CHAPTER I

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“WE THREE.”

When you come to think it over seriously, it really seems that Abel Grant could not be blamed for laughing and saying that we were “outgrowing our clothes,” in selecting the name of Minute Boys of Long Island for three lads--Abraham Decker, Samuel Garratt and myself, neither of whom had yet passed his fifteenth year; but how else could it be shown that we were heart and soul with the Cause, or that we burned to have a hand in upsetting the king’s authority in this land which our fathers have wrested from the savages and the wilderness.

It was when the base plot of Governor Tryon’s was unmasked that we decided it was time for us to show the Tories of Long Island, who outnumbered the loyal men eight to one, that there were some who would lay down their lives, if needs be, for freedom from British misrule.

We three lived within half a gunshot of each other on the shore of Wallabout bay, and owned, because of having built her from keel to masthead, the sloop Swiftsure, in which we often sailed to New York when our fathers failed in finding work to occupy our time at home.

When the first inkling of Tryon’s plot was made known, even the Tories of the island were eager to hear what might be going on, and the consequence was that not a man remained at home, because of the great excitement, therefore were we three at liberty to do very nearly as we pleased, so that we did not disregard any rules of the household previously laid down.

At Israel Dyker’s dock, on the New York side, we were allowed to moor our sloop whenever we pleased, and Master Dyker’s son Jethro, who cared for his father’s boats, was ever willing to keep a watchful eye over ours. Therefore it was we three lads could go and come much as we pleased, save, which needs not the saying, when we had work at home to occupy our time. In ordinary seasons boys on a farm would have but few idle hours at their disposal; but at this particular season little was thought or talked of except the attempt to throw aside the yoke which the king had made heavier and heavier each day, until our people would have been worse than curs had they submitted tamely to the injustice and oppression.

Even the lads talked politics in those days, and we knew full well what was being done in behalf of the colonies, even as we did the many devices of our enemies to grind us yet further into the dust.

The Cause had but few friends on Long Island in that year of 1776, and perhaps we who favored it were bound more closely together by the knowledge that among our neighbors the Tories outnumbered us at least eight to one. Therefore it was that when information of the dastardly plot against Washington and some of the other generals began to leak out, we--meaning boys as well as men who were for independence--were not a little concerned regarding our own safety. It was known full well that Governor Tryon himself was at the head of the cowardly movement, and if he could find people willing to strike a blow against the leaders of our movement, what might we not expect from our Tory neighbors who had private scores to settle with many of us?

Thus it can be seen that when we three lads bound ourselves together by solemn oaths to stand up against any who might try to lay hands on either of us, it was by no means a childish game we were playing at. Even Abel Grant admitted that we were wise in organizing for our own defense; but he took it upon himself to laugh at the high-sounding name we gave to our federation.

“It may chance we shall find others who will be glad to join the Minute Boys of Long Island, and if we could get together no more than twelve, let me tell you, Abel Grant, it would be within our power to do considerable for the Cause. A round dozen of boys, from fourteen to sixteen years of age, could come near, under certain circumstances, to doing the work of as many men, more particularly if the war should be brought here on our own island.”

I spoke hotly, and Abel, seeing that he had rubbed us a trifle harder than was friendly, made haste to say:

“I grant you, Ephraim, that even no more than three lads, with such a sloop as you own, could do very much at certain times, an’ I am not belittlin’ the general idee. Of course there’s no chance we shall see anything of war here on the island; but yet--”

“And why not?” Abraham interrupted quickly. “My father says the Britishers will soon come to drive the Colonial forces out of New York, an’ when that is done this island of ours is the very likeliest place on which to make a landin’.”

“I won’t attempt to set up my opinion against your father’s, Abe; but at the same time I’ve got the right, or shall have when the Congress declares us free an’ independent, to believe whatsoever I please. Jest now, however, there’s scant reason why we should spend overly much time tryin’ to figger what the Britishers will do next month or next year, ’cause things are gettin’ a mite hot on the New York side. Master Goodhue came over from market this mornin’, an’ says the plot of Tryon’s is common news. One of General Washington’s own guardsmen has been arrested, an’ Master Forbes, the gunsmith, is in prison. Why not take a run over this afternoon, an’ give me a passage?”

There was no need for Abel to spend very much breath in favor of either proposition. The news that arrests had already been made fired us as nothing else could have done, and, without waiting to learn whether one or all of us might be needed at home, we set about making ready for the voyage, the conversation I have set down being carried on at the head of the cove where the Swiftsure was anchored.

In a twinkling, so excited were we by the news Abel gave us, the sloop was under way, and our passenger began repeating all he had heard from Master Goodhue.

He was a long while in the telling, as if thereby he might pay the better price for his passage; but, boiled down into a reasonably short story, and added to what we already knew, the facts in the matter were much like this:

In some way, I can’t say how, General Washington had discovered that Governor Tryon, Mayor Mathews, Gilbert Forbes, the gunsmith whose shop is on the Broadway, and perhaps a dozen other Tories, had in hand a plot to seize Washington as prisoner and deliver him over to Sir William Howe. In order to do this, or to aid in capturing the officers of the Colonial army, the magazine was to be blown up, and every road leading from the city taken possession of by the Tories, who had already enlisted more than five hundred curs vile enough to take up arms for that king who had treated them more like cattle than human beings.

Two of General Washington’s bodyguard, together with about a dozen citizens, had been arrested that morning. All save the two traitorous soldiers had been sent to a prison in Connecticut, where there was little fear the Britishers could do anything toward effecting their release, and the members of the guard who had sold their honor for the king’s gold, were to be tried by a military court that very day.

Who can wonder, in the face of such news, that we found the city fairly boiling with excitement when we landed from the sloop, after making her fast at Master Dyker’s dock?

As a matter of course, we went directly to Bowling Green, knowing that there would be found all the idle gossipers of the city, and it was as if some great revel was going on, so many people had gathered. We were not long in learning that Master Goodhue had told us no more than the truth; but what seemed yet worse, we heard many of the throng speaking as if they were saddened because the plot had been discovered.

“I had not believed there were so many Tories in New York,” Sam whispered to me as we stood near a group of five who were speculating upon the possibility of lending some aid to those who were accused. “We have got used to hearin’ them on the island, for it is there we raise that kind of cattle; but here I supposed the greater portion of the citizens were real men,” and Abe added:

“I fail of understandin’ how a man with any degree of respect for himself, can take sides with the king against his own countrymen.”

“There’s more than that in this world you can’t understand, Abe Decker,” was said in a mocking voice just behind me, and I turned to see Luther Stedman, the son of that Tory Stedman who lives on the island near the ferry, a lad whom I had counted as a friend until learning that he, like his father, believed the king to be more of a god than a man.

“Perhaps my head ain’t any thicker than yours,” Abe replied quickly and hotly, “an’ then again, perhaps I’ve been brought up to have less love for curs that are ready, for the sake of a fat bone, to bite those who have been friends.”

By this Abe meant to hit Luther on the fact that his father had been trying for no one knows how long, to get the appointment of officer of the customs, and only lately, when the king was no longer able to collect duties in New York, had he received any encouragement.

It goes without saying that Luther took fire in an instant, and but for Sam, who stepped between them, the two lads might have come to blows then and there, even though the watch would have made them prisoners in a twinkling.

Quickly though Sam moved, mischief was worked, for Abe’s anger was too hot to permit of guarding his tongue, and he foolishly made threats as to what should be done if Luther’s father continued to toady to the king’s officers as he had been doing. Of course I do not count it a mischief for a fellow to stand up boldly for the Cause; but when he lives in a neighborhood where eight out of every nine are Tories, then is it foolish for him to make threats, since it only serves to call

## particular attention to himself and his friends.

“We’ll clip your wings a bit, before this thing is settled,” Luther cried in a rage. “Those who live in our section of the island are, except for a few like the Deckers, the Garratts, and the Lyttles, honest, law-abiding people who will not brook seditious talk from man or boy. You think your ragamuffin army is able to stand against the king’s troops simply because they happen to be holdin’ this town; but just wait until the English ships give you a call! The idea of boys like you talking about a plot, when his majesty’s servants are doing what they may to put down traitors! Before we’re a week older I’ll show you how such as you should be treated, and that without heed to the imitation soldiers you’ve got here!”

“And I’ll show--”

Abe had begun to reply while he was literally trembling with rage, and, fearing lest more should be said than was wise, I covered his mouth with my hand, at the same time forcing him away from the young Tory.

“Let me go!” he cried fiercely, when I gave him opportunity to speak but at the same time, with the aid of Sam and Abel Grant, continued to force him away from Luther’s neighborhood. “That scoundrel shan’t have the satisfaction of believing he has frightened me!”

I did not dare to hold him longer against his will, and was well nigh at my wits end to know how a street brawl might be prevented at less cost than a quarrel betwixt him and me, when Abel interrupted happily:

“A fine Minute Boy you’ll make, Abraham Decker, if, for the sake of rufflin’ a Tory’s feathers, you let your tongue run away with you! Of how much service can you be to the Cause if you begin by puttin’ it in the minds of those who are strongest, to get you out of the way, as will be done in case Luther Stedman convinces his father that it is in your power to do aught against the king?”

A bucket full of cold water could not have had more effect on a setting hen, than did these words on Abraham. On the instant his anger subsided, and in its stead must have come a feeling of shame because of his folly, if one could judge from the deep flush that overspread his face.

Nor was this the only brawl we were like to have taken part in that afternoon. On every hand words ran high; it was as if men had suddenly been enraged to a white heat, and those spoke intemperately who at almost any other time would have remained silent. A self-respecting Whig could keep his tongue between his teeth only with difficulty, and many of the Tories were so wrought up by the knowledge that their deeply-laid plot had been discovered, that they gave words to thoughts which were in the highest degree dangerous while our people held possession of the town.

It yet lacked a full two hours to sunset when I proposed that we return home, for, to tell the truth, it had come to my mind that we might get into serious trouble by remaining at such a time; but Abel Grant and my comrades were so eager to learn everything they could regarding the plot, it was impossible for me, without showing myself in the highest degree selfish, to do other than consult their pleasure. I did not, however, give way without exacting a price.

“If we loiter around here where so much is being done to arouse the anger of those friendly to the Cause, there is good chance we shall find ourselves locked up on a charge of disturbing the peace,” I said, laughing lest they should suspect how much of fear was in my heart. “Now if you lads will go with me on board the sloop, we’ll leave Abel to pick up all the gossip, and when his budget is full he shall come to us.”

Abe and Sam were unwilling to tear themselves away from the excited throng so soon; but because of what had already happened Abraham could not make very loud protest against my plan, and I soon won over the third of our newly-made Minute Boys.

We three walked slowly back to Master Dyker’s dock with our ears pricked up to hear all that might be said as we passed along, and once having arrived, heard that which was like to make our stay a long one.

“Your father has been here, Ephraim,” Jethro Dyker said as we went on the dock, “an’ has left word that you are to stay aboard the sloop until he an’ Abe’s father come again, even though they should not show themselves till the morrow.”

“Then we had best go back to the Green, where is a chance to enjoy ourselves,” Sam cried in delight, and Abe would have joined him in the suggestion, but that I said in a tone which showed I could not be moved to change my mind:

“It is not safe for Abraham to go among the Tories this day. He has already shown that he cannot hold his tongue at the proper time, therefore he an’ I will stay aboard the sloop. Go if you will, Sam; but do not remain away very long lest our fathers should arrive in a hurry to go home.”

I had hardly more than ceased speaking before Sam was off at full speed, and, grumbling not a little, Abe went into the small cabin as if to indulge in a fit of the sulks. To prevent anything of the kind I followed, copying my comrade’s movements by throwing myself into the bunk opposite the one of which he had taken possession.

It may be well to say that we had outfitted the Swiftsure in such a manner as would allow us to take long cruises in her, and not only had fair arrangements for sleeping; but there was in the small cabin a tiny stove whereon we could make into chowder or a fry, the fish we caught. More than once had we lived aboard four days without inconvenience, and much to our comfort and pleasure.

At first I tried to talk with my companion about what we had seen and heard; but he was in such a humor that I soon gave it up as a bad job, and lay stretched out at full length speculating upon the possibility of serving the Cause as Minute Boys, when there came a heavy blow which caused the sloop to rock to and fro, thus telling that some person had jumped on board from the dock.

Believing our visitor to be Jethro Dyker, I did not so much as raise my head until a second shock was felt, and I heard a strange voice ask:

“Do you know who owns this craft?”

It was Luther Stedman who replied, and you may fancy that I pricked up my ears at once, when he said:

“She belongs to a scoundrelly lot of Whigs who live near my home. They are down on Bowling Green getting what comfort is possible out of the discovery of the plot, an’ are not likely to come this way until we are well off.”

“The Whigs will surely make trouble for you, if it is known you had a hand in this matter, and it will be in their power to do so until the king’s troops take possession of New York.”

“They haven’t many days left for their traitorous work, an’ we must take the chances in order to help our friends. It is certain some one who had been trusted with all the secrets, has turned informer, an’ no one can say how soon more arrests will follow.”

“Will your father be on the lookout for us?”

“If he finds our man at the place agreed upon. It may be, however, that the mischief has already been done, an’ Master Campbell is a prisoner with the others, in which case we can leave this sloop at the rendezvous an’ go our way.”

Here was a fine state of affairs, and he would have been a dummy who could not understand from what had already been said, the whole situation. I believed this “Master Campbell” of whom they spoke, was a ship-owner whose office was near to Peck Slip. I had often heard him spoken of as a sneaking Tory who was willing to do the Cause whatsoever of harm he might, and would not begrudge his dollars if they might aid in riveting upon us the king’s chains more firmly.

There was no question in my mind but that Luther Stedman and his companion, whoever that might be, were trying to save this same Master Campbell from arrest, and because of seeing us three lads at Bowling Green apparently intent on what was going on, the Tories believed there would be no opposition to taking possession of our craft. I had brought Abraham on board in order to prevent him from getting into trouble through his tongue, and lo! had set him down in the very midst of Tory plots, where actual fighting would be necessary to save us from lending aid to our enemies.

Verily the Minute Boys of Long Island had work cut out for them before having fairly come together as an organization!

I looked across the cabin at Abe, and saw that his eyes were open wide, staring at me as if to ask what should be done, and for the moment I was puzzled to find an answer.

The Tories had already begun to get the sloop under way, as could be told by the scuffling and the dragging of ropes across the deck. It was reasonable to suppose Luther’s companion was somewhere near his own size, therefore would we be about evenly matched in the fight which was so near at hand, for, without understanding exactly how it was to be opened, I knew we two lads were in for a desperate row. It was not within the range of possibilities that the royalist sneaks, after having got thus far in the plan to save Master Campbell from arrest, would quietly give up possession of our sloop.

It was while I was turning the matter over hastily in my mind, understanding that we must set about the task in such a manner as to insure success otherwise we were in for rough handling, that Abe slipped softly out of the bunk, making no more noise than a mouse might, and was working his way across the cabin toward me. While so doing it would, perhaps, be possible for him to get a glimpse of the Tories through the narrow opening to the cuddy, and I was well content to wait until we could talk one with another, more particularly since I had not been able to hit upon any scheme for opening the battle.

Before he was by the side of my bunk the heeling of the sloop told that she was free of the dock, and the voyage, wherever it was to end, had begun with a wind sufficiently strong to give the Swiftsure a good chance to show her heels, which, as I knew full well, were more speedy than any craft of her size in New York harbor.

“Where are they headin’ for?” Abe asked of me in a cautious whisper.

“Into the Hudson river, most like. Did you see the other fellow?” I asked in turn.

“Ay, an’ so far as size goes he should be able to answer for both you an’ me. We can’t afford to stay idle many minutes, for if they find we’re aboard, it will be a simple matter to shut us up in a trap with no chance for striking a blow.”

“Shall we make a rush now?”

“As soon as we can find somethin’ in the way of weapons. This isn’t likely to be child’s play, an’ when we get in a blow it must count, for they will do their best to disable us, without givin’ heed as to whether a life be taken or not.”

Immediately we had thus spoken Abe set about searching for something that would serve him, and it can well be imagined that I followed his example without loss of time.

It was not possibly to find exactly that which we wanted and at the same time move so silently as to avoid attracting the attention of those on deck; but when it seemed to me as if we had spent a dangerously long while in the search, I came upon a spare tiller--a stout oaken stick nearly thirty inches long, and Abe had wrenched off one of the stove legs. This done we crouched for an instant just inside the cuddy door, as my comrade whispered:

“Because of what was said on the Green, I claim the right to go first. Let me get but one clip at Luther, an’ I’ll warrant he won’t have any further interest in the row. Then both of us can tackle the big fellow, an’ even at that, the odds won’t be much more than even.”

I could not have prevented him from doing as he had said, even though I felt so disposed, for at that instant Luther Stedman’s ugly face appeared at the cuddy hatch, his eyes bulging with surprise and fear at seeing us.

“You miserable Tory whelp!” Abe shouted as he sprang full at the fellow, aiming a blow which would have put Luther out of the fight for some time to come had it been delivered fairly.

Unfortunately, however, Abe stumbled ever so slightly, and the Tory so far dodged that the stove leg struck his shoulder instead of his head, where it should have landed.

The big fellow was at the helm; but he dropped the tiller in a twinkling, springing at us like a cat, and even from the passing glimpse I had, it was possible to understand that we had considerable work cut out for us if we were to get the best of the squabble.

Of what was done during the first two or three minutes, I have no very clear idea, for it was as rough and tumble a fight as I ever had a hand in. I knew, however, that we were nearly off the battery when Abe and I came out of the cabin; that the sloop was singing dangerously close inshore, and that Luther had a boat hook which he was using as a pike. As to other details I gave no heed, having quite as much of business on hand as could well be attended to just at the time.

The big fellow had not waited to arm himself; but came into the fray empty-handed, and the first blow he struck felled me like an ox, for I received it just between the eyes. Fortunately I fell on the deck instead of into the cabin, and when I came to my senses and my feet at about the same time, Luther was lying not far away with the blood flowing from his mouth and nose, while Abe and the big fellow were rolling over and over in the cockpit, the Tory evidently having the best of it.

All the while the sloop was rolling and thumping against the battery dock as if bent on staving every timber in her hull, and the waves, for the fresh breeze had kicked up considerable of a sea, were drenching all of us in great shape. I could dimly hear cries from the shore, as if those there were aware of what was going on but I gave no heed to them, knowing full well that Abe stood sorely in need of aid.

Although I moved as lively as ever a fellow could who was more than half dazed from the first blow, I did not get into the cockpit in time to save Abe from a wicked clip that caused him to sink back on the timbers like one dead, and then the big Tory turned his attention to me.

I had sense enough remaining to understand that my only show was to come into close action, for the fellow was my better at arm’s lengths, and I grappled at once, wondering how long it would be possible to stand him off, when I heard as if from afar off the cry:

“It strikes me that the Minute Boys of Long Island are gettin’ a bit more than they counted on!” and then it seemed as if Sam was standing close beside the Tory and me.

After that all was darkness, with the sensation as if I had suddenly been deprived of breath, and I knew no more until, having been dragged into the cabin, I heard Abel Grant cry cheerily:

“Don’t waste the whole afternoon comin’ ’round, Ephraim, for you’ve had nothin’ worse than a bit of a chokin’.”

Staggering to my feet I saw Abel at the helm, and understood from the heel of the sloop that she was under way. Near at hand was Sam, tying a bit of cloth which looked as if it might have been his own shirt-sleeve, around Abe’s head, and further on lay the big Tory lashed hand and foot with ropes.

“Where did you come from?” I asked stupidly of Sam, and he replied with a laugh, as if that which we had been engaged in was nothing more than innocent sport:

“The sloop must have known that it was a case of all the Minute Boys to the rescue, for she fell afoul of the dock within a dozen feet of where Abel an’ I were standin’. We saw her comin’ down under full sail, an’ wondered why you had got under way. Then the stranger at the helm suddenly ran forward, an’ by the time she was off where we stood, it would have been a blind man who couldn’t see that you fellows had got into some kind of a mess. We didn’t come aboard any too soon, an’ that’s a fact.”

“Where are you headin’ for?” I asked, still feeling dizzy and with a most uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.

“Anywhere!” Abel shouted from the helm. “There were too many Tories ashore to make it safe anchorage, so we put out into the stream till things were cleaned up a bit. Now if you an’ Abe have got your wits about you enough to let us know why these passengers are aboard, we’d like to hear the story.”

Abe could not very well act as spokesman while Sam was tying his head up, therefore, in the fewest words possible, I told all we knew concerning the plans of the Tories, adding in conclusion:

“The sooner we set ’em ashore an’ get back to where our fathers will be lookin’ for the sloop, the better.”

“Not a bit of it,” Abel replied stoutly. “I ain’t one of these ’ere Minute Boys that are downed the first fight they run into, consequently it don’t stand me in hand to take command; but I’ve got sense enough to know that these precious Tories need to be turned over to some of our people, instead of bein’ let go scot free.”

“To what end?” I asked irritably, for it seemed to me that the sooner we got out of the muddle the better, while to make any effort to deliver the Tories up as prisoners would only result in our coming into more trouble.

“To the end that we act as honest men should. We’ll stand inshore a bit further on, an’ you or Sam shall go up to headquarters, there to tell what has been done, an’ to learn if these precious scoundrels are needed.”

“Abel is right,” Abraham said, for now that the bandage was in place he could speak. “We have no right to let the matter drop as if it concerned us only, an’ now if ever is the time when we may show that even a company of only three Minute Boys can do somewhat in aid of the Cause.”

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