you reach Worcester, for I 
 sha n t be there to keep em straight, and they 11 be 
 likely to make you pay toll." He laughed again 
 as before, and a moment later was galloping away 
 over the road with his companions. Perry fol 
 lowed him with his eyes for a moment, then turned 
 and resumed his journey. 
 25 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I m not afraid of the whole gang," he thought 
 as he rode along, " but I m not sure that his 
 advice is n t good. It is evident that this costume 
 is conspicuous, though I can t see why it should 
 be. When I get to Princeton I 11 see if I can get 
 something different, and I can do this up and 
 strap it behind the saddle. I might give up going 
 to Worcester, but I d like to see whether Shays s 
 lying or not. I must be at the meeting in Boston 
 to-morrow night, no matter what happens." 
 
 It was about four o clock when he reached 
 Princeton, and decided to rest for an hour. Much 
 to his surprise the town was very quiet, and 
 upon inquiry he found that the body of men he 
 had met had not passed through it. When he 
 asked for a suit of clothes the storekeeper looked 
 at him in amazement, evidently being of the 
 opinion that those he had on were good enough 
 for any one. But he was soon persuaded that they 
 were too good for a " rough ride," and when he 
 saw his pay in silver, was convinced that it would 
 have been a great mistake in the young gentleman 
 not to have bought them. Perry returned to the 
 inn and changed his clothes, and when, a little 
 later, he rode out of the town, even Daniel Shays 
 himself could have found no fault with him. So 
 he went on humming and whistling, until as the 
 26 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 sun was setting he could see the spires of Worces 
 ter in the distance. 
 
 As he drew nearer the town he noticed a rum 
 bling sound, and he stopped a moment to listen. 
 Finally he made out the shouts and yells of the 
 people, and decided that Shays had not deceived 
 him. It was dark when he entered the town, and 
 knowing it well, he rode through the unfrequented 
 streets and pulled up before a small inn. 
 
 " Good-evening, mine host," he said as he dis 
 mounted. " You seem quiet enough here. What s 
 going on on the other side of the town ? It sounds 
 like a fire." 
 
 " It s the rioters, sir. They Ve been down here 
 and had their fill, and now they re up at the other 
 end. Shays was here this morning and tried to 
 stop em, but it was no use. They re in for a 
 row, and they re going to have it. Yes, sir, I 11 
 give you a room, but I can t vouch for your sleep 
 ing well to-night." 
 
 " I can sleep through almost anything," answered 
 Perry, with a laugh. " If they don t pull me out of 
 bed or burn the house down I 11 risk it. Give me 
 some supper, and have the mare well rubbed down 
 and her feet washed." 
 
 "It looks as if the mob was leaving town, sir. 
 I guess they ll move on before morning. These 
 27 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 are disagreeable times, and there s no doubt a 
 deal of suffering, but these disturbances don t 
 help any." 
 
 " Indeed they don t, but the people are desperate. 
 Their farms are mortgaged, and they can pay 
 neither interest nor principal. There is no market 
 for their goods, and there is very little money to 
 pay in even if a market be found. Has there been 
 much damage done here ? " 
 
 "No, sir. Only one barn burned outside the 
 town. It is n t the farmers and poor people who re 
 causing these disturbances. It s the roughs and 
 highwaymen. Some of these fellows have broken 
 gaol and they are a drunken, villanous lot. They 
 have n t troubled me much, though, but I can t tell 
 when they 11 turn up here. Half a dozen of em 
 came into the tap-room this afternoon, and I gave 
 em something and then got rid of them. But if 
 something is n t done before long there 11 be 
 trouble. Shays threatens to burn every town in 
 the State if the General Court don t listen to him. 
 I 11 have to shut up my house if matters don t 
 mend, but I can t see that I d gain anything by 
 destroying other people s property, and obstructing 
 the law." 
 
 " Now that you have spoken as you have," said 
 young Perry, smiling pleasantly, " I don t mind tell- 
 28 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 ing you that I have just been to Springfield on 
 business connected with the court there. I am 
 now on my way back to Boston, and to-morrow 
 night I attend a meeting where it will be settled 
 just what is to be done. Everything seems quiet 
 in the streets again, so I 11 go to bed. Call me at 
 six and have breakfast ready, for I ve got more 
 than forty miles to ride. Good-night." 
 
 The host lighted him to his room, and the next 
 morning he started for Boston. 
 
 29 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF the many beautiful spots in Massachusetts, 
 none is more charming in the month of 
 August than the little hillside town of Petersham, 
 perched far above the surrounding country on the 
 ridge of a rolling ledge. It is then that its fields 
 are bright with the waving golden-rod ; its brooks 
 and gurgling streams radiant with the brilliant 
 flaming cardinal; its groves and pastures sweet 
 and green with ferns of every shade, running 
 blackberry, and high bush blueberry ; its ponds 
 dotted with the white lily. Then the cooling winds 
 pass over it from the mountains to the north, or 
 from the broad Atlantic to the east, unobstructed 
 and unpolluted by the stifling breath of the valleys 
 far below. 
 
 To New England folk all the land seems beauti 
 ful, even though they may suffer from the rigors 
 of its variable climate. But on a scorching day in 
 August, when the lowlands gasp under the torrid 
 
 30 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 sun, this little town breathes the sweet, fresh, 
 autumn-like air, and sighs for her poor sisters, as 
 she looks down on them in pity. 
 
 It was on such a day as this, more than a cen 
 tury ago, that Ruth Brown stood on a high point 
 of land, looking toward Monadnock mountain. 
 She could see through the dim haze the profile of 
 the mountains to the north, and the summit of 
 Wachusett to the east. Through the tree-tops 
 toward the southwest rose the white spire of the 
 meeting-house, and below her were the roofs and 
 gables of two or three houses, with their barns 
 near by; the cattle browsing on the hillsides; the 
 sheep roaming over the pastures. All else about 
 was shut in by a dense mass of pine, hemlock, and 
 maple, with here and there a grove of shagbarks, 
 or a clump of oaks. 
 
 Ruth looked toward the mountains and sighed. 
 Then she picked up her basket and started down 
 the hill toward the farm. It was early in the 
 afternoon, and she had been gathering wild flowers 
 and blueberries. Just before she came in sight of 
 the house over the brow of the hill she thought 
 she saw a group of men on horseback, by the shed, 
 and as she drew near she recognized her father 
 standing by them and talking earnestly. 
 
 " If father s got all those horses to shoe it s a 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 good day s work/ she thought. " But they won t 
 pay in silver as that young gentleman did. What s 
 the matter with father lately? He s worried about 
 something, and I 11 find out what it is." 
 
 Neither her father nor the men noticed her as 
 she passed through the shed into the kitchen, but 
 kept on in their conversation. Deacon Brown 
 was bare-headed and without coat, and his hair, 
 beard, and face seemed all of one color. 
 
 " So that young scoundrel was one of them lying 
 lawyers, was he, Daniel?" he said to the man next 
 him. " I thought as much, but if I d a been sure of 
 it, I d a put the red-hot iron onto him instead of 
 the mare. When did ye meet him ? A week ago ? 
 I d like to get a list of them fellows, and when we 
 get hold of the government send em all out of the 
 country." 
 
 " We 11 fix em soon," answered Shays, with an 
 oath. " I guess we Ve got Worcester and Spring 
 field all right, and every town in the west is up in 
 arms. They talk of sending out old Ben Lincoln, 
 but I know all his tricks, and ain t afeard of him. 
 You 11 get up a company here ? All right, Ike, I 
 knew you d stand by us." 
 
 " Never fear about that, Daniel. Me and my 
 son and Abe Morse have stood about all we can. 
 A year ago I had six cows. What have I got 
 32 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 now ? One, and the worst one. And who s 
 taken em? I 11 tell ye who s taken em, Daniel 
 Shays. One of them nabobs down in Boston 
 who s got ships, and houses, and who drinks 
 Madeira wine, and goes to balls in his gold and 
 lace, while I work here day in and day out at 
 the forge, and see my property slipping away 
 from me, and my children doomed to starvation. 
 When the time comes, let us know, and we 11 
 follow ye." 
 
 " Thank you, Ike," answered Shays. " No, we 
 can t wait to-day, for I must take a run over to 
 New Salem. Then I m going back to the Berk- 
 shires. If they come after any more of your 
 goods, drive em off, Ike. Give em a taste of 
 that iron of yours. I 11 be back this way before 
 long. Good-bye." 
 
 Daniel Shays put spurs to his horse, and, fol 
 lowed by his companions, was soon disappearing 
 over the hill toward Petersham village. 
 
 When they were out of sight, Deacon Brown 
 passed his hand over his head and down his 
 beard, went into the kitchen, and found Ruth. 
 
 " Give me a drink of water, Ruth, girl. It s hot 
 at the forge to-day, and the thirst is on me." 
 
 " What s ailing you, father ? " said Ruth, hand 
 ing him the dipper full of water. " You get tired 
 3 33 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 easily lately, and you are worried. What is 
 it?" 
 
 "What is it, ye ask, Ruth? There s enough 
 going on to make me and the whole of us sick. 
 Jest go about your work, and don t ask questions. 
 There. Now I feel better. I ve got another job 
 down at the shop, so I 11 be going." 
 
 " Wait a minute, father," said Ruth, going up to 
 him and taking his great freckled hand in hers. 
 " There is something on your mind, and it is fret 
 ting you to death. Tell me what it is. I know 
 you had to borrow money on the cattle, and that 
 they Ve taken all but one from you. Who were 
 the men you were talking with when I came in 
 just now?" 
 
 " Ye ask too many questions for a girl," said the 
 blacksmith, turning away his face. " Let me go, 
 Ruth, I m busy." 
 
 " No, father," said his daughter, stepping in front 
 of the door. " I want to know what s the trouble 
 with you, and I sha n t let you go until you tell me. 
 Jimmy s at the shop, and can take care of things. 
 Tell me, father." 
 
 Deacon Brown hesitated before his daughter s 
 
 pleading eyes. She was the one object in his life, 
 
 and he had never refused her anything he could 
 
 give her. Since his wife died, the year after the 
 
 34 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 close of the Revolution, his struggle for life had 
 been a hard one, but he had borne up against it 
 bravely, and had tried to keep the facts from his 
 child, hoping all the time that affairs would mend, 
 and that the results of that great battle for liberty 
 would be short-lived in their depressing effects 
 upon the country s industries, and^hat the fruits 
 of the victory would before long ripen. But in 
 stead of growing better, matters grew worse, and 
 little by little Brown saw his hopes fading, and the 
 vision of approaching ruin."| 
 
 The farm on which he lived was a part of the 
 original grant to his grandfather, Joel Brown, who 
 had come to Nichewaug from Concord toward 
 the end of the seventeenth century. There had 
 been then many hundred acres, but when Isaac 
 inherited it, much of it had passed into other 
 hands, and there remained but some two hundred. 
 This, however, included the richest portions, and 
 the crops of both hay and grain were unrivalled 
 for many miles around. 
 
 For three generations, the Browns had been 
 blacksmiths as well as farmers. The little wooden 
 shed by the watering trough at the foot of the 
 mowing had a long history, many famous men 
 having had their horses shod by the members of 
 the family. It was with pride that Deacon Isaac 
 35 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 pointed to the spot where General Stark had stood 
 waiting for his horse, which had cast a shoe " on 
 the ledge yonder." 
 
 After the battle of Lexington the blacksmith 
 left the forge and joined the army. His two chil 
 dren remained on the farm with their mother, and 
 although they; had many hardships, they were 
 happy. At last, one day, Brown was brought 
 home with a sabre wound on his head, and for 
 more than a month lay between life and death. 
 In the mean while the war had ended, and the 
 country had been freed. 
 
 It was but a year after this that his wife died. 
 The blow was a severe one to him, yet he lived on 
 cheerfully in his children, especially in Ruth, who 
 was so much like her mother. But it was not long 
 before he realized that he was fighting against 
 too great odds, for the business of the forge slack 
 ened, and the market for his produce vanished. 
 One day he bade good-bye to his children and 
 went to Worcester. Two days later he returned, 
 and for a time was cheerful, and went about his 
 work with energy. During the next three years 
 he went away several times, on each occasion 
 returning with some present for Ruth, now a new 
 frock, now a bunch of ribbon. In the mean while 
 the children had grown up, and while James 
 
 36 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 helped his father in the shop, Ruth took care of 
 the house and dairy. 
 
 So matters went on until about a year before 
 the opening of this story. Then one day, as Ruth 
 was in the barn-loft gathering eggs, she heard 
 some one enter the cow-shed below, and a moment 
 after she recognized her father s voice. 
 
 " Can t ye let them cows stay a little longer ? " 
 he said, evidently excited. " I tell ye I 11 give ye 
 another mortgage for a hundred dollars, and if 
 ye 11 be patient ye 11 get all your money in another 
 year." 
 
 " I m sorry, Mr. Brown," said a voice with a 
 nasal twang and disagreeable precision, " but the 
 limit has been reached. You have paid no in 
 terest for more than six months, and I must 
 protect myself. But I tell you what I 11 do for 
 you, for I don t want to press you. I 11 take five 
 of the cows, and leave the one you choose. Then 
 give me your note for a hundred dollars, and I II 
 give you fifty for it. Is n t that satisfactory ? 
 That ll clear the interest, and as the mortgages 
 on the farm have more than a year to run, you 
 will have time to collect yourself." 
 
 " Very well," answered the blacksmith, and Ruth 
 could hear a deep sigh. The men then left the 
 barn, and the girl came down from her hiding-place. 
 37 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I don t understand what they Ve been talk 
 ing about," she thought, as she watched the man 
 starting off, " but I m sure father s in trouble. 
 I won t say anything to him, though, for he knows 
 his own business." 
 
 From that day, it seemed to Ruth that her 
 father began to age, and that his work became 
 burdensome to him. Occasionally he joked and 
 laughed, as he had done when he teased her about 
 Abe Morse, but at all other times he went to the 
 forge and back with a heavy step, and with hang 
 ing head. 
 
 As Ruth stood barring the door, he raised his 
 eyes and looked at her. 
 
 " Who told ye about them cows ? " he said. " I 
 sold em because they was n t no good, and it s my 
 business." 
 
 " Nobody told me, father," she answered, return 
 ing his gaze. " I guessed it. But I know that 
 either something s troubling you, or you re not well. 
 Tell me what it is, father. I want to help you." 
 
 "You dear girl," said the blacksmith, pulling 
 her away from the door and kissing her. " Of 
 course ye d help me, as ye always have done. 
 But the trouble s one that no one can help as 
 long as we are trodden down by the courts and the 
 money-lenders. No, Ruth, dear. Go about your 
 
 38 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 work, and I 11 go about mine, and the good God 11 
 give us justice before long. That was Captain 
 Daniel Shays who was here when ye came in. 
 Ye ve never heard of him, girl, but I fought beside 
 him ten years ago, and he was a brave man. I 
 must go now, for I ve work to do. Don t fret 
 about me. I suppose I m getting old, as folks 
 have to do sooner or later; but I m well and 
 hearty, and can swing a hammer for many a year 
 yet. Ay ! and a sword and musket, too, when the 
 time comes. Don t think no more about these 
 things, Ruth. Every cloud has a silver lining, 
 and we 11 be all right after Dan Shays has done 
 his work. Have a big pancake to-night, for 
 Jimmy 11 be hungry." 
 
 With this he walked out of the shed, over the 
 wall, and down to the shop. Ruth stood a mo 
 ment, thinking. Then with a look of determina 
 tion she went about her work. 
 
 " I m going to find out about this, and I m 
 going to do something," she said aloud. " Jimmy 
 is a good boy, but he is ruled by father. I 11 ask 
 somebody else," and she went out into the garden 
 and plucked a marigold and put it in her hair. 
 
 39 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 NOT far from the mouth of the Neponset River, 
 in the old town of Dorchester, there stood a 
 century or more ago a venerable dwelling-house, 
 built, it is said, by one of the foremost of those 
 hardy pioneers who landed on the shore of Massa 
 chusetts Bay from the good ship Mary and John, 
 to settle that wilderness, which as yet had known 
 no other habitation than the wigwams of the In 
 dian, and the humble log-cabins of the few traders 
 who had ventured to this barren land in search of 
 home and fortune. 
 
 At the period of this story the house was the 
 same rectangular two-story building that it had 
 been a century and a half before, with its thick 
 walls lined with brick to keep out the savage cold 
 in winter, and the savage s arrows and bullets at 
 all times. Yet the ell on the northeast corner, and 
 the shed and barn to the northwest, were of modern 
 construction, necessary additions to the limited 
 40 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 space of the old house. In front, toward the 
 south, was the well which never ran dry, shadowed, 
 as was the dwelling itself, by the one spreading 
 elm, whose age no one could tell with accuracy. 
 Near these was the narrow country road, and be 
 yond this again the meadows stretching to the 
 marshes and river s mouth. 
 
 How difficult it is for us to realize, as we pass 
 over the great bridge, or walk up the busy streets 
 between brick buildings, dwellings, and churches, 
 that a hundred years ago the Minot House in Dor 
 chester stood almost alone in the midst of the acres 
 which were a part of the tract of land originally 
 granted to George Minot, early in the seventeenth 
 century. The view over the river, the harbor, 
 the islands, and the cape, which was then unob 
 structed, is now entirely shut in by modern build 
 ings. Milton Hill, backed by the range of the 
 Blue Hills, Squantum, Nantasket, Dorchester 
 Heights, Roxbury, and the lighthouse, are now 
 as distant as the Alps of Savoy. Yet a hundred 
 years ago all these points, and many more besides, 
 could be seen from the house, and orchard rising 
 to the west of it. 
 
 As William Perry rode over Dorchester Neck, 
 and took the narrow road toward the Neponset 
 River, the sun was setting over Milton, casting 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 long shadows into the bay and across the fields 
 and marshes. He had been singing and whistling 
 much of the way from Worcester, but as he ap 
 proached the end of his journey, he became seri 
 ous, and absorbed in thought. Perry had, in 
 truth, much on his mind, although those who met 
 him riding along in his careless manner, had little 
 suspected it, for he was always smiling, and had 
 a cheerful, pleasant good-morning for all. But 
 hidden behind this outward levity there was 
 thoughtful gravity, which came to the surface 
 from time to time, and gave his face the expres 
 sion it wore as he approached the lane leading 
 to Mr. Minot s house. As he turned toward the 
 west, the rays of the setting sun struck his face 
 and roused him, and he looked out over the river 
 and bay. 
 
 " I m a little early," he thought, as he raised his 
 head and glanced about him, "but I have no 
 doubt Mr. Minot will be glad to see me. Let me 
 see, who did he say were to be at the meeting 
 besides his excellency ? Ah, yes, I remember : 
 General Lincoln, Ames, and Otis. I don t think 
 Hancock will come," and he smiled. " If they are 
 wise," he went on a little later, " they 11 call the 
 militia out, but with orders to use judgment. I 
 don t know ^whether Lincoln s the right man to 
 42 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 lead them or not. He s hot-headed, and the peo 
 ple need to be conciliated. I 11 have plenty to 
 tell them, and some advice to give. If they don t 
 want it, they need n t take it." 
 
 He was now nearing the house, and a moment 
 later slipped off his mare and knocked on the 
 door. The summons was answered by the host 
 himself. 
 
 "Well, Billy," he said, taking the young man 
 cordially by the hand, " I m glad you Ve come 
 before the others, for I ve some things to ask you 
 about. Sam," he called to the negro boy stand 
 ing in front of the barn, "take Mr. Perry s 
 mare." 
 
 " And look after her carefully, Sammy," said 
 Perry, eying her all over. " She s had a week 
 of it. Be careful not to feed her too soon. Ex 
 cuse me, Mr. Minot, I think a good deal of that 
 mare. Thank you, yes, I 11 have a glass of wine 
 with pleasure, sir." 
 
 He passed through the front door, and found 
 himself in the hall, or entry-way, leading through 
 the house to the garden beyond. Then his host 
 led him into the low-studded room on the left, and 
 taking down a bottle of Madeira, set it on the 
 mahogany dining-table. 
 
 " This has been twice to India, Billy," he said, 
 43 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 lifting his glass and holding it before one of the 
 candles. " A good color, has n t it ? " 
 
 "And a good flavor, too, Mr. Minot. But do 
 you know that it almost burns my throat to drink 
 it ? I have heard so much of the Madeira-drink 
 ing merchants of Boston and their vices, during 
 the last three weeks, that I begin to feel as if I 
 were committing a crime to look upon a bottle of 
 it. Do you know, sir, that there is some reason 
 for all this rebellious talk, too? I have been to 
 Springfield, and through the principal towns of 
 Worcester, and there is undoubtedly much suffer 
 ing there. The people are in a ferment, and des 
 perate, and Shays and Day are doing all in their 
 power to excite them and make them discontented. 
 I had three cases on at Springfield, and I could only 
 get heard in two of em. The next day their honors 
 thought it best to close the Court House. Captain 
 Shays had arrived in town, and when I began to 
 address the court, he attempted to stop me." 
 
 " Did n t they arrest the rascal ? " asked the 
 other, setting down his glass. 
 
 "They not only did not arrest him, but the next 
 day they left the town. I don t know whether 
 Dan Shays is the happy owner of Pegasus or not, 
 but four days after this I met him just to the west 
 of Princeton on his way from Worcester. The 
 44 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 first thing we learn, he 11 be attacking Boston. I 
 advise you to see that your brick-lining is secure," 
 he added with a laugh. 
 
 " Did you pass through Worcester ? I thought 
 you had business there." 
 
 " So I had, but when I arrived there the town 
 was in an uproar. I got a room at Davis s little 
 inn, you know it, and rested comparatively well. 
 But I assure you that I was perfectly satisfied to 
 start for home early the next morning. This side 
 of Worcester is rather more congenial than the 
 other just at present. But I really don t wonder 
 much at the farmers grumblings. There is abso 
 lutely no market for their produce. One old chap 
 I met up in Petersham seemed to be better off than 
 most of em. He had a little blacksmith-shop next 
 the road, and appeared to be working comfortably. 
 But he was an exception. Everywhere else, Spring 
 field, Barre, Worcester, they were doing nothing 
 but abuse government and praise Shays as if he 
 were the Lord himself." 
 
 " Did Shays attempt any violence against you 
 when he met you ? " 
 
 " No, and I am surprised that he did n t. But 
 
 they tell me that he does fairly well in that respect, 
 
 and will prevent any assault if he can do so. I am 
 
 inclined to think that he expected I would get my 
 
 45 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 dose in Worcester. But I followed his advice, 
 and that probably saved me." 
 
 " What was that ? " 
 
 " He advised me to change my clothes," said 
 Perry, bursting into a peal of laughter, " and I 
 did it, as you must have noticed. I got this 
 homespun suit in Princeton, and my other is in 
 this package. If you will allow me the use of one 
 of your rooms I will don it, for I m afraid old Gen 
 eral Lincoln would object to my present costume, 
 even were Governor Bowdoin to countenance it. 
 Thank you, I will take the candle. I know the 
 way, Mr. Minot, so don t trouble yourself to come 
 with me. By the way, who is coming besides the 
 general and the governor ? " 
 
 " My young friends, Ames and Otis." 
 
 " Has his excellency decided what to do ? 
 Does he mean to send Lincoln to the west at 
 once ? " 
 
 " That s my impression, Billy, but I m not pos 
 itive about it. Go and take off those clothes, or 
 you will be mistaken for one of Shays lieutenants, 
 and what you say will not have a good effect. 
 When you are ready come down and eat some 
 thing. They 11 be here in less than an hour." 
 
 Perry took the candle and went up the narrow 
 stairway to the room above that in which he had 
 46 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 been sitting. He drew the chintz curtains, set 
 the candlestick upon the small inlaid loo table, 
 and dressed. When he went down to the dining- 
 room again he found his host awaiting him, and an 
 ample repast spread upon the table. 
 
 " Now I feel more like myself, sir," he said, as 
 he entered the room. 
 
 " I m rather relieved," said Mr. Minot, smiling. 
 " I was not sure, when I first saw you, that you 
 had not joined the rebels. Now while you re 
 eating your supper tell me, please, just what 
 you ve seen since you Ve been gone, and what 
 your impression is as to what should be done. I 
 have heard of the riots in and about the western 
 towns, but from no one whom I could trust." 
 
 " I am not sure, sir," said Perry, his face assum 
 ing a more serious expression, " that I can tell you 
 much of interest, but I 11 try to give you an idea 
 of what I discovered. As you know, I went 
 mainly on professional business, although I con 
 sidered myself more or less of an envoy of his 
 excellency, because of what he said to me before 
 I started. So I took particular pains to notice 
 the temper of the people and gather what I could 
 from conversation with them. I went through 
 Cambridge, Watertown, Groton, and so on toward 
 the west, and everywhere the cry was for more 
 47 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 money and more work. The news of the General 
 Court s refusal to grant the petition for the issuing 
 of currency had spread like wild-fire, and the 
 farmers and townsfolk were gathered in angry 
 groups. I tell you, sir, they looked savage. But 
 they also looked pitiable, and I was sorry for 
 them. Poor, half-starved, and in some cases 
 ragged. We cannot deny the fact that they are 
 suffering terribly." 
 
 The young man lifted his glass of Madeira, but 
 set it down without tasting it. Then he proceeded : 
 
 " Strange to say, the farther west I got the more 
 stirred up they seemed to be. It was not until I 
 reached Hatfield that I saw anything really revo 
 lutionary. You have probably heard an account 
 of what happened two weeks ago." 
 
 " Yes. I Ve been informed of the convention, 
 but nothing of its particulars." 
 
 " Well, sir, it was the most exciting event of my 
 life, and I came nearer getting frightened than I 
 ever have before or since. The mass of those 
 gathered in the convention were well-meaning, 
 honest farmers, but the leaders and orators were 
 low, disreputable fellows. Where they came 
 from, God only knows. They seemed to have the 
 convention entirely under their control, and the 
 vote to abolish the Court of Common Pleas was 
 48 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 unanimous. Then came a motion that Daniel 
 Shays should be elected governor of the Common 
 wealth. There were shouts and cries for Shays, 
 and for every old gaol-bird let loose, and finally the 
 meeting broke up, and they forgot to elect him. 
 I then went to Springfield, with the results I have 
 already told you, sir." 
 
 "Then you really think, Billy, that there is 
 serious trouble ahead ? " 
 
 " I m sure of it, sir. It is fortunate that we 
 have such a strong hand as Governor Bowdoin s 
 to take hold of it. I say to you, though, as I will 
 say to the gentlemen this evening, that I pity the 
 people from the bottom of my heart. They mis 
 understand us, and we misunderstand them. It 
 is the old story. Concessions will have to be 
 made on both sides, and something will have to 
 be done to relieve the agricultural districts. As 
 to Shays and his mountebanks, they should be 
 captured and punished. The real sufferers should 
 be treated with consideration. You Ve got me 
 started, sir, and I m afraid I 11 tell all my story 
 before they come, and a double dose of it would 
 weary you." 
 
 " Not at all, my boy, not at all. What you have 
 already said has set me to thinking. I ve been 
 inclined to look upon this whole trouble as caused 
 4 49 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 by an unreasonable, shiftless rabble, but I m not 
 entirely sure that there are not two sides to it. 
 There s a coach coming up the road now, so you 
 may reserve the rest until they come. Ah! it s 
 his excellency and General Lincoln. I can see 
 them getting out." 
 
 The next moment the door was opened, and the 
 two distinguished men entered the house. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE two men who had come to the old house 
 in Dorchester on invitation of its owner, 
 were at this time past the half -century of life, 
 and both had seen the struggles and successes 
 through which their country had passed since 
 the culmination of the French wars, and both 
 bore the scars of battle ; the one that of the 
 forum, the other that of active service at the 
 front. 
 
 James Bowdoin was a scholar and a statesman, 
 Benjamin Lincoln a farmer and a soldier. Yet 
 in many ways they were much alike. Both were 
 ardent patriots ; firm in their faith in the new 
 republic ; of unimpeachable integrity, unflinch 
 ing courage, and quick to distinguish between 
 right and wrong. To those who did not know 
 the two men. Governor Bowdoin seemed the more 
 tractable and sweet-tempered. But this was not 
 truly the case, for a kinder and more compas 
 sionate heart than General Lincoln s, none had. 
 He at times carried his ideas of justice to 
 5 1 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 extremes, which cost him popularity; but by 
 nature he was mildness itself. Neither Governor 
 Bowdoin nor General Lincoln allowed the desire 
 for popular favor to stand in the way of doing 
 what in their clear judgment was right, and for 
 the best interests of the people they were called 
 upon to serve. 
 
 In personal appearance the two men were strik 
 ingly different. The governor s features were in 
 some respects not unlike those of the last colonial 
 governor, Thomas Hutchinson, though it is doubt 
 ful if a reference to the resemblance would have 
 gratified the patriot and friend of John and Samuel 
 Adams. There were the same high forehead, 
 prominent nose and chin, and curving mouth. 
 Yet the eyes were very different, being large and 
 prominent. Although fifty-eight years of age, 
 Governor Bowdoin s carriage was erect, and he 
 held his head high, which gave him an air of great 
 dignity. He was also somewhat of a dandy : his 
 white waving wig, green broadcloth coat and 
 small-clothes, white stockings, and silver-buckled 
 shoes being immaculate in their appearance, and 
 irreproachable in their cut. As William Perry 
 saw him, he was glad that he had disposed of his 
 homespun outfit. 
 
 General Lincoln was less careful of his dress. 
 52 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 His bullet-shaped head, bald on top, was devoid 
 of wig. His clothes were of black broadcloth 
 throughout, finished below by black stockings and 
 black shoes. He carried a gold-headed cane, and 
 as he walked a slight limp was noticeable, the 
 result of his wound received during the Revolu 
 tion. His face was heavy, and the drawn mouth 
 and raised eyebrows gave him a dogged expres 
 sion. Yet the set lips parted as he entered the 
 room, and the smile that spread over his face was 
 pleasant. Such were the two men who were to 
 put down with a firm hand the insurrection led by 
 Daniel Shays. 
 
 " Good-evening. Good-evening, Minot," said 
 the governor, extending his hand. " Ah ! here 
 you are, my young friend. Lincoln, don t you 
 know Charles Perry s son? No? He s a rising 
 young lawyer, and he can give us some news from 
 the west, too, I Ve no doubt." 
 
 " I never met the young man before," said the 
 general, returning William s polite salutation, " but 
 I knew your father well, sir. He was with me in 
 Virginia in 77." 
 
 " I remember his speaking of you, honored sir," 
 answered Perry, again bowing. " Of course you re 
 known to every one." 
 
 "Tut, tut, young man," said Lincoln, shutting 
 53 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 his mouth with a snap, and looking up from under 
 his brows. " I m a farmer, sir, and am known to 
 no one at present." 
 
 " You re too modest, Lincoln," said the gov 
 ernor, smiling. 
 
 " Call it what you like, your excellency. I m 
 obeying my commander-in-chief, otherwise I should 
 have remained at Hingham. Did you say this 
 young man has been west? What did you hear, 
 sir ? " 
 
 " With his excellency s permission I will tell 
 you of my trip." 
 
 "Speak, William. We ve come here to be 
 informed." 
 
 "Excuse me, your excellency, but Ames and 
 Otis will be with us before long. Don t you think 
 it would be better to wait for them ? Otis is very 
 enthusiastic, and Ames is vying with our young 
 friend here," said the host, smiling at Perry, " for 
 honors at the bar. He is a brilliant young man, 
 and may be able to give us good advice." 
 
 " By all means wait for them. Now that you 
 have taken out that bottle of Madeira, we can 
 discuss that. Eh ! Lincoln ? Perhaps it s better 
 than that I offered you yesterday." 
 
 " I doubt it," answered the general, lifting his 
 glass to his lips, " but nevertheless I m willing 
 54 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 to try it. It s good, very good, Minot," he went 
 on, smacking his lips and closing his eyes. " I 
 compliment you on it. Hancock has some very 
 like it." 
 
 " It s the same, sir," answered Mr. Minot. " I 
 see you haven t lost your taste yet." 
 
 " Oh, no, not in the least," and he lifted the glass 
 again, and closed his eyes. 
 
 " Here they are. I hear their horses. Now, 
 Billy, get yourself in readiness, for you ll be well 
 plied with questions." 
 
 " Mr. Perry," said Governor Bowdoin, a little 
 later, as they all sat round the table in the dining- 
 room, " I ve about made up my mind what to do, 
 but I d like your report. I think, too, that General 
 Lincoln would be glad to hear it." 
 
 " Of course, of course ! " said the general, 
 nodding across the table to Perry. 
 
 " Then I 11 give you such information as I Ve 
 been able to gather," answered the young man. 
 " I found discontent everywhere in the western 
 towns. There was bad blood enough before the 
 General Court refused the petition, but when that 
 came, followed by an appropriation to the use of 
 the Federal government, the excitement was un 
 bounded, and the people swore that they would 
 prevent its being accomplished. About this time 
 55 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Daniel Shays began his work of rebellion, and he 
 has gathered about him all the cut-throats he can 
 get hold .of. The trouble s only just begun, your 
 excellency." 
 
 " I understand that in Lenox the people take a 
 more reasonable view of matters," said the governor. 
 
 " So I ve heard, sir, but I did n t go there. I 
 went, however, through Pelham and Petersham, 
 and I can assure you that you have very little idea 
 of the irritation of the farmers. They swear to 
 stop the courts, and block business, until their 
 demands are granted. They are willing to follow 
 Shays or anybody else who will help them accom 
 plish their purpose." 
 
 " I think I understand the situation," said the 
 governor, raising his glass and inclining his head 
 toward his host. " Lincoln, will you do something 
 forme?" 
 
 The general looked at him a moment without 
 speaking, then opening his mouth with a snap he 
 said, 
 
 " What is it, sir ? That depends upon what 
 it is." 
 
 " I want you to take command of the militia and 
 put this revolt down at once. There is no one 
 who can do it as effectively." 
 
 " Yes, there is," answered Lincoln, rather shortly. 
 
 56 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Who is it, pray ? I told you a little while ago 
 that you were getting too modest, Lincoln. Who 
 is it ? " 
 
 "Shepard. He s got two whole legs, and I 
 have n t. But of course I am at your service if 
 you command me." 
 
 " But you would prefer not to undertake it? " 
 " To tell you the truth, yes. I m getting lazy, 
 and with five or six hundred men Shepard can do 
 the work as well as I could." 
 
 " Then let it be Shepard. But if he does n t 
 succeed at once I shall call on you." 
 
 " All right. He 11 succeed easily enough. I 
 knew this Shays when he was with Gates, and it 11 
 take about an ounce of powder to blow him into 
 Rhode Island." 
 
 " Governor Bowdoin," said young Fisher Ames, 
 who thus far had kept silence. "If your excel 
 lency will permit it, I would like very much to 
 volunteer my services." 
 
 "And I too," broke in Harrison Gray Otis. 
 " We re both old soldiers, as you know, sir," he 
 added with a laugh. 
 
 " Very patriotic young men, to be sure," said the 
 governor, with a nod of approval. " I m delighted. 
 And you, Mr. Perry ? " 
 
 " To tell you the truth, sir," answered William, 
 57 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 firmly, " I d rather not just at present. I prefer 
 to act as a mediator, for I cannot convince myself 
 that the farmers are entirely wrong in their feel 
 ings. I will do all I can to assist you, and to 
 bring Shays and his immediate followers to justice, 
 but I do not feel as yet like taking arms against a 
 people who have already all they can bear, and 
 who are at least honest and sincere. I m glad of 
 an opportunity of expressing myself, and I feel sure 
 that neither your excellency nor these other gentle 
 men will misunderstand me." 
 
 " I understand you perfectly," said Ames, pleas 
 antly. " But I think you re a little too conscien 
 tious. It s against Shays that we are going, not 
 against these people." 
 
 " Very true. But the farmers will consider any 
 movement against the leaders as directed against 
 them and their rights. My advice would be to 
 call a convention and invite the farmers to send 
 representatives to it, then come to some amicable 
 settlement." 
 
 " A very good idea, my boy," said the governor^ 
 " were it not too late. So long as this rascal is at 
 large he will allow no reconciliation, and our first 
 step must be to put him behind the bars. Then 
 we can have such a convention as you suggest. 
 But you are quite right in your position since you 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 feel as you do. You can undoubtedly help us, 
 though, in other ways, and I m sure that you will 
 do so." 
 
 " With the greatest pleasure, your excellency. 
 The Supreme Court meets in Springfield next 
 month, and I shall appear before it. I can tell 
 you, sir, that that will take some courage, for 
 Shays will never allow it to sit if he can prevent 
 it. I start next week, and I 11 learn all I can and 
 report to you as before." 
 
 " Very well, then," said the governor, " and you, 
 young men, report to General Shepard at once. 
 The order will be issued to-morrow for him to 
 stand in readiness to march at any moment. I m 
 sorry you won t go, Lincoln, but I ve no doubt 
 you re right, and you ve done your share, and 
 should be permitted to rest on your farm for a 
 time. Everything seems to be understood, so I 11 
 say good-night, Minot." 
 
 " Good-night, your excellency. Good-night, 
 general." 
 
 After the coach had rolled away, Ames said to 
 William, 
 
 " Since you Ve not going to join us, I 11 ask you 
 to take charge of that Foss and Kelly case for me. 
 I can t very well be soldier and lawyer too, but 
 I m inclined to think you 11 get the worst of it." 
 59 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 11 You re undoubtedly right, Ames. But I 11 
 look after your matter with great pleasure." 
 
 "And by the way," added Ames, "old Jerry 
 Piper, the pawnbroker, came to me the other day 
 about a mortgage that he holds on property in 
 Petersham. Perhaps you d like to look after that, 
 too." 
 
 " Petersham ? Yes, I intend passing through 
 Petersham. I had my mare shod there yesterday 
 by an old red-headed pirate with a pretty red 
 headed daughter, and I want to see her again. 
 If you 11 kindly send word to Piper to look me 
 up, I 11 see what I can do for him on my way 
 out." 
 
 " Thank you, Mr. Minot, I must be saying good 
 night," said Ames, bowing. " Are you going with 
 me, Otis? All right, then, come along. Good 
 night, Perry. Don t be infatuated by that red 
 headed girl ; " and laughing merrily he and Otis 
 started away on the road toward Boston. When 
 they were gone, Mr. Minot said, 
 
 " I congratulate you, Billy, on your courage. 
 I m of your opinion, and that s why I did n t enter 
 more into the conversation. We all agree that 
 this rebellion must be put down, but the manner 
 of doing so is debatable. You must be tired, so 
 I will allow you to go to bed. Good-night." 
 60 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 IN a back lane leading off Purchase Street in 
 Boston, Jeremiah Piper, the money-lender, had 
 his shop, The wooden house was low and un- 
 painted, and the frame of the doorway leaned 
 over to one side as if, tired of standing on both 
 feet, it were resting from its hundred years of 
 labor in holding up the rotten timbers above. 
 There were two rooms on the ground floor : that 
 fronting the street low and dingy, with no other 
 furniture than a long table covered with a few 
 old watches, jewelry, pipes, knives, books, swords, 
 pistols, and every description of second-hand ap 
 parel ; two wooden chairs, whose legs seemed as 
 weary as the door-frame without ; and a greasy, 
 wooden cupboard with closed doors, which con 
 tained the coats and small-clothes of those gen 
 tlemen who were so pressed for money that they 
 were forced to part with them until such times as 
 their fortunes should turn, and they should be able 
 6r 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 to recover them a time which came to few. The 
 rear room was much like the other, save that for 
 furniture it had only a wooden desk, one chair, and 
 a row of shelves fastened to the wall, on which 
 rested the ledgers and account-books, together 
 v/ith one or two dusty law books relating to mort 
 gages and debtors and creditors. The twin of the 
 front door led to the back yard, surrounded by a 
 high wooden fence, and carpeted with weeds and 
 vines which vainly tried to climb about the solitary 
 pear-tree, which looked weepingly down upon them 
 as if imploring them to give it their support. 
 When, as was his custom, Jeremiah threw the rem 
 nants of his solitary meal out of the window above, 
 there appeared, as by magic, as many cats as 
 dwell in the Forum of Augustus. Jeremiah had 
 occupied the premises for over thirty years, and 
 it was fortunate that the feline scavengers went 
 about unmolested, else the filth and stench would 
 have been even worse than it was. 
 
 Jeremiah himself was a fit companion for his 
 surroundings. As he stood, he was but little over 
 five feet tall. Had he been straightened out he 
 might have reached six inches nearer to the 
 smoked timbers. His black coat was too long, 
 and mirror-like between the shoulders, and his 
 brown small-clothes were of many shades. The 
 62 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 wig he wore should have been curly and white, and 
 probably had been in years gone by, but now it 
 was straight and yellow. His black bead-like eyes 
 almost touched the bridge of his suspiciously 
 hooked nose, and his pointed chin rubbed against 
 the white choker (white at long intervals) which 
 hid the bony neck, and had hidden it for many a 
 day. 
 
 No one knew of Jeremiah s antecedents, whence 
 he came or got his name. ( But he was well known 
 to a certain class, and it was suspected by them 
 that his face did not belie his origin.) Yet he 
 always denied it, and said he was of "good old 
 Puritan stock," and no one could prove that he told 
 aught but the truth at least about this subject of 
 conjecture. To his clients, his neighbors, and 
 their children, he was known as Jerry the money 
 lender, and that was all. 
 
 He was sitting before the desk in the rear room, 
 with his nose in close proximity to a large book 
 which lay open before him, and whose pages he 
 turned with his moistened thumb, at the same 
 time running his black finger-nail down them as 
 if in search of something. Finally he raised his 
 finger from the book to the end of his nose and 
 scratched it vigorously. Then he looked toward 
 the front room and called in a nasal voice, 
 
 63 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Samuel, come here." 
 
 A short, red-faced man of about fifty, with a 
 bald head and spectacles, rolled into the room and 
 stood before Jerry. 
 
 " Samuel," said the latter, looking at the clerk 
 with his little eyes and speaking with great pre 
 cision, "when do those Brown notes fall due? I 
 can t find them here." 
 
 "Which Brown, Mr. Piper? There re three 
 Browns on our books." 
 
 "That Brown up in Petersham, Samuel. The 
 man I went up to see last year, and got the cattle 
 and notes for interest from. Don t you re 
 member ? " 
 
 " Ah, yes, Mr. Piper. Them fall due next week, 
 sir. Sixth of September, I think. You mean 
 them notes you took last year, or the mortgage ? " 
 
 " The notes, Samuel, the notes. The mortgage 
 don t expire for a month yet." 
 
 "Well, sir, the notes fall due the sixth, Mr. 
 Piper." 
 
 " Don t you enter them on the books, Samuel ? 
 I can t find them." 
 
 " Let me look, sir. Here they are : one for a 
 hundred dollars payable in coin ; one for two hun 
 dred, payable in coin ; due September the sixth, 
 1786." 
 
 64 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 "These must be attended to at once, Samuel. 
 Run out and see if that young lawyer Perry is in ; 
 Mr. Ames has turned me over to him. You know 
 where to find him ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " Then go, and come back as quick as you can. 
 I must see him at once. And Samuel, buy me 
 threepence worth of snuff on the way back." 
 
 The man rolled out of the door and up the 
 street, and was soon out of sight. 
 
 " If those notes ain t paid when due I 11 be 
 obliged to do something," said Piper, with a 
 chuckle, rising and going into the front room. 
 " I ve got that property, sure, for he 11 never be 
 able to pay the mortgage, and the law 11 have to 
 be obeyed. I m sorry, very sorry to be obliged 
 to inconvenience him, but I must live. I guess this 
 young Perry s honest. I never deal with any one 
 who is n t. I must have a man of strict integrity, 
 always strict integrity, like myself," and his eyes 
 snapped and he scratched the end of his nose. 
 
 " I m for law and order," he went on, walking 
 behind the long table, and picking up one article 
 after another and examining them all carefully. 
 " No rebellion, no riots. No cheating honest men 
 out of their honest earnings. No." 
 
 He returned to the back room and took from a 
 5 6 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 shelf a worn three-cornered hat and put it on his 
 head. Then he picked up a cane and started out 
 into the lane, and stood in front of his door, peer 
 ing down toward the street. 
 
 " Ah ! here he comes," he said a moment later, 
 " Did you find him, Samuel ? " 
 
 " He s waiting for you, Mr. Piper." 
 
 " Very well. Be careful while I m gone." 
 
 Jeremiah Piper hobbled out of the lane, into 
 the street, and round the corner. 
 
 " These are bad times, bad times," he muttered, 
 as he approached the building in which Perry had 
 his office. " There was a time when money came 
 easier, and if I was n t a prudent man, and saving, 
 I d be as bad off as some others. Coin is scarce, 
 very scarce, but I m saving." Just before he 
 rapped on the door, he thought, " I 11 test this 
 young man a little before I employ him." 
 
 " Good-morning, Mr. Piper," said Perry, as the 
 money-lender entered. " Mr. Ames has spoken 
 to me about your matter up in Petersham. I m 
 going in that direction in a few days." 
 
 " Yes, sir," answered Piper, rather shortly, dis 
 appointed at not having a chance at the first word. 
 " Brown, of Petersham. A very important matter, 
 sir, and one that cannot wait long. He s a man of 
 property, sir, and I ve been very lenient with him, 
 66 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 very lenient, and I m in hard straits for money, 
 sir, and cannot renew the loan." 
 
 " When do the notes come due, Mr. Piper ? " 
 
 " Next Friday, sir." 
 
 " And how are they secured ? " 
 
 " I hold two mortgages on his property, sir, expir 
 ing in about a month. The notes are given in 
 payment of back interest. I m never hard on any 
 one, Mr. Perry, but he must pay these notes when 
 due." 
 
 " Very well," said Perry, fumbling over some 
 papers on his desk. " I 11 write him what you say. 
 Then I 11 try to see him when I go west. What 
 did you say his name was ? " 
 
 " Isaac Brown. You 11 find him easily, near 
 the highway. Tell him when you write that the 
 notes must be paid at once. I m a poor man, Mr. 
 Perry, and I hope your fees won t be large." 
 
 "We ll arrange all that later," said William, 
 with an amused smile. " Have you the notes 
 with you ? " 
 
 " Here they are, sir. Kindly give me a receipt 
 for them, for the people are excited, and you might 
 come to some harm, and of course I must be pro 
 tected. Thank you. Keep them in a safe place, 
 Mr. Perry." 
 
 "Have no anxiety, Mr. Piper. I ve many of 
 67 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 these cases on hand, and I m careful. I have 
 your address, and will let you know what I learn." 
 
 " Thank you, sir. Anything more you wish to 
 know ? " 
 
 " No, not at present. The notes are sufficient. 
 Good-morning." 
 
 As Piper went back toward his shop he 
 muttered, 
 
 " I guess he s honest. He s a good reputation, 
 and is making a name for himself, and we have 
 to take some risks." 
 
 As he entered his door, he noticed a rumbling 
 sound, and looking about him saw Samuel asleep 
 in a chair in the corner. 
 
 " Wake up, Samuel," he squeaked, going up to 
 him and giving him a poke with his cane. " I 11 
 be robbed of everything if you do like this. Oh, 
 the smell of beer ! You re doing this all the time 
 now, and I 11 have to be rid of you if you don t 
 look after my property when I m away." 
 
 Samuel woke slowly and turned his little red 
 eyes on his master with a grin. 
 
 ", Who 11 you get to take my place, Mr. Piper ? 
 I m pretty well acquainted with your business, 
 and it s been a hard lesson to learn. I was n t 
 asleep. I had an eye open, sir, and I was watch 
 ing carefully." 
 
 68 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " You were n t asleep, Samuel ? Well, mend 
 your ways a little, and I ll try to keep you, but 
 I m losing money now, and can t afford to take 
 any risks. I m going up-stairs to eat my dinner, 
 so stop that blinking and wake up." 
 
 Jeremiah threw his hat upon the shelf, put his 
 cane in its accustomed corner, and climbed the 
 rickety flight of stairs to his room above. He 
 went to a small cupboard and took from it a very 
 much soiled paper package, which he placed upon 
 the greasy topped wooden table. Then he drew up 
 the only chair, and undoing the package took 
 from it a piece of high flavored, highly animated 
 cheese, a cube of bread, and a dried herring. 
 This was his dinner. When he had finished he 
 went to the window, the presence of which would 
 have been scarcely perceptible to a stranger, 
 because of the thick covering of dirt upon the 
 panes, and threw the scraps into the yard. There 
 was the sudden sound of music, and cats appeared 
 from every direction, to share the frugal repast. 
 
 Returning to the middle of the room, Jeremiah 
 listened, and hearing no other sound than the 
 snoring of Samuel below, stepped forward and 
 bolted the door. He then crossed on tiptoe to a 
 spot near the chimney-piece, stopped, and listened 
 again. He stooped down, and lifting a plank 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 in the floor, drew out from beneath it an iron 
 box. It was filled with British, Spanish, and 
 French coin, and papers. He placed Perry s 
 receipts in it, put it back in its place, covered it 
 with the plank, crossed the room, and went down 
 stairs. 
 
 70 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THREE days after Jerry Piper s interview with 
 William Perry, Deacon Isaac Brown stood at 
 the smithy door, looking out over the fields toward 
 the hills, where a bit of color here and there 
 already showed that summer was passing, and that 
 preparations for winter would soon have to be 
 begun. His face was haggard and drawn ; he 
 passed his right hand over his head and eyes, and 
 drew a deep sigh. In his left he held a letter. It 
 was evident that he had read it already once at 
 least, and that the news it brought was not cheer 
 ing. He folded the paper, put it in his pocket, 
 turned and went back into the shop. 
 
 " Jimmy," he said to his son, who was working 
 at the bench, " it s near dinner time. Ye may go 
 now. I sha n t go up to-day, for I Ve got some 
 thing to do here. Bring me down a bite when ye 
 come back." 
 
 7 1 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " All right, father," answered his son, " if 
 Bill Smyth comes along, give him them shears. 
 They re all fixed." 
 
 Deacon Brown went to the door and watched his 
 son until he was turning the corner, then went back, 
 sat down on a stool, and took the letter from his 
 pocket. He held it at arm s length and examined 
 it, then read it half aloud. 
 
 Mr. ISAAC BROWN, Petersham. 
 
 DEAR SIR, Two notes bearing date 6th September, 
 1785, made to Mr. Jeremiah Piper, Boston, have been left 
 with me for collection. I must request payment when due. 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 WM. PERRY. 
 
 Brown read it twice, then let his hand drop on 
 his knee, gazed out through the door, and thought. 
 At last he roused himself, got up, went to the 
 little window, and looked over the mowing toward 
 the barn and house. 
 
 " I ve worked hard for them little ones," he 
 thought with a sigh, " but it s getting too much for 
 me. Ruth s beginning to suspect something, and 
 I can t keep it from her much longer. Well, I ve 
 done my best." He sighed heavily and passed his 
 bare arm across his brow, then went on, " To 
 think of them fields and house and all going to 
 72 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 that ere old thieving money-lender. I can t and 
 won t have it. Three hundred dollars ! Where 
 can I get em ? Due day after to-morrow, and he 
 won t give me no more time. There s the mare, 
 the cow, the two hogs, the cart and tools. But I 
 can t live if I let em all go." He paused a moment, 
 and then raised the letter, and read it again. 
 "William Perry. What s he got to do with it, 
 anyhow? One of them damned lawyers that s 
 a robbing of us all, and the other fellows too. 
 He can t do nothing, for the courts 11 be done 
 their dirty business before many days, and them 
 lawyers and judges won t have nothing to say 
 about us. I 11 tell em I can t pay now, and I 
 won t, until the government gives us something to 
 pay with. I won t take no notice of em." For a 
 few minutes he felt brighter, and the furrow be 
 tween his brows smoothed out a little. It did not 
 last long, however, and the anxious expression 
 soon returned. " I dunno, tho ," he muttered, 
 rising and going outside the door again, " they Ve 
 made a good many of em pay, and some as 
 have n t been able have gone to prison. Perhaps 
 he 11 take the cart and tools, and wait a bit longer. 
 I dunno." He crammed the letter into his pocket, 
 and then went on. " Let s see what I Ve got. 
 Twenty-seven dollars; the two hogs that can be 
 73 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 salted down for winter; the cow, and then the 
 hens. I forgot the hens, but they won t lay any in 
 winter. Well, never mind. I 11 wait, and perhaps 
 we ll pull through somehow." 
 
 Just then he heard a sound, and looking round 
 saw Ruth coming toward him. 
 
 "What are ye doing here, girl?" he said on 
 seeing her. "I told Jimmy to bring me a bite 
 when he come back, and ye Ve got it yourself." 
 
 " I thought I d like to fetch it myself, father," 
 said Ruth, quietly. " Jimmy s busy up to the barn, 
 and could n t leave. Sit down and eat it, and I 11 
 stay with you." 
 
 "What s he doing up to the barn, Ruth? 
 There s work for him here, and I told him to come 
 back. When I was a boy I did as my father told 
 me to do." 
 
 " He s doing something for me, so don t blame 
 him. I want to speak to you, father. Jimmy told 
 me that you got a letter this morning, and that 
 you ve been reading and reading it, and fretting 
 about it. I came down to ask you what it is 
 about." 
 
 Deacon Brown turned away his head, and looked 
 out of the door. Then he said quickly, 
 
 " I ain t had no letter, Ruth, and Jimmy s no 
 business to be telling ye such lies." 
 74 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 "Are you sure, father? When I came down 
 the hill I saw something in your hand that looked 
 like a piece of paper. Don t keep it from me, 
 father. Tell me what it is." 
 
 "Can t I have a piece of paper in my hand 
 without its being a letter, girl ? " said her father, 
 moving nervously. " Ain t I to be allowed to do 
 as I like ? " 
 
 " You re keeping something from me, father," 
 said Ruth, gently, going up to him and taking his 
 hand. " Tell me what the letter s about." 
 
 "Supposing I have got a letter," said Brown, 
 turning away his head, " ain t that my business ? 
 Can t I have a letter without all this fuss ? Go 
 back to the house, Ruth, and send Jimmy down 
 here. I want to talk to him. Let me be." 
 
 Ruth still held his hand. 
 
 " Father," she said, going in front of him and 
 looking him in the face, "you have got a letter 
 this morning and it s fretting you. It s got some 
 thing to do with that man who came up last year 
 about the cattle, and if you don t tell me about it, 
 I 11 find out some way. You ve worked hard and 
 done everything for Jimmy and me, and now I 
 want to do something for you. I know all about 
 the troubles that are going on, and I want to help 
 you." 
 
 75 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Deacon Brown looked at his daughter, and his 
 eyes moistened. 
 
 " I see it ain t no use, Ruth dear," he said with 
 a sigh, " a-trying to deceive ye. I hoped to keep 
 it from ye till times were better, but it ain t no use. 
 Yes, Ruth, I Ve had a letter from a lawyer to-day, 
 and he wants me to pay three hundred dollars 
 before Friday. I ain t got it, Ruth, and God only 
 knows how I can get it. But I won t pay it to no 
 lawyer," he added, rousing himself and passing his 
 hand across his eyes. "It lies betwixt me and 
 Piper." 
 
 "Who s Piper, father? The man who was 
 here?" 
 
 "Yes. Jenks told me about him. Said he d 
 borrowed money of him, and found him honest. 
 Perhaps he won t press me after all, so don t 
 worry, Ruth. When Dan Shays gets started, 
 he 11 straighten things out a bit. Now run back 
 to the house, and don t think no more about it. I 
 did n t mean to tell ye, but ye ve got the best of 
 me, as ye always do." 
 
 He took the girl s face in his two clumsy hands, 
 and kissed it. 
 
 " Send Jimmy down." 
 
 " Don t scold him for telling me, father. He 
 meant all right." 
 
 76 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 11 No, Ruth, I won t say nothing to him, but 
 I d like to give him a beating. He s too meddle 
 some." 
 
 When Ruth was gone, Deacon Brown went to 
 the door and watched her. 
 
 "A mighty good girl," he mused, looking lov 
 ingly after her. " Well, I dunno but it s best she 
 should know. It kind of eases my mind to have 
 told her. What s the use of worrying so much 
 anyway ? " he went on, going back into the shop 
 and beginning to blow the bellows. " If I can t 
 pay I can t, and I 11 tell em so. There ain t no 
 body paying nothing now, and there ain t nothing 
 to pay nobody with, and I guess old Piper 11 have 
 to stand it long with the rest of the thieves. 
 Gosh, I feel really better. For a spell I felt as 
 though the bottom had dropped out of everything, 
 but the sight and talk of that girl would cure the 
 small-pox. If that lawyer shows his face up here 
 I 11 fix him," and he began to laugh nervously. 
 
 " Well, well, to think of my fretting about pay 
 ing. Here, Jimmy, why did n t ye come down as I 
 told ye to ? Do ye think I can blow and work 
 at the same time ? Get to work, boy, and don t 
 take so long about your dinner next time. When 
 I was your age I d take five minutes for dinner. 
 Wake up and blow the bellows." 
 77 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Jimmy went to work, and it was some time be 
 fore either spoke. Then the son said, 
 
 " Heard the news, father ? I see Abe Morse 
 this noon, and he says Captain Shays is getting 
 men together near Pelham, and is going to march 
 to Springfield to stop the court from setting. Abe 
 says he s a-going with em, and wants me to go 
 too." 
 
 " Well, why don t ye, then, Jimmy ? Perhaps 
 it 11 put some life into ye to hear the bullets whizz 
 ing. I d go myself if it was n t for leaving Ruth 
 alone. It s a good cause, Jimmy, and if they 
 need ye, go." 
 
 " I kind of thought ye d want me to stay here 
 and help ye with the work," answered his son. " I 
 ain t particular about going, and I d as lief stay 
 here with you." 
 
 " Well, I had n t as lief have ye," said Deacon 
 Brown, throwing down his hammer and looking 
 across at his son with a scowl. " In the first place 
 there ain t enough work for us both here now, and 
 then again I don t want any of my blood to be 
 afeard of fighting for his rights, and that s what s 
 ailing ye ! If ye had half the pluck of your sister, 
 you d be a man by this time, instead of a shiftless 
 blockhead. Ye re going along with Abe, so make 
 up your mind to it. When does he start? " 
 
 78 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " This afternoon, father. He s going to New 
 Salem and Pelham, and then on. But I d rather 
 stay to home." 
 
 " I ain t got no doubt ye would," said his father, 
 "but ye 11 go up to the house and get that ere 
 musket of mine, and sech other things as ye want 
 to carry, and go up to Abe s and start with him. 
 I Ve got business to do here, so go along." 
 
 " Who 11 ye get to pump the bellows ? " asked 
 Jimmy, grasping at a last straw. 
 
 " Don t ye fret about that. Jest ye do what I 
 tell ye. Good-bye. Tell Ruth I 11 be home to 
 supper early." 
 
 Jimmy picked up his coat, and went out of the 
 shop and up to the house without another 
 word. 
 
 " Now I 11 be able to attend to my own business 
 without any meddling," thought Deacon Brown, 
 after his son was gone. " It s my duty to send 
 him, too. I 11 go myself later if they need me, 
 but I Ve got to wait until after them notes and 
 mortgages comes due, and I can t leave Ruth. 
 Them notes and mortgages ! I d almost forgotten 
 about em since Ruth was here. Well," and he 
 stopped suddenly in his work and his face grew 
 serious, " supposing after all supposing after all 
 why, I feel kind of dizzy. I ain t never felt 
 79 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 jest this way before. Guess I 11 run down to 
 the trough and get a drink. Well, what was I a- 
 saying? Oh, yes, them mortgages and notes. 
 Gosh, ain t it hot in the shop to-day, and ain t 
 this hammer heavy! Let s see; them notes 
 I can t seem to think straight." 
 
 He reeled out of the door and down to the 
 watering-trough, and bathed his face, and drank. 
 
 " Now I feel better," he said, as he went back 
 toward the shop. " I guess I did n t eat enough 
 dinner. But Ruth 11 have a good supper early. 
 I do feel awful weak in the legs, and can t hardly 
 walk, but it ll pass off. Perhaps it s keeping 
 them things on my mind so long, and then throw 
 ing em off all of a sudden. I can t see how any 
 body can be obliged to pay when they ain t got 
 nothing." 
 
 He picked up the hammer again, but was too 
 weak to wield it. Then he took his coat over his 
 arm, went out, locked the door of the smithy, 
 and with a tottering step walked round the road 
 toward the house. As he strolled leisurely along, 
 he began to feel better, and by the time he reached 
 the shed he was himself again, though he looked 
 weary. 
 
 " Is Jimmy gone ? " he said to Ruth, as he en 
 tered the kitchen. 
 
 80 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Yes, father," answered his daughter, " he s 
 gone, and I m feeling real bad to have him go. 
 Do you think he 11 get hurt, father? " 
 
 " Pshaw, girl. Don t worry about that. Jimmy 
 ain t the kind that 11 get hurt if he can help it. 
 Give me supper. I m kind of tired and hungry." 
 
 81 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 UTH," said Deacon Brown to his daughter, 
 as he sat watching her clearing the table 
 after supper, " I no business to a-told ye what I 
 did, this afternoon, but when ye came and looked 
 at me and I got your expression, I knew ye had 
 guessed my secret, and I could n t keep it back. 
 Ye ain t fretting about it, are ye, child?" 
 
 " No," answered Ruth, looking round at him 
 with a smile, " I m not fretting, unless you are, 
 father. All that troubles me is to see you so wor 
 ried and tired looking. I feel much better now 
 that you ve told me about it, and I 11 try to look 
 after you a little better. Won t you tell me how 
 all this trouble came on, and why we re made to 
 have such a hard time of it ? " 
 
 Her father hesitated, and for a few moments sat 
 gazing through the window toward the blueberry 
 patch. At last he roused himself, and turning to 
 Ruth said, 
 
 82 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I dunno as it 11 do any hurt to tell ye, Ruth, 
 and I Ve kept it all bottled up so long that it s 
 trying to burst through my skin. It s like the 
 measles, better when it s broke out. Well, ye can 
 remember something of the war, girl, for ye were 
 seven years old when we whipped the red-coats at 
 Lexington. But ye never knew nothing about 
 what brought it on, and why we fought so hard. 
 I 11 tell ye if ye d like to hear it." 
 
 " I Ve finished my work now, and I 11 sit down 
 and listen to you," said Ruth, wiping her hands, 
 and drawing a chair close to her father. " All I 
 know is that the British wouldn t give us our 
 rights, and we drove em out of the country, and 
 got our freedom." 
 
 Deacon Brown shook his head slowly, and 
 said, 
 
 " Yes, Ruth, we drove em away, and got the 
 country from em, but God knows we ain t got our 
 freedom yet. Perhaps some of those rich men 
 down in Boston have got it, but we ain t, and don t 
 seem likely to. We are more slaves than before 
 the war, Ruth, and I sometimes wish we d never 
 gone through it." 
 
 "Is everybody as badly off as we are ? " asked 
 Ruth, looking up at him in surprise. 
 
 " Most everybody, at least them as has to earn 
 
 83 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 their living with their own hands. We farmers 
 and working people are at the mercy of the rich 
 folks, the merchants and lawyers, who never did 
 no work, but sit and drink and gamble all day and 
 all night. No, Ruth, we ain t got our freedom 
 yet." 
 
 He paused and drew a long sigh, then went 
 on, 
 
 " I was going to tell ye how it all happened, and 
 why things is as they are. It was this way. Let 
 me have a drink of water first, for my mouth s 
 kind of dry. Now I 11 tell ye. When I was a 
 boy we was living along here pretty comfortable, 
 and the farm and forge was paying well. Of 
 course we had our bad years like all of em, but 
 we had plenty to eat and plenty to wear, and we 
 never worried much about nothing. Your grand 
 father was a hard-working man, and brought us all 
 up to do as he done. We lived along from day to 
 day, and thought of nothing but our work and the 
 Lord. Nobody heard no grumbling up this way, 
 though things was n t always easy, and after Louis- 
 burg taxes was heavy ; but we remained good sub 
 jects of the king, and went on same as before. It 
 was n t until along in the sixties that the rum 
 blings of revolution which had started in Boston 
 reached us up here in the hills. The king and his 
 84 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Parliament had begun to put on their extra taxes, 
 and we had begun to feel it. That, so far as we 
 was concerned, was the beginning of the Revolu 
 tion. So it went on until them good men down in 
 Boston threw the tea overboard rather n pay the 
 tax on it. 
 
 " I was a-working in the forge one day, a-hum- 
 ming that hymn of Watts s, when Josh Morse, 
 Abe s father, came running up to the shop and 
 said that there d been a fight with the British sol 
 diers at Lexington, and all the farmers was taking 
 up arms to defend their rights. I was struck 
 dumb, for I had n t no idea that war was really 
 coming. I threw down the hammer and ran up to 
 the house, took father s old musket and sword, 
 and in the afternoon said good-bye to your mother 
 and ye and Jimmy and jumped on the horse s back 
 and started south. Ye know all about that war, 
 Ruth, and how it killed your mother, and came 
 nigh killing me." 
 
 Deacon Brown stopped and passed the back of 
 his hand across his eyes, then after a moment 
 continued, 
 
 " Well, it ain t no use crying about them things 
 now. It was God s will, and I Ve stood it the 
 best I knew how. After all these troubles was 
 past I began work again with a light heart, 
 
 85 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 thinking that everything d turn out all right, and 
 that the farm and shop would make my fortune, 
 and that ye and Jimmy would be well cared for 
 when I was gone. Somehow things did n t go on 
 as I expected, and it wa n t long before I see that 
 our dream of a free country had n t been nothing 
 but a dream, and I was beginning to wake up. 
 Instead of improving, business grew worse and 
 worse, and we couldn t sell nothing, and taxes 
 grew bigger. In 83 they put on the tax for sup 
 porting the army, and giving them lazy officers 
 that never done no work gold lace and fine clothes. 
 This riled us farmers, and for a time there was 
 signs of trouble, but we stood things as best we 
 could. At last the money give out, and we could n t 
 get no pay for our work or our goods, and then, 
 last summer, we petitioned the General Court to 
 give us some kind of money, paper or anything, 
 but they refused. The thing has come to a head 
 now, Ruth, and it 11 soon burst." 
 
 " What have you got to borrow so much money 
 for, anyway ? " asked Ruth, when he had stopped. 
 
 " For taxes mostly. But I ve got to live and 
 work the farm and forge, and it all costs money." 
 
 "Why didn t you borrow it of some one you 
 knew here, father ? " 
 
 "Because none of em ain t got any money, 
 86 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Ruth. The money s all in Boston, and I had to 
 go there. I heard of a man named Piper who had 
 loaned to folks about here, and I went down to see 
 him, and he let me have what I wanted. When 
 the interest come due he come up here, and I 
 could n t pay it, so I gave him the cows, and a 
 new note, and he let me have fifty dollars more. 
 He s seemed kind of accommodating, and I guess 
 if it was n t for that rascally lawyer he d let it stand 
 a little longer. This Piper was a kind of poor- 
 looking man, and I guess he was doing it more to 
 help than anything. But the lawyer 11 skin both 
 of us, and I won t have nothing to do with him. 
 I Ve always paid my just debts, and I 11 pay him 
 when I can, but I can t now, and he knows it." 
 
 Ruth sat a moment without speaking. All that 
 her father had been telling her was so unexpected 
 that she scarcely knew what to say. She had felt 
 for some time that he was troubled about money ; 
 but brought up as she had been in the little New 
 England town, so far away from people, she had 
 not grasped the seriousness of it all, and it had 
 made but a vague impression upon her. Money 
 had no special meaning for her, except as some 
 thing her father occasionally received for his work, 
 or gave to her to buy some little thing at the 
 village store. There was very little of it seen on 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 the Petersham farm. To be sure, the young man 
 who had had his mare shod paid in silver shillings, 
 but aside from that Ruth had seen nothing of 
 the kind for many a day. After thinking a few 
 minutes, she said to her father gently, 
 
 " Could n t I earn some money for you, father ? 
 I m strong, and can work." 
 
 " Ye re a dear good girl, as I ve told ye be 
 fore," said her father, affectionately, " but I need 
 ye to help me here. No, Ruth, I 11 go on as I 
 have done, and I 11 take care of ye a spell yet." 
 
 "Father," said Ruth, suddenly, "why did you 
 send Jimmy off in such a hurry ? I don t like to 
 have him go to fighting." 
 
 " I d two or three reasons for sending him, 
 Ruth. Jimmy s my boy and your brother, but 
 he s shiftless and lazy, and I want to make a 
 man of him. Don t fret about him. It 11 do him 
 good. Then it s his duty to fight for his rights, 
 and I couldn t leave ye with nobody but him to 
 look after ye. Besides this, he 11 be cared for, 
 and it 11 be one less mouth to feed. I m feeling a 
 little tired to-night and guess I 11 go to bed early. 
 My head feels kind of dizzy with all them things 
 coming out of it, but it s done me a deal of good, 
 and God knows what I d do without ye, Ruth 
 dear." 
 
 88 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " You do look pale and tired, father," said Ruth, 
 shaking her head. " I 11 get your bed ready for 
 you and put the candle in your room." She ran 
 out of the kitchen. When she was gone, Deacon 
 Brown passed his hand over his face and eyes 
 again, down into his pocket, and drew out William 
 Perry s letter. He held it before the candle and 
 tried to read it, but his eyes seemed dim, and he 
 snuffed the candle. Then he passed his hand 
 over his eyes again, and said, 
 
 "Strange, I can t seem to read it. My head 
 ain t feeling jest right, but I guess it 11 pass off. 
 How my hand trembles ! Well, I 11 go to bed, and 
 won t tell Ruth, for it 11 worry her." 
 
 He got up and his legs gave way under him and 
 he sank back again. Just then Ruth came into 
 the room. 
 
 " Your bed s all ready, father," she said. Then 
 looking at him anxiously, she went on, 
 
 " You re not well, and you must rest. Stay in 
 bed in the morning and I 11 bring in your break 
 fast. Do you want me to help you? " 
 
 " I do feel kind of queer, that s a fact," said her 
 father, getting up with an effort, " but I 11 be all 
 right in the morning. Good-night." 
 
 When Deacon Brown had gone, Ruth went out 
 to the shed door and looked across to the barn, 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 then up and down the narrow road. She did not 
 know what she could do to save her father, but 
 she felt that she must do something, and that 
 quickly, for she saw clearly that the strain was 
 breaking him down, and that it would soon be too 
 late. She wondered what she could do. The stars 
 were shining bright in the September sky, and she 
 crossed the road to the stone wall and leaned 
 against it. A whip-poor-will was singing down by 
 the brook below the mowing, clear and piercing 
 through the night air. Ruth had always loved 
 the note before, but now it grated on her ears, and 
 sounded like a note of warning. If only Abe 
 Morse were at home she would go to him, but 
 she knew that he and Jimmy must be far over the 
 hills toward Pelham by this time, and she was 
 in despair. It was Wednesday, and her father 
 had told her that he must have the money by 
 Friday. Suddenly an idea struck her. If she 
 could only find that young gentleman who had 
 given her father those silver shillings, she was 
 sure he would help her. He had seemed so cheer 
 ful and bright and kind-hearted when he had 
 spoken to her. He had told her that he lived in 
 Boston, although not his name, but she would 
 know him were she to see him. She would ask 
 her father to let her go to Boston, and she would 
 90 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 try to find him. All these thoughts passed through 
 her mind rapidly, and as rapidly others came, and 
 she saw how impossible it would all be, and that 
 she could not leave her father alone, especially 
 when he was so careworn and worried. At last, 
 tired and discouraged, she went back to the house, 
 locked the shed door, and crept quietly up to 
 her room. She set the candle down on the table 
 and looked about. On the mantel was a picture 
 of her mother; on the table by her a Bible and 
 a book of poetry which her father had given 
 her when she was a little girl. She sighed, and 
 the tears came to her eyes. 
 
 " I have n t anything that I can get money for," 
 she thought, as she raised the Bible and opened 
 it. She read her chapter, as was her custom ; 
 kneeled down before the chair and prayed ; then 
 undressed and went to bed. 
 
 As she lay there she could hear the note of the 
 whip-poor-will down in the valley. At last it grew 
 fainter and fainter, until it died away entirely, and 
 Ruth was asleep, dreaming of her father. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 NOT long after Jerry Piper left William Perry 
 in his office, a young man burst in on him 
 with a cheerful good-morning, and took him by the 
 hand. It was Fisher Ames, his handsome face 
 dimpled with a bright smile, and his full, deep eyes 
 wearing an expression of intellect and honest good 
 nature. At this time Fisher Ames was in his 
 twenty-ninth year, and his erect, graceful figure, 
 his massive forehead, and clean-cut features be 
 trayed youthful activity of body and mind. He 
 was already becoming famous both at the bar and 
 in the forum, and it was apparent to those who 
 knew him that his career was but beginning, and 
 that with longer life he was destined to be a leader 
 among his fellows. 
 
 " Good-morning," said Perry, in answer to Ames* 
 salutation. " You ve just missed your old friend 
 Jerry. I congratulate you on him. He s a beau 
 tiful specimen of our enfranchised people," and he 
 laughed. 
 
 92 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " He s an old rascal, I Ve no doubt," answered 
 Ames, pleasantly, " but I imagine that his claim is 
 a just one, and in these days we can t afford to 
 look beyond that. He certainly is a remarkable 
 character." 
 
 " How long has he been your client ? " 
 
 " Only a short time. I have had but one matter 
 of his, and although he appeared very careful, and 
 a little over-anxious, I found nothing about him 
 which warranted me in refusing to accept his case. 
 He is a usurer, and I should say that his appear 
 ance indicated descent from a certain lost tribe; 
 but as I have said, we can t draw too fine a line 
 in these days. If debtors refuse to pay their just 
 debts, creditors must be protected, and the law 
 allowed to act." 
 
 " Very true," answered Perry, his face taking on 
 a more serious expression. " Very true, Ames, but 
 I cannot go to the extreme that you do. While 
 I see clearly that government needs funds and that 
 taxation is its only resource, yet the drain upon the 
 farmers, in their present condition, is more than 
 they can bear. I ran across a case out west that 
 seems to me in point. A man assured me that in 
 the old days he could live comfortably on forty 
 pounds a year. Now his taxes amount to more 
 than two hundred dollars. How can we expect 
 93 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 such a one to live and not get into debt ? To be 
 sure the creditors must be permitted to collect their 
 just claims, but is there not something radically 
 wrong that should be righted ? " 
 
 " Undoubtedly, Perry, there are two sides to the 
 question, and I am not one to be blind to the fact. 
 But our government must be supported, and its 
 principles maintained, even at the cost of some suf 
 fering. This rebellion is guided by the hand of an 
 unscrupulous mountebank, who was one of Gates s 
 Newburgh rioters, and who will prevent the federa 
 tion if he can do so. We all suffer in a degree ; 
 and although the agricultural districts are especially 
 unfortunate in this instance, yet they should see 
 that their salvation, as well as that of the rest of 
 us, lies in strict obedience to the laws, and the 
 suppression of Shays and his villanous followers." 
 
 Perry shook his head and smiled. 
 
 " I see that you take an extreme view," he said, 
 " but I cannot agree with you entirely. I do, of 
 course, admit that creditors should be satisfied, but 
 I think that under the circumstances there should 
 be an adjustment possible between debtor and 
 creditor. It is so very apparent that it is impos 
 sible for the people to meet their obligations, that 
 it would be a benefit to both parties. Take our 
 client as an example. Do you think he would 
 94 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 suffer seriously were he to compromise with his 
 debtor ? I only mention this as a possibility. I 
 have no doubt that his claim is just and should be 
 pushed to the end, but there are many instances 
 where this is not the case." 
 
 " Your example is not a good one," said Ames. 
 " Piper is a professional money-lender, not a mer 
 chant or the government. You may find that he 
 is not honest, in which case throw him over. But 
 I was, speaking of the needs of government and 
 the bonafide claims of respectable citizens. The 
 fact is that the farmers don t want federation, and 
 they are exaggerating their troubles to incite re 
 bellion. It will be short-lived, though." 
 
 " I hope so on all accounts," answered Perry, 
 "and that reminds me. When do you and Otis 
 join General Shepard ? The Supreme Court meets 
 in Springfield next week, and then you 11 have a 
 chance of meeting my friend Captain Shays ! " 
 
 " We start by the end of the present week. I m 
 taking this for a holiday, for I don t anticipate very 
 serious fighting. When do you leave ? " 
 
 " To-morrow. I m going first to Worcester, 
 then on through Petersham, where I will look up 
 this defendant, and see what I can do with him. 
 Then I shall push on to Springfield in time for 
 the opening of the session." 
 
 95 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Won t you spend to-night with me in Dedham, 
 and start from there in the morning ? It would give 
 me much pleasure, and might refresh you a bit. 
 You ve been working steadily of late, and a quiet 
 afternoon and evening will do you good." 
 
 " Thank you very much. I Ve a few odds and 
 ends to attend to, and when I have finished I 11 go 
 home and get ready, and ride out. If you can 
 wait until one o clock, I will go with you." 
 
 " I 11 wait with pleasure. Meet me at Concert 
 Hall at one, and we 11 drink a glass of punch and 
 start from there. Au revoir. At one then." 
 
 It was nearly noon when Perry left his office 
 on King Street and went to his rooms on Clark 
 Square. He made his preparations hastily, and 
 just as it was striking one, rode up Hanover Street 
 to Concert Hall, where Ames was in waiting for 
 him. They drank their punch, mounted their 
 horses, and soon passed through Marlborough and 
 Orange Streets, and out over Dorchester Neck. 
 
 "If it hadn t been for your kind invitation," 
 said Perry, as they rode along the Neck, examining 
 the remains of the fortifications, and the marks of 
 the British cannon-balls, " I d have gone by the 
 way of the new Charlestown bridge built last June. 
 It s a wonderful structure, Ames. I came over it 
 on my way home last week." 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " It s a great convenience, and I m surprised 
 that they haven t finished it sooner," answered 
 Ames. " For me, of course it s no great con 
 venience, for this road is quite direct to Dedham. 
 But for those going west it s a great saving of 
 time. Besides, I never tire of the views one gets 
 going this way. See the light over the bay and 
 the Heights, and then off toward Squantum and 
 Milton. There s nothing equal to it." 
 
 " If you re more fond of the sea and its shore 
 than the woods and hills, yes. I can t say that I 
 enjoy this part of the ride as much as that further 
 on. But even that, beautiful as it is, does not appeal 
 to me as do the hills and rolling plains of Worces 
 ter and Berkshire. But I agree that this is most 
 lovely." 
 
 For some time after this short conversation they 
 cantered along without speaking, until they de 
 scended the hill and crossed the bridge into 
 Milton. As they were ascending the incline on 
 the opposite side of the Neponset River, Perry, 
 who had seemed wrapped in thought for some 
 time, suddenly burst into song, 
 
 " The dairy-maid was shy she said, 
 And did n t want to kiss me, 
 But when I m gone, she 11 be forlorn, 
 And I am sure she 11 miss me." 
 
 7 97 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Ames looked at him and burst into a fit of 
 laughter. 
 
 "For Heaven s sake, Perry," he said, "what 
 ever put that old college song into your head ? 
 Have you been making love to some fair damsel 
 on your recent expedition? I haven t heard it 
 for ten years." 
 
 "Nor I, either," said Perry, laughing also, 
 " until I sang it on leaving Petersham last week. 
 Don t ask too many questions. She had red hair, 
 and a bristling ogre for a father ! " 
 
 " Then I Ve hit it. Now I see, Perry, why 
 your sympathies are so much aroused in favor of 
 the agricultural classes, and I Ve been most in 
 discreet. But the fact is, I never suspected it." 
 He threw back his head and laughed again. 
 
 " And pray why should n t I fall in love with a 
 dairy-maid ? " asked Perry, with mock seriousness. 
 "You and that old ogre have keen perceptions, 
 Ames, for I think that he, too, suspected me. But 
 I 11 be careful that you don t see her, for it might 
 cause jealousy in Dedham." 
 
 They both laughed, and whipping up their horses 
 passed round the old road over Brush Hill to Fowl 
 Meadows. Leaving the great Blue Hill on the 
 left, they turned over Hubbard s bridge toward 
 Dedham. It was a warm afternoon, and they 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 were glad to get under the shade of the trees, 
 through which wound the road beyond the 
 meadows toward the village. 
 
 " You d hardly think that this quiet town was 
 tinctured with rebellion, Perry," said Ames, as they 
 passed up the street by the meeting-house, " but 
 such is the case, nevertheless. The would-be 
 rebels have already had their meetings, and they 
 have petitioned the General Court to abolish the 
 Court of Common Pleas, annihilate us poor law 
 yers, and reduce the salaries of public officials. 
 But we Ve had no disturbances as yet, and I m 
 quite sure that we shall have none here. There s 
 my office," he went on, pointing to a window they 
 were passing. " They have n t sacked it yet. Do 
 you know that I prefer this to King Street ? Not 
 that the income from it is large, but I have time to 
 think and write and read. I have tried in a modest 
 way to convince our people that they are mistaken 
 in their opinions of government, and that we are 
 moving on the right lines. Unfortunately some of 
 them don t stop to think, but plunge headlong into 
 the abyss of Anarchy." 
 
 " What do you think will be the outcome of all 
 this agitation ? " asked Perry, as of one to whose 
 opinion he gave great weight. 
 
 " The outcome is in no way in doubt," answered 
 99 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Ames, with more warmth than he had hitherto 
 shown. " This rebellion will be put down ; the 
 States will be united ; the laws will be obeyed ; and 
 then we shall have such a government as shall be 
 everlasting, and there shall spring from it a para 
 dise among nations. God knows that we Ve not 
 passed through all these years of strife to see our 
 hopes wrecked on the shoals of Anarchy. No, 
 Perry. This storm will blow past us, and the sun 
 will shine the brighter after it." 
 
 " I believe you, Ames. Yet I cannot see clearly 
 how the people can live until that happy time 
 arrives. They cannot live without food and 
 raiment, and food and raiment do not come 
 unbidden." 
 
 " But they will come tlhe sooner with peace and 
 good government. We are but feeling the natural 
 reaction of the war, and it was to be expected. 
 We are still in Chaos, and our Creation will not be 
 complete until the Constitution is perfected, and 
 the laws adjusted. Then will come the federa 
 tion of States ; the cementing together of all these 
 great English-speaking free commonwealths; and 
 the cement that holds them together will be the 
 federal Constitution, which will grow harder and 
 firmer as years go on, until like adamant it will be 
 wellnigh indestructible." 
 
 100 
 
Captaiti 
 
 They were now approaching tlic little ^dlu 
 wooden house where Fisher Ames was born, and 
 where his mother lived. 
 
 "Here we are," he said with a bright smile. 
 " For the rest of the day let s put aside politics, 
 and I 11 show you about the farm. We must not 
 pollute this sweet autumn air with talk of anarchy 
 and rebellion." 
 
 101 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 AFTER breakfast on the following morning, 
 William Perry mounted his horse and bade 
 farewell to his host. 
 
 "Beware the dairy-maid, Perry," called Ames, 
 as William rode away toward the highway. He 
 answered with a laugh, and was soon out of sight 
 on his way to Worcester. 
 
 William Perry was about four years Fisher 
 Ames junior, but the difference in their ages 
 seemed much greater, for Ames was of maturer 
 mind, and had developed much under the severe 
 schooling he had experienced since he entered 
 Harvard College at twelve years of age. Though 
 bright, witty, and affable, he was of a thoughtful, 
 serious disposition. Perry was also a student, a 
 young man of marked promise, of firm convic 
 tions, and sound judgment. Yet he had another 
 and more frivolous side to his character, as could 
 be well seen by those whom he met as he passed 
 through Natick and on toward Worcester, hum- 
 102 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 ming, singing, and whistling like a school-boy. 
 When he was away from the cares of his profes 
 sion, he was bubbling over with the mirth and 
 careless swing of youth, and it would have oc 
 curred to no one that he had ever anything to bur 
 den his mind other than the passing pleasures of 
 the moment. 
 
 As he neared Worcester, he noticed from time 
 to time little groups of men, some walking along 
 the highway toward the west, others gathered 
 under the shade of the trees, talking earnestly. 
 At first it did not occur to him who these men 
 were, but it finally came to him that they were 
 recruits going to join Shays in the west. 
 
 Perry was not a coward. On the contrary, he 
 was rather reckless, and feared no one. But he 
 had, nevertheless, thought it prudent to put on his 
 homespun costume before leaving Dedham, for it 
 was important that he should reach his destination 
 without delay, as he had given himself none too 
 much time, and recent occurrences, coupled with 
 the recollection of his meeting with Shays between 
 Barre and Princeton, had convinced him that the 
 less cause he gave the people for suspecting his 
 calling and destination, the less chance there would 
 be of his being detained and questioned. As he 
 rode past the groups of people, he was sure that 
 103 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 he had acted wisely, for they simply cast side 
 glances at him, and then resumed their conversa 
 tion. So it was that he rode into Worcester and 
 up to the inn where he had passed the night not 
 many days before. The keeper recognized him, 
 and saluted him civilly. 
 
 " You re a great traveller, sir," said the host, as 
 Perry entered the tap-room. " I wish there were 
 more like you. Business is bad, sir, very bad, 
 and many don t pay at all. There s a hard lot 
 passing through here now. They tell me that 
 some of em have broken gaol, and that others 
 are only fit to be there. How are matters in 
 Boston, sir ? " 
 
 " Comparatively quiet. There is very little dis 
 turbance as yet in the eastern counties, although 
 Bristol and Middlesex show signs of giving gov 
 ernment trouble, and a few of the towns of Norfolk 
 contain those who are discontented. But on the 
 whole we ve not much to fear. Has our friend 
 Captain Shays been here lately? He must be 
 near here now." 
 
 "So near, sir, that I d not be surprised at a 
 visit from him at any moment. He s flying around 
 the country like a mad man, and from what the 
 frequenters of my tap-room say, I should think he 
 was gathering quite a following from among the 
 104 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 farmers. It s a shame, sir, that he s allowed to 
 be at large." 
 
 " It won t be for long, for General Shepard will 
 be on hand to meet him at Springfield, and I doubt 
 if he 11 escape from him. I wish that the farmers 
 would keep out of this. They re but digging their 
 own graves. I m sure that patience is all that is 
 needed." 
 
 " Who needs patience? " said the voice of a man 
 behind him, entering the door. 
 
 Perry turned quickly and saw before him a man 
 dressed in an old continental uniform; his legs 
 spread apart, and his hands on his hips. The 
 three-cornered hat was tipped forward, shading his 
 heavy features, and for a moment the young man 
 did not recognize him. As he threw back his head, 
 however, William noticed who it was, and an expres 
 sion of disgust came over his face as he answered, 
 
 " / need patience sometimes, Captain Shays, and 
 especially when I m interrupted in a conversation 
 with a friend. Wait until you re addressed before 
 you ask questions." 
 
 Shays looked at him with an amused smile. 
 Then he lounged forward, and stopping in the mid 
 dle of the room, said, examining Perry closely, 
 
 " Whew ! Pon my sword it s my young friend. 
 How d ye do, Mr. Lawyer ? We ve great luck 
 105 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 in meeting, ain t we? This is an unexpected 
 pleasure." 
 
 "Speak for yourself, Captain Shays," replied 
 Perry, returning his gaze. " I can t say that it 
 is entirely unexpected to me. I knew you were 
 skulking round here somewhere. Nor can I say 
 that it s any great pleasure. I was perfectly satis 
 fied before you appeared." 
 
 " You don t say so," said Shays, bowing. " But 
 I see you ve taken my advice, even if you don t 
 like my company. A wise move, sir, to put on 
 them clothes," and he burst out into a hoarse laugh. 
 " Let s christen em in a glass of punch, Mr. 
 Lawyer. Our host here is very obliging, and 
 he ll serve us at once." 
 
 The keeper was about to pour out the punch 
 when Perry stopped him. 
 
 "One moment," he said, looking calmly at 
 Shays. " There are two reasons why he will not 
 serve that punch, Captain Daniel Shays, and if 
 you 11 listen quietly I 11 tell you what they are. 
 First, I 11 not drink with you ; second, you have n t 
 any intention of paying for it. There s one thing, 
 Captain Shays, that I wish you to understand. 
 I m a college-bred lawyer." The other smiled 
 contemptuously. "Yes, sir, I m a college-bred 
 lawyer, who is on his way to the opening of the 
 106 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Supreme Court in Springfield. I m aware of the 
 fact that you have a dislike for men of my profes 
 sion, and that you hold them in contempt ; but 
 before you attempt any of your bullying here, I 
 wish to give you a piece of information, together 
 with some good advice. I followed yours ; do as 
 I Ve done. I entered college at the age of four 
 teen and left it when I was eighteen. While there 
 I was particularly interested in athletic sports, 
 and boxed, lifted, fenced, wrestled, and shot the 
 pistol. After my graduation, there was given in 
 Boston an exhibition which included tests of skill 
 with the sword and pistol, and trials of strength. 
 Of eighty-two youths who contested, I was first in 
 everything, and I Ve gained rather than lost in 
 efficiency during the last seven years. This is the 
 information I wished to give you. Now for the 
 advice. Unless you have friends within hailing 
 distance I advise you to get out of that door before 
 I put you out. Ah ! you prefer the rapier ? Mine s 
 here," he went on, putting his hand to his side. 
 " I m quite willing you should remain on those 
 terms." Shays looked at him a moment, then 
 laughed a little nervously and said, 
 
 " I don t want to quarrel with you, Mr. Lawyer. 
 I came in here to get a drink, for I knew it was a 
 quiet place. You talk mighty big, and if I had 
 107 
 

 Captain Shays. 
 
 time I d have a bout with ye, but I ain t, so I 11 
 take my punch and be moving on." 
 
 "And you ll pay for it before you go, too," 
 Perry answered, stepping between him and the 
 keeper. 
 
 "Damn it, who ever said I was n t going to pay 
 for it but you ? " said Shays, stopping short and 
 looking at him with an ugly expression. " Do ye 
 think I m to be browbeaten by such as you ? 
 Get out of my way," and he tried to pass. 
 
 " Captain Shays," said William, quietly holding 
 his ground, " I ve given you some good advice, 
 and you d better take it. You can pass and take 
 your punch, and I 11 go over to the door and wait 
 until you are ready to go." 
 
 Perry was starting across the room when he was 
 surprised to see two men entering the doorway. 
 They were evidently in a great hurry, and out of 
 breath. Seeing Shays, one of them called out, 
 
 "Come, cap n, be quick. There s trouble in 
 the tavern up at the other end of the town, and if 
 ye don t come quick there 11 be broken heads." 
 
 "What s the matter, Day?" said the captain, 
 about to raise the glass to his lips. " Have those 
 damned rascals got full of ale again ? " 
 
 "They have, cap n, and we ought to be on the 
 march now, for I ve heard this afternoon that 
 1 08 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 that old rat Shepard is trying to get the militia into 
 Springfield ahead of us." 
 
 " Well, my friend Mr. Lawyer," said Shays, " I 
 can t wait to attend to you now, for I ve more im 
 portant business. But we ve been in the habit of 
 meeting lately, so I guess we 11 do it again before 
 long. The next time I may not be quite so pleas 
 ant. Good-night. Sorry you would n t join me in 
 the punch." 
 
 Perry deigned no answer, but turning his back 
 on him, walked up to where the keeper was stand 
 ing with an anxious expression. 
 
 " Cheer up, my man," he said, with a reassuring 
 laugh. " He s well out of the way now, and won t 
 trouble you again. That s the only way to handle 
 such a man as he is, for any one can see that he is 
 a bully, and when it comes to real fighting he 11 
 prove a coward, and will run as fast as any of them. 
 I Ve no doubt that he d like to get a chance at 
 me, but he ll be out of the way by morning, so 
 I 11 trouble you to get me supper, and then I 11 go 
 to bed." 
 
 " All right, sir, I 11 get it ready. I m obliged to 
 you for protecting my rights, but I hope, sir, he 
 won t come back here. He s a reckless fellow, 
 and there s no telling what he d do." 
 
 " Give yourself no anxiety. He s got all he can 
 109 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 attend to, to keep his followers in order, and he 
 wants to get to Springfield before Shepard. It s 
 a shame that decent, well-meaning men join him 
 and his mob, but they re desperate, and I suppose 
 don t know what to do. I m sorry, though, that 
 you should have been startled by him. As for 
 myself, I have n t the least anxiety. He 11 be well 
 on his way by to-morrow, and only he and one or 
 two others know me, and they re in a hurry. If it 
 was n t for that they might lie in wait for me, and 
 give me some annoyance ; but under the circum 
 stances, I 11 go ahead unconcerned." 
 
 " I 11 be glad when this is all over," said the 
 keeper, with a sigh, as he was laying the table. 
 " If it was known that he d been here to-night I 
 would n t have a decent customer for a month. 
 They re all in terror of him, sir, and you re the 
 first that I ve known to dare to answer him. He 
 and his men have been having pretty much their 
 own way about here for some time, and the Lord 
 be praised that they re off to-night. If they 
 don t come back and burn my house first, I 11 be 
 thankful." 
 
 Perry smiled, and ate his supper. When he had 
 
 finished he lighted a pipe and went outside the 
 
 door to breathe the fresh air. He strolled down 
 
 toward the street, and was about to return, when 
 
 no 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 he noticed a red light in the sky over the north 
 western part of the town. At first he thought it 
 some reflection, but in a moment he saw that it 
 grew brighter, and danced in the heavens. Then 
 a tongue of flame shot up into the air, and almost 
 at the same instant he heard near him a cry of fire, 
 then another, and still another, until finally the 
 whole town seemed to be awakened, and rushing 
 in the direction of the conflagration. By this time 
 the bells in the church steeple were ringing the 
 alarm, and the whole town was in an uproar. 
 Perry watched a moment, then turned, ran into 
 the house, and taking his hat called the keeper : 
 
 " The town s on fire. Come quick and help 
 catch those rascals, for it s their work." 
 
 "I can t leave my house alone, sir, on such a 
 night as this," answered the keeper, in despair. 
 
 " Come out and tell me where you think it is. 
 You can judge better than I can." 
 
 The keeper hesitated, but went out and looked 
 in the direction of the fire. 
 
 "It s beyond the town, sir, and it s a good sign 
 that it is. I know from the direction that it s on 
 Blodget s farm, and from the height of the flames 
 it must be his barn. It s no use going after em, 
 sir, for it s a good two mile away, and they re 
 more than double that from here before now. Let 
 in 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 em go, for God s sake. That s the third barn in 
 as many weeks." 
 
 " Well, I guess you re right," answered Perry, a 
 little reluctantly. "It seems to be subsiding now, 
 and I ve got a long journey to-morrow, so good 
 night, and call me at sunrise." 
 
 With that he re-entered the house and went 
 to bed. 
 
 112 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 AS Perry rode out of Worcester the following 
 morning, he did not feel at all sure that his 
 trip to Petersham would be a pleasant one, for 
 notwithstanding his assurances to the keeper the 
 night before, he knew very well that Shays would 
 not forget him, and would lose no opportunity of 
 repaying him for his words and actions in the 
 tavern. That Shays was a coward was distinctly 
 proved, but Perry was also aware that he was 
 revengeful, and that he would probably speak to 
 his sympathizers along the road with hopes of 
 getting some one to do the work which he did not 
 have the time to do himself. These thoughts gave 
 him little anxiety, however, and only served to 
 make him watchful for the first few miles, and 
 then he burst out into song again, and before 
 he had rounded Mount Wachusett had forgotten 
 all about Shays and his henchmen. As the first 
 glimpse of Monadnock met his eyes, he began to 
 8 113 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 think of his errand to Petersham, and how he 
 should go about it. 
 
 "I can ask that old pirate," he thought, "or 
 perhaps it would be better to inquire of his fair 
 daughter," he went on with a laugh. " But better 
 still will be to find out at the tavern, for I Ve got 
 to spend the night there." He again relapsed into 
 humming, and for some time seemed absorbed in 
 thought. Finally these thoughts passed through 
 his mind in rapid succession. 
 
 U I wish that old miser Piper was in Hades. 
 It s probably some poor hard-working farmer he s 
 after, and I don t like the business. But Ames is 
 not a man to undertake anything unfair, so I 11 go 
 ahead. It 11 help me if it s known that he s con 
 fided his matters to me, and I can t afford to be 
 too sensitive. What s that church on the hill ? 
 Ah ! Rutland. Well, it is n t far to Barre now, 
 and I 11 have to be on the lookout there. My old 
 friends may recognize me if they have n t joined 
 their Daniel." 
 
 He went on across the valley, keeping a little 
 more careful watch, for the woods were thick, and 
 he did not wish to be caught unawares. He met 
 a number of people, some of whom were evidently 
 on Shays trail ; but as he always bowed with 
 a pleasant good-day, they passed on without pay- 
 114 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 ing him any particular attention. At last he 
 reached the ford over the river, where he dis 
 mounted and sat down on a stone, holding the 
 bridle while his horse drank. He had sat musing 
 for a few moments when he thought he heard 
 horses galloping up the road in the direction from 
 which he had just come. He listened a minute 
 longer, then got up slowly, mounted his horse, and 
 began fording the stream. The sound of the 
 galloping came nearer, and just as he reached 
 the opposite bank he turned and saw three horse 
 men approaching the other side of the river. He 
 was about to continue his journey when he heard 
 one of the men calling, 
 
 " Say, Mr. Lawyer, we almost missed ye, did n t 
 we ? The cap n would like to meet ye again, and 
 he s sent us to look ye up. Jest wait a minute 
 until we cross." 
 
 As Perry wheeled round he thought he recog 
 nized two of the men as those who had called Shays 
 away from the inn in Worcester. After examining 
 them a moment, he called back, 
 
 "What does Captain Shays want of me? I 
 thought he had enough last night ; but if he is n t 
 satisfied I 11 be happy to meet him in Springfield. 
 I m in a hurry now, so I can t stop to speak to 
 you." 
 
 "5 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 11 1 rather guess you 11 stop, Mr. Lawyer," said 
 the man, drawing his pistol, and aiming it at Perry 
 across the stream, which at this point was only 
 a few rods wide, and shallow. "He s kind of 
 tetchy, Cap n Shays is, and he feels a little hurt 
 at the way ye spoke to him last night, and I guess 
 he d like to speak to ye himself. Jest wait where 
 you are until we ford the river." 
 
 " I 11 wait where I am, and you 11 have a hard 
 job reaching me," said Perry, drawing his pistol 
 like a flash, and covering the man with it. " What 
 button would you like to have me mutilate on that 
 pea-green coat of yours ? I advise you, my friend, 
 to lower that pistol, and ride away to your captain. 
 Otherwise, you may find it difficult." 
 
 The other laughed and said, 
 
 " I guess three of us can catch one, so don t 
 be foolish." 
 
 " There was an old Roman who kept off more 
 than three," said Perry, still covering the man, 
 " and they were n t such damned rascals as you 
 are, either. Fire away, if you want to," he went 
 on, noticing the man s high and unsteady aim. 
 " I m perfectly willing. But mind what I say. If 
 you do and miss me, just say a little prayer, for 
 you ll need it." 
 
 " I in sorry, Mr. Lawyer, to have to do it, but 
 116 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 my order is to bring ye to the cap n, and if I can t 
 get ye no other way, to jest kind of calm ye down 
 with a bullet. So put down your pistol." 
 
 " I 11 put you down, you scoundrel," said Perry, 
 taking a good sight and pulling the trigger. 
 
 The pistol dropped from the man s hand and his 
 arm fell to his side helpless. 
 
 " He s hit me, boys," he groaned ; " shoot him 
 quick, and then get across. I 11 slip off and bathe 
 my hand." 
 
 In the mean time Perry had drawn his fresh 
 pistol and covered one of the other men. The 
 next moment there were two reports, and two 
 bullets whizzed by his head in rather uncomfort 
 able proximity. He waited a minute and then 
 called out : 
 
 " I don t want to take any unfair advantage, 
 but I guess I 11 just put a ball through your 
 shoulder. There," he said, as he pulled the 
 trigger, and the man, with a scream, put his hand 
 up to his collar-bone, " now you are at liberty to 
 move on. I m sorry to have inconvenienced you 
 two gentlemen, and to have caused your friend to 
 beat a retreat, but with a little care you 11 be all 
 right in a few days. I m afraid Captain Shays 
 didn t inform you of what I told him last night. 
 If he had you d have been more careful. Feeling 
 
 "7 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 a little better now? Well, good-day. The next 
 time I have so good a chance I 11 take better 
 advantage of it." 
 
 With a laugh he turned his horse about and 
 galloped away up the road toward Barre. 
 
 " They could n t have hit the side of a barn," he 
 thought, as he walked his horse up the steep pitch 
 leading into the town. " Of course they might 
 have touched me by mistake, but from the way 
 they held their pistols I could see there was no 
 danger. It is getting rather disagreeable though, 
 and I 11 be glad when I get among civilized peo 
 ple. Here I am in the town. I 11 get a bite and 
 rest an hour, and then move on to Petersham. 
 I ve winged those two vultures, and they won t 
 trouble any one to-day, and they can t get word 
 to Shays in time for a new departure. The fellow 
 in the tavern here is all right, so I can rest 
 quietly." 
 
 An hour later he was on his way to Petersham. 
 The afternoon was bright and cool, and as he 
 jogged along the sandy road he looked over the 
 many-colored rolling country to the southeast, 
 where the round summit of Wachusett stood out 
 against the clear autumn sky. Perry wondered 
 what mysteries were hidden in the shadows of 
 those valleys, which seemed so peaceful as his 
 118 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 gaze wandered over them from hill to hill. He 
 could hear no sound save the soughing of the wind 
 through the pines, and no living object was in 
 sight. And still, he knew there were people there 
 with their joys and their sorrows. What a small 
 and insignificant thing man is ! Then he smiled, 
 for these thoughts seemed strange to him. 
 
 " The first thing I know I 11 be becoming a 
 philosopher, and I can t imagine anything more 
 disagreeable. I must come down from my flight 
 of fancy and think about my plan of action when 
 I reach the end of my day s journey." Then speak 
 ing aloud to the mare, he said, "Well, Molly, 
 are you getting tired, old girl? We haven t 
 much farther to go to-night. There s Monad- 
 nock, and to the left the steeple of Petersham 
 meetinghouse. Steady, girl, down this hill, it s 
 steep." 
 
 He wound up round the pitch beyond the brook, 
 and was soon going out from under the elms down 
 the ledge to the tavern. The sun was setting over 
 the village two miles to the west when he stopped 
 before the door of the inn, a peculiar structure 
 composed of two two-story hip-roofed houses joined 
 together by a long shed. In one part was the store, 
 about which were gathered several of the towns 
 people, discussing the news. But Perry was too 
 119 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 tired to pay much attention to them ; so, dismount 
 ing, he secured a room, and then strolled out into 
 the night air. 
 
 " This seems quiet enough, anyway," he mut 
 tered as he looked up and down the road. Turn 
 ing toward the house, he noticed inside the store a 
 little knot of people standing about, talking. 
 
 " Perhaps I 11 go in there and find out what I 
 want to know." He crossed the road and went in. 
 The men stopped their conversation and looked 
 askance at him. Seeing their attitude he said 
 pleasantly, 
 
 " Good-evening, gentlemen. I Ve just arrived, 
 and have come in to ask you where I can find 
 one Isaac Brown. I want to see him on busi 
 ness, and of course you know him." 
 
 " He s probably up to the house now. He don t 
 stay down to the shop after dark," answered one 
 of the men, rather shortly. 
 
 " Where is his house, if you please, sir ? " 
 
 "Jest up beyond here up the straight road. 
 First house." 
 
 Perry s expression changed. 
 
 "Why, that s where the blacksmith lives," he 
 said in surprise. "You don t tell me that this 
 Mr. Brown is the blacksmith ? " 
 
 " Well, why should n t he be ? Of course he s 
 120 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 the blacksmith, and his father and grandfather was 
 afore him," said the man. 
 
 "Thank you," stammered William, as he went 
 out onto the road again. "This is queer," he 
 mused, after he had closed the door behind him. 
 " I never suspected this revelation. I should have 
 said that this man was as well-to-do as any one 
 I met on my recent trip, and I m completely taken 
 by surprise. Besides, I m really almost afraid to 
 approach the old pirate. Well, I 11 wait until 
 morning anyway, and think it over, and perhaps 
 he 11 pay without a murmur, in which case I 11 
 have saved a good deal of trouble by stopping 
 here. I m pretty well used up after my day s 
 experiences, and I 11 run out to the stable and see 
 that Molly s all right, and then go to bed." 
 
 As he was going to his room a little later, he 
 thought : 
 
 " Ames bade me beware the dairy-maid. I m 
 inclined to think there was something prophetic 
 in that warning, but that it should be applied to 
 the father rather than the daughter. However, * A 
 demain] as the French say. I 11 wait until 
 to-morrow and see what turns up." 
 
 121 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 DEACON BROWN and his daughter were 
 seated in the kitchen eating their breakfast, 
 as the sun was rising over the tree-tops of the 
 grove beyond the pasture. The man s face was worn 
 and tired, for he had slept but little of late, and 
 had been far from well. He was looking out of 
 the window with a weary expression in his eyes, 
 and Ruth was watching him anxiously. He 
 started to speak once or twice, but seemed un 
 decided, and his eyes wandered again out toward 
 the orchard. At last he said, without changing his 
 position, and with hesitation, 
 
 " It s Friday, Ruth." 
 
 " I know it is, father," answered the girl, with an 
 effort at cheerfulness, " and you re feeling better, 
 are n t you ? " 
 
 He did not seem to notice her question. 
 
 " I ain t heard nothing more about them notes. 
 They re due to-day." 
 
 122 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Never mind about the notes, father," said 
 Ruth, going round the table and putting her hand 
 on his forehead. " Your head s hot, and it all 
 comes from your fretting so. You can t pay if you 
 have n t got the money, and you Ve promised me 
 not to think about it. Eat your breakfast, and 
 I 11 go down to the shop with you." 
 
 "It ain t so much their being able to make me 
 pay, Ruth. But I ve always paid my debts, and 
 I always will, if they 11 give me time. It ain t my 
 fault." 
 
 "Of course it isn t, father. If they d been 
 going to trouble you, you d have heard of it before 
 now. Just sit there while I do my work, and then 
 I 11 go with you and blow the bellows. I like to 
 do it, and it is n t hard a bit." 
 
 Deacon Brown did not answer, but still sat 
 gazing out of the window. At last he was roused 
 by Ruth s speaking to him. 
 
 " Come, father," she said brightly, " here s your 
 hat and coat. Put em on and we 11 get to work." 
 
 He turned his head, and a faint smile came over 
 his face. 
 
 " I never thought," he said with a sigh of resig 
 nation, " that I d ever be pulled round by a girl. 
 But ye seem to be a running me now, Ruth, and 
 for some reason I ain t able to gainsay ye. I 11 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 go, ma am. It s time to be getting to work, and 
 I dunno as it does any good to set here a worrying. 
 Yes," he went on, answering her question of some 
 moments before, " I m feeling a bit smarter 
 to-day, but them queer feelings is in my head yet. 
 I guess the air 11 do me good. Lock the shed and 
 barn. I don t want em taking my property when 
 I ain t here." 
 
 " They would n t do that, father. They have n t 
 any right to. You ve been thinking too much, 
 and you imagine all these things. Everything is 
 safe, so come along." 
 
 Her father obeyed without further protest, and 
 they walked down to the shop, and went silently 
 to work. In truth, there was not much to be done, 
 for the business of the forge had nearly died away, 
 and Deacon Brown often sat for hours peering out 
 of the window in rapt thought. When any one 
 brought a horse to be shod, or a tire to be set, he 
 would go about it in a half-hearted way, and when 
 it was done, relapse into melancholy, and sit and 
 sit, never speaking unless spoken to. Ruth 
 watched him constantly, and tried to cheer him 
 up, with but little success. 
 
 They had been in this position for half an hour 
 or more, when Ruth suddenly turned her head 
 toward the door and listened. She heard a foot- 
 124 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 step on the road, and instinctively she went to the 
 door and looked out. She uttered a little exclama 
 tion of surprise, and withdrew into the shop again. 
 Her father noticed it, and turning quickly said, 
 with more animation than he had shown for some 
 time past, 
 
 " What is it, Ruth ? Some one coming ? Why, 
 ye look nervous, girl." 
 
 He rose and started to go to the door, but 
 before he reached it was met by William Perry, 
 who was crossing the threshold, hat in hand. 
 Deacon Brown drew back, and the furrows deep 
 ened and his mouth contracted. 
 
 "Good-morning,. Mr. Brown, good-morning, 
 ma am," said Perry, bowing first to the deacon and 
 then to Ruth. " I hope I m not disturbing you." 
 
 " Good-morning, sir," answered Brown, shortly, 
 while Ruth dropped her eyes and courte>sied. 
 " Does your mare need shoeing again ? " 
 
 " No, sir," said Perry, assuming a pleasant man 
 ner. " I m passing through here again on my 
 way to Springfield. 
 
 " Going to the court, I suppose," said Brown, 
 trying to control himself, for he knew the young 
 man s profession. "It won t do ye no good. 
 Dan Shays is going there too, and 11 shut em up, 
 thank the Lord." 
 
 125 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I m sorry, Mr. Brown, that you feel so harshly 
 toward us poor lawyers," said Perry, with a little 
 laugh. " We re much like other humans, and at 
 present it seems to me that we have about as hard 
 a time of it as any one. We have to bear the 
 blame for all the ills that are being suffered, and 
 I think unjustly." 
 
 Brown stared at him, and his face grew red as he 
 answered vehemently, 
 
 " What do ye suffer except what ye deserve ? 
 I know what ye lawyers are, and how ye make 
 your money, and how ye spend it, while we poor 
 country folks are starving. Don t come here to 
 me, sir, to make any excuses. I Ve got more n I 
 can bear now, and be careful how ye talk to me, 
 for my patience is about at an end." 
 
 He looked at Perry savagely, and then went on : 
 " I Ve had more n I can bear, I tell ye, and I 
 don t want to be troubled with anything more." 
 
 Perry had expected something of this kind, and 
 was therefore prepared to meet it. 
 
 "You are not quite fair, Mr. Brown," he said 
 pleasantly. " Listen to me, sir, and I 11 prove to 
 you that I Ve also something to trouble me. I Ve 
 been educated as a lawyer, and I Ve no other way 
 of supporting myself than at the bar. Since I was 
 a child I Ve been alone, without parents or rela- 
 126 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 tions, and I Ve had to depend upon my own efforts 
 to secure an education, and my livelihood. You 
 wish me to be deprived of my only means of sup 
 porting myself. Is that right ? " 
 
 Deacon Brown still looked at him as before. 
 
 " That all sounds very pretty, sir, but it don t do 
 me no good. Perhaps ye have worked hard, and 
 perhaps ye don t know anything but your damnable 
 business. So much less credit to ye, sir. Why 
 don t ye give it up and take to some honest calling ? 
 A lawyer s a lawyer, same as any other thief s a 
 thief, and that *s all to it." 
 
 Perry controlled himself, for he really began to 
 feel angry. 
 
 " I see it s no use trying to convince you, Mr. 
 Brown, so I 11 come directly to the point without 
 any further discussion. The truth is, sir, that I ve 
 come to see you on a matter of business " 
 
 He stopped short at the low cry from Ruth, and 
 at the expression which came over her father s 
 face. It grew pale as death, and his hands began 
 to tremble as he stared into William s eyes. 
 
 " What business have ye with me, sir ? " said the 
 blacksmith, slowly, in a hoarse voice. 
 
 Perry made another effort and went on, 
 
 " I wrote you a note a few days ago. My name 
 is Perry." 
 
 127 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Brown stared at him another moment, then the 
 storm which had been pent up so long burst forth 
 in all its fury. He clenched his great fists and 
 raised them above his head. His face and arms 
 grew red, and the veins swelled out on them. His 
 eyes were bloodshot, and his voice trembled as he 
 said, 
 
 " Your name is Perry, and ye re the one that 
 wrote me about them notes, are ye? Get out of 
 my shop before I strangle ye or put the red-hot 
 iron on ye, ye rascally little thief ! Away with ye ! 
 Do ye suppose I d pay ye the money even if I had 
 it ? No ! No ! " he roared, bringing his fists to 
 gether with a loud report. 
 
 " Ah, father, father ! " cried Ruth, coming up to 
 him and taking his hands, " you re not doing 
 right to speak so and get so angry. The gentle 
 man has said nothing hard to you." 
 
 " Leave me be, girl," he said, pushing her away. 
 " I Ve told ye that I could n t and would n t pay 
 them notes, and I mean what I say." 
 
 " Mr. Brown " began Perry. 
 
 " Away with ye quick, or I can t hold back," 
 said the blacksmith, taking a step forward, and 
 raising his fists again. 
 
 " Very well, sir," answered Perry, quietly, " I 
 came here intending to find out just how this 
 128 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 matter stood No, listen to me now, for I Ve 
 little more to say I came here to see if I could 
 not help you in some way to make a settlement 
 of this case which would be satisfactory to both 
 parties; but you have given me no chance to speak, 
 and have done nothing but heap abuse upon me. 
 You are a comparatively old man, and in the pres 
 ence of your daughter, so I 11 not resent it other 
 wise than in what I shall say. I m sorry for you, 
 Mr. Brown, as I am sorry for all those who are suf 
 fering under the burden of taxation and debt, and 
 I therefore forgive your unjust censure of me and 
 my profession. God knows that I would do any 
 thing in my power to assist you and others like 
 you, and make it more easy for you to live. But 
 neither I nor any one else can do aught so long as 
 you and other farmers give yourselves up to your 
 passions and prejudices, and follow the leadership 
 of such men as Daniel Shays, who think of no 
 one s good but their own. You refuse to let me 
 speak of this claim against you. I 11 not do so 
 then, but will let the law take its course, when, had 
 you been a little more compromising and less 
 bitter, you might have been saved this. I go to 
 Springfield, and come back this way in about ten 
 days. Because I feel sorry for you I promise you 
 not to bring suit until I return to Boston. If you 
 9 129 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 change your mind before I pass through Petersham 
 again, we can talk matters over then; if not, I 
 must do as the law directs, and as is required of 
 me by my client. Good-day, sir. Think of what I 
 have said to you." He bowed stiffly, and passing 
 out of the door walked quickly toward the tavern. 
 
 When he was gone, Deacon Brown sank heavily 
 on the stool, and putting his arm on the bench laid 
 his head upon it. Ruth went quickly up to him 
 and took him by the shoulder. 
 
 " Father," she said, her eyes full of tears, 
 "you did n t mean to do it, but you Ve driven away 
 the only friend we had. I m going up to the house 
 now. Close the shop and come with me." 
 
 Deacon Brown raised his head and looked at 
 her. His eyes were blood-shot and staring. With 
 out a word he picked up his coat and hat, and 
 followed her up over the mowing and into the shed. 
 " You stay here, father. I m going out to the 
 barn a minute. Bathe your head and lie down a 
 spell. Promise me you won t go out till I come 
 back." 
 
 " I m feeling kind of tired," said Brown. " Leave 
 me a while, and I 11 rest." 
 
 Ruth put on her bonnet, and going out of the 
 shed door, ran quickly across the fields in the 
 direction of Petersham village. 
 130 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 WILLIAM PERRY went quickly to the tavern 
 and ordered his horse. For the first time 
 in his life he felt excited, and for the first time the 
 feeling of care and seriousness did not leave him 
 as he mounted Molly and started round the bend 
 of the road toward Petersham village. This 
 whole affair had made a profound and lasting 
 impression on him for many reasons. He had 
 thought this blacksmith prosperous, and when he 
 learned his mistake, when he saw how this man 
 was suffering, a new picture of the condition of the 
 people came up before him. He had been aware 
 that there was much distress, but not that it was 
 universal, and he had spoken of this man as an 
 exception to the general rule. It now seemed to 
 him that if Brown s case was as bad as it appeared, 
 there must indeed be still more cause for grum 
 bling than he had hitherto imagined. 
 
 Another thing that made him think was Ruth s 
 careworn face. Since he saw her last her cheeks 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 had grown pale, her bright smile had been super 
 seded by a sad one, and her large brown eyes had 
 grown dull and listless. It was such a short time 
 since he had heard her merry laugh that he could 
 not quite understand whence the change in her 
 came, for he saw clearly that her father s embar 
 rassment could not be of recent beginning, and he 
 thought that the daughter must have known of it for, 
 some time past. As he climbed the hill beyond 
 the blacksmith shop, he pondered matters thus : 
 
 "It s too bad, but what can I do? He s un 
 reasonable, like the rest of them. I was right when 
 I told him that we lawyers had something to bear 
 as well as other people ! Were I to refuse all hard 
 cases like his, how could I live? It s about all 
 we have now." 
 
 He meditated a moment, then continued, 
 
 " I ve really no right to postpone action, and I 
 don t know that Ames will approve. He made no 
 mistake when he told me to beware the dairy-maid, 
 for it was her appealing looks that decided me. 
 If she had n t been there, I m afraid I d have 
 done something rash, for the old rascal was really 
 insulting." 
 
 He had now reached the top of the hill, and was 
 beginning to descend toward the bridge by the 
 dam and the saw-mill. On his right was a high 
 132 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 bank crowned by a thick woods, and he thought 
 once or twice that he heard a crackling sound 
 above him, and involuntarily his hand went to his 
 pistol, for his experiences of the last two days had 
 taught him caution. He had nearly reached the 
 foot of the hill when he heard a louder noise than 
 before, and turning quickly, he saw a young woman 
 hurrying through the trees toward the road. He 
 stopped short and lifted his hat. Before him stood 
 Ruth Brown. For some moments neither spoke. 
 Then Ruth raised her eyes and said hesitatingly, 
 and with a gasp, 
 
 " I knew you d have to pass this way, sir, and 
 I Ve run down to speak to you." Her eyes 
 dropped again, and she waited. 
 
 " You really startled me, Miss Brown," answered 
 Perry, with a smile. " You re quite out of breath. 
 Rest a moment, and I 11 dismount and let Molly 
 feed by the roadside. There." 
 
 A minute later Ruth looked up again and said 
 with appealing eyes, 
 
 " I Ve come to ask you not to be too hard on 
 poor father, sir. He is n t well, and I don t think 
 he meant to treat you as he did. He s about 
 broken-hearted." 
 
 Perry smiled, and tried to speak naturally as he 
 answered, 
 
 133 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Miss Brown, I know as well as you do how 
 much your father is suffering, and I 11 try not to 
 press him too hard. My duties are painful, and I 
 fear that this is not appreciated. I Ve promised 
 to wait until my return. Is this not enough ? " 
 
 " I m afraid not, sir. Supposing the man who 
 lent him the money comes up here again ? It 
 would kill my father. I sometimes think his mind 
 is going, and I want to help him before it s too 
 late. Isn t there anything I can do to get the 
 money for him ? " 
 
 Perry looked at her, and an expression of com 
 passion came into his eyes as he replied, 
 
 " He ought to be satisfied to have so brave a 
 daughter as you are, Miss Brown. But three hun 
 dred dollars in these days are not easy to get, even 
 for a hard-working man. But you need not worry 
 about Piper. The notes are here," he went on, 
 tapping his pocket, "and without them there is 
 little danger of his coming here. I can advise you 
 how to help your father, though. Try to make 
 him see that I m not unjust, and make him speak 
 with me when I come back." 
 
 Ruth shook her head sadly. 
 
 " It s no use, sir. He s made up his mind that 
 he s being robbed, and I Ve tried to change him. 
 It s no use. Then you can do nothing for us ? " 
 134 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Perry hesitated. He saw before him this girl, 
 so lonely, so troubled, and he did not know what 
 to answer. She had come to him to ask his help, 
 and his tender heart was touched. But what 
 could he do? One of the leading members of 
 the bar had confided to his care the interest of 
 a client, and he must do his duty at whatever 
 cost. For a while his eyes rested on the mill, 
 and he thought. Then he turned and met those of 
 the girl, and a feeling of indecision came over him. 
 
 " Does your father owe much besides this three 
 hundred dollars ? " he said, suddenly. 
 
 " The farm is mortgaged, sir, and must be paid 
 next month." 
 
 " For how much ? " 
 
 " Five hundred dollars, sir." 
 
 " And how much is the farm worth ? " 
 
 " Father says it s worth eight hundred, sir." 
 
 Perry was silent again. The girl looked at him 
 with wide-open eyes as if expecting him to speak. 
 Finally he said, 
 
 " Will you trust me, Miss Brown ? " 
 
 " I 11 trust you, sir." 
 
 " Then listen carefully to what I tell you. I 11 
 write to my client to-night that these notes will be 
 paid. Tell your father this. This will prevent 
 any chance of his coming to you. I shall be back 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 here in less than two weeks unless Captain Shays 
 succeeds in putting a bullet through me before 
 then. Perhaps by that time something will occur 
 to us, and we may be able then to make a settle 
 ment. In the mean while do what you can to quiet 
 your father." 
 
 The tears came to Ruth s eyes, and Perry looked 
 down toward the mill again. 
 
 " You are very, very kind," said the girl, going 
 up to him and putting out her hand. 
 
 Perry took it, and said gently, 
 
 " I wish I could do more for you, but even now 
 I m taking a responsibility beyond what is my 
 right." 
 
 " I thank you for it, and I know you 11 never 
 repent it. As for father, I 11 try to make him see 
 that it s all right. I hope he 11 understand." 
 
 " Miss Brown," said Perry, abruptly, " you have 
 changed much since I saw you a short time ago. 
 Why is it?" 
 
 " It was only after you went away that he told 
 me all his troubles. It has been very hard since 
 then, and I m tired. I shall feel better now." 
 
 " Is your father in need of money now ? " 
 
 " I m afraid he is, but he won t tell me, and says 
 that it s only the notes and mortgage that s fret 
 ting him." 
 
 136 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Perry hesitated again. Finally he said, rising 
 and going up to the mare, which was browsing 
 near by, 
 
 " I must go now, for my time s short. Keep up 
 a brave heart until I come back, Miss Brown, and 
 then I will do what I can for you." 
 
 He lifted his hat, vaulted into the saddle, 
 and rode down the hill, over the bridge, and on 
 toward the village. 
 
 Ruth stood looking after him until he had dis 
 appeared round the curve, then dropped on a 
 stone, and covering her eyes with her hands, wept 
 bitterly. 
 
 " Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! " she sobbed. " Father 11 
 never listen to him, and won t believe me. I 11 
 try my best, though," she went on, rising and 
 climbing the bank toward the woods. * I Ve 
 been away too long already, and father 11 wonder 
 where I am. I must hurry home." She walked 
 rapidly under the trees, over the brook, and up 
 the mowing toward the house. It was after ten 
 o clock now, and the day was very hot, and Ruth 
 very tired. At last, exhausted, she went into the 
 kitchen and called her father, 
 
 " Father ! Father ! Where are you ? I ve got 
 good news for you." 
 
 There was no answer. 
 
 137 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " He s down to the shop, I guess. I 11 get 
 dinner ready early, for I don t think he ll stop 
 long to-day." 
 
 She went about her work with a lighter heart 
 than she had felt for some time, although she 
 could not explain to herself why it was, for she 
 had really little hope of persuading her father. 
 Yet she saw a ray of light, and thought that per 
 haps, after all, the sky would clear. When dinner 
 time came she set the table, and then strolled out 
 to the door to wait. 
 
 " He s late," she thought, not seeing him coming 
 up the road or over the field. " I guess I 11 
 run down and meet him. He can t be long 
 now." 
 
 When she got about half-way down the mowing 
 she stopped and waited again. 
 
 " He ought to be coming by this time. He s 
 never as late as this," she thought. 
 
 She started on a run and was soon at the door of 
 the smithy. It was locked. She hurried round to 
 the window and looked in. The shop was empty, 
 and she knew by the forge and the position of the 
 hammer that her father had not been there. A 
 sudden fright seized her, and she called out, 
 
 " Father ! Father ! Where are you ? " 
 
 Then she listened a moment, turned, and ran up 
 
 133 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 the hill toward the barn. Her heart was beating 
 violently as she opened the barn-door and again 
 called, 
 
 " Father ! come in, dinner s ready." 
 
 There was no response save the chirp of the 
 swallows sailing in and out above her. She went 
 in and looked about. All at once she gave a great 
 cry. 
 
 " The horse is gone, and the saddle and bridle. 
 What s he doing ? Where s he gone to ? " 
 
 Suddenly she stopped and laughed nervously. 
 
 " It s after me that he s gone. Why did n t I 
 think of it ? I told him I d only be away a minute, 
 and stayed over an hour. How silly I am. But I 
 do feel so tired and weak. I 11 go into the house 
 and wait and rest a bit. I ought n t to have stayed 
 so long, and worried him." 
 
 She returned to the house, and sitting down by 
 the kitchen-table rested her head on her arm. 
 
 " I knew he was kind and would try to help 
 us, the first time I saw him," she said half aloud. 
 " Perhaps the ride will do father good, and he may 
 be more reasonable when he comes back." 
 
 She started at every sound, and finally got up 
 and passed out of the door and looked up and 
 down the road. 
 
 " He ought to be back before this, though," she 
 139 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 thought. "He knows I would n t stay after din 
 ner-time." 
 
 Then she went into the kitchen again and fed 
 the fire. The minutes and hours passed by, and 
 still Ruth waited. At last she put on her bonnet, 
 and walked rapidly down the hill toward the 
 tavern. 
 
 140 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 " Q AMU EL," said Jerry Piper, looking up from 
 
 O between the leaves of a large volume he 
 was examining carefully, " has the post come yet ? " 
 
 There was a sudden snort from the front room, 
 and the sound of the forelegs of a chair striking 
 the floor. Then a thick voice answered, 
 
 " Did you speak, Mr. Piper? I was thinking." 
 
 " You were asleep, you rascal," squeaked Piper, 
 clapping the book together and rising. " Yes, I 
 did speak. Has the post arrived ? " 
 
 " No, it ain t, Mr. Piper." 
 
 " How do you know it has n t, Samuel, snoring 
 away there like a volcano ? They might rob me 
 of everything if I was n t here to watch." 
 
 " I ve been watching carefully, Mr. Piper, and 
 the post ain t come." 
 
 " Those notes of Brown s were due last Friday, 
 Samuel, and I Ve had no word about them. I 11 
 have to go up again if I don t hear soon. How 
 141 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 am I to leave if you don t mend your ways, Samuel ? 
 I can t trust you." 
 
 " Have n t you trusted me before, Mr. Piper, and 
 have you ever lost by it?" answered his clerk, 
 looking at him with his little red eyes. 
 
 "Yes, I have trusted you. But you re getting 
 worse and worse, and these are dangerous times. 
 I 11 have to risk it, though, if I don t hear soon. 
 I had no business to give the notes to that young 
 lawyer. I 11 wait until to-morrow, and if I don t 
 hear by then, I 11 go myself. Wake up, Samuel, 
 for I m going out for an hour." 
 
 He went back into the rear room, took his hat 
 and cane, and hobbled out of the door and down 
 the street. After he was gone, Samuel stretched 
 himself, rubbed his eyes, got up and waddled to 
 the door and watched his master until he turned 
 the corner and was out of sight. Then he went 
 back, sat down, and taking out a pipe and flint, 
 began to smoke. 
 
 " I don t get no comfort these days," he mut 
 tered as he tipped back in his chair and blew the 
 smoke from him. " He s getting awful particular 
 lately. I 11 make the most of this hour, anyway." 
 He settled himself back and closed his eyes. He 
 had scarcely done so, when he was roused by 
 some one entering the door ; and opening his eyes 
 142 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 quickly he saw before him a large man with bris 
 tling red beard and hair, and wild, staring eyes. 
 
 " Where s Mr. Piper ? " said the stranger, look 
 ing about the shop hurriedly. 
 
 " He s just gone out, sir. I m his clerk, and 
 can attend to all his business when he s away. 
 What is it ? 
 
 " I want to see Piper, I tell ye. When 11 he 
 be back ? Where s he gone to ? " 
 
 " In less than an hour. I don t know where he 
 has gone to." 
 
 " He ain t gone out of town, has he ? " asked the 
 newcomer, eying Samuel suspiciously. " Be 
 careful and tell the truth. I ain t taking no lies 
 from no one to-day. He ain t gone to Peters 
 ham ? " 
 
 Samuel bounded like a rubber ball. 
 
 " No, Mr. Brown, he ain t. He 11 be back soon, 
 and he s kind of expecting you, I guess. Jest 
 take a chair," and he pushed forward one of the 
 weary-looking pieces of furniture. 
 
 Deacon Brown covered him with his bloodshot 
 eyes, and the furrows between them deepened. 
 
 " How d ye know who I was ? Who told ye 
 who I was ? " he answered, going up to Samuel 
 and clapping his big hand on the clerk s shoulder. 
 " Tell me, quick, or I 11 shake the life out of ye." 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " You told me yourself, sir," groaned the man, 
 trying to pull away from the blacksmith s iron 
 grasp. 
 
 " No, I did n t neither," answered Brown, giving 
 him a shake. " Out with it, quick. I ain t taking 
 no more nonsense from ye thieves down here." 
 
 " You said Petersham," gasped Samuel, in 
 despair. " You re pinching me, sir, and I m 
 telling you the truth. I knew that Mr. Piper had 
 only one customer in Petersham, and that he was 
 expecting to hear about " 
 
 " About what ? " said Deacon Brown, giving 
 him a more vigorous shake than before. 
 
 " About some business between you," whined 
 the man. 
 
 " Oh ! " said Brown, letting go the frightened 
 Samuel s arm. " Well, I guess I 11 wait. Ye re 
 sure he 11 be back ? If he ain t I 11 take it out of 
 ye instead," and he sat down heavily, rolling his 
 eyes about the room. Every few minutes he 
 glanced at the door, and moved impatiently, mut 
 tering to himself. In the mean while Samuel had 
 stolen quietly into the back room, whence he 
 watched his visitor with apprehension. Deacon 
 Brown had been seated with eyes and ears strained 
 in the direction of the lane for nearly half an hour, 
 when a shadow appeared outside the door, and the 
 144 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 next moment the lean, bent figure of the money 
 lender passed through it. The blacksmith jumped 
 to his feet, and Jerry stopped short and stared at 
 him. The next instant he recovered himself, and 
 removing his hat, said in his shrill voice, 
 
 " Good-morning, Mr. Brown. I m pleased to 
 see you, and was thinking of going up to pay you 
 a visit." 
 
 "Ye was, was ye?" answered Brown, with a 
 scowl ; " well, I guess it s jest s well ye did n t, 
 for I ain t receiving company jest now. Your 
 friend come and got off with a whole skin, more s 
 the pity. I come down to see ye about them notes. 
 What are ye going to do about em ? " 
 
 Piper looked up and raised his eyebrows with 
 an expression of surprise. 
 
 " Ah, yes, I remember, Mr. Brown. They re 
 overdue, ain t they? I thought so, Mr. Brown, 
 but I ve so much on my mind that I didn t 
 remember." 
 
 "Ye didn t remember! Well, ye had em 
 enough on your mind to send that ere sneaking 
 little lawyer up after em. What are ye going to 
 do about em ? " 
 
 " I m very sorry, Mr. Brown," said Piper, per 
 suasively, "to trouble you about this matter. I 
 am pressed for money just now." 
 10 145 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 11 Are ye," snarled Brown, looking down on him 
 fiercely. "So m I, and if one of us has got to 
 wait, I guess you ll do s well as me. Pressed 
 for money ! are ye ? I ain t seen more n twenty- 
 seven dollars for six months, and ye 11 have to 
 wait whether ye like it or no. If ye send any 
 more of them blood-suckers up to me, I 11 strangle 
 em same s I would a hen. Now jest tell me what 
 ye intend doing." 
 
 Brown s manner was wild, and startled Jeremiah, 
 but he kept the expression of surprise on his face, 
 and answered with the same precision, 
 
 " I m sorry, very sorry, sir, but I m a poor man, 
 a very poor man, and I ve already extended your 
 loan. I have to protect myself in these times, 
 sir. I don t want to do anything hard, sir, so if 
 you ll " 
 
 " Well, if I 11 what ? Speak up quick. I ain t 
 got no time to lose a- talking with ye." 
 
 " I was going to say," continued Piper, slowly, 
 " that if you d give me a deed of the farm I d let 
 the notes and interest go." 
 
 Deacon Brown clenched his fists, and his face 
 grew purple as he went up to the cringing figure 
 before him. 
 
 "Ye 11 ye 11 do what?" he screamed, taking 
 the now terrified man by the sleeve of his coat. 
 146 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Ye 11 do what, ye little withered up scorpion ? 
 Take a deed? Set down in that chair," he went 
 on, swinging the money-lender round so that he 
 spun like a top toward the chair in the corner, " I 
 want to talk to ye, and I want ye to listen to me 
 careful, and not answer me till I get through. 
 Ye Ve got two mortgages on my farm, and they 
 don t come due till next month. Ye Ve got them 
 notes, and ye ve been a-trying to make me believe 
 they s for interest. Three hundred dollars interest 
 for two years on five hundred. Ye re a damned 
 thief, sir, and I ain t going to pay em." 
 
 The little man crouched back in his chair and 
 tried to smile. 
 
 "You re too hard on a poor man, Mr. Brown," 
 he said, with a villanous look in his little black eyes. 
 " I Ve been very easy on you, very easy, and I Ve 
 already renewed the notes twice. My lawyer has 
 em now, and I can t do anything more about 
 em." 
 
 The blacksmith brought his fist down on the 
 table, and watches, pistols, and Jerry, all bounded 
 into the air simultaneously. A dark figure rolled 
 by them and out into the lane. It was Samuel, 
 whose nerves had given out, and who was making 
 a wild plunge toward a haven of refuge. Then 
 Deacon Brown stepped up to the trembling Piper, 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 and lifting him out of the chair with one hand, set 
 him on his feet in front of him. 
 
 " Give me them notes," he bellowed, steadying 
 the man by the shoulder. 
 
 " I can t, Mr. Brown. Mr. Perry s got em, 
 and " 
 
 " Then give me a writing saying they re paid," 
 said the other, still steadying him. 
 
 " I 11 tell you what I 11 do, Mr. Brown," said 
 Jerry, looking up at him timidly. " If you 11 give 
 me a new note for three hundred dollars, I 11 give 
 you a receipt cancelling the old ones. This is 
 very fair, very fair." 
 
 Brown let go his arm, and thought a moment; 
 then he said, passing his hand over his face, 
 
 " I dunno but that 11 do. Make up them papers, 
 and I 11 set here while ye re doing it." 
 
 With a sigh of relief Jerry ran into the back 
 room, and was soon scratching vigorously with a 
 pen. A little later he came back, and handed two 
 papers to the blacksmith. 
 
 " There they are, sir," he said. 
 
 Deacon Brown took them, rubbed his eyes, and 
 held them out at arms length. Finally he got up, 
 and going to the light by the door examined them 
 again. Then he said, 
 
 148 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Them seem all right. I 11 put em in my 
 pocket, and go along." 
 
 " Excuse me," said Piper, anxiously, " but I keep 
 the note, you know. You have n t signed it." 
 
 " Ah ! well, jest give me a pen. There, let s see, 
 due 22d October, 1786. Well, I guess that ll 
 do," he went on, putting the receipt in his pocket. 
 " By the time them s due, Dan Shays 11 have 
 cleaned out them courts, and we 11 have a new 
 government. I Ve handled ye kind of rough, Mr. 
 Piper, but I ain t sure but I d a killed ye if ye 
 had n t done as I said. If ye or your lawyers ever 
 come up to Petersham again, it 11 be the end of ye 
 both. They re waiting for ye along the road, and 
 it ain t safe travelling jest now. Good-day, Mr. 
 Piper, I Ve got to git along now." 
 
 " Good-morning, sir," squeaked Piper, as Brown 
 disappeared out of the door. Then he said, his 
 little eyes snapping, " I Ve got him now, sure. 
 The receipt ain t any good, and I Ve got his 
 notes for six hundred dollars. He, he ! " he laughed 
 as he retired to the back room. Presently a round 
 object appeared in the doorway. 
 
 " Is he gone ? " said Samuel, out of breath. 
 
 " Yes, you coward. Where Ve you been ? I 11 
 get you out of the way if you have n t more 
 courage." 
 
 149 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 li I was n t afraid, Mr. Piper," said Samuel, in 
 an injured tone. " You said you wanted the post, 
 and I Ve been after it. There s a letter for 
 you." 
 
 Piper snatched the letter from him, looked it 
 all over, and then broke it open. He glued his 
 nose to it, and as he read, he began to twitch 
 nervously. Then he read it again and smiled. 
 Then he twitched again, and looking up, scratched 
 the end of his nose. 
 
 " Samuel," he said, " here s a letter from that 
 young idiot, Perry, saying the notes are paid. 
 That old Brown says they ain t, and won t be. 
 What do you make out of it ? " 
 
 Samuel blinked, adjusted his spectacles, took 
 the letter and read it. 
 
 " It s queer, sir," he said after he had finished. 
 " If he d paid em, he would n t have made all this 
 fuss." 
 
 " Samuel, I m going out again. I 11 have to 
 get a new lawyer. This one s cheating me." 
 
 He took his hat and cane, and was soon hobbling 
 down the lane. 
 
 50 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 WILLIAM PERRY rode on up the hill toward 
 Petersham village, absorbed in thought, 
 and never turning his head until he reached the 
 steep piece of road leading to the village green. 
 Here he paused a minute and looked back over 
 the tops of the pines across the valley, where he 
 could see Deacon Brown s farm, near the summit 
 of the opposite hill, the house and barn standing 
 out clearly against the blue line of the pine-clad 
 forest beyond. Perry had neither whistled nor 
 sung that morning. Nor had he smiled, save when 
 speaking to Ruth, and then only to give her 
 courage, and make her believe that matters were 
 more hopeful than they seemed. His accustomed 
 mirth and buoyancy of spirits were for the time 
 weighed down by his reflections on what he had 
 learned in the last few hours, and it was with a 
 heavy heart that he drank in the pretty picture 
 before him. 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " It s too bad, too bad," he thought, as his eyes 
 wandered over the forests and fields. " Why must 
 these poor people be made to bear all the burdens ? 
 And yet," and he turned about and started up toward 
 the meeting-house, " there are others who have to 
 suffer. It s all a question of degree. Those whose 
 burdens are the heaviest sometimes bear them 
 best." 
 
 As he passed the green, a few men were stand 
 ing near by, talking. Otherwise all was quiet. 
 Perry scarcely saw the town, so much was his 
 mind occupied with his own thoughts. As he 
 descended the road to the west, he began musing 
 again : 
 
 " I 11 write Piper to-night that the notes will be 
 paid, and they will be if I have to do it myself. 
 But the old miser will have to pay me a good 
 round fee, and something will be saved from 
 the wreck." 
 
 This last thought brought the trace of a smile, 
 the first of that morning. 
 
 " That had n t occurred to me before," he went 
 on. "Why shouldn t I take it out of him? It 
 would be only justice." 
 
 For some time after this the road was rough and 
 steep, and he was obliged to concentrate his atten 
 tion on the mare. 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Steady, Molly, old girl. I 11 give you a good 
 rest to-night. Here are two roads ; which shall I 
 take ? " he pondered, stopping and looking about 
 him. " I don t feel much like meeting any of those 
 vagabonds to-day, and I guess I 11 go round over 
 the hill to the left. It may be a hard way, but 
 it s less likely to be travelled by Master Shays 
 friends." 
 
 He was before long climbing a steep grass-grown 
 bridle-path, over the western slope of a cone-shaped 
 hill densely wooded. Below, to the right, he could 
 see a valley dipping to the southwest, and he knew 
 that if the path kept on, it must eventually bring 
 him to the main road leading to New Salem, over 
 which he had ridden on his return to Boston. It 
 was getting toward noon, and the sun beat down 
 upon him, so that when he saw the thick over 
 hanging pines in front of him, he was glad that 
 he had chosen the way, notwithstanding its diffi 
 culties. At last he began to descend again, and 
 soon the highway came in sight through the trees 
 below him. He was moving along quietly, think 
 ing still of Ruth and her father, when his atten 
 tion was attracted to voices not far from him, and 
 apparently in front of him. He stopped and lis 
 tened, and being protected by a bend in the bridle 
 path, and shaded by the overhanging branches, 
 S3 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 he sat quietly and waited for the men to pass 
 along the highway, for he was convinced that they 
 were there, headed in the direction in which he 
 intended going. Soon he could distinguish words 
 and hear the voices plainly. One which he seemed 
 to recognize was saying, 
 
 " Yes, Abe, the other two, Day and Shaw, was 
 hit ; I wasn t, cause I did n t like the looks of him, 
 and got out. I ain t got no right to take risks, 
 with others depending on me." 
 
 "That s the little fellow that ran away yester 
 day," thought Perry, as he peered down through the 
 trees, " and the other don t look much more dan 
 gerous. I guess I 11 let em go on, though, for I 
 don t care for their company. They might lead 
 me into a trap." 
 
 He waited until the voices had died away, then 
 spoke to Molly, and went out onto the road to 
 ward New Salem. Another descent brought him 
 to a level plain, through which he continued to 
 Millington village. Here he sought out the inn, 
 ordered dinner, and secured a room. 
 
 It was now the middle of the afternoon, but 
 Perry had been through a great deal lately, and 
 his mare had had a hard road to travel, so he de 
 cided to remain quietly where he was until morn 
 ing. Besides, he had the letter to write to Piper. 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Whether it would ever reach its destination he did 
 not know, for Shays men had more than once an 
 ticipated the post, both in the hope of obtaining in 
 formation of the movements of government, and to 
 secure, if possible, such funds as would be likely 
 to pass by this medium. There being no other 
 means of reaching the money-lender, he deter 
 mined to take the risk, and wrote as he had prom 
 ised. His room was under the gable, facing the 
 main thoroughfare ; and as he sat writing he could 
 hear the sound of the passers-by, and of the men 
 who gathered about the corner as they talked, or 
 called to each other and to those who went by. It 
 was very warm, and he had opened the window to 
 let in the cooling breeze that came down the valley 
 over the plain, and when his letter was signed 
 and sealed, he walked across the room and looked 
 out of the window. He drew back suddenly, for 
 directly below him were two men. One had his 
 right hand bound with a cloth, and was speaking 
 and gesticulating violently. The other was listen 
 ing attentively. Perry knew them, and could hear 
 their conversation. 
 
 " If you run again like that, you little coward," 
 
 the older man was saying, "you ain t no good for 
 
 a soldier, and that s what we want. The first 
 
 time you seen any fighting, is it ? Guess you 11 
 
 J 55 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 see some before long, for there s a company of 
 militia about fifteen mile behind us, and if the rest 
 don t move any faster than you and your friend, 
 they 11 be a-top of us before we get out of this 
 town. Wake up and get to work, or you can go 
 back to Petersham." 
 
 " Petersham," thought Perry. " Upon my word, 
 that brings it to me. That s the boy who was 
 helping old Brown when I had Molly shod. I 
 should think he would be glad to be rid of him." 
 He strained his ears and listened again. Jimmy 
 was speaking, 
 
 " I ain t used to these things, Cap n Day," he 
 said, " but I ain t afeared. The reason I did n t 
 want to shoot again was that I kind of recognized 
 the gentleman. He was in the shop a little while 
 ago and had his horse shod, and I did n t want to 
 hurt him." 
 
 Captain Day laughed. 
 
 " You re good at making excuses, boy, but we 11 
 forgive ye this time, only don t do it again. 
 What s the news about this place? Got any 
 recruits here ? " 
 
 " There s about twenty-five come in here this 
 morning, and they re waiting for ye, cap n." 
 
 " Jest you get on your horse and go and get em 
 together and bring ; em down this way. We 11 go 
 
Caftain Shays. 
 
 on to Shutesbury this afternoon ; and if them 
 militia fellows don t move on as far as that to-day, 
 we 11 spend the night there. When we re gone, 
 you and your friend go into the tavern here and 
 wait, and as soon as them other chaps get here, 
 find out what they re going to do, and ride as 
 fast as you can after us and let us know. No 
 sneaking, now mind, or I 11 hand ye to Cap n 
 Shays, and he won t be as easy with ye as I Ve 
 been." 
 
 Jimmy mounted the old farm-horse which he had 
 been holding by the bridle ; and Perry could see 
 him galloping up the road, his legs kicking out 
 and his body bouncing forward in accompaniment 
 to the horse s clumsy gait. Day watched him a 
 moment with an amused smile, then mounted his 
 own horse and followed leisurely. 
 
 " This is more like business," thought William, 
 as he returned to the table and picked up his letter. 
 " If the militia s coming, my letter 11 be likely to 
 get to Boston, and I can join them and reach 
 Springfield with comparative comfort. I 11 run 
 down and get the letter started, and then hurry 
 back, for I don t want to lose the sight of Captain 
 Day and his troops, and they won t be long 
 coming." 
 
 He went out of the door, and in a few minutes 
 
 157 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 returned and took his post at the window, shaded 
 by a hanging curtain. By this time the street was 
 lined with people, men, women, and children; and 
 it was evident that with very few exceptions they 
 were sympathizers of the rebels. Perry examined 
 them as he sat, and his tender heart was touched. 
 
 u How poor and forlorn they do look ! " he 
 thought. " That old fellow with a gray beard, 
 leaning on a cane, is half starved, and the old 
 woman in the ragged shawl and big bonnet is n t 
 much better. Even the young people seem worn 
 and hungry. And this is our great, free, happy 
 people ; the offspring of our struggle for inde 
 pendence ! " 
 
 Just then there was a bustling in the crowd, and 
 all eyes were turned up the road in the direction of 
 the sound of tramping horses. 
 
 " They re coming. Hi ! " screamed the old 
 woman in the big bonnet into the old man s ear. 
 " Ain t they jest splendid ? And there J s our boy. 
 Don t he look like General Washington on the 
 horse ? He s going to fight for our rights. Hi ! 
 ain t he a soldier ? " 
 
 The old man looked up the street, and nodded 
 his head slowly backward and forward. The 
 cavalcade had now come in sight, and Perry s face 
 expanded, and for the first time that day a genu- 
 
 158 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 ine hearty laugh broke forth from him. He could 
 not help it, much as the whole scene elicited his 
 sympathies. There, coming down the street 
 between the admiring and cheering citizens, was a 
 mounted force of about twenty men, at their head 
 the indomitable Captain Day, seated erect upon a 
 dapple-gray horse, whose appearance indicated his 
 recent employment in the tread-mill. His hoofs 
 struck the ground with the force of Deacon 
 Brown s hammer, and his head hung low. Cap 
 tain Day himself wore an expression of grandeur 
 and repose. He was dressed in the continental 
 uniform of his rank, showing signs of many battles 
 and much use. On his head was a venerable 
 cocked hat, and in his bandaged hand he held 
 his bare sabre straight up over his shoulder. He 
 looked neither to right nor left, but rode bravely 
 on, unaffected by the applause he was receiving. 
 
 Behind him came his gallant company. It was 
 composed of old and young, short and long, thin 
 and stout. Their costumes were of every kind 
 and shade, from the simple gray homespun to the 
 shabby blue velvet coat and scarlet small-clothes. 
 Their arms were as varied as their clothes, some 
 carrying sabres, others muskets, pistols, or rapiers, 
 while one had no other weapon than a heavy oaken 
 billet which he swung defiantly around his head. 
 59 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 But what amused Perry more than all these eccen 
 tricities was the horses and their riders. Like the 
 men, their steeds were short and stout, long and 
 lean. But, as if predestined by fate, the thin horses 
 groaned under their portly burdens, and the thin 
 sat upon the fat. 
 
 As the cavalcade passed the tavern, Captain 
 Day wheeled suddenly about and shouted in a 
 stentorian voice, 
 
 " Halt ! Attention ! " 
 
 The order was obeyed, but not without some 
 confusion, and danger to life and limb. The cap 
 tain came near being trampled under foot, but at 
 last the company righted itself, and Captain Day 
 spoke. 
 
 " Soldiers," he said, " the hour is near when 
 you 11 be called upon to fight for your rights and 
 your homes." 
 
 There was a faint murmur of approval, and the 
 captain looked them over, unmoved. 
 
 " Whoa, Bess. I was saying the time s near 
 for battle. Cap n Shays is waiting for ye at 
 Pelham. Be brave and follow me." 
 
 He wheeled his horse round, and, turning his 
 head over his shoulder, shouted, 
 
 " Forward, march ! " 
 
 Again the order was obeyed, and again the cap- 
 160 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 tain s life was endangered, but finally the company 
 moved, and before long was out of sight round the 
 bend in the road toward Shutesbury. 
 
 Jimmy Brown and Abe Morse went into the 
 tavern, the crowd gradually dispersed, and William 
 Perry shut the window and sat down to think. 
 The whole scene just witnessed reminded him of 
 a comedy, but he saw behind it something that was 
 very serious. Every soul who had watched this 
 motley little band of volunteers march through and 
 out of the village, excepting Perry himself, had 
 believed that their commander, that mountebank 
 Day, was a hero, second only to Shays himself. 
 Perry wondered what was to become of a people 
 who could be so easily deceived. Then he roused 
 himself. 
 
 " I 11 go down and have a word with that black 
 smith s boy. Perhaps I can learn something 
 from him about the Browns." 
 
 With that he put on his hat and strolled leisurely 
 toward the tap-room. 
 
 161 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 JIMMY BROWN and Abe Morse crossed the nar 
 row piazza, and passed through the door into 
 the tap-room, where a few of the spectators of the 
 parade of Captain Day s troops had taken them 
 selves to drink to the success of their brave fellow- 
 townsmen who had gone forth from their homes 
 and friends to do battle for freedom and justice. 
 The two young men were not pleased with their 
 mission, and would have preferred to go on with 
 the others, thus putting a greater distance between 
 themselves and the company of mounted militia 
 men whom they were momentarily expecting to 
 enter the town. Morse was less timid than Brown, 
 but even he was not of a warlike temperament. 
 He was long, lank, ungainly, and stupid, but withal 
 an honest, hard-working lad who had energy 
 enough upon the farm, but who lacked the spirit 
 necessary for the work which Captain Shays was 
 undertaking. In fact, there were few among the 
 162 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 captain s followers, outside the veterans of the 
 Continental army, who were not better fitted to 
 handle the plough than the musket, so that in this 
 respect Abe Morse was not much below the aver 
 age in capacity. Young Brown, however, was of 
 a timid, listless disposition, though a well-mean 
 ing boy without any other real faults. He never 
 seemed to fit in anywhere, and as he had made a 
 failure at the forge and on the farm, so he seemed 
 destined to make a failure on the field of battle. 
 His first trial had not proved a success ; and now 
 he was in a state of absolute terror, and was trying 
 to think out some way of escape from his military 
 service. He was between two fires, and he was 
 not sure that he would not prefer to go on with 
 Captain Shays rather than to return and face his 
 father. 
 
 "Abe," said Jimmy, as they sat down in the cor 
 ner of the tap-room away from the assembled 
 guests, " I tell ye I want to go home. I don t like 
 this here business, and I ain t fitted for it. It 
 makes me narvous." 
 
 " And me too," answered Abe ; " but I suppose 
 we Ve got to stand it, and do our best. Careful 
 how you talk. We don t want em to hear us and 
 know who we be." 
 
 " How re we going to find out what them sol- 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 diers is going to do when they get here ? " asked 
 Jimmy, anxiously. 
 
 " They 11 come here, and if they take lodging 
 here, then we 11 know they ain t going on. If 
 they don t, and order their horses, then they ll 
 be for starting right along. Guess it 11 be easy 
 enough to find out. Mr. Simins here 11 have 
 our horses ready, and when we give him the 
 word he 11 get em for us and we 11 start for 
 Pelham." 
 
 For a time neither spoke, but both sat watching 
 the people who came and went, and listening to 
 their conversation. Suddenly Jimmy took off his 
 hat and holding it in front of his face leaned over 
 toward Morse and whispered, 
 
 " Oh, gosh, Abe, can t we get out of here ? 
 It s him." 
 
 Abe was at a loss to understand who it was who 
 caused his friend so much agitation, and looked 
 about the room inquiringly. When his eyes 
 reached the door leading into the hall, he noticed 
 standing in it a large, broad-shouldered young 
 man, examining the inmates of the room with 
 much curiosity. He caught Morse s eye, and the 
 next moment crossed the room to where he and 
 Jimmy were sitting. 
 
 " Where s your young friend ? " asked Perry, 
 164 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 not recognizing Jimmy behind the hat. " Oh, I 
 see. Take down your hat, my boy. I won t hurt 
 you." 
 
 Jimmy did as he was bid, and William con 
 tinued, 
 
 " Why did n t you go on with your friends ? 
 You were with them as they marched by the 
 tavern." 
 
 "For Heaven s sake, sir," said Jimmy, plead 
 ingly, " don t speak so loud, or we re both dead 
 men." 
 
 " I don t think you 11 get killed as easily as all 
 that," answered Perry, with a smile. " You can 
 run too well. The captain s hand seems to trouble 
 him a little yet. But I came to speak to you about 
 something else. Won t you both come up to my 
 room ? Or, better, you come, and let your friend 
 stay here and watch. I don t want to get you into 
 trouble." 
 
 Jimmy looked appealingly at Abe, and neither 
 seemed able to answer. 
 
 " You seem to hesitate," said Perry, after wait 
 ing in vain for him to speak. " Very well, then ; 
 I 11 draw a chair up here, and will say what I wish. 
 There s no danger of our being overheard, so 
 don t look so worried. I Ve just come from Peter 
 sham ; and the old blacksmith you were working 
 
 65 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 with when I passed through there the other day 
 is in a bad way." 
 
 Jimmy looked up anxiously, and asked, 
 
 "Is he sick?" 
 
 " Not exactly, but he s troubled, and I want to 
 find out something about him from you. Have you 
 known him long ? " 
 
 "He s my father." 
 
 Perry started in his chair, and turned toward 
 the boy. 
 
 " He s your father ? " said he, doubtingly. The 
 other nodded. " Then you must know a great deal 
 about his affairs. How did he get into debt ? How 
 long has the farm been mortgaged ? " 
 
 " I don t know," answered Jimmy, surprised at 
 being asked such questions by a stranger. " I 
 guess it s some time. He s been fussier than 
 usual for a spell, and I kind of thought he had 
 something a fretting him. But he don t never 
 tell me much. Ruth knows all about it, I 
 guess." 
 
 " Why did you leave him and your sister to 
 come off here on this fool s errand ? " asked Perry. 
 " Why did n t you stay with them and help them, 
 or at least try to go somewhere where you could 
 gain something?" 
 
 " Cause father sent me. I asked him to let me 
 1 66 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 stay, but he would n t listen to it. He said it was 
 my duty to follow Cap n Shays." 
 
 " Well, I don t know that he was n t right," said 
 Perry, in disgust. " But I 11 tell you one thing, 
 and then you can do as you like. Your father is 
 breaking down under the strain; and if you had 
 a tenth part of the pluck of your sister, you d go 
 back and take hold of things, and try to straighten 
 them out. You 11 never make a soldier, and your 
 father ought to have known it." 
 
 " I know it, sir," said Jimmy ; " and I told father 
 so, but it was n t no use. I m afraid to go back 
 to him, and I m scart to go ahead." 
 
 " Then you re a fool," said Perry, rising and 
 going to the door. " The troops will be here be 
 fore long, and if you don t put on a more uncon 
 cerned expression than you have now, they 11 
 suspect who you are, and you ll be likely to get 
 into trouble. I m going to my room now, and I U 
 leave you to think matters over." 
 
 " You won t say nothing about who we be, will 
 you, sir ? " asked Jimmy, pleadingly. 
 
 " I m not sure what I 11 do," Perry replied with 
 a smile. " What I ought to do is to hand you over 
 to the authorities when they arrive. But I guess 
 it will be better to let you go on your errand. If 
 you see Captain Shays, tell him that Mr. Lawyer 
 167 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 hopes to meet him in Springfield, if not sooner. 
 Good-night. I advise you to start before it s much 
 later." 
 
 The two youths watched him as he retired, then 
 got up without speaking, and led by the same im 
 pulse walked out of the tavern round to the barn, 
 mounted their horses, and started in pursuit of 
 Captain Day and his recruits. 
 
 William Perry entered his room and threw his 
 hat violently into a chair. Then he lighted the 
 candle, and seated himself at the table. 
 
 "That s her brother," he thought, his mouth 
 firmly closed. " I don t believe it. I can t be 
 lieve it. But I suppose he must be if he says so. 
 I m feeling tired, so I 11 just throw myself on the 
 bed a minute, and take a nap." 
 
 He blew out the candle, and lying down, tried to 
 sleep. His brain was in such a confused whirl 
 that he could not close his eyes. He tossed about 
 for a few moments, then got up, drew back the 
 window-curtains, and sat looking out on the dark 
 road. Presently he heard the tramp of horses, and 
 a little after about fifty horsemen halted before the 
 inn. Perry could not see them very distinctly, but 
 he knew that they were the militiamen or volun 
 teers who were expected by the insurgents. He 
 hastily drew the curtains, and picking up his hat, 
 1 68 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 rushed out in front of the tavern. As he reached 
 the street the men were dismounting, and he ex 
 amined them carefully in hopes of recognizing 
 some one. He was not disappointed, for a young 
 man stopped, and putting out his hand said, 
 
 "For Heaven s sake, Perry, how did you turn 
 up in this place ? " 
 
 " I m on my way to the opening of court, Mason, 
 as I suppose you are. Or have you taken up 
 arms ? " 
 
 " No. I m on the same errand as you, and 
 have taken advantage of an escort. Why did n t 
 you wait for us ? It s lucky you re alive." 
 
 Perry laughed. 
 
 " I don t believe you Ve seen the enemy," he 
 said. " I have, and I ve had a little skirmish all 
 by myself. Two wounded, one escaped," and he 
 laughed again. 
 
 "You always were a harebrained chap," an 
 swered the other ; " but you Ve always seemed to 
 get off without a scratch. What do you hear about 
 Shays ? They told us in Barre that some of his 
 stragglers were only a few miles ahead of us, and 
 we ve been expecting to come across them all 
 day." 
 
 " They left here about two hours ago, and have 
 gone through Shutesbury to Pelham. They are a 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 frightful body of men," said Perry, shaking his 
 head. 
 
 " You don t say so ? How many were there ? " 
 
 " I m afraid to tell you. They were led by 
 one of the fiercest-looking captains I ever saw. 
 A regular fire-eater." 
 
 The other looked at him suspiciously, and, no 
 ticing the smile which Perry could not restrain, 
 said good-naturedly, 
 
 "The same old fraud, Perry. Well, tell me 
 really what they were ? The captain wants to 
 know." 
 
 " There were about twenty of the most forlorn 
 human beings, mounted upon twenty of the clum 
 siest steeds I ever saw. Their captain was one of 
 the two I wounded in battle, and wore a bandage 
 round his damaged hand. If your captain wishes 
 to catch em to-night, I don t think he 11 have 
 much trouble. Shays expects to meet em in Pel- 
 ham, but how many recruits he has I don t know. 
 I should have pushed on to-day, but thought it 
 more prudent to wait for your company." 
 
 " I m surprised you did n t go on and challenge 
 the whole lot of em," said the other, with a laugh. 
 
 " I thought of doing it," answered Perry, with a 
 mock seriousness ; " but I ve got business before 
 the court, and couldn t afford even to take so 
 170 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 little risk as that. Do you expect to be off to 
 night ? " 
 
 " The captain told me only a short time ago that 
 he should rest here under any circumstances, and 
 start at sunrise to-morrow. We ought to catch up 
 with em in the afternoon, and we may have some 
 fun. I Ve got to go along now and find the cap 
 tain and tell him what you say. Good-night." 
 
 Perry really felt a sense of relief at the prospect 
 of having congenial company through the rest of 
 his trip, and after giving orders to the keeper to 
 call him half an hour before sunrise, he went to 
 bed and was soon sleeping soundly. 
 
 171 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 JIMMY and Abe rode away through the night 
 as fast as their horses could take them, which 
 was, in truth, not very fast. Yet they did very 
 well, and eventually brought their riders safely to 
 the little hamlet of Shutesbury, an outlying village 
 next the township of Pelham. 
 
 " They met one of Cap n Shays men here," 
 said a man of whom they inquired for Day and 
 his company. " He came with orders to move 
 right on to Pelham." 
 
 The two men asked no further questions, but 
 whipping up their tired horses, started forward 
 again. 
 
 In the mean while, Perry and the militia were 
 resting quietly in Millington village. About an 
 hour before sunrise there was a stir in the little 
 hamlet, and as the first light of dawn was creeping 
 up over the Petersham hills, the company of volun 
 teers, who had answered to the call of Governor 
 172 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Bowdoin to go to Springfield and join General 
 Shepard, rode out over the road which Captain 
 Day had taken but a few hours before. Perry and 
 Mason were side by side in the rear of the others, 
 and for some time after their first exchange of 
 morning greetings neither spoke. Perry seemed 
 preoccupied, and his friend noticed it. 
 
 " Thinking up your cases ? " said Mason, as 
 they were climbing a steep bit of road a few miles 
 to the west of New Salem. 
 
 " No," answered Perry, as one suddenly awak 
 ened. " No ; I was wondering what all this row 
 was about, anyway. It seems to me that it could 
 have been prevented by a few concessions on the 
 part of government. Not that I approve of these 
 rascals who are stirring up the people to rebellion. 
 Not at all. But I ve seen some pretty strong ex 
 amples of the sufferings of the country folk, and 
 there is no doubt that they Ve more to be pitied 
 than blamed. They were in earnest, too, and per 
 fectly sincere ; as much so as were our patriots of 
 ten years ago, and to them the burdens of taxa 
 tion by our present government, seems as unjust 
 as those imposed by the British Parliament before 
 76. I m a moderate, you see, and perhaps you 11 
 think me disloyal, but I cannot believe that all the 
 fault is on one side." 
 
 173 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I don t know about that, Perry," answered the 
 other, shaking his head. " The farmers must 
 expect to contribute their share to the general 
 fund, and should do so without grumbling." 
 
 " Would you, or I, or any of us, be willing to 
 be stripped of everything, be forced to go into 
 debt for the ordinary necessities of life, and sit 
 and smile and be patient? No, Mason. I m a 
 poor man, and so are you. There are few of us 
 who are not ; but we can manage to pull through 
 somehow, and to clothe and feed ourselves. These 
 poor people can do neither. The treatment is 
 too heroic, and the patient is rebelling. That s 
 all there is to it. Don t misunderstand me, how 
 ever. It has gone so far now that I am convinced 
 that it must be stopped with a firm hand. Yet I 
 see another side to it, and I feel the end is not in 
 sight yet." 
 
 They were now passing through a level stretch 
 of country whence to the west could be seen the 
 line of the Berkshire Hills. The road was rough, 
 but the captain was in a hurry, so upon his order 
 the little company started off at a canter. They 
 had not gone far when there was an abrupt order 
 to halt, and looking between those in front of him, 
 Perry saw, not more than a hundred rods away, 
 a horseman, seated quietly watching them as they 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 approached. He was on the brow of the hill with 
 the sky behind him, and Perry recognized him. 
 It was Captain Day. In another moment he dis 
 appeared, and the little band of volunteers gal 
 loped up in pursuit of him. On reaching the 
 summit they found that there was a steep pitch 
 leading to the valley below, and that Captain Day 
 had succeeded in eluding them. 
 
 " Never mind," said the captain. " Walk your 
 horses down, and we 11 catch em before the day s 
 out. They can t be far off now." 
 
 They advanced with great caution, for the road 
 was lined with thick woods, and in places high 
 banks rose beside them from which it would not 
 have been difficult for the rebels to attack them. 
 It seemed most probable, however, that they would 
 try to escape, for they wished to reach Springfield 
 rather than waste their energies on the way. This 
 is what Perry told his companions ; but he was 
 mistaken, for on turning the next bend in the 
 road they saw stretched across it a body of horse 
 men. They were the men whom Perry had seen 
 the day before, but they were not alone. Behind 
 and beside them were gathered more than a hun 
 dred others, on foot, all apparently farmers, armed 
 with the first weapons they had been able to lay 
 their hands on, when Captain Shays had called 
 175 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 on them to do their duty and follow him. It must 
 be said that they were a determined-looking set of 
 men. As Perry had told his friend a short time 
 before, they were conscientious and thought their 
 freedom was at stake. They considered the gov 
 ernment and the military as their enemies, and they 
 had sworn to stand for their rights. 
 
 The first impulse of the militia captain was to 
 make a dash and break through them, but a mo 
 ment s hesitation made him change his mind. He 
 saw clearly that the men intended to stand their 
 ground, and that the only way to avoid unnecessary 
 bloodshed was to wait for them to make the first 
 move, and failing this, to use his authority with a 
 bit of persuasion. 
 
 " Clear the way there," he shouted, " in the name 
 of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ! " There 
 was a slight movement in the opposing ranks, but 
 no sign of yielding. 
 
 " Once more," called out the captain again. 
 " Clear the way, and lay down your arms. If you 
 do this, you may return quietly to your homes. If 
 not, I shall be obliged to force a passage." 
 
 Again there was no answer, and the captain 
 began to lose patience. 
 
 " Where s your leader ? " he said, riding forward. 
 
 " Here I am," answered Day, coming out of the 
 176 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 rank to meet him. "You can t go by here, my 
 friend, and I advise ye not to try it. Captain 
 Shays is only a few miles behind us with two 
 hundred men, and I guess you might s well give 
 it up and go back to Boston." 
 
 " Surrender, you rascal," roared the captain, 
 giving Day s word no heed. " This is your last 
 chance." 
 
 Day smiled. 
 
 " I guess not, mister," he said. " Jest suppose 
 you do the surrendering. You Ve about fifty, and 
 I Ve got about three times as many." 
 
 "So you had the other day," called out Perry 
 from behind the ranks, "but you weren t very 
 successful." 
 
 Day scowled, and his bandaged hand slipped 
 down beside his horse. 
 
 "Aim high," whispered the militia captain to 
 the man behind him. " Give the word through 
 the ranks." Then he went on aloud, addressing 
 Day, " I Ve given you your last chance, so 
 Ready! fire!" 
 
 There was a loud report and a few screams, 
 then a scattering of the enemy in all directions. 
 Captain Day tried to check them, but it was useless, 
 for the moment the rattle of the muskets reached 
 the ears of those in front, they wheeled about, 
 12 177 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 thus coming into collision with those behind them. 
 All was confusion ; and the farmers, seeing them 
 selves abandoned by their mounted escort, took 
 to the woods and fields, and were soon out of 
 danger. Captain Day held his ground firmly until 
 he saw the enemy charging upon him. Then he 
 turned, and shouting, " Stop, you damned cowards ! " 
 made after his scattered army at full speed. 
 
 Perry had watched the proceedings with much 
 interest, for besides his old friend the captain, he 
 had noticed in the ranks Jimmy Brown and Abe 
 Morse. The former, being in the rear and having 
 a clear road, had been the first to decamp, but 
 unfortunately for him he was even a poorer rider 
 than his companion in arms, and as he turned 
 a sharp corner he lost his stirrup, and was thrown 
 headlong into the bushes beside the road. The 
 fall was a heavy one, and the poor boy was groan 
 ing when Perry rode up to him and dismounted. 
 
 " I don t want to detain you, captain," he said, 
 as the others came up, " but I know this boy, and 
 would like to have him carried to the next house. 
 He seems to be suffering." 
 
 " I m in no hurry, sir," answered the captain, 
 pleasantly. " Shays will get word of our coming 
 soon enough, and I don t think he 11 wait for us. 
 He 11 take some other way of going to Springfield, 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 and we 11 have no further trouble. Two of my 
 men will carry the boy along." 
 
 In the mean while Jimmy was groaning, with his 
 head on Perry s knee. His face was deathly pale, 
 and his eyes closed. Presently he opened them, 
 and seeing Perry uttered a terrified cry. 
 
 " It s all right, my boy," said William, kindly, 
 "You ve had a bad fall. Where does it hurt 
 you ? " 
 
 Jimmy raised his hand slowly to his head, and 
 tried to speak, but was too weak. 
 
 " I m afraid the poor boy s done for," he said 
 to the two men who had dismounted to help carry 
 Jimmy. " Take him easily, please." 
 
 " There s a house just beyond here," said one 
 of the men. " I saw it from the top of the hill." 
 
 " Then if you 11 kindly carry him there, I 11 lead 
 your horses. " 
 
 As they moved forward again, Mason rode up to 
 William and asked with curiosity, 
 
 "Where did you ever see that young fellow 
 before, Perry ? You seem to take quite an interest 
 in him." 
 
 " I first saw him about ten days ago in a black 
 smith s shop in Petersham. Since then I ve come 
 across him twice, and I have had occasion to visit 
 his father on a matter of business. This poor boy 
 179 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 is of very little account to the world at large, but 
 if he should die I m afraid that it would be the 
 last straw for the old man, who is one of those 
 unfortunate debtors of whom I spoke to you a 
 little while ago. He is alone with his daughter in 
 Petersham, and on their account I feel an interest 
 in this boy." 
 
 "You are certainly a kind-hearted fellow," said 
 the other, with a smile. 
 
 " I don t know about that," answered Perry, ab 
 stractedly. " I am only human, and I can t see 
 suffering of any kind without feeling it myself." 
 
 " What are you going to do with him when we 
 reach the house?" 
 
 " If he seems all right, I 11 leave him with the 
 people there. If not, I shall stay with him and 
 send word to his sister. In the latter event I shall 
 ask you to continue my cases. Will you do so for 
 me?" 
 
 "With pleasure. I 11 look em up as soon as I 
 arrive, and I ve no doubt that they will do any 
 thing to accommodate you. Here we are at the 
 house, and they re taking him in." 
 
 " Don t wait for me, captain," said Perry, as he 
 dismounted. " If I decide to go on to-day, I can 
 overtake you ; but I doubt if I do so." 
 
 The farmer s wife led the men to a little room 
 180 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 off the kitchen, where they laid the boy upon a bed. 
 After Perry had thanked them they mounted their 
 horses and galloped after the others. 
 
 "Is there a doctor near here ? " asked Perry, as 
 he sat by Jimmy s bedside. 
 
 " Yes, sir, about three mile away. Joe 11 ride 
 right up and get him." 
 
 " Thank you," answered Perry ; " I m afraid 
 he 11 have to hurry." 
 
 An hour later the doctor arrived, and when he 
 saw the youth, he shook his head. 
 
 " Concussion of the brain, sir. He won t live 
 till morning. I 11 bleed him. That s the only 
 thing to do." 
 
 181 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 AT7ILLIAM PERRY watched for two days 
 W and nights by Jimmy Brown s bedside. 
 When the doctor came, in the afternoon of the 
 third day, he found his patient better, and gave 
 hopes of his recovery ; so Perry decided to push 
 on toward Springfield. The people in the farm 
 house promised to send to Ruth should her brother 
 need her, so bidding the boy farewell, William 
 mounted Molly and rode toward the southwest, 
 intending to avoid the main highway, through 
 Hadley and Northampton, and to strike that far 
 ther south. He thought he might by so doing 
 gain time, and also prevent further interception 
 by the insurgents. He knew that it would be 
 useless to attempt to catch up with the militia 
 company. 
 
 As he passed up hill and down over the narrow 
 winding grass-grown roads, scarcely more than 
 cow-paths, now closely hemmed in by thick forests 
 182 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 of pine and hemlock, now opening out into some 
 valley from which could be seen the waving line of 
 the Berkshire Hills, with Mount Tom standing out 
 toward the southwest like a great boulder, he 
 thought over his adventures of the past two weeks, 
 the most eventful of his life. He had learned 
 much in that short time ; and he wondered if it was 
 all only chance, or whether he was destined to 
 play an important part in the lives of the people 
 he had been brought in contact with on so many 
 occasions and under so many different conditions. 
 It was now less than two weeks since he had 
 dropped unexpectedly and by accident upon Dea 
 con Brown and his son in the smithy in Petersham, 
 and now he began to feel a certain responsibility 
 for them, and that their welfare and happiness 
 depended upon him. He had fully made up his 
 mind that he would do all in his power to prevent 
 the blacksmith s fast-approaching ruin ; but as he 
 had told his friend the day before, he was a poor 
 man and had to earn his living by hard work. 
 Yet he had one advantage over many others. He 
 was alone, and had no one dependent upon him, 
 and his needs were small. Suddenly he smiled 
 and asked himself why he should take so much 
 interest in these utter strangers, why he should 
 stop to consider their sufferings more than those 
 183 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 of hundreds of others whom he had seen in the 
 course of his journey. To be sure, he had been 
 thrown with them more closely than with the 
 others, and knew more of their affairs ; but even so 
 it was all largely a matter of business, and he had 
 had many distressing cases in his professional 
 career. But none of them had affected him in the 
 same degree as did this one. He thought of old 
 Brown, and though he pitied him, he could see no 
 reason for being especially attracted to him. As 
 to Jimmy, he was a poor little wretch who meant 
 no harm, but was capable of no good. Then 
 there was Ruth. As he thought of her, the expla 
 nation of his feelings seemed to come to him. 
 Yes ; it was the girl s sad, pleading eyes, her devo 
 tion to her father, and her courage and desire to 
 help him, that had made the difference in their 
 case. 
 
 " It s so different with a young girl alone," he 
 thought. " The men can get out of their troubles 
 sooner or later in some way ; but the women, espe 
 cially on a far-off farm, can do nothing." 
 
 Thus he rode along for hours, meditating on the 
 past and speculating on the future. The mare had 
 had an easy time during the last few days, and was 
 fresh and full of spirit ; and this, added to the 
 bracing air of the September afternoon, gradually 
 184 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 smoothed the wrinkles from Perry s brow and 
 brought back the old smile which had been absent 
 for so long. Finally he found himself humming 
 as he had done on his first day out from Boston. 
 
 " I feel better now that I Ve thought these 
 things over and straightened em out a bit in my 
 mind," he concluded. " Strange I have n t met 
 any one yet. I might as well be in the wilds of 
 Norway. But I like it. I Ve had enough com 
 pany lately, and I 11 have plenty more in a day or 
 two. If Molly keeps as fresh as this, I shall be in 
 time for the opening of the session if they have 
 any ! " and he laughed aloud. 
 
 As he did so, he thought he heard something 
 in front of him. The road was now through a 
 densely shaded stretch, and as the sun was well 
 below the tree-tops it was at times difficult to dis 
 tinguish objects clearly. He therefore touched the 
 mare, and started off at a brisk canter. On turning 
 a bend he saw not many yards in advance of him 
 a horseman beating his steed vehemently, evidently 
 trying to escape his pursuer. Perry touched up 
 Molly again, and was soon gaining on the fugitive. 
 
 "Hey! Stop! Why are you running away?" 
 shouted William. The other did not answer, but 
 looking over his shoulder, gave his horse a more 
 vigorous tap than before and tried to urge him 
 
 185 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 forward. Perry had now recognized the young 
 man who had been with Jimmy Brown in Milling- 
 ton village, so called out again, 
 
 " Wait ; I want to speak to you. I shall catch 
 you anyway in less than five minutes, so you re 
 spoiling horse-flesh uselessly." 
 
 Abe Morse was not yet convinced and still urged 
 his weary beast. 
 
 " Now I ve got you," said Perry, a few moments 
 later, as he overtook him. " But I don t wish you 
 any harm, so just pull up. That s right." 
 
 " I thought you were the troops," said Abe, out 
 of breath. 
 
 " Well, I m not, and they re out of the way. 
 Now I want to speak seriously to you. Your 
 friend came near getting killed the other day, and 
 I Ve lost a good deal of valuable time in looking 
 after him. He s better now. Turn about and go 
 back to him. He s in the first house this side of 
 the hill where we had the battle." 
 
 "Are the militia gone?" asked Abe, a little 
 timidly. 
 
 " Yes, you fool," answered Perry, with a motion 
 of contempt ; " and if they were n t, it would be 
 your duty to go and look after your friend. He 
 may need some one to get word to his father and 
 sister." 
 
 186 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I 11 go right along, then," said Morse, with a 
 little show of spirit. " I vow I was frightened, 
 though, and I don t deny it. I suppose it s natural 
 with some folks." 
 
 " I should say it was from what I saw the other 
 day," answered Perry, with a laugh. " But I don t 
 know that I can blame you. One has to get used 
 to such things, and some of our bravest soldiers 
 have been cowards in their first battles. So go 
 ahead, and perhaps you 11 be on Captain Shays 
 staff before the war is over." 
 
 " Where did you say Jimmy was ? " asked Abe, 
 not noticing Perry s last remark. 
 
 " In the house nearest the hill where you left 
 him. The man s name is White. Good-bye. I 
 shall be back through Petersham in about ten 
 days, and I expect to find the boy all right then. 
 Remember me to him." 
 
 Abe was about to start when Perry called him. 
 
 " Wait a moment. Do you know the Browns 
 well?" 
 
 "Yes, sir; known em all my life. The dea 
 con and father went to the war together, and our 
 farm is next to theirs." 
 
 " Are they any worse off than the other families 
 about them ? " asked Perry, thoughtfully. 
 
 " I guess not, sir, so fur s I know. We ain t 
 187 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 none of us got any money these days. But they 
 do say that the old man is acting kind of queer 
 lately. Jimmy says he s harder on him than ever. 
 But Jimmy s kind of aggravating, he s so slow." 
 
 " And the daughter ? " Perry asked with inter 
 est. " Is her father ever unkind to her ? " 
 
 " No, sir. Never. Ruth can make him do 
 pretty much as she likes ; but then she s different 
 from Jimmy. She s strong and hearty and lively, 
 and does a lot of work." 
 
 " Thank you. That s all I want to know," said 
 Perry, nodding. " Good-bye." 
 
 He rode away rapidly down the road, leaving 
 Abe looking after him. 
 
 " What s he want to know so much about em 
 for?" thought young Morse, as he started back 
 toward Shutesbury. " Seems to me he s mighty 
 particular about Ruth, too. I guess she can get 
 along without his advice," and he whipped up his 
 horse and galloped along. Perry continued on 
 his journey with a feeling of relief, and it was late 
 into the evening before he reached the little town 
 of Granby, twelve miles northwest of Springfield. 
 His first impulse was to wait until morning, and 
 then ride on early so that he would be in time for 
 the opening of court. But upon reflection he was 
 not sure that it would not be wise to push ahead 
 1 88 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 under cover of the night, for he would be less 
 likely to be recognized, and perhaps able to enter 
 the town unobserved. Therefore after supper, and 
 a sufficient time for himself and Molly to become 
 fit for further travel, he set out through the village. 
 The night was dark and the roads rough, so he 
 durst not go out of a walk. Thus it was after 
 midnight when he entered Ludlow and turned 
 west toward Springfield. Up to this time he had 
 seen very few people since he left Abe Morse. 
 Now the scene changed as if by magic, and dark 
 figures passed him at every moment headed in the 
 direction of Springfield. He met many also, and 
 groups were gathered by the roadside. It was 
 apparent to him that some important preparations 
 were being made, and he had no difficulty in 
 guessing what they were. The insurgents were 
 marshalling their forces for an early attack upon 
 the town, and he had done well to come on by 
 night ; for no one knew him, and in the darkness 
 they thought him one of their number. Once 
 some one stopped and spoke, saying, " All by the 
 big oak at sunrise ; " and as Perry nodded assent, 
 the man rode away satisfied. When he got within 
 a few miles of the town, everything seemed quieter, 
 and he met only a few stragglers, evidently on 
 their way to the appointed meeting. Thus he 
 189 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 rode into the town without further interruption, 
 and going to the square by the main street, secured 
 lodgings at the Coffee House. 
 
 It was nearly two o clock in the morning when 
 Perry at last fell asleep. He was awakened soon 
 after sunrise by the sound of a fife and drum, and 
 jumping from his bed hastily, he ran to the win 
 dow overlooking the square. A company of 
 militia was marching toward the Court House, 
 where a large crowd of people was already assem 
 bled. Perry dressed hurriedly and ordered break 
 fast at once, after which he walked across the square. 
 
 " Halloa, Perry," said a voice, as he was about 
 to force his way through the throng, " so you *ve 
 got here safely ? " 
 
 Perry turned and saw Mason. 
 
 "Yes; I turned up at the Coffee House a few 
 hours ago. Is there going to be any court 
 to-day?" 
 
 " Of course there is. There 11 be about six 
 hundred troops in town before the opening, and 
 Shays has only a few followers scattered outside. 
 He can t hold em together, and they 11 never dare 
 to attack Shepard. I was just thinking about you, 
 and was going to look up the standing of your 
 matters, but you ve saved me the trouble." 
 
 "Thank you. That boy seemed to be out of 
 190 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 danger, so I left him. I came on by night, so 
 escaped observation." 
 
 " Did you meet your friend Luke Day on the 
 way ? " asked Mason, with a laugh. 
 
 " No. I J m afraid his forces are hopelessly dis 
 persed. I saw one of em, and sent him back to 
 look after young Brown. With this exception I 
 have not set eyes on any of them since that 
 memorable attack in Shutesbury." 
 
 " Shays will be disappointed, for he s expecting 
 reinforcements. Come into the hall; I want to 
 look up something before the crowd begins to 
 move. Every one s on hand early this morning, 
 and I guess we can get to work before long." 
 
 With some shoving and pushing the two young 
 men finally succeeded in gaining an entrance. 
 
 191 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 ON the third day after his arrival in Springfield, 
 William Perry left it again, and started back 
 toward Petersham in company with a squad of 
 militia which had orders to pass northward through 
 Pelham and Barre to disperse such of the insur 
 gents as they might find collected along their route. 
 Perry had not been able to accomplish much be 
 fore the court, owing to the constant disturbances 
 about the Court House and outside the town ; and 
 he was much relieved when the justices adjourned, 
 and Shays and Day, satisfied for the time being 
 with their achievements, decided to retire from the 
 scene of action. At Pelham he bade farewell to 
 his escort, and on the afternoon of the second day 
 after leaving Springfield he rode into Petersham 
 village and on toward Deacon Brown s forge. 
 
 It was now the middle of September, and the 
 country about him had begun to put on its coat of 
 many colors. The air was crisp, even cool, and he 
 192 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 had enjoyed his ride, and his spirits had been good 
 most of the way. But when from the hillside he 
 saw the house and barn of the Brown farm, his 
 mood suddenly changed, and his thoughts returned 
 to Ruth and her father. 
 
 " I wonder if the old man will listen to me," he 
 mused, with his eyes strained toward the hill 
 across the valley. "They told me that the boy 
 had been taken home by his friend. I don t know 
 whether his father will be toned down or stirred 
 up by the sight of his battle-scarred son." 
 
 About midway between Petersham village and 
 the farm, where the road wound down between the 
 thick pine woods, was a tiny brook where Perry 
 had stopped to water the mare on his journey west. 
 This brook flowed south, then west, finally joining 
 the larger stream in the valley below, which ran 
 on through meadow and forest, into Swift River. 
 
 Still absorbed in thought, Perry was descending 
 the uneven pitch with care, when he was roused by 
 a sound among the trees next him. He turned his 
 head, but seeing nothing, proceeded quietly until 
 he reached the ford, where he guided Molly a little 
 to the left, and let her drink in the pool under the 
 boulders. He resumed his journey down round 
 the curve over the dam, and on up toward the 
 brow of the hill looking down on the smithy. 
 3 193 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 From the smoke issuing from the blacksmith s 
 shop, he knew that Deacon Brown must be there, 
 and he hesitated a moment before going down 
 toward it. At last he started on again and pulled 
 up before the open door. 
 
 The blacksmith was standing at the bench with 
 his back toward the road, and did not notice 
 Perry as he approached. For a few moments the 
 young man sat in the saddle and watched him. It 
 seemed to Perry that the deacon had changed 
 much since he first saw him ; that his back was 
 not as straight as it had been ; and that his hand 
 moved less firmly and with less steadiness. There 
 was an uncertain, hesitating manner as he picked 
 up the tools and examined his work, and Perry s 
 heart softened as he watched him. 
 
 " The poor old chap," he thought, still looking 
 at him, " trying to work and earn enough to 
 keep body and soul together, and with this debt 
 hanging over him. I 11 try to be patient with him. 
 Here goes for a brave dash." He dropped from 
 the saddle, and passing his arm through the bridle, 
 walked up to the open door and called out pleas 
 antly, 
 
 " Good-day, Mr. Brown. Busy, I see, as usual. 
 I promised to call on you on my return, and here 
 I am." 
 
 194 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Deacon Brown dropped his tools upon the bench. 
 He turned suddenly round and stared at the young 
 man with bloodshot eyes, and for a moment did 
 not speak, but stood motionless, examining Perry 
 carefully. Then the frown disappeared, and he 
 seemed to recognize him, and said slowly, 
 
 " Oh ! so you re back, are ye ? I m busy and 
 can t speak with ye to-day. I Ve been to Boston 
 and fixed everything up with Piper, and we don t 
 neither of us want any help from ye." 
 
 Perry looked at him in amazement. 
 
 " You ve been to Boston, Mr. Brown ? " he said 
 doubtingly. 
 
 " Yes, sir, and I made that ere little thief do as 
 I told him to. It s all fixed." 
 
 Perry still examined him carefully, wondering 
 whether he was trying to put him off. Then he 
 said with a smile, 
 
 " I m very glad, Mr. Brown, if you Ve been able 
 to arrange matters satisfactorily. Do you mind 
 telling me what you did ? " 
 
 " I treated ye kind of rough the last time you 
 was here, and I ain t changed my mind about 
 ye and your sneaking business. But Abe here," 
 pointing at the young man standing by the bellows, 
 whom Perry had not noticed on entering the shop, 
 "says ye was good to Jimmy, and did what ye 
 95 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 could for him after he was hurt. I thank ye, sir, 
 for that, and perhaps it 11 make up for some of 
 your sins." 
 
 Perry smiled and answered, 
 
 " That was nothing, Mr. Brown. I had plenty 
 of time, and the poor boy was in a bad way. How 
 is he now? " 
 
 " Getting along all right, only it s knocked out 
 the little sense he had. But I was a going to say, 
 Ruth tried to make me promise to speak to ye 
 when I come home, and when Abe told me about 
 Jimmy I said I would. But I don t trust ye, and 
 I m only doing it cause I said I would." 
 
 " I m glad you Ve decided to do so. Now tell 
 me what you did in Boston. It may make a differ 
 ence in what I shall do when I return there." 
 
 "Well, I 11 tell ye, and then ye can be going. 
 I give Piper a new note, and he give me a receipt 
 for them others." 
 
 Perry gave a sudden start, and looked at the 
 blacksmith closely. 
 
 " You gave him a new note ? For how much ? " 
 
 " Three hundred dollars, to be sure." 
 
 " And what kind of a receipt did he give you ? " 
 
 " Here it is," said Brown, drawing it forth from 
 his pocket. Perry took it and read it, then uttered 
 an exclamation. 
 
 196 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Why, Mr. Brown, this is no good. It was n t 
 even signed, and it s bad in form. That little 
 rascal has cheated you, and he has now your notes 
 for six hundred dollars. I wrote him a week ago 
 that the notes I have would be paid, and now you 
 have spoiled everything." 
 
 The blacksmith stared at him a moment, and 
 then a look of suspicion came into his eyes. 
 
 " I guess, sir, it s all right," he said. " Jest give 
 me back that paper, and how about them notes you 
 have ? Seems to me that they re mine. Will you 
 kindly give em to me ? " 
 
 " I can t do that now, for I have no authority 
 to part with them until they are paid, and I 
 have no proof that they have been paid as yet. 
 But I 11 look out for them for you, and try to 
 straighten this thing out. You ve made a bad 
 mess of it, sir, and it s lucky I have the 
 notes." 
 
 " Lucky for who ? " said Brown, his brows con 
 tracting. " Lucky for you, I guess, and you meant 
 to keep em all the time. You re jest what I said 
 you was, and I m a damned fool to have anything 
 to do with ye. You Ve got them notes, have ye ? 
 Well, they won t do ye no good, and you 11 have 
 to try to cheat some one else." 
 
 Perry had made up his mind not to get angry 
 
 97 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 with the man, for it had become very evident that 
 he was not wholly responsible for what he did 
 and said. He decided, therefore, to say nothing 
 further about the matter, and to act according to 
 his own judgment. 
 
 " Very well, then," he said cheerfully, " as you 
 have everything settled I can be of no further 
 service to you, and will be moving along." 
 
 He mounted the mare, and rode away, leaving 
 the blacksmith and Abe Morse staring after him. 
 When he reached the turn in the road leading 
 toward Barre, he hesitated a moment, then 
 guided Molly round to the left, and a little later 
 rapped on the shed door, which was opened by 
 Jimmy himself, his head bandaged and his face 
 very pale. 
 
 " Well, my boy, I m glad to see you about 
 again," said Perry, taking the youth s hand. 
 " You look rather poorly, though. Is your sister 
 in ? Yes ? Can I speak to her a moment ? " 
 
 " She s in the kitchen, sir. Won t you come 
 in?" 
 
 " I think not. I Ve just seen your father, and 
 I m afraid he 11 not approve of my coming up 
 here at all." 
 
 Jimmy went into the house, and in a few mo 
 ments Ruth appeared. Perry was really startled 
 198 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 when he saw her. Her face was worn and thin, 
 and she took his proffered hand with a sad smile, 
 as she said, 
 
 " You ve been very kind to Jimmy, sir." 
 
 " Don t speak of it, Miss Brown," answered 
 Perry, with an attempt at gayety. " I Ve just 
 seen your father, and he has told me of what 
 he s done with Piper. I wish to ask you not to 
 worry about these things. Your father does not 
 trust me, but I feel that you do, and that you 
 will believe what I tell you. He has made a great 
 blunder, but I think I can make it all right if you 
 will help me. Your father s mind is overwrought 
 by all these worries, and you must try to deceive 
 him a little. If he says that I am cheating him, 
 agree with him, and in the mean while I will see 
 Piper." 
 
 " You are very, very kind," said Ruth, looking 
 up into his eyes, gratefully. " I do trust you, and 
 I 11 follow your advice. Father s breaking down, 
 and I m beginning to lose control of him. There 
 was a time when he would do anything for me, but 
 he s changed so much lately." 
 
 " Keep a brave heart, Miss Brown," answered 
 
 Perry. " I 11 send you word of what I do. Keep 
 
 your eyes open for the post. Now I must go, or 
 
 your father will see me and suspect something. 
 
 199 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 I feel sure that Jimmy will keep our secret. 
 Good-bye." 
 
 Ruth stood and watched him until he disap 
 peared over the ledge on the road to Barre. Then 
 with a sigh she turned and went into the house. 
 
 Three days later William Perry crossed Charles- 
 town bridge into Boston, and rode directly to 
 Jerry Piper s shop. 
 
 200 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 IT was now the end of November. The legisla 
 ture in extra session had received the petitions 
 from the malcontents all over the State ; heard the 
 address of the governor ; and passed measures of 
 relief which, it was thought, would satisfy the peo 
 ple and cause them to lay down their arms and 
 return to their homes. But the leaders Shays, 
 Day, Shattuck, Parsons, and Wheeler were not 
 sincere, and were looking further than to the 
 welfare of the farmers. They wished control of 
 government, and the power and benefit it would 
 bring them individually. So it was that, notwith 
 standing the good intentions and generous actions 
 of government, the insurgents still kept on in their 
 mad career, regardless of everything. 
 
 William Perry was sitting in his office on King 
 Street, absorbed in the study of some legal docu 
 ments, when the door opened and Jeremiah Piper 
 crept into the room, hat in hand. He looked 
 about him to make sure that no stranger was 
 present, then went forward and spoke, 
 201 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Good-day, sir. I ve come to see you about 
 the mortgage. You remember that when you paid 
 the notes and the hundred dollars, I agreed to let 
 it run for six weeks beyond its date. The time 
 will be up in three days, sir, and I shall be obliged 
 to foreclose unless something is done in the mean 
 while. I m sorry, sir, very sorry, but I ve lost 
 a great deal of money lately, and the new laws 
 make it very hard for me." 
 
 Perry looked at him a moment with a con 
 temptuous smile. Then he said, 
 
 " I understand you perfectly, Mr. Piper, and I 
 think you know it. When I paid you the four 
 hundred dollars you agreed not to foreclose with 
 out giving me ample notice. Do you consider 
 three days sufficient time in which to make such 
 arrangements, in excited times like these? No 
 court will sustain you, sir, and I have your written 
 agreement, and it provides also that you shall for 
 feit your claim if you divulge the name of the 
 person who took up the notes." 
 
 " I know it, sir, I know it," answered Piper, 
 persuasively, " and that is why I Ve come to see 
 you. I said the mortgage was due in three days, 
 but not that I intended foreclosing in that time. I 
 want to learn what you consider a reasonable time." 
 
 "Mr. Piper," said Perry, coolly, "you are a 
 
 202 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 miserable little villain, and if I did as I m inclined 
 to do I d take you by the nape of your neck and 
 throw you out of that window. But you d land 
 on your feet like a cat, and come back to trouble 
 us all again, so my efforts would avail little. 
 You Ve had two good lawyers, Mr. Ames and my 
 self, and had you been honest we would have con 
 tinued to serve you. But you took advantage of a 
 poor broken-down man who at best knew nothing 
 of business, and whose mind had been weakened 
 so that he was easily deceived. You hoped to get 
 double the amount he owed you, but fortunately I 
 was in a position to prevent this. I shall give 
 you no time in this matter. You may follow your 
 own inclinations, but I warn you that I am watch 
 ing you, and I advise you to move carefully." 
 
 The money-lender looked up at him from under 
 his eyebrows and smiled. 
 
 " I m sorry, sir, that you won t look at things 
 more fairly. I Ve been very easy on this gentle 
 man, and I do not wish to press him ; but I shall 
 be obliged to foreclose." 
 
 " How do you propose to go about it ? " asked 
 Perry, with a confident smile. " It seems to me 
 that you 11 have a good deal of trouble under the 
 circumstances. It s difficult to get judgment at 
 present." 
 
 203 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I m advised to enter the premises, sir, and that 
 is the mode I shall take." 
 
 " Under the statute of 85 ? Very well, Mr. 
 Piper. This is the nineteenth day of November, 
 and you are probably aware that the General 
 Court has risen, having endeavored to pacify the 
 malcontents, but without apparent success. In 
 order to make an entry it will be necessary for 
 you to take a perilous journey, and as I have had 
 some experience in such matters, I advise you to 
 postpone your trip until the farmers are in a pleas- 
 anter mood. You have had occasion to see Mr. 
 Brown when under the influence of passion, and 
 he has told me that he intends to strangle you if 
 you appear in Petersham. Were I sure that this 
 would be the outcome of your visit, I would not 
 ask you to delay it, and not on that account do I 
 suggest your postponing action." 
 
 " I Ve taken precautions, sir," said the little 
 man, with a wicked look in his eyes, " and threats 
 will do no good. The court meets in Worcester 
 day after to-morrow, and my attorney has already 
 begun proceeding of foreclosure. The case will be 
 heard in Worcester on the twenty-first, and if any 
 thing should prevent this I shall proceed to Peters 
 ham and enter the premises in company with an 
 officer of the law and proper witnesses. I won t 
 204 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 trouble you any more, sir. I am advised that 
 our agreement is not binding, and that I can now 
 enter for non-performance of the conditions of the 
 mortgage. Good-day, sir." 
 
 " You damned little scamp," said Perry, rising 
 in a passion, "leave my office, and do what you 
 please. I know what your rights are, and propose 
 to see that you don t exceed them. Get out of 
 here, I say," he went on, advancing toward the 
 cringing figure. 
 
 " I 11 leave immediately," said Piper, raising his 
 hand deprecatingly. " Personal abuse sometimes 
 costs money, Mr. Perry. Good-morning." 
 
 He backed out of the door, and Perry returned 
 to his desk and sat down. 
 
 " What s to be done now ? " he thought, pulling 
 over his papers, and taking one of them up. 
 " Here s the agreement. I Ve paid four hundred 
 dollars out of my own pocket, and I have nothing 
 to show for it but this note, which is not very valu 
 able. Why have I done this? " 
 
 He read the paper through carefully, and then 
 began musing again. 
 
 " Well, there s just one thing about it. I m 
 
 going to jump on to Molly this afternoon, and ride 
 
 to Petersham and give them warning. If this old 
 
 rascal gets heard in Worcester, then I 11 try to 
 
 205 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 make some settlement with him. If not, and he 
 attempts to enter the premises, I m inclined to 
 think that he ll meet with opposition." 
 
 He rose, and after arranging his papers, went 
 out and down King Street. When he reached the 
 building where Fisher Ames had his office, an idea 
 came to him suddenly. 
 
 " I 11 run in and consult Ames," he thought, 
 stopping and turning into the doorway. "He 11 
 willingly give me his advice." 
 
 During the past few weeks Fisher Ames had 
 been very busy assisting in the framing of the new 
 laws which were intended to satisfy the discon 
 tented people. The legislature had just risen, and 
 he had returned to his office to gather up the 
 ragged ends of his business, which had sorely suf 
 fered from recent neglect. When Perry entered, 
 he found Ames buried in a mass of papers, and 
 evidently very much occupied, for he did not at 
 first notice the young man. 
 
 " Good-morning, Ames," said Perry, in his ac 
 customed cheerful manner. " Our old friend has 
 been in to see me again. What an infernal little 
 rascal he is ! " 
 
 "Good-morning, Perry. Do you mean Jere 
 miah ? " said Ames, with a smile. 
 
 " I do, Ames. I don t know how I kept my 
 206 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 hands off him. He s going to foreclose that 
 Brown mortgage if he can, and I want to prevent 
 him." 
 
 u My dear Perry," said Ames, frankly, " has he 
 not a right to foreclose ? I believe the mortgage 
 is over-due, and that the mortgageor has paid no 
 interest of late. Such is my impression, although 
 I have given the matter no attention since Piper 
 discharged us, and employed Mason." 
 
 "Of course it s over-due," answered Perry, a 
 little confusedly, " but Brown and his daughter are 
 suffering, and it s a shame to allow them to be put 
 out of house and home." 
 
 " It s certainly very hard, and I admire your 
 kindness of heart ; but there are hundreds, nay, 
 thousands of others who are in the same position, 
 and they have brought it about by their own folly* 
 I advise you not to trouble yourself further about 
 it. You cannot afford, as much as you would wish 
 to do it, to carry all the burdens." 
 
 " I know it, I know it, Ames, but this is a pe 
 culiar case : a poor, broken-down, honest, hard 
 working man, with a useless son, and a daughter 
 who is worth saving. I Ve seen them, and I 
 have n t seen all the others. I can t bear to think 
 of them as bankrupt and homeless." 
 
 " There is a daughter ? " said Ames, looking 
 207 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 up at Perry inquisitively. "The dairy-maid? 
 Did n t I tell you beware the dairy-maid ? You ve 
 not heeded my warning, Perry." 
 
 The young man looked a little annoyed for a 
 moment ; then he said with a smile, 
 
 "In a way you are right, Ames. It is the 
 daughter for whom I have the most pity. She s 
 a fine girl, and if you could see her devotion you 
 would feel as I do." 
 
 " Not exactly," said Ames, with an unaccount 
 able expression in his intelligent eyes. 
 
 "What do you mean?" asked Perry, quickly, 
 flushing as he caught the other s look. 
 
 " I mean," said Ames, rising, and putting his 
 hand on Perry s shoulder, " that there is some 
 thing inside you which has not yet come to the 
 surface; that is, you have not yet perceived it. 
 I, however, have suspected it for some time; in 
 fact, ever since you last returned from Petersham 
 before the meeting of the General Court. What 
 it is I shall not tell you, but you will discover it 
 before long. No, Perry, I do not blame you for 
 taking this interest in these people ; but you cannot 
 expect me to see much difference in their case from 
 that of many others. Piper is a rascal, a cheating 
 little knave ; but he holds the mortgage, and the 
 consideration was paid. The courts will sustain 
 208 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 him in any event, unless fraud can be shown, and 
 I m inclined to think that he is too sharp to allow 
 any to be detected. Unless you can make some 
 settlement with him, I see no way out of it." 
 
 Perry looked at his friend in a bewildered way, 
 and did not speak for some moments. Then he 
 said slowly, fingering the papers upon the desk : 
 
 "I I understand what you mean, Ames, and 
 I take no offence, but you are entirely mistaken. 
 I Ve only a natural interest in these poor people, 
 and want to help them. But I see clearly that you 
 are right. Piper has the winning hand, and unless 
 something can be done at once, they are doomed." 
 
 " Don t misunderstand me, Perry," said Ames, 
 kindly. " I d do a great deal for you, and if there 
 was any encouragement I could give you, I would 
 do so willingly. But there is none, and the only 
 thing to be done is to persuade Piper to make a 
 settlement. You know better than I whether or not 
 this is possible." 
 
 " I thank you, Ames, and I know that you are 
 speaking wisely. Yet I cannot see this thing go 
 on. I shall try in some way to prevent it." 
 
 "And I sincerely hope that you may succeed. 
 If you need advice or assistance call on me at any 
 time. I shall always be at your service." 
 
 " I thank you again. Good-bye." 
 14 209 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Good-bye, Perry, and do not be offended at 
 what I have said. We are old friends, and for that 
 reason I have taken liberties with you. You will 
 soon see that I am not mistaken." 
 
 William Perry walked through to Clark Square 
 in a distracted mood. Something was on his 
 mind which he had not noticed before his interview 
 with Ames. He knew very well what it was, but 
 he laughed and denied it to himself. 
 
 " It s too absurd," he tried to persuade himself, 
 as he entered his lodgings. " It s perfectly natural 
 that I should be interested in these people." 
 
 Two hours later he was riding over Charlestown 
 bridge, but he was neither singing nor whistling; 
 he was thinking of what Ames had said to him, 
 and trying to explain it to himself. 
 
 210 
 
CHAPTER XXL 
 
 OERRY rode on through Concord, Groton, and 
 * Gerry, and, as it happened, escaped serious 
 interruption, although at this time Middlesex was 
 in a state of ferment, and Job Shattuck and his 
 men were playing the part of highwaymen with 
 some success, and travelling alone was dangerous. 
 But General Brooks was on his way to disperse 
 them, and this so much occupied their attention, 
 that the insurgent leaders let the quiet-appearing 
 young man pass without molesting him. 
 
 The country had become familiar to him of late. 
 Molly took the roads without guiding, and on the 
 afternoon of the second day he passed over the 
 turnpike toward Petersham. It seemed to him 
 that the houses he passed were nearly all deserted, 
 and he soon made up his mind that the men had 
 gone to join the insurgents, and that the women 
 had gathered in some place to await their return. 
 
 How different was the scene from that upon 
 which he had looked two months before ! The 
 
 211 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 trees were bare of leaves ; the ferns and golden-rod 
 were dying by the roadside, and in the fields ; and 
 Mount Monadnock was capped with white, glis 
 tening in the sunlight like a great diamond. It 
 was not only his surroundings that had changed 
 in these few weeks. Perry himself had been 
 touched as well as the trees and flowers, and he 
 began to realize it. When the snow-topped moun 
 tain came in sight from the brow of the hill, he 
 pulled in the mare and looked at the view before 
 him. Toward the left, over woods and rolling 
 hills, rose the spire of Petersham church ; in 
 front, beyond the valley, the summit of the hill 
 where stood the farm, backed by Monadnock ; to 
 his right Wachusett. What a beautiful panorama 
 it was in the clear autumn air. What a pity it was 
 that its lords and masters could not enjoy it in 
 peace ! 
 
 " Well," he thought, with a look of determina 
 tion on his handsome face, as he touched Molly 
 and began to descend the steep sandy road, 
 "they sha n t be driven from it if I can help it. 
 I Ve decided what I 11 do." 
 
 He smiled with satisfaction, as he continued on 
 
 down the hill. He had nearly reached the bottom, 
 
 where the brook flowed across the road under the 
 
 hemlocks, when he was roused from his reveries 
 
 212 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 by a crackling sound near him, and on turning 
 quickly, noticed the figure of a man emerging from 
 the brush by the side of the stream. The next 
 moment Perry s hand went to his holster, for he 
 had recognized his old acquaintance, Captain Luke 
 Day. He was about to draw forth the pistol, 
 when his hand was tightly grasped, and turning 
 again, he saw that he was held by two men who 
 had stolen up behind him while his attention was 
 on Day. He made an effort to free himself, but 
 could not, and before he was able to drop the reins 
 and reach his other pistol, he was surrounded by a 
 dozen or more men, who dragged him to the 
 ground. It had all been done so quickly that not 
 a word had been spoken. 
 
 Perry strained every nerve, and at one time 
 shook the men from him ; but they were soon back 
 again, and at last he relaxed and looked from one 
 to the other until his eyes met those of Day. Then 
 suddenly an idea came to him, and he gave a pecu 
 liar whistle. With a bound and a kick, Molly 
 dashed down the hill and out of sight round the 
 curve. 
 
 "They ll know whom she belongs to," he 
 thought rapidly. Then speaking aloud, he said, 
 addressing Day : 
 
 " Oh, you rascally blackguard, I suppose you re 
 213 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 satisfied now that you Ve overpowered me by brute 
 force. Do you want to let me loose for just five 
 minutes? No? I didn t imagine that you did, 
 you coward. I advise you not to, for I d skin 
 you and crack every bone in your body. I m not 
 sure that I sha n t be able to do it anyway ; " and 
 he glared at the captain. 
 
 " You see, Mr. Lawyer," answered Day, smiling 
 contemptuously, "that we have to be careful in 
 these anxious times, and so we ve made sure of ye 
 this time. We ain t going to hurt ye, but Captain 
 Shays thinks ye ve travelled the roads too much 
 lately, and so he s given orders that we shall look 
 after ye for a time, and we Ve fixed up some com 
 fortable quarters for ye just down beyond those 
 woods to the left. Sorry you ve got to walk, but 
 you seemed to want to get rid of your horse, so it s 
 your own fault." 
 
 " Yes," answered Perry, defiantly, " she s a lady, 
 and I m rather particular what kind of company 
 she keeps. Do you suppose for a moment that 
 you can frighten me ? It is possible the combined 
 strength of let me see, how many are there ? 
 twelve men can to a certain extent control the 
 actions of one ; but I m perfectly willing to take 
 any one of your cut-throats single-handed, prefer 
 ably yourself." 
 
 214 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Don t call names, Mr. Lawyer," said Day, 
 coming up to him; "it won t do ye any good. 
 Our horses are hitched right yonder down the lane, 
 and if you 11 be kind enough to come along we 11 
 get on em and show ye what a pretty place we ve 
 chosen for ye. It s near a brook with the trees 
 a spreading over ye, and the little birds 11 sing ye 
 to sleep." 
 
 " Stop your damned impertinence," said Perry, 
 in a rage, struggling with the men, and dragging 
 them forward in his attempt to reach Day. " Your 
 time will come later, as sure as my name is William 
 Perry." 
 
 " That s a nice name, Mr. Perry," said the cap 
 tain, with a hoarse laugh. " I m glad to know it. 
 We re keeping a list of all of your kind, and when 
 we begin to run this government we 11 put ye 
 aboard a nice ship, and send ye to join your 
 British friends across the water. Now we 11 be 
 moving." 
 
 Perry shrugged his shoulders, and, led by the 
 men, walked in the direction of the forest over the 
 rough lane, and through the stony pastures. At 
 last they found their horses, and Day and four 
 others mounted. " Now," said the captain, ** I 
 guess it 11 be a good idea to tie him up. It ain t 
 far, only a little ways down by the brook. It s 
 2I 5 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 an old lumberman s shanty, and you 11 be real 
 comfortable. Plenty to eat and drink, and a fire 
 to warm yourself by until Cap n Shays comes over 
 to see ye. He s in Rutland now, and he s pretty 
 busy. Sent his compliments, and says he 11 try 
 not to keep ye waiting long. Never mind about 
 tying him. It ain t worth while." 
 
 Perry deigned no notice of these remarks, but 
 walked quietly along. He felt certain that he was 
 more than a match for Day, and that he could get 
 out of the scrape in some way, if he was only 
 patient. What worried him most was the fact that 
 Piper would come to Petersham in a few days and 
 attempt to take possession of Brown s property. 
 The blacksmith would know nothing of the pro 
 ceedings, and would be sure to get himself into 
 trouble. Every probability presented itself to 
 Perry s mind, and he soon decided that he must 
 act that very night at the latest. 
 
 After about half a mile s walk through the pines 
 and hemlocks, Day stopped before a log cabin. 
 It was a small affair, and Perry examined it care 
 fully, as a prisoner does his gaol. It was entirely 
 surrounded by trees, a large boulder rising to one 
 side of it, and behind, not more than fifty yards 
 distant, ran the brook. The cabin was hidden 
 from the lane and he had not noticed it until he 
 216 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 had turned round the high boulder which completely 
 shut it out of the view of those who might chance 
 to pass. " Here s your house, Mr. Perry," said 
 Day, with a military salute. " You re better off 
 than a good many of us in these days. What we 
 ought to have done is to make ye sleep in the open 
 air. But Cap n Shays is very kind-hearted, and 
 was afraid you d catch cold. Walk right in, sir." 
 
 Perry looked at him angrily, but did as he was 
 asked. As he passed through the low door he 
 took careful note of everything. There was a 
 wooden bench, or stand, a three-legged stool, and 
 a pile of straw in the corner. There was no sign 
 of a window, and as it was now late in the after 
 noon, and the foliage was thick, Perry could see 
 very little. 
 
 " Now," said Day, when they had gone in, "we ve 
 got a candle for ye, and some bread and water. 
 Cap n Shays says you lawyers have sent a good 
 many innocent people to prison, and he wants to 
 give ye a taste of what it s like. I m going to 
 leave four gentlemen to look after ye, and I 11 tell 
 ye for your comfort that three of em have recently 
 escaped from gaol, so they 11 understand what to 
 do. Good-night, sir. A pleasant sleep to ye, and 
 I guess the cap n 11 be over to see ye before long." 
 
 Perry again vouchsafed no answer, but turning 
 217 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 his back to the door, waited until the men had 
 ridden away. 
 
 " I should n t mind this so much," he thought, 
 " if I was sure that I could get out of it in time to 
 head off Piper. How unfortunate just at this time ! 
 I Ve no doubt that that mountebank was telling 
 the truth about those gaolbirds, and I m not going 
 to take any foolish risks. But I 11 get out some 
 way before to-morrow, or everything will be lost." 
 
 The door was now closed and securely fastened 
 on the outside, and Perry could hear the men talk 
 ing and laughing. He crept on tip-toe and tried 
 the door. There was a cessation in the conversa 
 tion outside, and he heard distinctly the snapping 
 of the lock of a gun. He immediately withdrew, 
 and began examining the logs to see if there was 
 any weakness in them. They were all heavy, 
 and well-joined, and there was no possibility of his 
 moving them. At last, making up his mind that 
 he must wait, he sat on the stool, took the loaf of 
 bread, and cut a piece off it with his clasp knife. 
 Fortunately he had his flask of spirits, and a few 
 biscuits, and with these he made his supper. 
 
 For some hours he sat in the darkness, his head 
 
 on his hand, listening and thinking. Finally it 
 
 seemed to him that there was something moving 
 
 near the door, and the next moment it was opened 
 
 218 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 a crack, and he could see the outline of a man s 
 head and hat. Then he heard a voice whispering : 
 
 " He s asleep, Bill. Guess we can take a nap. 
 I 11 set up, and we 11 take turns. If I hear any 
 thing a moving, I 11 wake ye." 
 
 The door was then closed and fastened, and 
 Perry went to the corner and lay down on the 
 straw for a little rest. 
 
 219 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 RUTH and her father sat in the kitchen eating 
 supper. For some weeks the girl had been 
 more cheerful, for she had heard from Perry, and 
 by following his advice had made her father believe 
 that, matters were mending, and that with time 
 everything would be straightened out. The notes 
 had been paid, but neither she nor Deacon Brown 
 realized who had done it. Ruth had been given 
 to understand that Piper had agreed to cancel 
 them, and her father said, " The little rascal was 
 scart, and didn t dare claim em." As to the 
 mortgage, it had been extended, and there would 
 be no more trouble from that source for some time 
 to come. 
 
 As is often the case with those who wish to be 
 kind and helpful, Perry had undertaken too much, 
 and in the goodness of his heart had kept back 
 from them the true facts. He had not told Ruth 
 that the mortgage would expire in November, and 
 neither she nor her father suspected such to be the 
 220 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 case. Had they known this, they would not have 
 been surprised upon seeing two chaises driven up 
 the road, and stopped before the shed door. 
 
 " Seems we ve got visitors, Ruth," said the 
 blacksmith, rising, and starting for the door. " I 
 hope it ain t none of them city folks." 
 
 Ruth rose to follow him, and then they passed 
 through the shed. As they reached the door a low 
 groan and an oath came from Deacon Brown, and 
 Ruth grew faint and leaned against the casement. 
 Getting out of the first chaise was the shrunken 
 form of Jerry the money-lender. 
 
 "What does he want here?" growled Brown, 
 his face flushed with anger. 
 
 " I don t know, father," gasped Ruth, clutching 
 the side of the door. " I don t like it. See, the 
 others are getting out, and they re all walking this 
 way. They ve seen you, and that dreadful man 
 is going to speak to you." 
 
 Ruth was right. Jerry Piper advanced, followed 
 by the others, and began to speak. 
 
 "Good-evening, Mr. Brown," he said, removing 
 his hat, and looking up with a sardonic smile. 
 " I m sorry to disturb you, but I could n t wait 
 any longer." 
 
 "Wait for what?" said Brown, glaring at him 
 savagely ; " wait for what ? Answer me quick." 
 
 221 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I guess you know, sir. The mortgage." 
 
 " The what ? " roared the blacksmith, clenching 
 his fists. "The mor the what are ye talking 
 about ? " 
 
 He stepped toward Piper, who withdrew a pace. 
 
 " I m talking about the mortgage which I hold 
 on your farm here," said Jerry, taking the paper 
 from his pocket and holding it before the black 
 smith s face. " It s overdue, and I want it paid 
 now or " 
 
 Deacon Brown made a dash for the paper ; but 
 the money-lender was too quick for him, and 
 jumped to one side. 
 
 " None of this, sir," said one of the other men, 
 stepping up between them. " I m the officer, and 
 must see that there s no trouble." 
 
 "You re the officer?" said Brown, attempting 
 to push the man one side. " What officer are ye ? 
 Whose officer are ye? What business has any 
 officer on my premises ? Get away from here, or 
 I 11 strangle the lot of ye." 
 
 " Don t get excited, Mr. Brown," said the con 
 stable, firmly. " The law must be obeyed, and you 
 must remember that acts of violence will not be 
 tolerated now. Listen quietly to what this gentle 
 man has to say." 
 
 " I 11 listen to no one, least to that ere sneaking 
 222 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 little thief. Take him away from here, take him 
 away ! Do ye hear me ? I don t know no law or 
 lawyers, or blood-sucking varmin." 
 
 " I Ve come, Mr. Brown," said Piper, from be 
 hind the constable, "to foreclose the mortgage." 
 
 There was a scream from the shed, and Ruth 
 rushed out and took her father by the arm. The 
 blacksmith s face was purple, and he was trying to 
 speak, but the words would not come. At last he 
 put his hand to his throat, and with a final effort 
 said in a hoarse voice, 
 
 " By God, I 11 kill ye all ! Look out for yeself, 
 for I m done with patience. You Ve lied to me, 
 your lawyer s lied to me, and I 11 kill ye, and I 11 
 throw your body in the corn-field for the crows 
 to pick at." 
 
 He raised his great fist and struck at the con 
 stable. P ortunately for the latter the blow fell 
 wide of its mark, and the officer, in a rage, called 
 to one of the other men, 
 
 " Put the irons on him." Then turning to the 
 blacksmith he went on, "I have orders, sir, to 
 arrest all rebellious and dangerous characters. 
 Take the young woman into the house, I can t 
 talk with her here. I Ve orders to arrest all such 
 as oppose the laws of the Commonwealth, and you 
 have done so. Now you are bound, and we will 
 223 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 proceed to business. Mr. Piper enters and takes 
 possession of this farm for breach of the condi 
 tions of the mortgage which he has with him. 
 The certificate will be signed by these witnesses 
 and recorded, and I arrest you as an inciter of 
 rebellion, and as a breaker of the laws. It s no 
 use, sir. Put him into the chaise. Where s the 
 young woman ? " 
 
 "She s fainted, Mr. Constable, and I ve put 
 her on the bed in one of the rooms." 
 
 " Very well, leave her. She 11 come to in a 
 while. You have now possession, Mr. Piper, and 
 if you say so you can remain here." 
 
 " No, thank you," said Piper. " I 11 leave the 
 young lady in possession until she s feeling 
 better." 
 
 " I ve seen lots of em faint this way. It s the 
 only way to keep em quiet, somehow. But it 
 ain t dangerous. She 11 know the old man s gone 
 when she wakes up." 
 
 While this conversation had been going on, 
 Deacon Brown had been struggling with the two 
 men, but had not spoken a word. His face was 
 swollen, and his eyes bloodshot and staring. He 
 rolled them about wildly, and his lips moved, but 
 with no sound. At last he grew quiet, and the men 
 got into the chaises, and drove away toward Barre. 
 224 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 It had now grown dark, and Ruth lay alone in 
 the farm-house on her father s bed. She was a 
 brave girl, and naturally strong and vigorous, and 
 had she not been broken down by care and starva 
 tion, she could have borne up under the shock she 
 had received on seeing Piper, and hearing what 
 he and the constable had said. As it was, she was 
 completely overcome, and losing consciousness she 
 was laid upon the bed in her father s room off the 
 kitchen. 
 
 How long she lay there she did not know, but 
 gradually she regained her senses, and a confused 
 sound of people talking seemed to reach her ears. 
 She opened her eyes, but could see nothing. Then 
 she raised herself on her elbow and listened. The 
 sounds she had heard were caused by the blood 
 rushing through her arteries. All at once she put 
 her hands to her head and uttered a low cry. 
 The whole scene was coming back to her, and 
 she imagined she saw her father being bound 
 and dragged away. She jumped from the bed and 
 groped in the dark for the door. At last she 
 found it, and pushed it open. The kitchen was 
 dark as the bed-room. She put both her hands to 
 her head and strained her eyes toward the window, 
 through which the moon cast its pale light from 
 over the tree-tops in the grove, causing the trees 
 15 225 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 in the orchard to take varied shapes in her excited 
 imagination. Then she gave a loud cry, and felt 
 her way toward the shed door. Like a flash the 
 truth came to her, and she began calling wildly : 
 
 " Father ! Father ! Where are you ? Jimmy, 
 Abe ! Help me, they have taken him from me to 
 kill him." 
 
 She passed out on to the road, her hair hanging 
 loose, her frock unfastened and laid back from her 
 throat. She stopped and looked down the road, 
 then called again, 
 
 " Father, Jimmy ! No, Jimmy s away with Abe 
 and can t hear me. My God, have pity on me ! 
 Where is he ? Oh ! I m so weak, so weak, and I 
 should have been strong. Help ! Help ! " 
 
 Suddenly she stopped and listened. She had 
 heard something coming over the hill beyond the 
 valley. Surely it was the sound of a horse canter 
 ing, and she went to the middle of the road and 
 peered down between the maples through the 
 moonlight. The sound drew nearer, coming up 
 the road, but Ruth could see nothing for some 
 moments. Then she distinguished the form of a 
 horse coming rapidly toward her, and she breathed 
 heavily. The next moment there was a loud 
 whinny, and Ruth saw in front of her a riderless 
 horse. The beast dropped into a trot, then into a 
 226 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 walk, and finally stopped near her. Ruth won 
 dered what it could mean. It was so dark under 
 the trees that she could not recognize the animal, 
 but having regained some of her strength, and 
 being a good horsewoman, she went boldly up to 
 its head and took the bridle. It was then that she 
 uttered a cry of pleasure, for she now knew it. It 
 was William Perry s mare, Molly. 
 
 " Why, it s Molly ! " said Ruth, putting her 
 arms round the mare s neck. " You Ve come to 
 help me. Where s your master ? " she went on, 
 with a sudden fright. " Why have you run away 
 from him ? " 
 
 For answer the mare rubbed her nose against the 
 girl s arm. 
 
 " Will you take me to him ? Come, Molly, I 11 
 jump on your back and we 11 go together, and you 
 can lead me." 
 
 Without waiting a moment longer, Ruth mounted 
 the mare, and sitting astride the saddle turned her 
 head down the road and spoke to her, and Molly 
 started off. Ruth had thought that perhaps she 
 would turn in at the tavern. But no. On she 
 went over the ledge, under the elms, down 
 round the hill, across the brook, and through the 
 valley. The cool night air and the vigorous exer 
 cise waked the girl, and her strength and nerve 
 227 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 came back as she rode along. At last they reached 
 the steep pitch leading toward the straight stretch 
 ^to Barre, and Molly slackened her speed and then 
 stopped by the side of the road. 
 
 The moon had risen high, and Ruth could see 
 about her clearly. She knew where she was. 
 It was by the brook next the lane leading to Sam 
 Barnes wood-lot, and she had been there many 
 times with her father and Jimmy in the winter, 
 when they had helped haul wood. She wondered 
 why Molly should stop at this place, but she 
 knew there must be some reason for it. She 
 spoke to the mare and then slid quietly to the 
 ground. As she did so her hand struck the 
 holster. She unstrapped it, looked in, and saw 
 the pistol. An idea came suddenly to her, and 
 passing her arm through the bridle she fell on 
 her knees and examined the ground. Her con 
 jecture had been correct. There was no question 
 but that a body of men had been collected where 
 she was, and but a short time before. She breathed 
 a low exclamation, mounted the mare again, and 
 with her right hand on the pistol, turned into the 
 lane and rode along, watching and listening with 
 every nerve strained. After going for a few 
 minutes, she spoke quietly to Molly, and stopped. 
 She was certain that she heard voices in front of 
 228 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 her, but as she leaned forward she could perceive 
 nothing but the soughing of the wind through the 
 pines, so she started forward again. In another 
 moment she pulled in the mare once more, and 
 this time she was convinced. To her right, beyond 
 the boulder toward the brook, she could distin 
 guish a man s voice. She turned to the left round 
 behind the clump of alders, dismounted, and 
 hitched the mare to a sapling. Then she took 
 the pistol from the holster and crept cautiously 
 toward the boulder. 
 
 229 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 WILLIAM PERRY lay on the straw in 
 the corner of the log cabin, determined 
 to sleep if possible, for he had work later in 
 the night which would require all his strength 
 and nerve, and he had no fear of not waking in 
 time. He considered carefully the probability of 
 Piper s getting to Petersham before the following 
 day, and he decided that if the money-lender 
 stopped in Worcester it would be almost impos 
 sible for him to arrive at the farm before the 
 twenty-third of the month. 
 
 " If he does succeed in entering, I m afraid it 
 will go hard with Brown, for it will be known that 
 he is a sympathizer of Shays," he thought. " He 11 
 have hard work to get justice. Besides all this, he 
 may be arrested, and then what will become of 
 Ruth?" 
 
 He rolled over on the straw, and closing his 
 eyes again he tried to sleep. He had been in this 
 position about half an hour when he was roused 
 230 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 by a noise outside the logs near where he was 
 resting. It was very slight, and he could scarcely 
 hear it, but he thought it a footstep on the pine 
 needles. He waited some minutes, then he heard 
 the sound again, and rising carefully, he put his 
 eye to the opening between the logs and watched. 
 He could see nothing, although the rays of the 
 moon lighted up the spaces between the trees. 
 After waiting a short while he was about to with 
 draw when he saw a shadow pass across one of 
 the moonlit spaces. 
 
 " It must be one of the men," he thought. 
 " They re afraid I 11 try to crawl out through this 
 crack." 
 
 He watched a moment longer, and then lay 
 down and tried to sleep. A little later he was 
 again startled by the sound of footsteps, this time 
 close to him. He raised his head and listened, 
 and the next moment his heart stood still, and he 
 jumped to his feet, quickly but quietly. He had 
 recognized the voice. Soon it spoke again, and 
 said, 
 
 " Mr. Perry, are you here ? " 
 
 William put his eye to the crack again, and saw 
 the wild-looking figure of Ruth Brown standing in 
 the shadow near the cabin. A low exclamation of 
 surprise escaped him, and he answered, 
 231 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " For God s sake, what are you doing here ? 
 You 11 be seen, and they 11 maltreat you. How 
 did you know I was here ? " 
 
 " I can t tell you now. All I can say is that 
 Molly showed me the way. I Ve got both your 
 pistols. They will pass through this crack. Take 
 them, and if you can get out, come over among 
 the alders opposite the boulder. I 11 wait for you 
 there with Molly." 
 
 Perry took the pistols, and without another word 
 Ruth crept from the shadow and was soon out of 
 sight. 
 
 After he had taken the pistols, Perry stood a 
 moment aghast. The whole scene had been to 
 him like a vision, and he rubbed his eyes to be 
 sure that he was not asleep on the straw and 
 dreaming. Then he examined the pistols. They 
 were as he had left them, and he saw clearly that 
 he was awake, and that Molly had found her way 
 to the farm as he had expected, and given warning 
 of his danger. 
 
 " But how has she come here at this time of 
 night, and alone? " he thought. " Something must 
 be wrong. I will act first, and find out after I 
 am safely out of here." 
 
 He listened a moment, and hearing nothing 
 crossed on tiptoe to the door. He put his ear 
 232 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 close to it, and listened again. Still there was no 
 sound. 
 
 " What shall I do ? " he thought. " Possibly I 
 might force the door, but that would give the 
 alarm, and all four would soon be awake and ruin 
 everything. But I must get the door opened some 
 way. The fellow on guard told the others that he 
 would call them if he heard me. How can I 
 do it ? " 
 
 He waited a moment, and reviewed the whole 
 situation carefully. 
 
 " My only chance is to take them unawares, and 
 before the others are roused, do up this one, and 
 go round the boulder, whence I can handle the 
 other three. I have it. If I use my clasp-knife 
 and fists on the guard I shall have my two pistols 
 left for the others. That s what I 11 do, if I can 
 get out." 
 
 Finally he became impatient, for he knew that 
 Ruth was in a dangerous position, as any sound 
 from the mare would expose her. He therefore 
 decided that he must attract the attention of the 
 sentinel in such a way that he would open the door 
 to take an observation, without feeling the neces 
 sity of calling the others. Accordingly he walked 
 somewhat heavily across the cabin, coughed twice, 
 and yawned. Then he crept back close to the 
 233 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 door and waited, with his clasp-knife held tightly 
 in his left hand. 
 
 There was a movement outside, and before long 
 he could hear the man breathing just beyond the 
 door. He was evidently listening, and Perry 
 closed his mouth tightly that he should not betray 
 himself. His heart was beating loudly as he 
 heard the bolt slipping quietly, and then the door 
 was opened a crack. With the agility of a panther 
 at bay, Perry pushed the door with his shoulder, 
 plunged his knife into the man s side, at the same 
 time striking him a heavy blow with his fist, and 
 before the sleepers were awakened, had dashed 
 round the boulder into the darkness. 
 
 The young man knew very well that the alarm 
 had been given by the time he reached the shadow 
 of the great rock, for he could hear the wounded 
 man s groans, and then the voices of his compan 
 ions as they awoke and ran to his assistance. 
 Perry therefore crouched down and awaited devel 
 opments. From his position he could see the 
 cabin distinctly, for the moon was now above it, 
 casting its light upon it. Two of the men were 
 kneeling by the prostrate form, while the third 
 went into the shanty. He soon came out, and 
 going up to the others said something to them. 
 Perry could not hear what it was, but the next 
 234 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 moment all three got up, and ran toward the 
 road. 
 
 " If I only had three pistols instead of two, I d 
 pick em off," he thought. " Holloa, here comes 
 one in my direction. I 11 fix him without wasting 
 powder." 
 
 Before reaching the boulder the man stopped 
 and looked about him. Then he walked slowly 
 toward the edge of the shadow, within a few feet 
 of where William was waiting. With a spring like 
 a cat, Perry was upon him, and before he had 
 time to recover himself, had him pinned to the 
 ground with an iron grasp. After a few blows he 
 was no longer dangerous, but his screams had 
 attracted the attention of the other two, and they 
 turned and started to his rescue. 
 
 The advantage was now entirely with Perry. 
 In fact, it had been from the first, for the moment 
 he had stabbed the man at the door and escaped 
 behind the boulder, it had become a dangerous 
 task for the others to attempt to recapture him. 
 But they were desperate characters, and were 
 stimulated by promises of reward, so they took 
 the risk. As the two men were passing through 
 a streak of moonlight, there was the report of a 
 pistol, and one of them fell headlong on his face. 
 The other stopped short, turned about, and with 
 235 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 the speed of a deer ran behind the cabin. A few 
 minutes after Perry heard the sound of a horse, 
 and looking down the lane saw the last of his 
 opponents disappearing through the moonlight. 
 
 Perry was not yet sure that everything was safe. 
 He had put his knife into one man, struck another, 
 and shot a third. But any one of them might be 
 capable of doing mischief. Then the man who had 
 ridden away might either be in ambush, or give the 
 alarm. He wished, if possible, to get behind the 
 cabin and secure one of the horses, so that Ruth 
 might ride Molly, but he was afraid to leave her 
 alone. He first looked at the man lying next him. 
 He was perfectly quiet. Perry shook him. He 
 gave no signs of moving, but William knew that 
 he was only stunned, so taking the rascal s pistol, 
 he ran across the road to the clump of alders. 
 
 " Miss Ruth, Ruth," he called, quietly. 
 
 "I m here and safe, Mr. Perry, and I ve seen it 
 all. Are they dead ? " 
 
 " I don t know, but we have no time to lose. 
 Can you fire a pistol ? " 
 
 " I think so, sir." 
 
 " Then take this, and if any of these men come 
 toward you, fire, but be careful and don t mistake 
 me for one of them. I shall be on horseback." 
 
 Ruth took the pistol, and Perry ran swiftly round 
 
 236 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 the boulder and behind the cabin. In a short time 
 Ruth saw him returning on the back of one of the 
 rebels horses. 
 
 " Now, Miss Ruth, jump on to Molly," he said. 
 " Do you know any way out of here except the 
 one by which we came ? " 
 
 " Yes. Follow me. There is a path leading 
 through the woods direct to the Barre road. 
 Thank God I have found you." 
 
 " And I thank you, my brave girl," said Perry, 
 tenderly. " We cannot stop to speak now, for we 
 are not yet out of danger. When we get to a safe 
 place we will talk." 
 
 They then rode silently on, Ruth leading the 
 way, until in less than a quarter of an hour they 
 descended a steep bank and were on the road to 
 Barre. Ruth reined in Molly, and pushing her 
 hair back from her face, looked about her. Then 
 she turned toward Perry, and as the moonlight 
 struck her, he noticed for the first time her terri 
 fied expression, and her dishevelled hair, and dis 
 orderly costume. He was startled, and leaning 
 toward her, examined her carefully. 
 
 " My poor girl," he said softly, " what is the 
 
 trouble ? I Ve been very selfish, and have thought 
 
 too much of myself for the last hour. Tell me 
 
 quickly ! Is anything wrong at the farm ? Ah ! I 
 
 237 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 ought to have known it. How thoughtless I Ve 
 been." 
 
 He turned his horse in the direction of Peter 
 sham, and was about to start off without waiting 
 for an answer, when Ruth stopped him. 
 
 "It s no use going there, Mr. Perry," she said 
 sadly. "They have come and taken the farm, 
 and poor father is a prisoner." 
 
 Perry started. 
 
 " Why have n t you told me this before ? Who s 
 taken the farm ? Not Piper? Not that little thief? 
 Speak quickly, Ruth. There is no time to lose." 
 
 " So much time has been lost already, that we 
 can do little to-night, Mr. Perry. I was so weak, 
 so tired out with all I Ve been through, that I 
 fainted, when I ought to have been strong and 
 protected father. When I came to I was alone 
 on his bed, and he was gone. Then I went out 
 on the road, and it all came to me. When I saw 
 Molly, I was sure that you were near, and would 
 help me if I could find you, and my strength came 
 back. I jumped on her back, and she has saved 
 you." 
 
 Ruth leaned forward, and put her arms round 
 the mare s neck. Perry thought a moment, then 
 said, 
 
 "Is there any one at the farm now? " 
 
 233 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " No, at least there was no one about when I 
 left." 
 
 " Then we will return there, and you can rest 
 and get together such of your things as you wish. 
 If you are strong enough we will start before 
 sunrise. We can do nothing to-night." 
 
 It was late when they reached the farm. They 
 both went round to the barn while Perry attended 
 to the horses. Then they went to the house. 
 Everything was quiet. 
 
 " Now go to your room, Ruth," said Perry, 
 kindly. "I will sit up here, and I 11 call you before 
 sunrise. Try to sleep. Much depends on your 
 having strength to-morrow." 
 
 239 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 AFTER Ruth had retired, Perry went to the 
 window, and drawing up a chair, sat with his 
 elbow on the sill, looking out through the moonlit 
 orchard toward the pine grove. All the events 
 of the last few hours passed through his mind in 
 rapid succession, and he began to realize what a 
 narrow escape he had had, and how much he owed 
 to the courage of the girl who had shown such 
 presence of mind in her weak and almost helpless 
 condition. He recalled the first time he had seen 
 her, and then followed up all the events since that 
 day. Suddenly he paused. He had reached the 
 time when he had, almost by accident, turned into 
 Ames office on King Street. His friend s words 
 rang in his ears, and he tried in vain to put them 
 from his thoughts. They came back, and he 
 could get no further. 
 
 " You 11 know before long what I mean," Ames 
 had said. 
 
 Perry rose, went to the fire-place, and put a log 
 on the dying embers. He sat by the fire and 
 240 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 watched it as it began to kindle, and the little 
 sparks took the forms of a procession. At its 
 head was Day, and he himself was looking out of 
 the window watching him. Then he saw Jimmy 
 thrown from his horse. At last Ruth s face ap 
 peared, and he started and put his hand to his eyes. 
 
 " I m about used up," he said, gradually collect 
 ing himself; "but I mustn t sleep too much. 
 There s no probability of any one troubling us 
 to-night, but I 11 keep one eye open in case of 
 accident." 
 
 He sljd down into his chair, and folding his 
 hands and closing his eyes, again dozed. This 
 time his thoughts returned to the log cabin, and 
 he saw Ruth s face through the crack in the logs. 
 She seemed to be speaking. 
 
 " I m here. I Ve come to save you and to ask 
 you to save me." 
 
 He sprang from his chair and looked about him. 
 The moon had set, and the room was in utter dark 
 ness save for the fitful light of the fire. He went 
 again to the window and looked out. The stars 
 were shining in the heavens, but he could see 
 nothing but the outlines of the nearest apple-trees. 
 He turned back, and walked toward the fire. He 
 leaned against the chimney-piece and listened. 
 He heard nothing. 
 
 16 241 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 11 Ruth," he whispered, " are you here ? Did 
 you speak to me ? " 
 
 There was no answer, and Perry smiled. " I m 
 not usually nervous," he thought, " but my imagi 
 nation has got the best of me this time. I must 
 have been dreaming, but I certainly thought I 
 heard her speak." 
 
 He sat down in the chair again. Once more he 
 closed his eyes, and once more rose quickly. 
 
 "Ruth, Ruth," he said aloud, "if you are not 
 here, you are in my heart. Ames was right. I 
 love her, I love her." 
 
 He sank back in the chair, and the tears came 
 into his eyes. 
 
 " Yes, I love you, and I have known it a long 
 while, but have not realized it, and have denied it. 
 But it s no use. What have I done for the last 
 two months ? I ve thought of nothing but you 
 and yours ; I Ve neglected my work, and my mind 
 has been only on you and how I might serve you. 
 Yes, Ruth, I love you with all my heart, with all 
 my life, and I will protect you and help you find 
 your father." 
 
 Perry had now thoroughly awakened from his 
 delusion, and the awakening seemed to have a 
 soothing effect on him. 
 
 " Now I feel better," he thought with a smile, 
 242 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 wiping his eyes. " The die is cast, and I can now 
 rest. Why have I warded it off so long ? Why 
 have I refused to believe it ? Could I help loving 
 her ? My life has been very lonely, but now, God 
 bless her, she has brought a new light into it." 
 
 With a sigh he settled himself back in his chair, 
 and was soon sleeping quietly. 
 
 After she had left Perry, Ruth went quickly up 
 stairs and into her bed-room. She shut the door 
 and bolted it, and for a moment stood looking 
 about the moonlit room. There was the table 
 with the book of poems and the Bible. The chair 
 was by the window, where she had left it when she 
 had gone down to supper the night before. She 
 sighed ; the tears gushed forth from her eyes, as 
 she threw herself on her knees and buried her 
 head in the bed-clothes. 
 
 " Oh dear ! Oh dear ! Oh dear ! " she sobbed. 
 " Why have we got to suffer all this ? Why does 
 God treat us so ? Surely we ve tried to live ac 
 cording to His laws. It isn t right! It isn t 
 just ! " 
 
 In a moment she jumped up, and shook her hair 
 back, and went to the window. 
 
 " I m awfully tired," she gasped, dropping into 
 the chair. " I can t stop to cry now. I must rest 
 if I can, but my head aches. I 11 try though." 
 243 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 She went back to the bed, and threw herself 
 upon it without undressing. She could not sleep, 
 for a panorama of all she had been through, passed 
 and repassed before her. From it there stood out 
 one figure, brighter, clearer, more prominent than 
 all the rest. There was her father, Jimmy, Abe 
 Morse ; but in the foreground stood William Perry, 
 looking down at her with his kind, soft eyes, and 
 pleasant smile. 
 
 " He s so good, so kind," she thought, " no one 
 was ever just like him. Why do I always see him ? 
 Why does he always come to me when I m in 
 trouble ? " Ruth sighed, and turned on her side 
 and gazed out of the window toward Chimney 
 Hill. 
 
 " I wonder why it is," she thought again. 
 
 Finally, as the moonlight disappeared, her eyes 
 closed, and before long she was sleeping soundly. 
 
 She must have rested very quietly under the 
 soothing influences of her dreams, for the next 
 thing she knew she heard a voice calling her name. 
 She started up in bed and called in a drowsy 
 manner, 
 
 u Yes, father " she stopped and rubbed the 
 back of her hand across her eyes. "It is n t 
 father," she thought. " I d forgotten. It s he." 
 
 She roused herself, and the voice came again. 
 244 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " It s time to be getting ready. I ve made the 
 fire and hung the kettle. I 11 wait in the kitchen 
 for you." 
 
 Ruth drew a long breath, and crept from her 
 bed, dressed, did up her hair, and ran down to the 
 kitchen. When she reached the door, she hesi 
 tated ; her eyes dropped, and she courtesied. 
 Perry had lighted the candle, and stood watching 
 the door, waiting for her. When he saw her he 
 started forward, but as she stopped, he did the 
 same, and took hold of the back of the chair. 
 
 "Good-morning, Miss Miss Ruth," he said 
 slowly. 
 
 "Good-morning, sir," answered Ruth, stepping 
 forward and putting out her hand. William came 
 quickly to her, and took it in both of his. 
 
 " I hope," he said with some hesitation, " that 
 you have rested, and feel able to take a journey 
 to-day." 
 
 Ruth looked up at him, and catching his ex 
 pression, dropped her eyes again. 
 
 " You don t speak, Ruth," he said gently, draw 
 ing her toward him. " Are n t you well ? Are you 
 afraid to be here alone with me ? " 
 
 Ruth raised her eyes and looked full into his. 
 
 " No, I m not afraid to be here alone with you. 
 I should be afraid if you were not here." 
 
 2 45 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Perry took a step forward and looked at her 
 closely. 
 
 " Then you trust me ? " he said quickly. 
 
 " Do I trust you ? How can you ask me that ? 
 Have I not trusted you since I first saw you?" 
 
 " You have, you have, Ruth," he exclaimed, 
 drawing her to him and kissing her on the fore 
 head, " and I love you for it." 
 
 Ruth made no answer, but putting her head 
 upon his shoulder, wept bitterly. 
 
 " I Ve known it for a long, long time, Ruth 
 dear," said William, stroking her head tenderly, 
 " but something has kept it back until last night as 
 I sat here watching the fire. Then it all came to 
 me. There, quiet yourself now. I love you, and 
 will care for you if you 11 let me." 
 
 Ruth looked up at him with tears in her eyes. 
 
 " I will let you, sir," she said gently. " God 
 has been good to send you to me, and I m very 
 grateful." 
 
 A few moments later, Ruth was busy preparing 
 breakfast, while William had gone to the barn to 
 care for the horses. When he returned, dawn was 
 beginning to creep over the hills, and he hurried 
 through the shed. 
 
 "Ruth dear," he said brightly, "make a little 
 package of such things as you will need on our 
 246 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 journey. Have everything ready, for we must 
 start as soon as we have eaten breakfast. Do you 
 know the way round the other road, the one 
 leading north ? " 
 
 " Yes. It winds through the pastures to Gerry 
 and Templeton." 
 
 " Then we 11 take it, for I think it will be safer. 
 Shays and Day are in Rutland, and we must 
 avoid them. I feel so happy this morning, Ruth 
 dear," he went on, going forward and taking both 
 her hands and kissing her. 
 
 " And I feel very happy, too, sir," said Ruth, 
 sweetly. 
 
 "Then we ll start," William replied with a 
 laugh ; "and don t worry about your father or the 
 farm. I 11 promise you that something can be 
 done in both cases. Now I 11 get the horses, and 
 we 11 be off." 
 
 It was about half an hour after this that William 
 Perry and Ruth Brown rode up the narrow road. 
 The sun had risen, but was not yet visible over 
 the tree-tops, and the fields and evergreens were 
 white with a glistening frost, for the night had 
 been cold. On their right were the fields dipping 
 down to the brook among the woods, beyond which 
 were the pine-covered hills. To their left was the 
 mowing rolling down, then up toward Petersham 
 247 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 village, whose white spire reflected the morning sun 
 light. In a few minutes they reached the brow of 
 the hill, and the snow-clad summit of Monadnock 
 burst upon their sight over the pastures. When 
 they had passed over the rough and stony way as 
 far as the crest of the next hill, they stopped and 
 looked back at the farm, which stood out clearly, 
 backed by Chimney Hill. Ruth s eyes rilled, and 
 with a sigh, she wheeled about, and they started 
 on again. 
 
 At last they turned east and rode toward the 
 little town of Gerry. This they passed on the 
 knoll to the left, and descending a steep path, 
 drew rein to get a glimpse of the lovely view 
 before them. Over the frozen surface of a pretty 
 lake, shut in on either side by firs and pines, they 
 saw the graceful form of Mount Monadnock, ris 
 ing high above the surrounding hills, its peak and 
 clefts white and prismatic, like a great diamond in 
 a satin casket. The turquoise sky above it was 
 unbroken by clouds, and the two young people 
 drank in the picture without a word. They 
 touched their horses, and were soon climbing the 
 road to Templeton. 
 
 248 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 IT was the end of November, and General Brooks 
 with his Middlesex and Suffolk regiments was 
 scouring the country about Concord in search of 
 Job Shattuck and his marauding bands. Shays 
 and Day were hovering between Worcester and 
 Rutland, and the whole central and western part 
 of the Commonwealth was in an uproar, for the 
 rebellion had got well under way, and whole villages 
 had turned out in support of the insurgents. Gov 
 ernor Bowdoin had called out the militia, and had 
 reviewed the troops under General Brooks in 
 Cambridge, clad in a white broadcloth coat, scar 
 let small-clothes, white wig, and cocked hat. 
 
 For the time being, Springfield and the country 
 about it had become less openly active, and the 
 centre of the rebels operations had been trans 
 ferred to Worcester and Concord, where they were 
 not confining themselves to concerted action, but 
 were roaming about the country in little bands, 
 burning, robbing, and in some cases inflicting 
 personal injury. Such was the apprehension of 
 249 
 
Captain Sha ys. 
 
 government, that Governor Bowdoin sent to Gen 
 eral Lincoln, advising him that if the rebellion was 
 not soon ended, he should call upon him to take 
 command of the militia and quell it. 
 
 General Brooks marched through Weston to 
 Lincoln, and when he had reached Concord, 
 Shattuck had fled. It was about this time that 
 a young man and a young woman were riding 
 through the woods in the outskirts of Groton. 
 William Perry had decided to take Ruth to Boston, 
 and to put her under the care of friends until he 
 could find out for her where her father was im 
 prisoned, and see Jerry Piper. He felt sure that 
 he could arrange matters satisfactorily with the 
 latter. As to Deacon Brown, he knew that it 
 might be a long task to find him. Perry had 
 made up his mind that the officers Piper had taken 
 with him to the farm, were of that class who would, 
 for money, abuse their legal powers, and that the 
 villanous little money-lender would do everything 
 possible to have the poor blacksmith put out of 
 sight. There had been many unjust imprison 
 ments during the past few months, and at the pres 
 ent time there was even more chance of them than 
 there had been heretofore. Perry thought of all 
 these things, and laid his plans for overcoming them. 
 
 " Ruth dear," he said, looking up suddenly, 
 250 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " it won t be much longer before we get where we 
 can do something. You have been very brave, 
 and I m proud of you." 
 
 "Why shouldn t I be brave with you?" an 
 swered Ruth, turning toward him with a smile. 
 " I feel well and happy now, and I know that 
 you 11 be able to fix everything." 
 
 " I 11 try to, Ruth. I know what to do with 
 Piper, but it may take time to find your father. 
 But I don t think you need worry about him 
 that is, I don t think he 11 be maltreated." 
 
 " Where do you think he is ? " asked Ruth, 
 anxiously. 
 
 " I think it probable that he has been taken to 
 Boston, in which case I can get his release easily. 
 If he is anywhere else it will be more difficult, but 
 we will accomplish it." 
 
 Ruth was silent for some time after this, but at 
 last asked, 
 
 " Where are you going to take me ? " 
 
 " To an old friend of my father s, Ruth. He 
 and his good wife will be kind to you and do 
 everything for you." 
 
 "Where do they live?" 
 
 " In Dorchester, just beyond Boston. They are 
 also great friends of his excellency s, and will 
 use their influence with him in our behalf." 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Are you sure that they 11 want me ? " asked 
 Ruth, timidly. " I m only a poor country-girl, and 
 they may n t want me." 
 
 " You re a dear good girl, Ruth, and you need 
 have no fears. I was with them just after I first 
 saw you, three months ago, and I spoke about 
 your father and his troubles, and they will remem 
 ber what I said. We must be quiet now, for I 
 hear some one coming up the road." 
 
 They were now passing through a densely 
 wooded stretch, and as the road was winding they 
 could see but a short distance in front of them. 
 William s sharp ears, however, had detected the 
 sound of galloping horses coming in their direc 
 tion, and he pulled in his horse, and motioned to 
 Ruth to do the same. 
 
 " Come back behind the trees, quickly, Ruth," 
 said William, excitedly. * I don t like the sound. 
 There s some trouble, or they would n t be going 
 at that rate. Holloa ! they re shouting. Some 
 one is being chased, and we re out of the way 
 just in time." 
 
 Perry was right. They had scarcely reached a 
 sheltered spot, when they heard the sound of the 
 approaching horses just below them round a curve 
 in the road. For two hours past it had been snow 
 ing, and the ground was already white. The wind 
 252 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 had increased steadily, and Perry was anxious to 
 reach the highway to Concord as quickly as pos 
 sible, for Ruth was none too warmly dressed, and 
 he feared lest in her weary and worn condition, she 
 should get ill. As they waited under the trees, the 
 snow began to fall faster and faster, and the wind 
 to howl louder and louder, and Perry became im 
 patient to be moving on. 
 
 " Be as still as you can, Ruth. See, it s some 
 one going for his life ! " whispered William, in 
 excitement. " There s another, and another. 
 There are three of them, and by the noise behind 
 they are closely followed by a large number. Who 
 can they be ? Listen, one of em is shouting." 
 
 Just as they were passing, the leader turned his 
 head and called back, 
 
 " Go it, Job, for God s sake. They re on to 
 us." 
 
 The next moment there was a loud report, and a 
 scream from one of the fugitives as he fell from his 
 horse. All at once his two companions stopped, 
 wheeled about, and came back to him. Drawing 
 their pistols they levelled them at the approaching 
 cavalcade. 
 
 Ruth and William sat with bated breath, watch 
 ing the two men as they remained like statues by 
 the side of their fallen comrade, who had suc- 
 253 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 ceeded in raising himself on his elbow, and had 
 drawn his pistol. 
 
 " They re brave men, even if they are rebels," said 
 Perry, quietly. " I hope they 11 be taken without 
 any more shooting. " The men waited but a few 
 seconds, but it seemed minutes to Ruth and William. 
 At last their pursuers came in sight, and with a yell 
 of triumph, dashed down upon the three men. 
 
 " It s the mounted militia, Ruth, and that s a 
 colonel at their head. They re stopping, and I 
 think the leader is going to speak." 
 
 Perry was not mistaken, for the next moment he 
 and Ruth heard the following, 
 
 " We Ve had a long chase, Job Shattuck, but 
 now we ve got you sure enough. Put down your 
 pistols, you two. We don t want any unnecessary 
 blood shed. The odds against you are too great, 
 and you might as well surrender." 
 
 " Colonel Wood," said the man on the ground, 
 " you ain t going to take Job Shattuck as easy as 
 ye think. If ye want a corpse ye 11 be likely to 
 get one, and maybe more, unless ye turn about 
 and leave us alone. We re only three, and you Ve 
 pricked me in the leg ; but my hand s pretty steady, 
 and my eyes are open, so be careful." 
 
 " Will you put down your arms or not ? " roared 
 the colonel. 
 
 254 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " We won t. Ain t that plain enough answer, 
 colonel ? And what s more, if ye don t do as I 
 say, there 11 be three bullets going in among ye, 
 by God." 
 
 " Then take what you deserve, you damned rebel," 
 shouted Wood, whipping out his pistol, and dis 
 charging it at Shattuck. At the same time there 
 were several reports and two or three screams. 
 When the smoke had cleared away, William and 
 Ruth saw the cavalcade surrounding the three men, 
 a second of whom was now writhing on the ground. 
 One of the militia was also down, and two of his 
 companions were bending over him. 
 
 "You rascals," said Wood, as the rebels were 
 disarmed and captured, " you Ve been running 
 a great rig about Middlesex lately, but I guess 
 your course is ended. My orders were to bring 
 you to Boston dead or alive, Job Shattuck, and I 
 don t know which it 11 be when we get there, and I 
 don t care, except that I d like the pleasure of 
 seeing you hung. Take em along," he called to 
 the men who had the prisoners. " It won t hurt 
 em. If it does they 11 have to stand it." 
 
 "Ruth," said William, after a moment s reflec 
 tion, "these militiamen are all gentlemen and 
 good citizens, and are doing their duty. The storm 
 is increasing, and we must move on. I am going 
 2 55 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 to speak to the colonel and ask him to let us go 
 with him." 
 
 " Just as you say," answered Ruth. " You know 
 what is best. I begin to feel the cold, and would 
 like to get to some house as soon as possible." 
 
 " Very well," said William, " wait here for me." 
 
 He rode out from under the trees, and up to the 
 colonel. The latter looked at him a moment sus 
 piciously, but then smiled. 
 
 " You Ve seen quite a battle, sir," he said, 
 pleasantly. 
 
 " I have," answered Perry, " and I must say 
 that considering the odds against them, your 
 opponents were plucky. But I m glad you Ve 
 got em. I Ve come to ask you if I and the 
 young lady with me may go with you. Travelling 
 seems to be a doubtful pleasure just at present, 
 and in this storm I m not sure that I could find 
 my way." 
 
 " We re going on to Concord this afternoon, and 
 you may come with pleasure. Where s the young 
 lady ? " 
 
 " Ruth," called Perry, " come. We re going 
 with these gentlemen." 
 
 Ruth rode out, and the colonel bowed and 
 looked at her. 
 
 " Why, you must be cold. You look pale," he 
 256 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 said kindly. "That coat is not enough. Here/ 
 he called to one of his men, "get the lady a cloak. 
 There, that s better. We Ve got a fifteen mile 
 ride. Do you think you can stand it ? " 
 
 "Yes, sir," answered Ruth, "thanks to your 
 kindness." 
 
 " Then we 11 be off. The snow s beginning to 
 drift, and if this keeps on we 11 have to stop on 
 the way. But I want to hand my prisoners over 
 to Hitchburn to-night, if possible." 
 
 " I m very much obliged to you, sir," said Perry, 
 warmly. " What s all this trouble ? I Ve been 
 up in the country for some days, and did n t know 
 of the excitement here." 
 
 This rascal, Shattuck, has been giving us 
 a deal of trouble lately. He broke up the court 
 in Concord, and when we approached that town, 
 got out of the way, and we Ve been hunting for 
 him ever since. Now we Ve got all the ringleaders 
 in this part of the country, and if we can only do 
 as well with Shays, we shall have peace in a short 
 time. I really believe, though, that this fellow is 
 the worst of the lot Did you see how he held 
 out? He s a desperate villain, and we re lucky 
 to get him." 
 
 " He certainly showed courage," answered 
 Perry. 
 
 17 257 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Courage ! " said Wood. " Why, the man has 
 at least three wounds. He was hit half an hour 
 before you saw him, but stuck to his horse as if 
 he had been glued to it, and never uttered a sound. 
 I don t see how he ever missed me, and I d made 
 up my mind that I was going to get it. But I 
 didn t, and I m thankful." 
 
 The storm was now raging violently, and the 
 snow beat in their faces so that they could hardly 
 see the road in front of them. Had Ruth been 
 brought up anywhere but in the highlands of 
 New England, she could never have stood that 
 journey. But she was accustomed to the severe 
 winter weather of her native Petersham, and 
 wrapped in the warm military cloak, she braved 
 the storm as well as the men. 
 
 It was growing dark as they drew near Concord, 
 and Perry rode up to the colonel and said, 
 
 " Can you tell me, sir, of a quiet place where 
 Miss Brown can spend the night with some lady? 
 She is very tired, and has been through a good 
 deal of excitement lately, and needs a good rest." 
 
 " Of course I can," answered Wood, graciously. 
 Then turning, he called : " Captain Stone, come 
 here, please." 
 
 A middle-aged man rode up and saluted. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 253 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Is Mrs. Stone in Concord ? " 
 
 "Yes, colonel." 
 
 " Will you do me the kindness to take this young 
 lady to your house for the night, and make her 
 comfortable ? " 
 
 "With the greatest pleasure, colonel. If you ll 
 excuse me from further duty to-night, I 11 lead 
 them to the house directly. It s only about half 
 a mile from here, round to the left." 
 
 " Thank you very much," said Perry, warmly. 
 
 " Not at all, not at all," answered the captain, 
 cheerily. " I thank you for giving me a chance to 
 get home. Good-evening, colonel, we turn here." 
 
 William and Ruth thanked Wood sincerely for 
 his kindness, and following Captain Stone, in the 
 course of fifteen minutes stopped before a small 
 house just to the north of Concord village. 
 
 2 S9 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 WHEN the news of the capture of Shattuck 
 reached Boston, there was great rejoicing 
 among the friends of government, and Governor 
 Bowdoin was congratulated on all sides for the 
 promptness and firmness with which he had suc 
 ceeded in putting down the insurrection in the 
 eastern part of the Commonwealth. There had 
 been much anxiety in Boston, and at one time 
 much apprehension lest Shattuck and Shays should 
 meet at Cambridge with a large and dangerous 
 force, and perhaps even cause disturbances in 
 Boston itself. But the pluck and energy of 
 Colonel Wood and his little band of Groton 
 horse had broken up the rebel forces in Middle 
 sex, and so the danger from that source was 
 ended. 
 
 Fisher Ames heard the news just before he was 
 about to start for his home in Dedham, and he 
 was overjoyed, for he was convinced that all the 
 troubles would now be quieted, an outcome for 
 which he with all patriotic citizens devoutly prayed. 
 260 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 As he rode over the Neck on his way to Dedham 
 late in the afternoon, it suddenly occurred to him 
 that the news would probably not yet have reached 
 Mr. Minot, and he decided to stop at that gentle 
 man s house and inform him of it. 
 
 It was a clear cold winter s day, unusually so for 
 November, and the storm which had passed over 
 central and northern Massachusetts the day before 
 had been felt severely in Boston and its vicinity. 
 The ground was covered with snow, and the waters 
 of Dorchester Bay near the shore were frozen. 
 Ames had thought much of Perry during the last 
 few days. He was very fond of the young man, as 
 were all who were associated with him, and he felt 
 sorry that he should have become entangled in 
 what he considered an unfortunate affair. To be 
 sure, Perry was the son of a farmer, and had gained 
 his position in his profession by his own talents 
 and exertions ; but Ames thought it a pity that the 
 young man should be entrapped by the daughter 
 of a Petersham rebel, for he had no doubt that 
 such was the case. 
 
 As Ames rode toward the Minot house, Perry 
 again came into his mind, for he associated him 
 with his last visit there three months before, when 
 Governor Bowdoin and General Lincoln had heard 
 from the young man s lips the account of the Hat- 
 261 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 field convention, and of Shays and his doings in 
 the west. How much had happened in those three 
 months, Fisher Ames knew as well as any one. 
 Instead of growing better, the condition of affairs 
 in the Commonwealth had become steadily worse, 
 and it had seemed that a second Revolution was 
 inevitable, until the good news came from Concord. 
 Of course there was much to be done yet, but this 
 success of government would dishearten the rebels, 
 and lead to their eventual disruption. 
 
 When a little later he wound along the road to 
 the house, the sun was setting, and the hills, river, 
 and harbor were rose and pink in its dying rays. 
 He rode to the stable, and seeing Sammy, left his 
 horse in the boy s care, and walked round to^the 
 front door and knocked. He felt a pleasurable 
 excitement at the prospect of being the first to 
 bring the good news to his father s old friend. In 
 a moment the door was opened, and he stood be. 
 fore Mr. Minot. 
 
 " Ah, my dear boy," said the latter, extending his 
 hand, " I m delighted to see you. I could not have 
 been better pleased." 
 
 "Thank you, sir," said Ames, smiling, " and I 
 am overjoyed at being able to bring you good 
 news. Shattuck s captured, and the rebellion s 
 quelled." 
 
 262 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I know it, I know it, Fisher." said Mr. Minot, 
 cheerfully. " Is n t it splendid ? " Ames looked 
 at his friend in amazement, and somewhat dis 
 appointedly. 
 
 " You have already heard it then, sir ? " he said, 
 inquiringly. " Then you ve just come from Boston ? 
 I only learned it a short time before leaving 
 there." 
 
 " No, Fisher, I ve been at home all day, but the 
 news was brought to me by a friend of mine about 
 an hour ago. He s a friend of yours also, and has 
 spoken of you, and will be charmed to see you." 
 
 " Who is it, Mr. Minot ? " 
 
 " William Perry. He has just arrived from the 
 scene of action, and has given us full particulars. 
 But don t stand at the door this way. What am I 
 thinking of ? " 
 
 They passed into the hall, and then Mr. Minot 
 said, 
 
 " A glass of Madeira, Fisher, to warm you, and 
 to the health of his excellency. He s handled this 
 affair with consummate skill, and deserves great 
 credit. Come into the dining-room; Mrs. Minot 
 is in the parlor. I 11 not take you to her at 
 present." 
 
 " Where s Perry ? " asked Ames, looking about 
 as if expecting to see his friend. 
 263 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 "He s he s engaged, I think, at present," 
 answered the host, with a little embarrassment. 
 " Probably in his room. Have a glass of wine, 
 and I 11 just look him up. You see, Fisher, he s 
 had a long trip, and is about worn out. You re 
 in no hurry ? " 
 
 " None whatever, sir. Don t disturb him. I 
 can wait." 
 
 "Very well, then. Of course you wish to see 
 him, and he desires to see you, but " and he 
 hesitated, "perhaps there s no harm in my telling 
 you, Fisher, for he has told me that he intends 
 speaking to you about it he s not alone." 
 
 "Not alone?" said Ames, quickly, a sudden 
 light coming into his eyes as he noticed Mr. 
 Minot s strange and reserved manner. " Who s 
 with him ? " 
 
 " A young lady, Fisher," said Mr. Minot, throw 
 ing off his hesitancy. u Perhaps I ought to have 
 left it to him to inform you, but my house is not 
 very large, and you re not a fool ! Yes, he has 
 brought the young woman from the Petersham 
 farm, and she is a sweet good girl, I am sure. 
 That is why I brought you here instead of taking 
 you directly to Mrs. Minot in the parlor." 
 
 Ames thought a moment, with a doubtful expres 
 sion in his eyes. Then he said slowly, 
 264 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " You you don t think there is anything wrong 
 about this, do you, Mr. Minot ? " 
 
 " No, my boy. He has told us all about it, and 
 it s perfectly honorable and straightforward. 
 But as I said, I 11 leave it to him to tell you his 
 story. He s also in the parlor. Now that I ve 
 broken the ice I 11 call him. He knows that you 
 are here, for he saw you ride by the window." 
 
 " This is very strange," answered Ames. " I 
 don t quite understand it." 
 
 " He 11 clear it all up for you, Fisher. Believe 
 me, there is nothing doubtful about it. It s a very 
 sad case, and William has acted manfully." 
 
 " I believe you," said Ames, his face lighting up 
 with a bright smile, " and I d like to see him." 
 
 Mr. Minot crossed the hall, and went quietly 
 into the parlor. After he was gone, Fisher Ames 
 put his chin in his hand and looked out of the 
 window toward the well, and thought, 
 
 " At first I was afraid he d run away with her, 
 but Mr. Minot seems to know about it, and it must 
 be all right. Ah! here he comes. Well, I m 
 glad to see you, Perry." 
 
 The young man took his hand and smiled. 
 
 "And I consider it very fortunate that you 
 should have stopped here to-day. Mr. Minot has 
 told me that you know who is here. It s all very 
 
 265 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 easily explained, Ames. I tried to get to Peter 
 sham ahead of that little snake, Piper, but I was 
 detained on the road." 
 
 4 What do you mean? You were not waylaid 
 by the rebels ? " 
 
 " Indeed I was, and had it not been for Ruth 
 and Molly, I probably should not be here now. 
 Listen, I will tell you about it." 
 
 As William proceeded with his story, Ames face 
 lost its anxious expression. At last he said, 
 
 " I m much relieved by what you tell me, Perry. 
 You must acknowledge that for a young man to 
 turn up thus unexpectedly with a young lady might 
 appear strange. Now that you have explained it, 
 I think you have done right, and you were wise in 
 bringing her here." 
 
 " Now, Ames, I want to ask you about this mat 
 ter of Piper s," said Perry, a few moments later. 
 "In your judgment, can he now maintain posses 
 sion, or can I take up the mortgage ? " 
 
 Ames thought a moment, and answered, 
 
 " Do you think that Piper cares to hold the 
 property, if he can get the money ? " 
 
 " I really don t know, but I m inclined to believe 
 that he does. He was quite anxious to foreclose, 
 and made no overture for a settlement." 
 
 " All you Ve got to do is to make tender of the 
 266 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 amount due on the mortgage and bring a bill for 
 redemption. Last year s statute is clear enough." 
 
 " Besides this," said Perry, " the entry was not 
 peaceable. Far from it. The old man was forced 
 into it, and given no chance to speak. On the 
 whole, there cannot be much trouble from this 
 source, for I ve put aside the money to redeem 
 with. It s about Deacon Brown that I m most 
 anxious. What do you advise doing in his 
 case ? " 
 
 "In the first place, get an order for his pardon 
 and release. Come in to my office to-morrow, and 
 we 11 go together to his excellency. This part will 
 be easy enough. Then you ll have to hunt him 
 up. Do not believe, Perry, that this is the fault of 
 government. The officers had their orders and 
 their duty to perform, and you 11 allow that Mr. 
 Brown has been disloyal and was very hard to 
 deal with. Yet I m inclined to think that Piper 
 was careful to get the most unscrupulous officers 
 he could find, and that the old man has been well 
 hidden. Jerry thinks that by doing this he will 
 remove all opposition to his claim, but he s mis 
 taken." 
 
 " I thank you very much for your advice," said 
 Perry, with a grateful smile. " You 11 excuse me 
 if I don t present you to Ruth to-night. The poor 
 267 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 girl is thoroughly exhausted, and Mrs. Minot says 
 she must see no one, and rest." 
 
 " Of course, Perry, I did n t expect to see her 
 now, although I shall hope to before long. I must 
 be going. Don t disturb Mr. Minot. I 11 slip 
 away quietly, and you can make my excuses to 
 him. I 11 pass along the Neck at about eight 
 o clock to-morrow morning, and if you 11 meet me 
 at the corner of the road we can ride in together. 
 I 11 wait there for you, and you can do the same for 
 me, in case you arrive first. Good-night, my boy. I 
 appreciate everything, and under all the circum 
 stances, you have acted well, and just as I d have 
 expected of you. Tell Miss Brown to keep a 
 brave heart, and we 11 straighten everything." 
 
 With a warm pressure of the hand, William 
 bade Ames good-night. He stood at the window 
 and watched him as he rode away. 
 
 " What a man he is ! " thought Perry. " If they 
 were all like him, what a country this would be ! ; 
 
 "Well, my dear boy," said Mr. Minot s voice 
 behind him, " so Fisher s gone without bidding 
 me good-night ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, he left his apologies." 
 
 " No need of them, not in the least. It was I 
 who left him. Now, William, I advise you to go to 
 bed. Mrs. Minot and Miss Ruth have already gone, 
 268 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 and you look as if a good night s rest would do 
 you no harm. I ve got some writing to do, so will 
 sit here for a little while. Good-night" 
 
 " Good-night, Mr. Minot. I have asked a good 
 deal of you, but you ve done it so kindly, that I 
 see that I made no mistake in coming to you." 
 
 " And to whom else would you go ? " said the 
 host, taking the young man s hands. "Your 
 father was a very dear friend of mine, and I ve 
 watched you with interest and pride ever since you 
 were a little urchin running about the farm feeding 
 the hens. We live very quietly here, William, and 
 Miss Ruth may stay with us as long as you and 
 she wish it. I presume you ll have to be away 
 much of the time ? " 
 
 " I go with Ames to-morrow to make arrange 
 ments. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. 
 Good-night, sir." 
 
 It was scarcely eight o clock when William 
 closed his eyes and began to sleep peacefully. 
 Ruth was already dreaming, and in the stable 
 Molly s head was beginning to droop, as she won 
 dered what all this excitement was about, anyway. 
 
 269 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 ON the brow of Beacon Hill, there stood a cen 
 tury ago the massive brick mansion occu 
 pied by Governor James Bowdoin, set back from 
 Beacon Street, as was the residence of Peter Fan- 
 euil to the north and that of Bromfield to the south. 
 At the date of this story, Mr. Bowdoin had owned 
 the estate for thirty years, having purchased it of 
 John Erving in 1756. Like the houses about it, it 
 was square, three stories high, with a railing round 
 the roof. It was approached through a gate and 
 a long flight of steep stone steps, broken about 
 midway between street and door by a platform, a 
 sort of resting place for those whose legs were 
 weary in the ascent, or for those whose heads had 
 become dizzy with the generous hospitality of the 
 host, and who on occasions found the descent a 
 perilous one. 
 
 On the morning after the receipt of the news of 
 Shattuck s defeat and capture, Governor Bowdoin 
 and General Lincoln sat in the study by the ma- 
 270 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 hogany table, discussing the situation and a bottle 
 of Madeira. The faces of both wore a relieved 
 expression, the governor s because he was pleased 
 to think the rebellion was near its end ; the gen 
 eral s because he felt that now he would not be 
 called upon to take command, and march, Heaven 
 knew where, to suppress the insurgents. With his 
 arm resting on the table, Governor Bowdoin was 
 speaking. 
 
 " Brooks and Wood have done splendidly, Lin 
 coln, and if Shepard only does as well, we 11 soon 
 be through our troubles. What do you think of 
 the outlook?" 
 
 Lincoln looked up in his stolid way, and with no 
 change of expression, as he answered, 
 
 " I think as soon as the ringleaders are shot 
 we 11 have peace. The sooner, the better." 
 
 " I m inclined to agree with you, Lincoln, but 
 I m not sure that it would not be better policy to 
 treat them as rebellious children. An offer of par 
 don now might bring them to terms." 
 
 "Umph," said Lincoln, raising his shoulders. 
 " I suppose that would apply as well in the case 
 of all murderers and criminals. Why not pardon 
 em all and turn em loose on the community? 
 No, sir. No pardon." 
 
 " You mean, as regards the leaders ? Of course 
 271 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 it would be best to deal leniently with those whom 
 they have deluded and misled." 
 
 " That s for your excellency to decide. If you 
 ask my opinion, I advise teaching em all a lesson." 
 
 " I have heard that Shays promises to renew 
 his allegiance to government if a full pardon is 
 accorded him. Would it not be wise to take ad 
 vantage of this ? " 
 
 " No, sir," said Lincoln, shortly. " He has about 
 as much regard for his oath as a Malay pirate. 
 Don t trust him or any of em. A pound of shot 
 or a good hempen rope is the only agreement 
 which will bind Shays." 
 
 "You don t seem to have great confidence in 
 your fellow-countrymen," said the governor, with a 
 smile. " But I suppose you re right. We Ve 
 been very lenient toward them, and they ve 
 abused it. However, we can t hang the whole 
 community. We must draw the line somewhere. 
 Where would you draw it ? " 
 
 " I can t say, sir. It s hard to tell until we 
 know more of the facts. But I should continue 
 to use a firm hand until the last vestige of rebel 
 lion is stamped out. Then we can decide." 
 
 " I hear that Shays is hovering between Rut 
 land and Worcester, and having a pretty clear 
 field. He intended coming into Middlesex, but 
 272 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 will undoubtedly abandon the idea now that we 
 have broken up his allies in that county." 
 
 " I don t know," answered Lincoln. " You 
 never can tell what these fellows will do. Holloa, 
 here comes Ames up the steps. I can see him 
 over the hedge. Who s with him ? " 
 
 Governor Bowdoin rose, went to the window, 
 and looked down toward the stone wall, over the 
 grass plot. 
 
 " That s young Perry," he said, as he passed 
 out through the hall and opened the door. " Well, 
 well," he said pleasantly as the young men 
 reached the last step, "come in. General Lin 
 coln is here, and we were congratulating ourselves 
 on the news." 
 
 " Perhaps your excellency does n t know that our 
 friend Perry was in at the death?" said Ames, 
 looking at Perry with a smile. 
 
 " You don t say so, Ames. I m glad to see you, 
 William; come in." 
 
 " Now," said the governor to Perry, after the 
 two young men had exchanged greetings with 
 General Lincoln, " tell us about it. How did you 
 happen to be on hand ? I thought you were in 
 Boston." 
 
 " It was entirely by accident, your excellency," 
 said Perry, with a little hesitation. " I had been 
 18 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 up in the country on business, and was passing 
 through the woods in Groton, and happened upon 
 them." 
 
 " Were you alone ? It s rather dangerous 
 travelling in the interior." 
 
 " No, your excellency, I was not alone, and 
 that s why I ve come to see you. I hope I m 
 not interrupting you." 
 
 " Not in the least. The general and I were 
 simply talking matters over in a quiet way." 
 
 " The fact is," began Ames, seeing Perry s hesi 
 tancy, " we ve come to ask a favor of you, sir. 
 Mr. Perry has just arrived from Petersham, and 
 there has been a case of what seems to us an un 
 necessary use of authority. An old farmer who 
 had mortgaged his estate in Boston has been ar 
 rested and secreted, because he opposed the mort- 
 gageor and the officers when they attempted to 
 enter. It s a very hard case, sir, and Perry will 
 tell you about it if you 11 permit it." 
 
 " With pleasure, William," said Mr. Bowdoin, 
 smiling at his young friend. " The general will 
 also be glad to hear you." 
 
 General Lincoln nodded his approval, and Wil 
 liam proceeded. When he had reached the point 
 where he had been stopped by Day, Lincoln 
 looked up and said, 
 
 274 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " You d better pardon him, your excellency. 
 It might reform him." 
 
 Mr. Bowdoin took the sally pleasantly, and 
 laughed. 
 
 " You re too tender-hearted, Lincoln," he said. 
 
 When Perry had finished his story he waited 
 for the governor to speak, which he did finally 
 thus, 
 
 "There is no intention on the part of gov 
 ernment to be unjust or unnecessarily severe, but 
 you understand how difficult it is for us to act in 
 the present crisis without sometimes going further 
 than we would wish. This case is a hard one, 
 and the young lady has shown great courage and 
 character, and I will order this blacksmith s 
 release. Do you know where he is imprisoned ? " 
 
 " No, your excellency." 
 
 * Then I 11 give you the order, and it will be 
 obeyed when you find him, for the General Court 
 have vested me with this power in the case of 
 political criminals. I do this on your own account, 
 William, but I could not refuse Mr. Ames in any 
 event. We owe too much to him already, to 
 hesitate to grant anything he may ask." 
 
 " You are too flattering, your excellency," said 
 Ames, bowing modestly. " I Ve done nothing to 
 merit especial favor, but I do think you have 
 275 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 acted rightly in this case. I thank you for doing 
 as you have." 
 
 " I feel that you Ve done me a great personal 
 kindness, sir," said Perry, warmly. " Had I not 
 been sure of your good heart and clear judgment, 
 I should have hesitated to ask this favor of you. 
 But I was sure that you would understand the true 
 state of the case, and so I accepted Ames* invita 
 tion to come with him to call on you this morning. 
 I thank you sincerely, sir." 
 
 While this conversation was going on General 
 Lincoln sat in silence. It was evident from his 
 expression that he did not fully approve of 
 Governor Bowdoin s leniency, but being a good 
 soldier he did not presume to interfere with the 
 commands of his superior officer. He sat with his 
 mouth firmly set and his eyebrows raised, the 
 picture of dogged obstinacy. 
 
 When the two young men were gone, the gov 
 ernor returned and sat down opposite the general, 
 and watched him a moment, then spoke, 
 
 " Fine fellows, both of them, Lincoln. Ames is 
 uncommonly brilliant, and will make his mark. 
 I m glad to be able to do something for them." 
 
 " It s all right, I suppose, governor," said the 
 general, a little sourly. " But if you begin this 
 thing, where are you going to stop ? " 
 276 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 11 It s very evident that Perry is interested in 
 this young woman," answered the governor, " and 
 you heard the story. It was certainly a hard 
 case." 
 
 "Have you heard anything from Shepard 
 lately ? " asked Lincoln, dropping the subject of 
 Perry and the blacksmith abruptly. 
 
 " Yes. He s still in Springfield, and is await 
 ing developments. I have just received a letter 
 from the sheriff of Worcester that it will be dan 
 gerous for the courts to sit there this week. I 
 shall consult the Council on this matter, but my in 
 clination is to advise the justices to adjourn to the 
 end of January. By that time everything will be 
 quiet, and such action will prevent bloodshed." 
 
 " I agree with you this time, your excellency," 
 said Lincoln, rising. " There s no use in giving 
 em the opportunity of doing mischief. If there 
 is n t any court there can t be any cause for 
 attempting to stop it." 
 
 " You re not going yet ? " 
 
 " With your permission, yes. I Ve promised to 
 be home to dinner, and I see my sleigh at the 
 gate. If you need me, your excellency, I shall be 
 at your service, but I hope you 11 get along with 
 out me. As I ve told you several times I m get 
 ting lazy." 
 
 277 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " And as I Ve often mentioned to you, you re 
 too modest, Lincoln." 
 
 " Call it modesty or laziness, whichever you 
 wish. It s all one, and the fact is I want to stay 
 at Hingham and look after the farm." 
 
 " Good day then, general. I, too, hope I 11 not 
 have to call on you, but I shall do so if it becomes 
 necessary. Good-bye. I thank you for coming 
 in." 
 
 General Lincoln felt his way carefully down the 
 slippery steps, and a few moments later was lean 
 ing back in his sleigh wrapped in furs, bound for 
 Hingham. 
 
 Governor Bowdoin went back to the dining- 
 room with a smile on his face. 
 
 " He s a queer character," he thought, " and I 
 don t know him yet. But I m sure of one thing : 
 if he decides to do anything, he 11 accomplish it, 
 even were the skies to fall upon him." 
 
 278 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 WILLIAM PERRY and Fisher Ames walked 
 down Beacon and Treamount streets, and 
 at last into the former s office on King Street. 
 Here they discussed the matter of the mortgage 
 further, and after William had placed the five 
 hundred and fifty dollars, the principal and interest 
 due on the note, in Ames hands, and the latter 
 had agreed to begin proceedings for the redemp 
 tion of the farm, he mounted the horse he had 
 borrowed that morning of Mr. Minot, and started 
 off toward Dorchester. 
 
 William seemed like his old self as he trotted 
 along over the snow, and he whistled and sang, 
 and was in a very contented frame of mind. 
 He had accomplished much that morning, and he 
 was impatient to get to Ruth and tell her what 
 he had done. He felt a little guilty at his selfish 
 ness, but he was so happy in his own prospects, 
 that the fact that the poor old blacksmith might 
 at that very moment be ill and suffering in a 
 279 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 prison, lost some of its effect upon him. He had 
 fully decided, however, what he would do. It had 
 now become evident to him that Piper would not 
 have sent the blacksmith to Boston, and he had 
 made up his mind to go directly from Dorchester 
 to Worcester after seeing Ruth, and telling her of 
 what had been done. Brown was more likely to 
 be about there than anywhere else. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Minot had gone out, and Ruth 
 sat watching at the parlor window for William s 
 return. When she saw him ride up, she ran to 
 the door and opened it. She knew at once by 
 his manner that he had been successful, and the 
 tears came to her eyes. 
 
 " Here, Sammy," called Perry, " come and take 
 the horse. Give him a good dinner." After the 
 boy was gone he continued, taking Ruth by both 
 hands, and kissing her : " It s all right, dear. 
 The governor has given me the order of release, 
 and Ames is going to attend to the mortgage. 
 Where are Mr. and Mrs. Minot ? " 
 
 " They ve gone out to dinner." 
 
 * Then I 11 dine with you as early as it is con 
 venient for them to give us something. I m off 
 for Worcester to-night. We have come to the 
 conclusion that your father must be somewhere 
 near there." 
 
 280 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Ruth s face lengthened. 
 
 " I don t like to have you go there," she said 
 anxiously. " I feel sure that they 11 see you, and 
 you won t have me to look you up." 
 
 " Don t worry, Ruth dear. I m going to take 
 precautions this time. I 11 tell you just how I J m 
 going, and you will see that I intend keeping out 
 of the way of my old friends." 
 
 " How are you going ? " 
 
 " In the first place let me tell you that our 
 friends, Shays and Day, are between Worcester 
 and Rutland, and do not dare come farther east, 
 nor farther south. When they move next it will 
 be toward Springfield, and as the court does not 
 sit there until the end of December, I ought to 
 be able to keep clear of them." 
 
 " Then you re going south of Worcester ? " 
 
 " Yes. I shall go through Dedham, Holliston, 
 Upton, and Sutton, whence I shall try to learn what 
 I can. If I go to Worcester, I shall do so by night, 
 and be careful." 
 
 " You are very good to me," she said, " and I 
 don t feel as if I deserved it." 
 
 " Yes, you do, dear," said William, clasping 
 her tenderly in his arms. " I ve told you that 
 I love you, my darling, and I have good rea 
 sons for believing that you care a little for 
 281 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 me. Therefore I can t see but that everything 
 is all right." 
 
 "When will you be back?" asked Ruth, as 
 Perry was mounting Molly after dinner. 
 
 " I can t say, Ruth. I sha n t come until I have 
 found your father, or at least learned where he is. 
 Good-bye, and God bless you, and care for you. 
 Explain to Mr. and Mrs. Minot why I have left 
 so unceremoniously." 
 
 Ruth watched him until he was out of sight, then 
 turned and went into the house. 
 
 William Perry took the journey very easily. In 
 the first place he wanted to examine every town 
 through which he passed, and besides this Molly 
 had been worked hard of late, and he realized that 
 he might be obliged to travel long and far before 
 he accomplished his mission. As he passed 
 through Dedham he was reminded of his last visit 
 there, and of Ames parting warning, " beware the 
 dairy-maid." 
 
 " Well," he thought, with a smile of satisfaction, 
 " I m decidedly glad I did n t heed it. Ames 
 advice is generally sound, but in this instance he 
 made a mistake." 
 
 He rode on for some time, thinking of little 
 save the country about him, for his mind was 
 in a way relieved, and he had decided to take 
 282 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 things quietly. In some places the snow had 
 drifted badly, and the roads were unbroken, so 
 that it was growing dark before he reached the 
 little village of Holliston, where he put up for the 
 night in a farm-house. Perry took nearly three 
 days to get to Ward, a small town five miles south 
 of Worcester, on French River. Everything had 
 seemed peaceful along the road, and the contrast 
 with his previous journeys was very marked in this 
 respect. He thought what a strange thing chance 
 was. There was no especial reason why he should 
 have returned from Springfield through Petersham 
 three months before, but how it had changed his 
 whole life ! He had only taken that route for a 
 diversion, and he had certainly found one, and a 
 very serious one. 
 
 The people in the village south of Worcester 
 told him that they had had no trouble from the 
 insurgents. Once or twice small bands had passed 
 through their farms, but had done very little dam 
 age. Shays himself had not been there, for he 
 had other and more important business, and at the 
 present time his attention was on Worcester, where 
 the court was to sit on the following day, Monday, 
 the fourth of December. 
 
 " I guess I 11 go right on in the morning," 
 thought Perry. " The excitement will be such 
 
 283 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 that they 11 not notice me, and I can find some 
 officer of the court who can give me information. 
 I 11 leave Molly here and walk over. It s only 
 five miles." 
 
 When Perry went to bed that night the sky 
 was overcast, and the wind was rising from the 
 northeast. 
 
 "Am I going to be caught in another snow 
 storm ? " he wondered, as he blew out the candle 
 and went to bed. The farm-house in which he 
 was passing the night was a small one, and loosely 
 built, and as the wind increased, it seemed to the 
 young man that the roof under which he was rest 
 ing would be raised bodily, and hurled into the 
 forest across the road. More than once he was 
 wakened by a creaking sound, followed by a low 
 moan, as the wind swept down the chimney. 
 Finally, however, he fell asleep. 
 
 It was early when he woke, and jumping out of 
 bed, went to the window. He stopped in amaze 
 ment, and uttered an exclamation. Perry had seen 
 many snowstorms, but none like this had ever 
 pictured itself in his imagination. Piled high over 
 the road and fences, the drifts rose up against the 
 side of the house nearly to the window of his room. 
 The very trees of the grove on the hill opposite 
 seemed wellnigh buried, and the snow was falling 
 284 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 in great dry flakes, twisted and turned about in 
 the roaring tempest. Perry watched a moment, 
 then smiled. 
 
 " Now I m in for it," he thought, as he turned 
 back into his room and began to dress. " I m 
 lucky to be here and not on the road, and I m 
 glad not to be boxed up in Worcester with those 
 rascals. There s no use trying to walk there 
 to-day, and I m sure I m not going to make 
 Molly go out in this storm, so I 11 have to wait. 
 Well, I can think, and perhaps my time won t be 
 wasted." 
 
 All that day the storm raged, and William 
 began toward night to become impatient as he 
 saw no signs of clearing. He had been to the barn 
 several times to make sure that the mare was com 
 fortable, and even this short distance of a few 
 rods was as much as his strong physique could 
 endure. He found the barn warm and comfort 
 able, for it was practically covered with snow, and 
 the wind had no inlet. As is sometimes the case 
 in a New England snowstorm, especially when it 
 comes from the northeast with a piercing wind, 
 the weather was intensely cold. It seemed to 
 William that no living being could long survive it, 
 and he settled himself by the kitchen fire and en 
 tered into conversation with the farmer and his wife. 
 
 285 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Is this the kind of weather you usually have in 
 this town ? " he asked with a laugh. 
 
 " Well, not exactly," answered the farmer. " I 
 ain t seen nothing like it for twenty year. But, as 
 the saying is, It s an ill wind that don t blow no 
 good, and I guess this one will help some of 
 us." 
 
 " It helps me to comfortable quarters with you," 
 said Perry, pleasantly, " but I don t suppose that s 
 what you mean." 
 
 " No, it ain t, sir. What I mean is this : them 
 rascals that can t see when they re well treated, 
 are roaming about the country a stealing and get 
 ting drunk, and this 11 put a stop to em for a 
 while. At any rate they can t get down here." 
 
 "Whom do you mean?" asked Perry, not quite 
 certain whether his interlocutor referred to the 
 militia or the insurgents. 
 
 " I mean Dan Shays and Luke Day, and the 
 thieves who are a follering em. I Ve suffered as 
 much as they have and a blamed sight more, but 
 I m willing to do my share toward keeping up 
 this great government. Do ye know they re a 
 gathering in Worcester to-day, or at least they 
 mean to if the weather 11 let em ? The court 
 sets there this week." 
 
 " Yes, I know," answered Perry, " and I in- 
 286 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 tended walking over to Worcester, to-day. I 
 wanted to see the sheriff about some business." 
 
 " Well, you won t get there to-day nor to-morrow, 
 nuther, unless I m mighty mistaken. I ain t 
 dared to go there for a week, and I advise ye to 
 keep out of that town until they get out of it. 
 They Ve got the whole place right in their fists, 
 and a decent man can t live there. I 11 make ye 
 comfortable as I can here until ye can move on." 
 
 " I m obliged to you, and I don t see but that I 11 
 have to accept your hospitality for a day or two." 
 
 The storm which had begun on the night of the 
 third of December lasted without interruption for 
 two days and three nights. On the third morning 
 after his arrival at Ward, William Perry looked 
 out of his window and saw the sun shining 
 brightly; the snow-laden pines, the hills and the 
 country around sparkling in its rays. Where the 
 road was, it would have been difficult to tell, but 
 Perry had become impatient, so determined to 
 undertake the ride to Worcester. He bade fare 
 well to his hosts, and saddling and bridling Molly, 
 mounted and ploughed his way through the 
 drifts. When he finally reached Worcester, he 
 found that Shays and most of his followers had 
 moved to Rutland, and that the courts had ad 
 journed pursuant to the recommendations. He 
 
 287 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 learned these things at the little tavern from his 
 old friend the host, who was pleased to see him, 
 and more pleased to be rid of the rioters, who had 
 been living freely in the town for some time past. 
 
 " They re a bit discouraged, sir," he said, " but 
 the end ain t come yet. Read this in the Hamp 
 shire Gazette, which was left here yesterday." 
 
 He handed Perry the paper, and the young man 
 read the following, 
 
 An Address to the people of the several towns in 
 the County of Hampshire now at arms 
 
 GENTLEMEN: 
 
 We have thought proper to inform you of some 
 of the principal causes of the late risings of the peo 
 ple, and also of their present movement, viz. : 
 
 ist. The present expensive mode of collecting debts, 
 which, by reason of the great scarcity of cash, will of 
 necessity fill our gaols with unhappy debtors, and 
 thereby a reputable body of people rendered incapa 
 ble of being serviceable either to themselves or the 
 community. 
 
 2d. The moneys raised by impost and excise being 
 appropriated to discharge the interest of governmental 
 securities, and not the foreign debt, when these secu 
 rities are not subject to taxation. 
 
 3d. A suspension of the writ of Habeas Corpus, by 
 which those persons who have stepped forth to assert 
 288 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 and maintain the rights of the people, are liable to be 
 taken and conveyed even to the most distant part of 
 the Commonwealth, and thereby subjected to an unjust 
 punishment. 
 
 4th. The unlimited power granted to Justices of the 
 Peace and Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs and Constables, 
 by the Riot Act, indemnifying them to the prosecution 
 thereof, when perhaps wholly actuated from a principle 
 of revenge, hatred, and envy. 
 
 Furthermore : Be assured, that this body, now at 
 arms, despise the idea of being instigated by British 
 emissaries, which is so strenuously propagated by the 
 enemies of our liberties : and also wish the most proper 
 and speedy measures may be taken to discharge both 
 
 our foreign and domestic debt. 
 
 Per Order. 
 
 DANIEL GRAY. 
 Chairman of the Committee for the above purpose. 
 
 Perry laid down the paper and thought. It 
 seemed to him that the case of Deacon Brown was 
 especially referred to in this order. Nothing could 
 be more appropriate. The blacksmith had been 
 arrested and imprisoned from a principle of envy; 
 he had been, perhaps, carried to the most distant 
 part of the Commonwealth. Perry saw clearly 
 that the people were not yet satisfied, and that 
 the host was right in saying that the end of the 
 troubles had not yet come. 
 19 289 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " No doubt government is acting as well as it 
 can," he thought, as he went to his room, " but the 
 people have some just cause for complaint, and 
 were it not for unscrupulous leaders, they would 
 settle everything in a very short time." 
 
 290 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 ON the following morning, Perry set out early 
 in search of the sheriff of Worcester, for 
 he thought that from him he might perhaps get 
 on the track of Deacon Brown. The recent snow 
 storm had left the streets of the town in an almost 
 impassable condition, and they were nearly de 
 serted. A few of Shays followers were to be 
 seen, but the greater part of them had gone with 
 their leader to Rutland, where they were to remain 
 for some time in a forlorn and almost destitute 
 condition. 
 
 The walk from the inn to the court house was 
 not a long one, and Perry had little difficulty in 
 finding the sheriff. Upon being shown the order 
 for Brown s release, the officer gave Perry every 
 attention, but, unfortunately, little information. 
 He remembered sending one of his constables 
 to Petersham about two weeks before, but he 
 had been so much occupied in Worcester since 
 then, that he had not kept the run of him. 
 291 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 11 He s not here, though," said the sheriff. 
 " I have a full list of all those in our house of 
 correction, and I know he isn t among em." 
 
 " Where would you advise looking ? " asked 
 Perry. 
 
 " It s hard to say, sir. Now I think of it, that s 
 the constable who s never turned up. If he did n t 
 take him to Boston you may make up your mind 
 that he s gone west. I ve had a great deal of 
 trouble with some of my deputies and constables 
 lately. Two have been caught in collusion with 
 the rebels, and another has been accused of 
 receiving a bribe. We can t trust any one in 
 these days." 
 
 Perry thanked the man, returned to the inn, 
 and wrote to Ruth. So far as being interrupted by 
 the insurgents was concerned, there was very little 
 danger of it at present. The court in Worcester 
 had adjourned, and that in Springfield was not 
 to meet until the twenty-sixth of December, and 
 the severe weather had dampened the ardor of 
 those most actively engaged in carrying on the 
 rebellion. So it was that early the next day Wil 
 liam set out again toward the west. His ultimate 
 destination was Springfield, but he intended going 
 very slowly, for ten miles through the unbroken 
 snowdrifts was a good day s journey for the mare, 
 292 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 and he knew that she might have many miles to 
 travel before he had accomplished his object. 
 The first night he spent in Spencer, the second 
 in Ware, the third in Ludlow ; and on the after 
 noon of the fourth, rode into Springfield, where 
 he put up at the tavern and determined to rest 
 and if possible learn something. 
 
 It was about a week after this, as Ruth was 
 sitting in the parlor, looking out over the river 
 toward Wollaston Heights, that Mr. Minot came 
 in hurriedly and handed her a letter. She knew 
 the writing well, and broke the seal nervously, 
 for she had expected to hear something by every 
 post, and as each letter had brought no news of 
 her father, she had become more and more 
 anxious. As she began to read this one her face 
 lighted, but as she proceeded the anxious look 
 returned, and the tears came to her eyes. Mr. 
 Minot noticed it, and taking her hand kindly, 
 said, 
 
 " I trust the news is not bad, my dear girl?" 
 
 "It is good and bad, both," answered Ruth, 
 sorrowfully. " Father s found, but he s very, 
 very ill. Read the letter." 
 
 Mr. Minot took it and read. 
 
 " Dear, dear," he said, as he finished. " This 
 is too bad. William wants you to go to Peter- 
 293 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 sham to meet him. Then he has heard from Ames 
 that the farm is redeemed ? Of course. I did n t 
 see that part, I was so much interested in the 
 rest." 
 
 "But how am I to get there, Mr. Minot?" 
 asked Ruth, helplessly. 
 
 " I 11 attend to that, my dear. I d go with you 
 myself, but I can t very well leave. But I can 
 arrange it. You shall have a sleigh, and two 
 reliable men shall go with you." 
 
 " How kind everybody is to me," said Ruth, 
 looking up gratefully. 
 
 " You deserve all we can do for you, my dear 
 girl. I 11 see about it at once, and you can start 
 this afternoon." 
 
 Much had happened since William Perry had 
 left for his search after the blacksmith. Fisher 
 Ames had seen Piper and frightened the little 
 man into making a settlement. He had then 
 tried to get from him the name of the place 
 where Deacon Brown was hidden, and in the 
 end had succeeded, and thus Perry learned by 
 letter before he left Springfield that the old man 
 had been taken to the county gaol in Northampton, 
 where William found him in a pitiable condition. 
 Deacon Brown was a broken man, and so much 
 changed that Perry scarcely knew him. The once 
 294 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 strong form was bent and shattered, his eyes were 
 wild and glassy, and he did not recognize the 
 young man as he spoke to him. Perry s heart 
 was touched, and he at once made arrangements 
 for having Brown driven to Petersham. He 
 mounted Molly, and they moved silently away. 
 
 It was now past the middle of December, and 
 the road between Northampton and Petersham 
 was very quiet, for Shays and Day had left Rut 
 land, and were on their way to Springfield, far to 
 the south of the country through which William 
 was taking the blacksmith. But the steep, narrow 
 ways were heavy, and they made but slow progress. 
 More than once Perry spoke to the old man, but 
 received no answer but a wild stare, and then with 
 a sad heart the young man fell back and rode 
 silently for hours. At last he passed through 
 New Salem and Petersham, on toward the farm. 
 Then for the first time a ray of light came into the 
 blacksmith s eyes, and the furrows deepened be 
 tween his brows, and he passed his hand over 
 his head, down through his beard. He tried to 
 speak, but the words would not come, and shaking 
 his head, he relapsed into his former condition. 
 Deacon Brown was doomed, for he had already 
 had a slight paralytic shock. 
 
 As they took him into the house he seemed 
 295 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 again to be struggling with himself, and his lips 
 moved. 
 
 When they had built the fire, William left him in 
 the care of the men who had driven the sleigh, and 
 went down to the tavern. He had no difficulty in 
 securing a young woman to assist in taking care of 
 the blacksmith until Ruth should arrive. After 
 everything had been made comfortable, Perry went 
 again to the tavern, dined, mounted Molly, and 
 started off toward Barre. 
 
 "If she s got my letter and started at once 
 she ll be here this afternoon," he thought, as he 
 rode away. " We Ve made slow progress with the 
 poor old chap, and she 11 undoubtedly hurry. Mr. 
 Minot or Ames will see that she gets here safely." 
 
 As he passed by the entrance of the lane where 
 he had been captured by Day, he stopped and 
 looked about. 
 
 " Quite a change since I was here last. I won 
 der what became of those three ruffians? One 
 was all right, I know, and I really hope the others 
 were too. If I had time I d run in a minute, but 
 I might just lose her." 
 
 He hesitated a moment, then spoke to the mare, 
 and started off again toward Barre. 
 
 It was late in the afternoon of the second day 
 after receiving Perry s letter, that Ruth Brown lay 
 
 296 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 in the back of a sleigh drawn by two horses, which 
 was being driven rapidly along the road from 
 Princeton to Barre. She had met very few trav 
 ellers, and her thoughts were on her father and 
 William all the time. Mr. Minot had told her 
 that as nearly as he could calculate, William should 
 reach Petersham in two days, and the two men he 
 had got to conduct her were urging their tired 
 beasts to their utmost. They were about to ascend 
 the steep winding road leading from the valley to 
 Barre, when Ruth noticed a horseman coming 
 down the hill toward her. Her heart bounded, 
 for she had recognized William. In another mo 
 ment he drew up beside her and dismounted. 
 
 " Oh ! I m so glad you ve come to meet me," 
 she said, as he took her hand. " How s father ? 
 I she at the farm?" 
 
 "Yes, Ruth," answered William, with a sad 
 smile, " but I 11 not deceive you. He s very ill." 
 
 "I was afraid so," said Ruth, with a sigh. " Is 
 he comfortable ? Who s with him now ? " 
 
 " The two men who drove us from Northampton, 
 and a young woman named Barnes. They got her 
 for me at the tavern." 
 
 " Sarah Barnes ? I m glad she s there. She s 
 Sam s sister, and will take good care of father. 
 When did you get there ? " 
 297 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Three or four hours ago. I 11 mount now and 
 ride beside you. Who got you this fine sleigh ? ? 
 he went on with a smile. 
 
 " Mr. Minot, and these two men have been so 
 kind to me. They have been with Mr. Minot a 
 great many years, and he let them come with 
 me." 
 
 " I thank you both very much," said Perry, 
 warmly. 
 
 The men nodded and smiled without answering. 
 
 About two hours later the sleigh drew up before 
 the shed door, and Ruth got out and rushed into 
 the house. She was met in the kitchen by Sarah 
 Barnes, who motioned to her to be quiet. 
 
 " How is he ? " asked Ruth, under her breath. 
 
 " Very bad, Ruth. He s come to a little, and 
 seems to know where he is, and thinks these men 
 are the officers after him. He s spoken twice and 
 called you, but you must n t go in on him too sud 
 den. Wait until he calls again, and then answer 
 him as if you had been here all the time. Take 
 off your things and roll up your sleeves. He won t 
 know you like this." 
 
 Ruth did as she was bid, and, sitting by the fire 
 
 with a fast beating heart, waited. It was some 
 
 time before she heard any movement in the little 
 
 room off the kitchen, but at last there was a muf- 
 
 298 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 fled sound, as of some one breathing heavily. She 
 crept close to the door and listened. 
 
 " Ruth," said a low voice, " Ruth, them s the 
 officers. I ve been calling ye. Where are ye, 
 girl?" 
 
 " Here I am, father," said Ruth, cheerfully, run 
 ning into the room. She stopped short, and her 
 head swam, and she put her hand to her eyes. 
 She had not realized what was in store for her, 
 and the shock was too much for her to bear. She 
 tried to regain her composure, but it was no use, 
 she had been through too much. With a sob she 
 went to her father s bedside and fell on her knees 
 beside him. 
 
 " Oh ! father, father," she cried. " How cruel 
 they ve been to you ! " 
 
 The blacksmith s hand crept unsteadily toward 
 the girl s hair, and his glassy eyes turned slowly 
 toward her. 
 
 " Ruth," he said. 
 
 " Yes, father," said Ruth, trying again to smile 
 through her tears. 
 
 " Is the farm our n ? " 
 
 " Yes, father." 
 
 " And have them rascals been caught ? " 
 
 " I think so, father." 
 
 " And you 11 have the farm if I die ? " 
 299 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Yes, father." 
 
 " Then I don t care. I ain t no use to ye any 
 more, Ruth dear. I ve had a shock, and I 11 
 have another." 
 
 " Oh ! father, don t speak so. You ve been so 
 good to me, and the other people have been good 
 to me since you ve been away." 
 
 " Who, Ruth ? " said the blacksmith, his brows 
 contracting. 
 
 "Some one whom you haven t trusted, father, 
 but who s done everything for us and got you 
 home and got us back the farm." 
 
 Deacon Brown looked at his daughter with a 
 puzzled expression. Then his eyes wandered 
 round the room, and he said slowly, 
 
 " I guess I guess I ain t been jest right, Ruth. 
 Did some one bring me home ? I ve been a riding 
 in a sleigh with them officers, ain t I, Ruth ? " 
 
 " No, father. You re out of prison, and those 
 were friends who were bringing you home." 
 
 " Oh ! " 
 
 Deacon Brown s brows contracted again, and he 
 shook his head. 
 
 " I dunno," he said doubtingly. " Guess I must 
 
 a missed something. Ain t I been here all the 
 
 time? Ain t this No, it ain t it s it s the 
 
 farm. I m kind of weak, Ruth dear, and I can t 
 
 300 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 move much, but my head s getting clearer. I 
 see. Yes, I see. I Ve been in prison and got 
 back. Well, well," and he began to smile. 
 
 Ruth saw that she had brought her father s mind 
 back by her presence, but she knew that it could 
 not last long, for his eyes were beginning to wan 
 der again, and the wild look was coming back. 
 So she spoke quickly, 
 
 " Shall I tell you who has saved us, father ? " 
 she asked. 
 
 "Ye yes. Saved us, yes." 
 
 " Mr. Perry, father, the lawyer you did n t trust, 
 and whom you would n t listen to. He s here 
 now." 
 
 " Yes," said the blacksmith, slowly, " saved us. 
 Perry, five hundred dollars and interest. Blow 
 the bellows, Jimmy. Ah ! " 
 
 Ruth jumped to her feet and looked at her 
 father. His eyes were rolling about in their sock 
 ets, his mouth was twitching, and his hands mov 
 ing convulsively. She rushed to the door and 
 called, 
 
 " William ! Sarah ! Has the doctor come ? 
 I m afraid father s dying." 
 
 " He s coming into the house now, Ruth," said 
 Perry, going quickly into Brown s room. 
 
 When the doctor reached the room the black- 
 301 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 smith was lying quietly with his hand hanging over 
 the side of the bed. 
 
 " He s had another slight shock," said the doc 
 tor. " He 11 come out of this, and may live for 
 weeks, but he 11 never speak again." 
 
 The day after this, William Perry sat on Molly, 
 outside the shed door. Ruth was by his side, look 
 ing up at him with tears in her eyes. 
 
 " Good-bye, dear," she said with a forced smile. 
 " God bless you. I 11 stay with father until he 
 dies. Then you 11 come to me ? " 
 
 " Yes, Ruth, and I 11 try to make you happy, 
 though I can never be as good to you as your 
 father has been. He has given up life and every 
 thing for love of you. I only wish he could have 
 known me and liked me. But that can t be now. 
 I shall be back before long. Good-bye." 
 
 William Perry returned to Boston, leaving Ruth 
 to take care of her father. He knew very well 
 that it would not be long before he would return 
 to Petersham. 
 
 302 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 NEW Year s Day had arrived. Since the alarm 
 ing news from Worcester and Springfield 
 had reached Boston, the town had been in a state 
 of great excitement, and many citizens were fearful 
 lest there should be an unexpected attack upon 
 the town, and every point of approach had been 
 well guarded. The governor and Council had 
 decided to send a strong force against the insur 
 gents, and that General Lincoln should lead it. 
 
 Notwithstanding this condition of affairs, Gov 
 ernor Bowdoin had issued his invitations to the 
 customary New Year s reception, for there could 
 be no better mode of getting at the true feelings 
 of the leading people of the town. During the 
 end of the last century social gatherings were 
 places for discussions, and many important deci 
 sions were arrived at on these occasions, which 
 were later carried to public meetings and the halls 
 of legislation. 
 
 303 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Among those who had been honored with an 
 invitation was William Perry, who was now visit 
 ing his old friends in Dorchester. He would have 
 preferred to refuse, for his mind was on other 
 things. It was seventy miles away in the simple 
 little farmhouse in Petersham, which at that mo 
 ment would have seemed a paradise in comparison 
 with the glittering formalities and brilliant sur 
 roundings of the governor s mansion. Under the 
 circumstances, however, he had nothing to do but 
 accept, for he could neither offend the governor 
 nor his host. He therefore dressed himself in his 
 suit of purple velvet with lace ruffles and em 
 broidered waistcoat, threw a fur cape over his 
 shoulders, and putting his cocked hat upon his 
 head, followed Mr. Minot into the sleigh and was 
 driven to Boston. 
 
 " You re very silent to-day, William," said Mr. 
 Minot, as they were spinning along over the Neck. 
 " What s on your mind, my boy? " 
 
 " To tell you the truth, sir, I cannot feel that it 
 is right to have this display to-day. I do not feel 
 comfortable in these clothes. I know that it will 
 seem foolish to you, but when I think of all those 
 who are suffering, and there are many of them, it 
 makes me wonder whether we are doing right." 
 
 " I think you are a little over-sensitive, William," 
 34 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 answered Mr. Minot, kindly. " This is an unusual 
 occasion : it s New Year s Day, and all classes of 
 people have to be considered. There would be 
 much complaint were his excellency to neglect his 
 social duties. The ladies have certainly done their 
 share, and sacrificed much by giving up their 
 luxuries and expensive costumes. This will be a 
 little break for many of them, and I m sure they 
 deserve it." 
 
 " Undoubtedly you re right, sir, but you know 
 where my thoughts are, and you 11 not blame me. 
 When the picture of that dear girl watching and 
 waiting by her father s bedside comes before me, 
 it makes me silent. You 11 forgive me ? " 
 
 " I d think very little of you if you felt other 
 wise, William. But try to enjoy yourself to-day. 
 You ve had nothing but work and worry lately, 
 and little relaxation will do you good." 
 
 As they drove up Beacon Hill toward the 
 governor s mansion, they noticed the long line of 
 sleighs passing in front of the gate. There were 
 also many pedestrians bound in the same direction, 
 clad in rich fur capes, below which appeared their 
 velvet small-clothes, black stockings, and polished, 
 buckled shoes. One of these Perry knew, for he 
 had more than once appeared before him. He 
 wore a bright red cape lined with fur, and carried 
 20 305 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 a large muff. He reached the gate just as Mr. 
 Minot and William were getting out of the sleigh, 
 and recognizing one another they all bowed. 
 
 " Good-day, sir, good-day," said Judge Dana, for 
 it was he. " Ah, you Ve brought my young friend 
 Perry. You ve had very little chance of appear 
 ing in court lately, but matters are improving. 
 What a beautiful day this is ! " 
 
 Perry made an appropriate answer, and together 
 they ascended the steps. The door was opened by 
 a negro, while another took their wraps, and they 
 then appeared before the host. 
 
 There has long been a mistaken idea both at 
 home and abroad that the end of the nineteenth 
 century is beginning to teach New Englanders the 
 niceties and manners of good society. A hundred 
 years ago it would have been difficult to find more 
 social refinement and savoir vivre than among the 
 high fashion of Boston. Nowhere was obedience 
 to every social law more requisite than in the 
 little Puritanic capital. So far as manners go, we 
 have gone down hill rather than up. 
 
 Governor Bowdoin stood at the end of the large 
 reception-room, whose polished floor shone like a 
 mirror, and with stately grace and great dignity 
 greeted those who passed before him, in a manner 
 which would surprise many to-day, who have come 
 306 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 to look upon the Chief Magistrate of the Common 
 wealth simply as a servant of the people, and not 
 as its social head. The room was filled with the 
 aristocracy of Boston, and all the distinguished 
 citizens were either there or in the dining-room, 
 where the heavy-laden table, rich with flowers and 
 glass and silver, groaned under its burden of good 
 things. On one end was the governor s punch 
 bowl of solid silver, with the glasses hanging about 
 it. The whole house was a mass of plants and 
 flowers, and in every fireplace large oak logs were 
 crackling. Perry looked about him and recognized 
 many of the guests. There was General Lincoln, 
 as always, dressed in sombre black, conversing 
 with John Hancock in rich blue velvet, gold, and 
 lace. Near them in a little group were Samuel 
 Eliot, John Lowell, Harrison Gray Otis, and 
 Thomas Russell. Mr. Minot was talking with his 
 cousin, George R. Minot. What lent a special 
 charm to the scene was the presence of so large a 
 number of the ladies of the period, decked in their 
 most gorgeous attire for this occasion ; for as Mr. 
 Minot had suggested to Perry on their drive over 
 the Neck, the wives and daughters of the Boston 
 merchants had, out of respect for the sufferings 
 and needy condition of the poorer women through 
 out the Commonwealth, formed clubs whose mem- 
 37 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 bers pledged themselves to wear nothing but 
 homespun until the time should come when the 
 distress should be lightened, and the strained 
 relations between the farmers and government be 
 relaxed. It is unfortunate that the kind motives 
 of these worthy Boston women were not better 
 appreciated; but as is almost invariably the case 
 under like conditions, their sacrifices were looked 
 upon either with suspicion, or with a feeling that 
 they were doing no more than they were in honor 
 bound to do under the circumstances. 
 
 French visitors to Boston at the end of the last 
 century were almost unanimous in their praise of 
 the ladies of the New England capital, and at that 
 period there were no better judges of the manners, 
 toilette, and bearing of the high-bred woman than 
 our friends and recent allies across the water. And 
 they made no mistake. By training and birth 
 there were no more refined, cultivated, and pure- 
 minded ladies in the drawing-rooms of the highest 
 fashion of either continent than those who were 
 gathered in Governor Bowdoin s house on Beacon 
 Hill in Boston, on January the first, 1787. 
 
 As the reader has already become aware, Wil 
 liam Perry was a young man of affairs, and had 
 been little among the tlite of the town. There 
 were naturally many whom he did not know, but 
 308 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 there were three of those who were surrounded by 
 admiring groups, whom he had seen often, and 
 who at this time held a most prominent position 
 in Boston society. 
 
 The first of these who attracted Perry s atten 
 tion was standing by a window, conversing earn 
 estly with an elderly gentleman in black velvet. 
 Her powdered hair made her brilliant dark eyes 
 seem unusually bright. Her pompadour waist 
 and dark green skirt with puffings of satin and 
 point lace, set off her graceful figure, and it 
 was some moments before Perry could remove 
 his eyes from her, so much was he impressed 
 with her noble expression, full of intellect and 
 courage. This was Mercy Warren, the sister of 
 the great patriot and statesman who had been 
 sacrificed before he had accomplished his full 
 work. 
 
 At last the young man s eyes wandered from 
 Mrs. Warren to another group, in the centre of 
 which stood Madam Haley, who had married her 
 steward, and finally getting enough of him, re 
 turned to England. Madam Haley was one of 
 those self-constituted leaders of society who occa 
 sionally come to the surface, and for some reason, 
 possibly because of certain merits which it is 
 difficult to define, are successful in accomplishing 
 39 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 their ends. They existed in Rome two thousand 
 years ago ; they exist in every great centre to-day ; 
 and they will continue to appear somewhere as 
 long as the world lasts. 
 
 Madam Haley was a striking woman, and a very 
 eccentric one, but she held her sway, and was un 
 doubtedly a leader of Boston society. Perry was 
 still looking at her, when a young man approached 
 him, and greeted him pleasantly. 
 
 " Good-day, Otis," answered William. " You Ve 
 caught me staring at the ladies, which I know is 
 not good manners ; but Madam Haley always 
 attracts me, notwithstanding she is not handsome, 
 and is apt to show her Wilkes tooth." 
 
 " I don t blame you, Perry," said Otis, with a 
 smile. " But you should have seen her last June. 
 She was then in all her glory." 
 
 " What was the occasion ? " 
 
 " The opening of the Charlestown bridge. 
 Were you not there?" 
 
 " No. I was away on business, so lost the 
 ceremony." 
 
 " Well, Madam Haley led the procession over 
 the bridge in a phaeton drawn by four white horses, 
 and I really believe it was the happiest day in her 
 life. I think she had some difficulty in getting 
 permission, but she carried her point, as she always 
 310 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 does, although it cost her five hundred dollars to 
 do so. She s unmistakably a wonderful woman. 
 If she d only take charge of the militia she d 
 capture Shays in less than a week. Have you 
 seen Mrs. Hancock? Turn your eyes toward 
 her; she s of a different type." 
 
 Perry followed Otis gaze, and caught sight of 
 the third of the ladies he knew. 
 
 " Who are those three ladies talking with Mr. 
 Sullivan ? " asked Perry, a moment later. 
 
 " The one in the black velvet and diamonds is 
 Mrs. Edmund Perkins ; the one next her is Mrs. 
 John Murray, and the other with the gray silk and 
 lace cap you should know. I have met her often 
 in Philadelphia. I 11 present you to her in a few 
 moments." 
 
 " I thank you very much. Who is she ? " 
 
 " Dr. Franklin s only daughter, Mrs. Richard 
 Bache. She is visiting Mrs. Warren, who has 
 brought her here to-day. She is one of the hero 
 ines of the war, and you should know her." 
 
 Sarah Bache was then in her forty-third year, 
 and was indeed a lovely woman. Simple, unaf 
 fected, she had inherited a good share of her 
 father s brains and patriotism. Perry found her 
 conversation most charming, and when she learned 
 that the young man had seen the sufferings of 
 3 11 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 the New England country-folk, she was much 
 interested, and asked many questions. 
 
 " They are doing wrong, very wrong," she said, 
 with a compassionate smile. " Yet they should 
 be treated with great kindness, for it is to the 
 farmers that we owe the first stroke for our 
 liberties." 
 
 " Unfortunately it is not the farmers we have 
 to deal with, or rather it is unfortunate that we have 
 to deal with their leaders," said Mrs. Murray. 
 
 " I think you are right," said Mrs. Bache. "We 
 in Philadelphia are waiting for you good New 
 England folk to lead us to federation." 
 
 "You are very flattering," said Otis, bowing, 
 " and I think, madam, that you will not be disap 
 pointed. His excellency and General Lincoln are 
 capable of almost anything." 
 
 So the conversation went on, until at last Perry 
 bowed and left them. 
 
 " Have you seen Ames ? " he said to Otis a little 
 later. 
 
 "No; I don t think he s here, at least not in 
 this room. He may be in the dining-room. I Ve 
 not been there yet." 
 
 " If you 11 excuse me I think I 11 look him up." 
 
 As he went through the room Perry saw many 
 of his acquaintances, whom he saluted pleasantly. 
 312 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 He then crossed the hall to the dining-room, where 
 he had caught sight of his friend, Fisher Ames. 
 
 " I m glad to see you," said Ames, taking his 
 hand, " and I Ve got something to tell you which 
 will interest and please you. Come over by that 
 orange-tree. We 11 be alone there." 
 
 Perry followed, and then Ames went on : " Our 
 friend Jeremiah has disappeared." 
 
 " What do you mean ? " said William, in 
 astonishment. 
 
 "Just what I say, Perry. Listen. No, let s 
 have a glass of that punch first. I Ve only just 
 arrived, and I m chilled." 
 
 After drinking, they returned to the corner, and 
 Ames proceeded, 
 
 " It s quite an entertaining narrative. As you 
 perhaps know, there has been in circulation quite 
 an amount of counterfeit coin, British, Spanish, 
 and French, and government has been trying 
 to find the culprits." 
 
 " And they suspected Piper ? " said Perry, 
 quickly. 
 
 " Yes, they suspected him, and determined to 
 examine his premises. They did so, but found 
 nothing there. Not an article remained, and the 
 bird had flown." 
 
 " How did he get wind of it ? " 
 313 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 11 That is not known, but I have my own theory. 
 No one had any notice of the proposed visit to 
 his house except the officers, and it must have 
 been from one of them that he learned it. Who 
 was it? You should know, Perry." 
 
 William thought a minute, and then started. 
 
 " How dull I am to be sure ! the man who 
 assisted him in foreclosing the mortgage." 
 
 " Exactly, Perry. You ve guessed right. There 
 was a peculiar thing found in the room above the 
 shop." 
 
 " What was that ? " 
 
 " Near the fireplace a plank had been removed 
 from the floor, and a gold coin lay on one of the 
 timbers." 
 
 " A counterfeit ? " 
 
 " No, that s the strange thing about it. It was 
 a good one." 
 
 The young men laughed. 
 
 u This is really quite amusing," said Perry. 
 " So long as we re rid of him, I shall feel 
 more comfortable. Where do they think he s 
 gone ? " 
 
 " The Lord only knows, and I don t think any 
 one cares much." 
 
 " What s become of the energetic Samuel ? " 
 
 " Gone with his master. This is rather an en- 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 tertaining ending to his career. But tell me, 
 how s Miss Ruth? How s her father?" 
 
 " Thank you, Ames, she s well. The old man 
 is much the same. He can t last long." 
 
 " Do you know that they ve formed a company 
 of light infantry here, and I m going with em ? 
 I did n t enjoy the last trip, but if Lincoln goes, 
 we 11 have a rapid and decisive campaign." 
 
 " Who s in the company ? " 
 
 " Otis is captain, and Russell and Gray lieu 
 tenants. Why won t you come too ? " 
 
 " I can t, Ames ; I must wait here. Besides, you 
 know that I am neutral in this war." 
 
 "Of course, I d forgotten. Well, I must say 
 farewell to his excellency, and then be off." 
 
 The two young men crossed the hall, but when 
 they reached the reception-room were surprised 
 to find the governor the centre of an interested 
 group of listeners. In his hand he held a letter 
 which had just been br ought to him in great haste. 
 
 " What is it, Otis ? " said Ames. 
 
 " His excellency has news that Shays, Day, and 
 Eli Parsons are in Springfield, and have possession 
 of the court house. There is anxiety lest they 
 get hold of the arsenal." 
 
 "This is serious. What steps does he intend 
 taking ? " 
 
 315 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " He has called a meeting of the Council for this 
 afternoon, and will recommend a mobilization of 
 the militia all over the State. He ; s told Lincoln 
 that he 11 have to take command. See how fierce 
 the old fire-eater looks. But he s the right man. 
 He ought to have been sent before." 
 
 " Who s going to pay for all this ? " asked 
 Ames, with a smile. " The exchequer is 
 empty." 
 
 "The gentlemen here have already signified 
 their willingness to assist government." 
 
 " Very patriotic," said Ames. 
 
 " William," said Mr. Minot, a few minutes later, 
 " with your permission we 11 be going. I think 
 his excellency is anxious to be rid of us, that he 
 may attend the meeting of the Council." 
 
 Mr. Minot and Perry discussed the situation on 
 their drive home, and William spoke of Piper s 
 disappearance. 
 
 " A very fortunate thing that you d arranged 
 everything about the farm. It might have caused 
 a good deal of annoyance." 
 
 " Yes, I m very grateful to Ames for his good 
 management of that affair. I m inclined to think, 
 Mr. Minot, that I ought to go up to Petersham. 
 I don t like to leave them alone." 
 
 " You must do as you think best, William, but 
 
 316 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 you re welcome to stay with me as long as you 
 see fit." 
 
 " I know I am, and you are very kind, but I 
 think I 11 start to-morrow morning." 
 
 Accordingly, early on the following day, Perry 
 set out once more toward the farm. 
 
 317 
 
CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 IT was the twenty-third of January, and the 
 troops under General Lincoln had left Rox- 
 bury, and been four days on their march toward 
 Springfield, in haste to reach there in time to re 
 lieve General Shepard, who was in a perilous posi 
 tion, hemmed in as he was by the different insur 
 gent bands. Shays was on the Boston road with a 
 force of eleven hundred ; Parsons was to the north 
 of the town with four hundred from Berkshire ; 
 and Luke Day was across the river in West 
 Springfield with another four hundred, awaiting 
 the word from Shays to join in the attack on the 
 town. With Captain Day were two young men 
 whom we know, Jimmy Brown and Abe Morse. 
 The poor boys had been through many hardships 
 during the last few weeks, and their ardor was 
 somewhat dampened, but they could not now get 
 away from their service. In fact, to attempt it 
 would have meant starvation to them. The march 
 from Worcester to Rutland five or six weeks be- 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 fore had caused great distress among the rebel 
 troops, and some had dropped by the roadside and 
 been frozen to death. Jimmy Brown had had his 
 feet badly frost-bitten, but he had gotten over it, 
 and managed to keep up with the broken ranks. 
 This little band with Day in West Springfield was 
 poorly housed. The weather was very cold, and 
 food was scarce, although the farmers and their 
 wives, in their sympathy with the men, supplied 
 them with every comfort they had at hand. Abe 
 and Jimmy were resting side by side on a pile of 
 hay in an old barn, where they were quite comfort 
 able, considering their surroundings. 
 
 " I m kind of sick of this, Abe," said young 
 Brown, rolling over and facing his friend. " What 
 are we getting out of it, anyway ? We re almost 
 starved, and so fur ain t gained anything. I begin 
 to think the whole thing s wrong, and I d like to 
 go home to the forge." 
 
 " And me too, Jimmy. They Ve been a promis 
 ing and a promising us that we d lick them militia 
 and get our rights, but here we are, wandering 
 round over the hills and through the snow, without 
 a roof to cover us most of the time, and mighty 
 little to eat. I ain t got the strength to walk home, 
 or I d leave." 
 
 "They shot a fellow as tried to get away the 
 319 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 other day, Abe. I guess that lawyer was right. 
 They re making fools of us. What are they 
 a waiting here for ? " 
 
 " For Dan Shays to send word that it s time to 
 cross the river and take the arsenal, Jimmy. But 
 they won t do it no more n they ve done all the 
 other things they Ve promised. What do ye say 
 if we go out of here and cross over and try to go 
 toward Petersham? It s dark, and I guess we 
 can get by em." 
 
 " I 11 do it, Abe," said Jimmy, jumping to his 
 feet ; " we might as well get killed that way as any 
 other. The river s safe, ain t it ? " 
 
 " Yes, more n two feet thick. Come, we 11 crawl 
 out through the barn-yard, and nobody 11 see us." 
 
 The two youths rose noiselessly and crept 
 toward the cow-shed, whence a small door led 
 into the yard behind the barn. They passed 
 through this without detection, and before long 
 were crossing the river rapidly. When they 
 reached Springfield they were in doubt which way 
 to go, but keeping down the river bank, skirted the 
 southern edge of the town, and were soon to the 
 east of it. Unfortunately for the young men they 
 were not aware that Shays and his army were 
 stationed on that side of Springfield. They were 
 attempting to cross the Boston road, intending to 
 320 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 strike through the woods toward Granby, when a 
 dark figure emerged from behind a tree, and pre 
 senting a musket said in a low tone, 
 
 " Who goes there ? " 
 
 Jimmy and Abe stood still and looked at each 
 other. Then the latter took courage and said, 
 
 " We re on our way home, sir." 
 
 " Who are you ? " 
 
 " We work in Granby, sir." 
 
 " No one is allowed to pass to-night. I shall be 
 obliged to take you to the captain." 
 
 He gave a low whistle, and three more armed 
 men appeared from the darkness. 
 
 "Take these chaps to Cap n Shays," said the 
 sentinel. " I guess he d like to see em." 
 
 Without more ado the two youths were led into 
 an adjoining field, and up to an old barn. 
 
 " Who goes there ? " said a man at the door. 
 
 " A friend with friends," answered one of the 
 men who were conducting Abe and Jimmy. 
 
 " For the colonel ? " 
 
 " No, for the cap n." 
 
 " Then enter." 
 
 The door was opened, and they found themselves 
 
 in the barn, one corner of which was lighted by 
 
 two tallow candles. Captain Shays and four other 
 
 men, evidently of his staff, were seated round a 
 
 21 3 21 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 wooden box, on which was spread a large sheet of 
 paper. On hearing the door open, Shays raised 
 his head and glanced toward the new-comers. 
 
 " Who s there ? " he said sharply. 
 
 " A friend with friends, cap n." 
 
 " And who are the friends ? " 
 
 " Found em on the road, cap n." 
 
 " Bring em in." 
 
 Shays examined the young men carefully and 
 suspiciously. 
 
 " Who are you ? " he asked at last. 
 
 "We re on our way home, sir," answered Abe, 
 who was the spokesman. 
 
 " That ain t answering my question," said the 
 captain, severely. " What s your name ? Where 
 do ye come from ? " 
 
 "My name s Morse, and his name s Brown," 
 answered Abe, in despair. " We belong in Peters 
 ham, and would like to go home." 
 
 " You would, would ye ? " said Shays, with a 
 laugh. " Well, my friends, I guess you 11 have to 
 stay with us until we ve taken Springfield. That 11 
 be to-morrow, so you won t have long to wait. 
 Take em away now, I m busy." 
 
 "We d better of stayed where we was," said 
 Jimmy, mournfully, as they lay in the field a little 
 later. 
 
 322 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 On the following morning, Luke Day made a 
 tour of inspection, and found that a number of his 
 followers had deserted during the night. Those 
 who remained were in a disheartened, surly mood, 
 and he was uncertain what to do. It was some 
 hours after this that a man rode hurriedly up to 
 the house where Day had his headquarters, and 
 handed him a message. 
 
 " From Cap n Shays," said the man. " He 
 wants an answer right off." 
 
 Day took the paper and read it. 
 
 " Tell Cap n Shays with my compliments that I 
 can t go to-morrow. I 11 be there the day after." 
 
 When, on the following morning, the twenty- 
 fifth of January, Shays had received no answer 
 from Day in West Springfield, he presumed that 
 the message had been delivered and would be 
 obeyed ; so he marshalled his forces and marched 
 in open column toward " The Hill," on the east 
 ern side of the town, where were situated the 
 arsenal and military stores. Jimmy and Abe were 
 in the ranks. 
 
 The sun was getting low when Shays troops 
 began climbing the hill, and he perceived General 
 Shepard awaiting him with the field-pieces in a 
 commanding position. But Daniel Shays had be 
 come desperate, and he knew very well that in the 
 3 2 3 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 success of this day s undertaking lay his only 
 chance of redeeming himself and of keeping to 
 gether his already wavering ranks ; so he marched 
 ahead until within less than three hundred yards 
 of the militia, where for a second time he received 
 a message from Shepard, warning him that he 
 would be fired upon if he proceeded further. 
 
 " Tell em that s jest what we want em to do," 
 answered Shays, undaunted. He immediately gave 
 orders to advance. 
 
 General Shepard had by this time become im 
 patient, and upon his command two volleys were 
 fired over the insurgents heads, in hopes of stop 
 ping them. But they were desperate, and, headed 
 by a band of veterans from the Continental army, 
 still kept on. 
 
 "In the name of the governor and Council of 
 the Commonwealth, I order you to halt and lay 
 down your arms," roared General Shepard. 
 
 A low murmur and a hoarse laugh from Shays 
 was the only answer as they came within a few 
 yards of the artillery. Then it was that the militia 
 levelled their muskets and there was a loud report, 
 followed by screams and cries of murder. The 
 shock had been too great, and Captain Shays 
 army wavered, turned, and fled down the hill, and 
 on ten miles to Ludlow. 
 
 324 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 Jimmy Brown and Abe Morse were not the last 
 to arrive at that place, for a renewal of strength 
 had come suddenly to them, and their legs moved 
 easily and quickly, the more so because they had 
 heard Captain Shays voice calling after them, and 
 threatening them with death if they deserted. 
 
 As the fugitives passed up the road through 
 Chicopee between the forest trees, the last rays of 
 the setting sun were fading away on the summit 
 of Mount Tom across the river. Here Shays was 
 reinforced by Parsons with his Berkshire band, 
 and together they waited, intending to make an 
 other attempt on the following day, although many 
 hundreds of their followers had deserted. But 
 news came before daylight that General Lincoln 
 was nearing the town ; so abandoning their plan 
 of action, they marched in disorder to South Had- 
 ley and Amherst, suffering much discomfort. 
 Thence they went to Pelham. 
 
 Jimmy and Abe now saw the wisdom of remain 
 ing with the main body of the insurgents, for they 
 were headed in the direction of Petersham. The 
 young men felt that the war was over, and they 
 were glad of it, for they had become convinced, as 
 had many others, that Dan Shays was a tyrant, 
 working only for his own selfish ends. 
 
 325 
 
CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 WILLIAM PERRY and Ruth Brown sat in 
 the kitchen of the farmhouse in Petersham, 
 but they were not alone, for the good pastor of the 
 parish, Rev. Solomon Reed, had come in to see 
 Ruth and comfort her, as had been his daily cus 
 tom since Deacon Brown died two weeks before. 
 Ruth was weeping, and William was sitting by the 
 open fire, gazing into it in a distracted manner. 
 
 " Keep a brave heart, Ruth my dear," said the 
 minister, looking at her kindly. " God has taken 
 a good father from you, but has given you some 
 one to fill his place." 
 
 " I know it, I know it, sir," answered Ruth, ten 
 derly. " It was better that father should go, but 
 it s hard to lose him and think of all he suffered. 
 And Jimmy what has become of Jimmy ? " 
 
 " I Ve just heard, Ruth, that Shays is in Pel- 
 ham. If that is true, your brother will be here 
 before long. It s too bad that he should have 
 gone on this expedition, but your father always did 
 what he thought right, so we must n t blame him." 
 326 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 "I don t blame him, Mr. Reed. I blame that 
 wicked Captain Shays who has caused all our 
 troubles. Do you think they ll catch him? I 
 hope Jimmy will get home before they do." 
 
 " And in time for the wedding, too ? " said Mr. 
 Reed, with a cheerful smile. 
 
 Perry caught the last words, and turned quickly. 
 
 " If you wish it, Ruth dear," he said, " I 11 jump 
 on Molly and go to Pelham after Jimmy. There 11 
 be no danger in so doing, for they re too much 
 occupied to care about so unimportant a personage 
 as I am." 
 
 " Do you really think it will be safe ? " asked 
 Ruth, looking first at William, then at Mr. Reed. 
 
 " I can t see very much danger in it now," 
 answered the minister, after a moment s thought. 
 " As Mr. Perry says, he can easily escape their 
 notice, and they have about as much as they can 
 attend to." 
 
 " Very well, then," answered Ruth, brightening 
 up a little. " I know what a silly, foolish boy 
 Jimmy is, but he s my brother, and we ve always 
 been very fond of each other. If you can get 
 there without any risk, I shall be very happy." 
 
 It was the third of February, and for the past few 
 days the weather had been bright and mild ; but 
 the roads were unbroken. Across the lane where 
 327 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 it turned toward the smithy lay a great drift, 
 through which it had been necessary to dig a 
 path. William Perry went past the blacksmith s 
 shop, and then through a narrow way by the 
 southern outskirts of the town. He had inquired 
 of the minister how to make a short cut to Pelham, 
 and had learned that by keeping in a southwesterly 
 direction he would pass through a little outlying 
 parish of Hardwick, thence to Pelham. By doing 
 this he would escape the highway, although the 
 journey would be a difficult one. 
 
 It was late in the afternoon when he reached 
 Pelham, and discovered that Shays and his band 
 had started suddenly for Petersham. He was in a 
 way relieved, for he felt that if Jimmy was with 
 them he would go directly to the farm, and that 
 Ruth would know that he had missed her brother 
 on the road. It was impossible for him to return 
 that night, so he secured such quarters as he could 
 get, and decided to rest until the next morning. 
 
 He was very tired after his hard ride, and was 
 soon sleeping heavily. Undoubtedly he would have 
 continued to do so, had it not been for an unex 
 pected stir in the little village, some time in the 
 middle of the night, which caused him to jump from 
 his bed and rush to the window overlooking the 
 road. There was the sound of horses galloping 
 
 3*8 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 over the snow, and of men shouting, and William 
 was perplexed, for he had been given to under 
 stand that Shays was in Petersham, and that Gen 
 eral Lincoln was resting quietly in Hadley, awaiting 
 the answer of the insurgents to his order to lay 
 down their arms. He therefore dressed quickly 
 and ran down-stairs, and out into the street. 
 
 As he did so, a man rode up to him and said : 
 
 " How long have they been away from here ? " 
 
 " How long has who been away from here ? " 
 repeated Perry, in the form of a question. 
 
 " Shays, of course. You don t seem to know 
 much about him. Too little, I guess. General 
 Lincoln and the artillery are only about two miles 
 behind, and there s no use in putting us off. 
 Answer me, how long is it since Shays left 
 Pelham ? " 
 
 " I really can t tell you," answered Perry, coolly. 
 " I only arrived here late yesterday, or perhaps this, 
 afternoon, and he was gone then ; but further than 
 that I know nothing." 
 
 " Well, who are you anyway ? " asked the man, 
 in some surprise. 
 
 Perry laughed. 
 
 " I m not a follower of Daniel Shays, you may 
 be sure. No, I came here in search of some one 
 who is with him, and I m as disappointed as you 
 329 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 can be at not finding him. But I can assure you 
 of one thing, he left here before four o clock 
 yesterday afternoon, and has gone to Petersham." 
 
 " Ah ! " said the man, and rode away. 
 
 A company of about fifty horsemen had now col 
 lected in the town, and as the man who had spoken 
 to Perry rode up to their leader, the latter at once 
 gave the order to advance, and without further 
 delay they started toward Petersham by the same 
 road over which he had come a few hours before. 
 They left two of their number behind them, evi 
 dently to give the word to the main body of the 
 army, which could not now be far away. 
 
 " This is my chance," thought Perry, as he ran 
 toward the barn. " I 11 put the saddle on Molly 
 and go along with them. If they should happen 
 to surprise the rebels, it might go hard with Jimmy 
 unless I was there to look out for him." 
 
 A little later he rode out of the barn, seated on 
 the mare. As he did so he saw the advanced 
 guard of the main body coming over the hill. 
 Then came the artillery, following which was the 
 infantry, the sleighs bringing up the rear. 
 
 " There must be some one here whom I know 
 besides General Lincoln," thought Perry, as he 
 rode out into the dark road and mingled with the 
 others. 
 
 330 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I 11 speak to one of these chaps, and find out 
 something. Good evening, sir," he said, going up 
 to a man who was evidently an officer. " Is Cap 
 tain Otis light infantry company here? " 
 
 The man looked at him a moment, and began to 
 laugh. " I should n t wonder, Perry. Where 
 under the sun did you come from ? " 
 
 Perry rode up closer to the man and looked at 
 him. 
 
 " I m blest if it is n t Tom Russell himself," said 
 William, in delight, putting out his hand. " But 
 how does the infantry happen to be mounted ? " 
 
 " You see, Perry," said Russell smiling, " our 
 company did n t all come, and we made up a little 
 band of our own. Otis is here, and so is Gray, but 
 Ames had business at Worcester, and as it s the 
 first chance he s had there for some time we let 
 him off. We ve had a great jaunt from Hadley, 
 and hoped to catch that rascal here." 
 
 " I should say that he started for Petersham 
 about twelve hours ago. If he does n t know that 
 3 ou re after him he ll probably spend the night 
 there. I came here yesterday afternoon purely by 
 accident." 
 
 " Are you going on with us ? " asked Russell. 
 
 " Most assuredly. Where s the general ? " 
 
 " The officers requested him to get into a sleigh, 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 and although he does n t consider that the proper 
 place for a commander, he finally consented. Here 
 they come, and we must be moving along." 
 
 " It s lucky you have such a mild night," 
 said Perry, looking up at the sky, " but I don t 
 like the looks of those clouds. I was caught in a 
 snowstorm south of Worcester about two months 
 ago, and I know what it s like. The roads are 
 bad enough as it is, and after you reach the edge 
 of New Salem you 11 have a pretty steady climb 
 to Petersham." 
 
 " Well, we 11 have to stand it. The orders are 
 to go until we catch em, and the longer we keep 
 at it, the sooner we 11 accomplish it." 
 
 "Tell me what has happened lately," said Perry, 
 after they had started. " I ve heard nothing of 
 your movements since you drove Shays out of 
 Springfield." 
 
 " Have n t you really ? Well, we ve been 
 through a good deal since then. Let me see, that 
 was about a week ago. When we heard that 
 Shays and Parsons had joined forces at Chicopee, 
 we made up our minds that there might be further 
 trouble, so Lincoln sent word to the governor to 
 have Brooks move west as quickly as possible. 
 He must be on his way now ; but we did n t wait 
 for him, for instead of coming back to Springfield, 
 332 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 the rebels started north, evidently with the inten 
 tion of escaping to some place where they could 
 join their forces and make a united stand against 
 us. We had made a forced march from Boston, 
 and the weather was cold, and the travelling bad ; 
 but we had no sooner reached Springfield than we 
 were ordered to proceed toward Ludlow after Shays, 
 while Shepard went up the river on the ice after 
 Day. What he did, I don t know, but we followed 
 Shays through South Hadley and Amherst, and 
 we found that the rascals had been robbing, burn 
 ing, and doing all the deviltry they could devise. 
 This made Lincoln more angry than ever, and 
 you can imagine what that was. He swore that 
 he d hang and shoot every man if he caught em, 
 and I believe he d have done it, too. Every 
 living man in Amherst had gone off with the 
 scamps, and the town was almost deserted. 
 Whew, the wind s beginning to blow, is n t it ? " 
 
 " It s growing rapidly colder," answered Perry. 
 " Go on with your story, though. I m very much 
 interested in it." 
 
 " Where was I ? Oh, yes. When we left 
 Amherst we were not sure which way to go, but 
 Lincoln finally decided to march to Hadley, as he 
 knew that the troops would be likely to get food 
 and shelter there. Accordingly we went there and 
 333 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 spent the night. The next morning we heard that 
 Shepard had had trouble near Southampton, and 
 Lincoln sent about a hundred of the men in that 
 direction, and then sent a letter to Shays in 
 Pelham telling him that if the rebels would lay 
 down their arms, they would be recommended for 
 mercy. This was last Tuesday. The general 
 received a very impudent answer to this, which 
 was evidently intended to mislead him, and on 
 Wednesday Lincoln wrote again, warning Shays 
 that he must immediately disband, or take the 
 consequences. At six o clock last night we left 
 Hadley, and have marched on here without 
 stopping." 
 
 " What made you start so suddenly ? " 
 " Because Lincoln heard that Shays had moved 
 east with his forces, and he knew that the rascal 
 was up to some kind of mischief. I do believe 
 it s beginning to snow." 
 
 There was no mistaking it. The sky was now 
 entirely obscured, and the wind was blowing fitfully 
 from the north, driving the small flakes into the 
 faces of the travellers. They had now reached a 
 stretch through the forest, and could hear the 
 wind rush through the tree-tops with a loud whis 
 tling sound, followed by a low moan as it died 
 away, to be succeeded by another and more violent 
 334 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 gust. The trees creaked and snapped, and the 
 men wrapped their cloaks more closely about them. 
 At last they emerged from the woods into an open 
 valley, and like a scourge the tempest beat against 
 them, and they were almost brought to a stand 
 still by its weight. It was now about two o clock 
 in the morning, and they had reached a point on 
 the edge of New Salem where the valley of Swift 
 River formed a level plain, beyond which rose the 
 hills toward Petersham, eight miles away. The 
 fury of the storm was now terrible, and the snow 
 and sleet was falling fast and thick, piling and 
 blocking up the narrow ways so that it was well- 
 nigh impossible for the men to walk, and the 
 horses to keep their footing. Still on they went, 
 without a word being spoken, and began climbing 
 the steep, winding road. 
 
 We who have driven to-day from North Dana 
 to Petersham in a driving snowstorm have had a 
 hard enough journey, although the roads are as 
 the boulevards of a great metropolis in comparison 
 with those of a hundred and ten years ago. Not 
 a house was to be seen then for a stretch of more 
 than eight miles up the almost unbroken ascent 
 through the forest and over fords. This eight 
 miles took General Lincoln s troops nearly seven 
 hours, while the preceding twenty-two miles had 
 335 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 taken them but six. And it is a wonder that they 
 ever arrived, for at times they sank in drifts that 
 nearly buried them, and many were badly frost 
 bitten. Yet at nine o clock Sunday morning, Feb 
 ruary fourth, 1787, the advanced guard, led by Col 
 onel Haskell entered the town, and less than half 
 an hour later William Perry and Thomas Russell 
 rode side by side up to the entrance of the road into 
 the village. William was a weary man, and Molly 
 was breathing heavily. Yet they were both un- 
 scarred, and happy to be so near their journey s 
 end. 
 
 336 
 
CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 IT was about nine o clock on the morning of 
 February fourth, that a little party sat in the 
 kitchen of a farm-house near the Athol road in 
 Petersham, eating a quiet breakfast, talking and 
 laughing, and discussing the skill with which they 
 had eluded their pursuers, General Lincoln and 
 the militia. The party consisted of Daniel Shays, 
 Eli Parsons, Francis Stone, Adam Wheeler, and 
 about half a dozen others, among whom were 
 Jimmy Brown and Abe Morse, the last two unwill 
 ing participants, as they had told the captain that 
 they wished to go home. But Captain Shays had 
 already lost too many men, and held those remain 
 ing to him with an iron grasp. 
 
 " Ain t we fooled em nice ? " said Shays, with 
 a laugh, raising the pewter mug and drinking. 
 " Who d a thought that they d a been taken in so 
 easy ? But then, old Lincoln never was very sharp, 
 and I knew he d believe me," and he laughed 
 again. 
 
 22 337 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I guess my petition fixed em," said Stone, 
 smiling. " We worded it pretty well, did n t we ? " 
 
 " You did indeed, Stone. The people here seem 
 to be loyal, don t they ? There were one or two 
 who were kind of queer, but they don t amount to 
 enough to make any difference. This is a fine town 
 of yours, Morse. I guess we ll stay here over 
 the Sabbath, it s such a good place to rest in." 
 
 " When do you suppose the old man 11 hear of 
 our leaving Pelham ? " inquired Wheeler, between 
 mouthfuls. 
 
 " Not for some time, Adam," answered Shays, 
 with a satisfied smile. " Say, where re you going 
 to, young man ? " 
 
 The last remark was addressed to Jimmy Brown, 
 who had risen, and was stealing toward the door. 
 
 " I m jest going to look out at the storm, cap n," 
 answered the youth, stopping. 
 
 " I guess it ain t safe for ye to go out alone. 
 Jest wait. Now what was I saying? Oh, yes, 
 old Lincoln is a fool, and no mistake." 
 
 " If it had n t been for this storm," said Wheeler, 
 "he might have thought it worth while to come 
 on here in a day or two, but I kind of guess he 11 
 stay in comfortable quarters in Hadley. Them 
 Boston fellows are good enough for marching in 
 fair weather, but they ain t particular about spoil- 
 
 338 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 ing their uniforms on such a day as this. Ain t 
 this comfortable, though ? " 
 
 For a few moments after breakfast the men 
 tipped back in their chairs, and lighting their 
 pipes looked silently out at the storm, which was 
 still raging. 
 
 "Going to be cold," said Shays, abruptly. 
 " Guess it 11 be well to stay here a spell and let 
 the men get rested and fed up a bit. Then we 11 
 move down into Middlesex. They 11 be expecting 
 us there." 
 
 " Do you think, cap n," said Stone, " that we 
 can get on near Boston before they get word of 
 our movements ? " 
 
 " Brooks has been led into the trap along with 
 the others," answered Shays, " and the field is 
 clear. Once in Middlesex we can get all the men 
 we want, and then we 11 have em. They 11 have 
 to do pretty much as we say. What s that yell 
 ing outside? Something s happening." 
 
 They all jumped to their feet and rushed toward 
 the door, Shays in advance of the others. He 
 had just opened it when a man came running in 
 out of breath. 
 
 " Quick, cap n," he cried, without waiting to be 
 questioned. " They re on to us, and we must do 
 something." . 
 
 339 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Who s on to us ? " asked Shays, not realizing 
 the man s full meaning. 
 
 " The militia. They re coming up the road 
 now. I saw em myself." 
 
 " You re crazy, man," said Shays, doubtingly. 
 " You Ve mistaken somebody else for em. Where 
 are they ? " 
 
 " Over west by the New Salem road. I ain t 
 made no mistake, cap n. There s more n a hun 
 dred of em on horseback, and they re waiting for 
 the others, who are coming up behind. There, 
 hear em shouting ! There go half our men down 
 the road." 
 
 " Damnation ! " said Shays, as he took his hat 
 and sword and ran out onto the highway. " Stop, 
 you rascals. Form your ranks there, ye sneaking 
 cowards. What are ye running away for ? " 
 
 It was no use. The news of the approaching 
 army had spread through the village like wild-fire, 
 and doors were slamming, and men were passing 
 down the road, shouting and in panic. Some had 
 not even waited to take their arms and hats, but, 
 stricken with the contagion, rushed madly in the 
 direction of Athol. Daniel Shays went about 
 swearing, threatening, and striking, but in vain. 
 On, on they went, and as the artillery was appearing 
 through the snowdrifts over the brow of the hill, 
 340 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 the last of the stragglers were vanishing through 
 the forest. With a volley of oaths, Shays mounted 
 his horse, and realizing that he was forsaken by 
 his troops, followed them in mad haste. 
 
 In the mean time General Lincoln s army was 
 entering the town, and Colonel Haskell s advanced 
 guard had succeeded in capturing many of the 
 fugitives. When at last the main body under 
 General Lincoln arrived, he at once gave orders 
 to pursue and capture as many as possible, but 
 not to fire upon them unless it should become 
 absolutely necessary. 
 
 Jimmy and Abe had been, as usual, among the 
 first to take the alarm, and were swept with the 
 tide toward Athol. They had gone nearly two 
 miles, when they heard the sound of approaching 
 horses, and they tried to hasten forward. Soon 
 came an order to halt, and the next moment the 
 troops rode up and surrounded those of the insur 
 gents who were in sight. A few of the leaders, 
 including Shays himself, made some show of 
 resistance, but at last they were captured and 
 disarmed. 
 
 William Perry had joined the pursuit, for he 
 
 wished to protect Ruth s brother, should he be 
 
 among the fugitives. When he reached the valley 
 
 between the hills where the captives were sur- 
 
 341 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 rounded by the troops, he looked about him anx 
 iously in search of Jimmy, and as he did so he 
 caught sight of Daniel Shays, disarmed, and be 
 tween two lines of men with drawn pistols. The 
 insurgent captain stood with his arms folded, scan 
 ning his captors with an apparently indifferent 
 expression. Perry could not restrain his desire 
 to speak to him, and riding forward he said, with 
 a smile, 
 
 " Good-morning, Captain Shays. Perhaps you 
 don t remember me? I received your message 
 from Captain Day, but unfortunately I could n t 
 wait for you." 
 
 Shays looked at him, and an ugly expression came 
 into the captain s eyes, but he did not answer. 
 
 "So you know the captain, do you?" said Rus 
 sell, riding up beside Perry. 
 
 "Indeed I do, and we ve had several appoint 
 ments which we ve been unable to keep, owing to 
 circumstances. Holloa, there s the boy I m look 
 ing for. I 11 be obliged to you, Russell, if you 11 
 use your influence to have this boy let off. I want 
 to take him home. I Ve been looking for you, 
 Jimmy." 
 
 Young Brown looked gratefully up at the young 
 man, but only smiled. 
 
 " Where s your friend ? " 
 342 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Over yonder," answered Jimmy, pointing over 
 his shoulder. 
 
 " I see. Well, I 11 try to take you both up to 
 the farm. Ruth s expecting you." 
 
 A few moments later the troops started back 
 toward Petersham with their prizes, and found 
 General Lincoln awaiting them. 
 
 " How many have you caught ? " asked the gen 
 eral, examining the prisoners severely. 
 
 " I should say about a hundred and fifty, sir," 
 answered Haskell. "But we ve got Shays, and 
 that s worth the whole lot." 
 
 " Good, good, Haskell ! " said Lincoln. " Bring 
 him before me. I want to speak to him." 
 
 Shays was brought forward, and folding his arms 
 looked at the general fearlessly. 
 
 " What have you to say for yourself, sir ? " 
 roared General Lincoln, eying the man savagely. 
 
 Shays still remained silent. 
 
 " Speak, you rascal," shouted the general, his 
 round face reddening. 
 
 " I ain t got much to say, General Lincoln. I m 
 your prisoner of war." 
 
 " You re what ? " snapped the general. " You re 
 a captured criminal, you impertinent coxcomb. 
 Will you mind what I say, and swear allegiance 
 to government ? " 
 
 343 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " I suppose I 11 have to, general. You seem to 
 have got things pretty much your own way." 
 
 " Silence, sir," said Lincoln, severely. " Limit 
 yourself to a direct answer. Take him away and 
 put him under careful guard. As to the privates, 
 who are nothing but deluded fools, they may swear 
 their allegiances, and go to their homes. We 11 
 keep the leaders and attend to them later." 
 
 "Well, Jimmy," said Perry, with some hesitation, 
 as he was riding toward the farm with the two 
 young men walking beside him, " you ve got out 
 of this scrape at last, but I ve sad news for you, 
 my boy. No one knew where to find you, so we 
 could n t send for you." 
 
 Jimmy looked up quickly, and a startled expres 
 sion came over his face. 
 
 " What is it, Mr. Perry ? Is father sick ? " 
 
 " Worse than that, my boy, he s gone. He died 
 about two weeks ago." 
 
 They had reached the brook where on several 
 previous occasions William had stopped to water 
 the mare. For a moment the boy stared at Perry 
 in an inquiring manner. Then the whole truth 
 came to him, and dropping on a stone, he put his 
 head in his hands and gave way to his grief. 
 
 "What did he send me away for?" sobbed 
 Jimmy. " I ought n t to have gone, Mr. Perry, 
 344 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 but father made me mind him, and I did n t dare 
 to gainsay him. I was afeard he was sick when 
 I left, and I Ve tried to get back, but they would n t 
 let us go." 
 
 " You Ve done the best you could, Jimmy," said 
 William, kindly. "Come along; Ruth s waiting 
 for you, and she s something to tell you besides 
 about your father. I Ve promised not to say any 
 thing about it myself." 
 
 As they passed the smithy, cold and buried in 
 snow, Jimmy s eyes filled again, and he stopped 
 and looked at it. 
 
 " I guess I ain t never been much good to 
 father," he said. " I Ve tried to do, but I ain t 
 been able." 
 
 Ruth had been watching for William all day, for 
 she was not sure when he would return. It was 
 Sunday, and she sat at the window of her room 
 reading her Bible, from time to time looking down 
 the road and over the mowing toward the hill be 
 yond the blacksmith s shop. At last she dropped 
 the book, and springing to her feet, put on her 
 bonnet and shawl, and ran out down the road. A 
 little later she was weeping on her brother s 
 shoulder. 
 
 345 
 
CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 A FEW days after Jimmy s return, a little party 
 stood in the parlor of the Petersham farm 
 house. They were William and Ruth Perry, who 
 had just been married ; Rev. Solomon Reed, Jimmy 
 Brown, Abe Morse, and Sarah Barnes. The room 
 was trimmed with evergreen boughs, and running 
 pine from the grove. In the centre was a table, 
 set out with cakes and ale, and two bottles of 
 Madeira, which had been sent by Mr. Minot. 
 
 Round Ruth s fair neck hung a gold chain with 
 a pearl pendant, her gift from Fisher Ames. In 
 her hair she wore a marigold from a plant she had 
 raised herself in the kitchen window. Altogether 
 she looked sweet and happy in her simple new 
 frock. 
 
 Abe and Sally had attended to everything for 
 Ruth, and were now active in pouring out the 
 wine, with which they were to drink the health of 
 the bride and groom to the toast which Mr. Reed 
 was about to give them. 
 
 346 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " My dear children," said the minister, kindly, 
 " I pledge you a long and happy life. You are 
 both young, vigorous, and energetic. Live in the 
 future as you have both done in the past, and 
 the good God will cherish and bless you." 
 
 After they had drunk, Mr. Reed went up to Ruth, 
 and taking both her hands, said with a smile, 
 
 " You have chosen wisely, Ruth my dear, and I 
 congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. 
 Few women are favored with such a husband as 
 you have, and you must never forget it." 
 
 Then turning to William and taking his hand, 
 he went on, 
 
 " And you, William, have a jewel, a priceless 
 jewel. I have known her from childhood, and 
 such devotion as hers is rarely met with. Bear 
 this in mind." 
 
 " Mr. Reed," said William, " I have long since 
 known what you have just told me, else I might 
 not be here to-day. Six months ago I was a very 
 lonely man, devoted to my profession, which I 
 loved, and still love, but with few friends outside 
 those who had been my classmates, and those 
 with whom I had been brought in contact in the 
 course of my business. I had known very few 
 women, and no girls, for my parents died when I 
 was but a boy, and I have worked for myself since 
 347 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 then. Although I was thus lonely, I was cheerful 
 and happy and independent, until six months ago, 
 when by accident I passed through here on my 
 way from Springfield to Boston. Then I lost my 
 independence, though for some reason I did not 
 discover the fact myself as soon as did my friend, 
 Fisher Ames. They say love is blind. I can 
 assure you, sir, that mine was blind for many 
 weeks, but it took very little to give it sight and 
 understanding." 
 
 "And you are both very fortunate. There is 
 only one thing I regret, William." 
 
 " What is that, sir ? " 
 
 " That you re going to take Ruth away from us. 
 We d like to have you here amongst us." 
 
 " And I m sorry, too, Mr. Reed," answered 
 William, sincerely ; " but you will understand that 
 I have to earn my living by my profession, and 
 that all my clients and business associates are in 
 and about Boston. We re going to leave Jimmy 
 in charge of the farm, though, and we ll come 
 here often, and make long visits." 
 
 "That s right. Of course you couldn t settle 
 down in this out-of-the-way place. Our excite 
 ment of the past few days is unusual. We don t 
 often have anything like it. In fact, we never 
 had before." 
 
 348 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 "And I hope that nothing of the kind will 
 happen again, Mr. Reed. I am glad they Ve got 
 that hypocrite, Shays. I cannot imagine how so 
 many have been willing to follow him." 
 
 " It s incredible, William, but you understand 
 as well as any one the state of society in Massa 
 chusetts at the present time. There has been, 
 and is, great distress among the people, and they 
 have naturally been obliged to look about for 
 leaders, both military and civil, for they are all 
 tillers of the soil, and know little of such things. 
 Shays, Day, and their likes saw an opportunity, 
 and they were quick to grasp it for their 
 own selfish advancement, and the people, being 
 desperate, accepted them. I think the majority 
 is now disillusionized as regards the leaders, al 
 though they are still bitter against government. 
 But both sides have had a severe lesson, and will 
 now profit by it." 
 
 " I hope so, and think so, Mr. Reed. We 
 are certainly fortunate in the leaders of govern 
 ment, Governor Bowdoin, Fisher Ames, General 
 Lincoln, and others without number. I have been 
 a neutral through all this excitement, Mr. Reed, 
 but I m as loyal to government as any of these 
 extremists." 
 
 " I know you are ! I know you are, William, 
 349 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 and I honor you for the position you ve taken. 
 But we re talking of strange matters for your 
 wedding day, and you 11 be soon leaving us." 
 
 " But we 11 be back again soon," said Ruth. 
 " In a little while Jimmy 11 begin to get the farm 
 ready for spring, and we shall come up in May, 
 after the frost is out of the ground." 
 
 " I m glad of it, and the oftener you come, the 
 better for us all." 
 
 Shortly after this Perry called to young Brown : 
 " You re master of ceremonies, Jimmy : where s 
 our sleigh ? Molly has n t been in a harness for 
 over a year, and I don t know what she 11 think of 
 it, but I don t want to make my bride ride." 
 
 " But I d like it so much, William," said Ruth, 
 earnestly. " Can t I ride Molly, and can t we go 
 the same way we went when you took me to 
 Boston before?" 
 
 " Of course you can if you want to, Ruth dear ; 
 but I never imagined that you d prefer it. Put 
 Ruth s saddle on Molly, Master Jimmy, and I 11 
 ride the old horse. Now we 11 get ready." 
 
 After Jimmy had gone over to the barn, Ruth 
 went up-stairs with Sarah Barnes and got ready 
 to start. She looked about her little room, and 
 for a moment her eyes filled, as she caught sight 
 of the different objects that had been so familiar 
 35 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 to her through all the years of joy and sorrow. 
 The little Bible and book of poems were still on 
 the table, and she lifted them tenderly, and then 
 set them down again. 
 
 " I m going to leave everything just as it is in my 
 room, Sarah," she said. " You 11 look in once in a 
 while, and see that everything s all right, won t you ? " 
 
 " Of course I will, Ruth. Poor Jimmy won t be 
 much of a housekeeper. I 11 look out for him, 
 and the house." 
 
 " Thank you so much," said Ruth, drying her 
 eyes. " I ought n t to cry on my wedding day, 
 but so many things come back to me as I look 
 about. I hope you 11 get a good husband, Sarah. 
 You deserve one." 
 
 Sarah Barnes blushed and turned away. Then 
 she came back toward Ruth. 
 
 " I I was going to tell you, Ruth," she stam 
 mered. " I m a going to marry Abe. He asked 
 me this morning in the kitchen when we were 
 fixing things up." 
 
 Ruth laughed, and kissed the girl. 
 
 " I suspected it," she said. " I m glad, for Abe s 
 a good, kind boy. Now I m ready." 
 
 She went down-stairs, where she found the others 
 waiting. The minister held up his hands in ad 
 miration. 
 
 35 1 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Well, well, Mrs. Perry," he said with a smile. 
 " William, take good care of her," he went on, 
 taking Perry one side. " Here comes Jimmy with 
 the horses. God bless you both." 
 
 " God bless you, too, Mr. Reed," said William, 
 warmly ; " you ve been such a dear, kind friend to 
 Ruth and hers in their troubles that I feel very 
 grateful to you, sir." 
 
 " I could not have done less than I have," an 
 swered the minister, kindly. "Had I known of 
 things sooner, I d have tried to do more, but I 
 never realized how poorly the deacon was. You 
 know that he was a man of few words, and who 
 made few confidences, and I knew nothing of his 
 troubles or his ill-health until shortly before he 
 died. It was too bad, too bad." 
 
 The little party passed out through the side door, 
 to where Jimmy was waiting for them with the 
 horses. William Perry and his wife mounted, 
 and with tender farewells, rode off over the pas 
 tures through Gerry and Templeton, on to Groton, 
 Concord, and Boston. 
 
 Summer had come and gone, and Petersham 
 
 was radiant in its brilliant autumn foliage. The 
 
 lights and shadows over the hills and valleys within 
 
 sight of the farm lent a charm and beauty to the 
 
 352 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 landscape which no place has in greater perfection. 
 The golden-rod was waving in the gentle breeze 
 which blew down the road from over the pastures 
 toward Monadnock. It was a lovely October 
 afternoon, and William and Ruth had come up 
 from Boston to stay a few days with Jimmy, who, 
 with Abe and his wife, was now living on the old 
 Brown farm. It was more than five years since 
 Daniel Shays had been captured by General Lin 
 coln near Petersham village, and William and 
 Ruth had come to feel like old married people, 
 especially so when they looked down on the two 
 fair-haired children, the little Isaac and the little 
 Ruth. 
 
 These five years had changed Jimmy much, 
 although a hundred could not have made him very 
 bright. Yet he had matured and become of some 
 use, and had succeeded in making the farm pay. 
 Abe Morse had hired the smithy, and he too had 
 become industrious, so that the little household, 
 cared for as it was by the energetic Sarah, was 
 neat and cheerful, and a pride and pleasure to both 
 Ruth and William. 
 
 William and Jimmy were standing by the shed 
 door talking, and Perry was tossing pieces of 
 bread to two dogs, which were frolicking about 
 him. 
 
 2 3 353 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Down, Castor ! down, Pollux ! " he said, as they 
 jumped up against him and tried to take the bread 
 from his hand. Jimmy began to laugh. 
 
 "Where did ye get them outlandish names, 
 William ? Carstor and Pullux ! Why don t you 
 call em something natural? How d Moses and 
 Aaron do ? " 
 
 Perry smiled. 
 
 " I call em Castor and Pollux, Jimmy, because 
 they re twins, and regular gods of victory. You 
 ought to see em chasing a rabbit. You d under 
 stand then why I named them as I have." 
 
 " Are they any good for coon ? " asked young 
 Brown, with a show of interest. 
 
 " I don t know, I never tried em." 
 
 " Would you like to go out to-night ? There s 
 lots of em about now, and it s fine sport." 
 
 " Of course I would, Jimmy. What a bright 
 chap you are to think about it." 
 
 " I 11 get Abe to go too ; he knows all about em, 
 and jest where to find em." 
 
 It was a dark night, as William, Abe, and 
 Jimmy, followed by the two dogs, struck across 
 the mowing, by the blacksmith shop, and on to 
 the tannery. One carried a lantern, and the other 
 two had their guns. When they reached the brook, 
 Abe stopped them, and said, 
 354 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Now I m going to take ye to a place where I 
 ain t been for more n ten years. It s down the 
 brook, then into the woods. It ain t fur, but it s 
 hard walking, and we 11 have to go down the bed 
 of the brook a piece. It s near the old tumbled- 
 down house they say s haunted. You don t mind, 
 do ye ? " 
 
 " Well, I can t say that you re very encourag 
 ing," said William, laughing. " But if Jimmy is n t 
 afraid, I m not How is it, Jimmy ? " 
 
 " I ain t afeard, William. The house ain t 
 haunted. There s only a couple of queer-look 
 ing chaps that live there and never see anybody, 
 and nobody ever goes there. Sam Barnes see em 
 one day, so I guess they re flesh and blood." 
 
 " Come along, then," said Abe. " Steady. 
 There s lots of rolling stones in the brook. Hold 
 the lantern so s we can all see, Jimmy." 
 
 Brown lighted the way, and the others followed 
 with the dogs at their heels. When they had gone 
 about half a mile, Abe led them up the steep bank 
 into the thick woods, where they proceeded along 
 the brook, but high above it. 
 
 They had gone but a few yards when one of the 
 dogs began to growl, and the other soon followed 
 suit. Abe put up his hand for them to halt, and 
 whispered, 
 
 355 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Be quiet, it must be the coons." 
 
 They waited a minute, and then went after the 
 dogs, which were nosing the ground and rushing 
 about excitedly. William was now in advance of 
 the others, keeping near the dogs, when he sud 
 denly stopped in amazement. He had come on 
 the trunk of a tree protruding from the ground, 
 and from it poured forth a thick mass of smoke. 
 
 " Jimmy ! Abe ! " he called quietly, " come 
 here. What can this mean ? Listen, I m sure I 
 hear voices below." 
 
 He put his ear to the ground, and could hear 
 distinctly the muffled sound of voices. 
 
 " This is strange," he whispered to the two 
 young men. " See, the dogs are going down over 
 the bank. Wait here a minute for me. I m going 
 to follow them." 
 
 He crept noiselessly after the dogs, which before 
 long stopped. 
 
 " Down, Castor ! Down, Pollux ! Quiet," said 
 William, in an undertone. " Stay where you 
 are." 
 
 The dogs obeyed at once, and William walked 
 to an opening in the side of the bank and strained 
 his ears. Two men were conversing earnestly, and 
 he could hear every word they said, and his heart 
 beat violently with suppressed excitement. 
 
 356 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 " Samuel," said one of the voices, " you have n t 
 learned your business yet. Can t you make a 
 better guinea than that? Do you think I can 
 keep you if you don t mend your ways?" 
 
 " I m doing the best I can," whined the other 
 voice. 
 
 " No, you ain t, Samuel. I 11 turn you over 
 to the constable, if you don t do better. Blow the 
 fire. It s cold." 
 
 William drew a long breath and thought, 
 
 " My heavens, am I losing my mind ? If those 
 are n t Jerry Piper and Samuel, I m crazy." 
 
 He crept silently up the bank again, and without 
 a word about what he had heard, told the young 
 men that he was tired, and walked home. The 
 next morning he went to Worcester. 
 
 Three days after the interrupted coon-hunt, the 
 haunted house in the woods near the brook was 
 visited by the officers, and Jeremiah Piper and his 
 faithful Samuel were arrested to answer the charge 
 of counterfeiting. In the cave were found a set of 
 tools and a furnace, and at the trial it appeared 
 that Jerry had hoped to get the Brown farm for the 
 purposes of their trade. 
 
 So ends this little story of Shays Rebellion and 
 its results. The most important to the country 
 were the final federation of the States, and the 
 357 
 
Captain Shays. 
 
 perfecting of the Constitution. But the most im 
 portant to William Perry were the finding of his 
 dear wife Ruth on the Petersham farm, and the 
 conviction of the little villain who had tried to 
 ruin them. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 358 
 
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