CHAPTER XIV

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THE PRISON SHIP.

Even at the time when my mind was in such a whirl, I realized what a reproach it was to us so-called Minute Boys that it should have been our prisoner--a Britisher, who reminded us of duty, for until Seth Hartley spoke neither of us three had even dreamed of making so daring, and as it then seemed, useless a venture.

If Seth had dealt us a series of blows we could not have been more astonished than we were during sixty seconds after he spoke, and then Abraham said quickly, as if like myself he was ashamed because of not having been the first to realize what was our duty:

“Of course we’ll make a try at freein’ Abel Grant, even though there don’t seem to be any chance we can succeed. If he has been taken on board one of the ships, I fail to see how we may lend him any aid, therefore, Seth Hartley, if you can cook up a plan, let us know what it is!”

“That’s a good bit beyond me,” the Britisher replied with a smile. “The only idea in my mind was that, havin’ come out to lend Abel a hand, an’ havin’ got so far on the road, we’re bound to make some kind of a try. What that may be can only be told when we’re on the ground, where it will be possible to see how he’s fixed. This much is certain, however, that if we should pull him through it wouldn’t be the only prisoner the English have lost since comin’ to this port,” and he looked at us wisely, whereat I cried, enthused by his words:

“You are right, Seth. No matter where he may be, his position can’t be any more desperate than was ours when we were made fast to the frigate with you standin’ guard over us! Then a way was opened, an’ I’m beginnin’ to have faith that somethin’ of the same kind will turn up in this case.”

Peter Snyder appeared to be absolutely frightened at hearing such a proposition. To him the fact that Abel Grant was shut up in a prison ship, was much the same as if the poor fellow had already died and was buried.

“You lads are worse than crazy to think of any such hair-brained venture as pitting yourselves against the Britishers!” he cried. “How will it be possible for you to get on board the ship unless you go as prisoners? Even if you could do that, how might there be a show to lend him a hand, guarded as we know he must be?”

“If we could answer your question, Peter, the work would already be mapped out,” Abraham replied with a laugh. “It may be, an’ so it really seems just now, that you’re in the right; but the same can be said for Seth Hartley. There’s a chance something will come up to give us an opportunity, for we are nearby the ship, and however small that chance may be, it’s vastly better than to turn our backs on the poor fellow.”

Peter was neither silenced nor convinced. To him it was as if we were going to certain death when we turned our faces toward Gravesend bay, and he begged most piteously, as if his own life was at stake, that we would not venture our heads into the lion’s jaws when there seemed to be no possibility we could withdraw them.

“That you should feel thus keenly for our danger shows you to be a true friend, Peter Snyder,” Sam said when we were all wearied by the old man entreaties. “We would be bound to go even though it could be told in advance that no good would come of the attempt, an’ the greatest favor you can do us now is to say nothin’ more about it, lest the courage which Seth Hartley aroused ooze out at our fingers’ ends.”

“At least you will wait until the day breaks,” Peter insisted, turning to the fireplace. “I shall have breakfast for you in a twinklin’, an’ he who goes forth on a full stomach is better prepared to meet whatsoever may come, than he who is hungry.”

“We should be fillin’ our stomachs at the expense of our necks,” and Abraham tried to speak in a jovial tone. “Already has it cost us no little of courage to resist your entreaties, for a fellow doesn’t hanker to breast such a storm as this; but while the darkness continues we may travel more safely than when day has come.”

“In that you are right, lad,” and Seth Hartley buckled his belt the tighter, as if making preparations for the journey. “You have not only Tory enemies; but British troops are here in plenty, an’ it is in my mind that unless you may get to the bay before daylight, it will be a case of layin’ in hidin’ until another night shuts down.”

The idea of spending the day in hiding, without a chance to dry our saturated garments, was in itself, if there had been no other, an incentive to begin the journey without further delay, and we literally pushed our way past Peter Snyder to the door, for the old man really attempted to detain us by force, so great was his fear that we were going to certain death.

“If you _should_ live to be convinced that you can’t hope to prevail against the enemy, an’ are in need of a shelter, you’ll come straight here,” he said imploringly, as if asking the greatest of favors for himself.

“We’ll come, Peter Snyder, whether in need of a shelter or not, if only to thank you for havin’ so much of an interest in our welfare,” I said, and truly I felt grateful to the old man because of the friendship which he displayed. “An’ you’ll hear from us again whether we succeed or fail, for desperate though the venture seems to you, I am of the mind that the Britishers won’t get away with the whole of us--at least one will be spared to tell the story.”

Then we went out into the night and the rain, finding the exercise of walking grateful rather than otherwise, for we had remained inactive so long that our wet garments clung to us, and, warm though the night was, we were chilled.

Now to any one who knows the trend of the land on Long Island from the head of Gowanus creek to Gravesend bay, the journey which lay before us will not appear to be any serious undertaking, for as the crow flies, I question if the distance be above six miles; but, as it appeared to me when we set out, we could count on being forced to cover at least ten miles because of the many detours in order to avoid the enemy, and the climbing of the hills.

We held a sort of council when we first left Peter Snyder’s hut, to decide whether we might venture directly to Gravesend village, and from there to the shore, or if we had best give a wide berth to all settlements regardless of the extra amount of trouble and labor involved.

We decided upon the latter plan, and with Abraham leading the way while I brought up the rear, set our faces toward the point of danger, as resolute as if we outnumbered the enemy two to one.

Unfortunately, or so it seemed to me, the rain ceased falling nearabout daybreak; the sun came out bright, and we could set it down as a certainty that every lobster-back on the island would be astir within the hour.

Up to this time, as nearly as I could guess, we had traveled on a zigzag course mayhap four miles, keeping to the thickets as much as possible, and never venturing even on a beaten path.

It was when the day had fully dawned that Seth Hartley called us to a halt, by stopping suddenly and looking about as if in search of something, whereat I asked curiously:

“What do you expect to find here?”

“A hidin’ place.”

“But surely we may keep on a couple of miles further,” Sam cried. “The day is so young that there will be few astir within the next hour.”

“An’ there’s no reason why we should take the chances of encounterin’ those few,” Seth said decidedly. “I want you lads to keep up your courage; but at the same time don’t make the mistake of belittlin’ the difficulties. If we’re so fortunate as to be able to lend Abel Grant a hand, it can only come about through our playin’ the fox instead of the lion, an’ the time spent on the journey is as nothin’ compared with the possibility of lettin’ the enemy know that we are on the island.”

“Then you would have us lie under cover all day?” Abe asked irritably.

“Ay, for the next three days, if thereby we can keep the more secret our movements. Do you know of any place nearabout that will serve us?”

“On the other side of this hill is a sort of cave made by takin’ out rock for a fort at Red Hook, an’ I dare say we could find there somethin’ in the way of a shelter, although in case the lobster-backs were on our trail, it wouldn’t be difficult to smoke us out,” and Abe pointed in the direction of the old quarry, as we lads called it, although hardly more than a year had elapsed since it was first opened.

“Then if so be you’re willin’, we’ll take to cover without delay. Don’t make the mistake of thinkin’ that I’m tryin’ to take command of this party,” Seth Hartley added quickly, mistaking the expression on my face. “I’m ready to do whatsoever you shall think best; but at the same time am beggin’ you, for your own safety, to follow my advice.”

How could we do other than as he suggested?

There could be no question but that he was in the right, and surely if Abel Grant was already on board the prison ship it mattered little whether we arrived within one day or ten, for if there was to be a successful issue of our plans, it could only come about through our keeping secret every movement.

Abraham led us by the most direct course to what had been called a quarry, although it was little more than an excavation, with huge fragments of rock lying everywhere about, amid which could be no difficulty in hiding ourselves, and, save by accident, there was little fear either Tory or Britisher would come that way.

We were not obliged to spend many moments in searching for what was desired. On going straight into the quarry we came upon the place where evidently the last blast had been made, and the rock shattered by the powder had not yet been removed. There we found a space no larger than the cuddy of the sloop, where we would be sheltered from view of any save those who might make an exhaustive search, and I question if there was a better hiding place on the island, for such as we.

“This is snug enough,” Sam said as we crawled in and began clearing away the smaller pieces of rock to admit of our sitting down with some degree of comfort; “but the trouble is that we’ve got fifteen long hours to spend here.”

“Ay, fully that,” Seth said cheerily, “for if you are correct as to the distance between us an’ the bay, we ought not to set out again before midnight, therefore I’m countin’ that we can spend the time profitably since the sleep we should have gotten last night is yet to be enjoyed.”

I could well fancy that Sam’s impatience at being forced to remain so long in one place was much the same as that which troubled me. While we were on the move, seemingly accomplishing something, it was not difficult to keep one’s courage screwed to the sticking point; but I knew full well that when we had nothing with which to occupy ourselves save the passing of time, a realization of that which lay in the near future would come upon us. In other words, I feared that inactivity would breed timorousness.

Well, it could not be helped, since there was no question but that we should keep under cover during the hours of daylight, and I followed Seth Hartley’s example by making for myself as comfortable a bed as might be had amid the rocky fragments, and, this done, betook myself to courting sleep as a means of banishing unpleasant thoughts or dismal forebodings.

It seems strange to me now that I could have lost myself in the unconsciousness of slumber so quickly, knowing all the possibilities of the future; but it is a fact that I was hardly more than stretched out on the hard bed when I crossed over into Dreamland.

I must have remained thus happily unconscious many hours, for on awakening it could be seen by the absence of the sunlight which had penetrated our hiding place when we first entered, that the day was nearly spent.

I was for leaping to my feet at once, because long remaining in one position had cramped my limbs; but before I could do more than raise my head Sam’s hand was pressed over my mouth, and I had sufficient sense to understand that there was reason why silence be maintained.

Of course my first thought was that the enemy must be near at hand, and pressing Sam’s arm to let him know that his cautionary signal was understood, I slowly and noiselessly raised myself to a sitting posture, observing that all my comrades were awake and gazing intently out through the apertures between the rocks that were loosely piled in front of us.

Then I could hear the hum of voices, and believing that the Tories might have found our trail on the wet earth, I crept cautiously to where it was possible for me to have a view of the entrance to the quarry.

There, much to my surprise, I saw four Britishers--marines I took them to be, because of the fact that they were clad in the same uniform as that worn by Seth Hartley when we made him prisoner. They were smoking, and had the appearance of men who had halted on a leisurely journey, rather than resting from the fatigues of a chase.

The first words which came to my ears were evidently a portion of an answer to some remarks:

“I don’t like it, I tell you. I’m ready to do my full duty when it comes to what you might call real fightin’; but this huntin’ down men an’ boys simply because they do not happen to have the same opinions as we, ain’t what I call manly.”

Of a verity these were startling words to come from the mouth of one who had sailed across the sea to rivet yet more firmly the fetters which oppression had bound upon us; but my astonishment was not as great as it would have been had we not already made the acquaintance of Seth Hartley.

“What can you do when the orders are given?” a second voice asked, and the first speaker replied:

“Do! Why obey them, of course. That’s what we’re here for; but at the same time it may not set well on an honest man’s stomach. I’m not thinkin’ that perhaps the lout we carried down to the ship wasn’t deservin’ of bein’ stowed away; but it wasn’t for any crime against the king that he went, mark you that! The snivellin’ lump who claimed such a love for his majesty, was payin’ off a personal score, else I’m much mistaken, an’ this bein’ made a cat’s-paw of by them as claim to be so bloomin’ loyal to the crown when they don’t care a farthin’s worth of silver spoons for it, ain’t to my likin’.”

My heart beat fast and violently. Could it be that these men were speaking of Abel Grant, and had been sent by our lucky stars to this very point that we might get the information of which we stood in need?

“In a rebellion like this, matey, it stands to reason there’ll be a lot of private quarrels settled in just such a one-sided fashion as I reckon that young brute settled his last night. I’ve got no great love for these colonists who claim that the only desire they have got in life is to serve the king. What I claim is, that if a man has come over seas to settle down in a place like this, he should hang with his neighbors--their quarrels should be his, an’ I’m looking upon this breed of cattle which the Americans call Tories, with precious little likin’; but it ain’t for you nor me to say whether such an arrest as we have just had a hand in, is right or not. It’s a case of obeyin’ orders, matey, even though it goes agin the grain, an’ I’m thinkin’ we’ll get a good many more of the same sort, especially after the town has been taken.”

“Well, it’s a beastly shame, put it as you will, that men wearin’ the king’s uniform should lend themselves to such work as has just been done. That young Tory who showed us where to find the prisoner, did his best to get in a few blows, when he knew they couldn’t be returned; but I whispered to the fellow we had in charge that if he’d give me his word not to run, I’d show him a chance to use his fists, if so be the informer got too rash, an’ I’d have done it, too, with a right good will, for I hated the sneak the minute I heard he wanted to denounce one of his neighbors.”

I was getting to have a better opinion of these soldiers which the king had sent against us, and a conversation such as we were overhearing then did much toward taking away the personal enmity I had always felt toward the lobster-backs. They were in the same position as Seth Hartley had been, sworn on enlisting to serve his majesty, and were but doing their duty when they fired upon us Americans. Yet all this might they do, and not relish the task.

I strained my ears to hear more of the conversation; but it had come to an end, for the man had relieved his mind concerning Luther Stedman, or some other of the same kidney, and was done with his grumbling for the time being. Not another word was spoken, so far as I could hear, and within a short time the sound of footsteps told that the visitors were departing.

“Who were they talking about?” I whispered eagerly to Abraham as soon as it seemed safe to speak, and he replied:

“I can’t say for certain; but it strikes me that it might be Abel Grant an’ Luther Stedman. Whether it was or no, however, that marine was a decent fellow, an’ had a fair opinion of the Tories.”

At this point Seth Hartley laid his hand on my arm to command attention, as he said almost solemnly:

“That marine was a mate of mine. He was drafted, as was I, to the ship Good Hope, an’ if so be she’s bein’ used as a prison hulk, I’m thinkin’ our dream of lendin’ aid to Abel Grant stands in a fair way of bein’ realized. Barney Nelson, he who was grumblin’, is a good deal of a man, and has the right idea about you colonists. If so be matters are as I think, an’ we could come to have private speech with him, I’m believin’ a full half of the work would be done.”

I could hardly believe my ears. That we should have thus come upon, or, I might say, thus been visited by a comrade of Seth’s seemed almost incredible, and that the very ship from which we had escaped was the one where we could count on finding Abel Grant, seemed too strange a coincidence to be true.

“Is it likely that she would be the one selected as a prison ship?” I asked hurriedly.

“As well her as another, lad. It seems to me that it must be, otherwise why is Barney engaged in escortin’ prisoners to and fro?”

“An’ you believe he would lend a hand in the freein’ of Abel?”

“I’m not goin’ so far as to say that, Ephraim Lyttle; but this you may count on, that if Barney, without breaking the oath he took, can serve us in any way, he’ll do it. It’s a big point in our favor, however he may look at the matter, if we have a friend among those who man the prison ship.”

“But if he is on duty there, how did he happen to come here?” I asked like a simple, and Seth very properly shut my mouth by saying:

“That’s a question you don’t expect I can answer. It remains for us to know where Abel is, and we’ll hope he’s quartered aboard Barney’s ship.”

I burned to be in motion that we might the sooner learn all which would give us fair grounds for hope. It seemed like a wilful waste of time to be crouching there behind the rocks when we might discover what would be of greatest importance, and yet did I have sufficient wit to hold my tongue, for one would have been crazed indeed had he ventured out in the broad day.

I was not the only member of the party whose heart was being devoured with impatience. Even Seth Hartley appeared eager to be off; but we could do no more than remain in hiding until there was some reasonable show of being able to finish the journey without coming across the enemy.

And so it was we lay there counting the seconds, wishing as earnestly for the coming of the night as ever a dungeon prisoner longed to see the sun, and yet, save in our imagination, the moments passed no more quickly, nor less swiftly, because of our desires.

An hundred times after the night had come did I say to myself that we should make a move, and as often I realized that the time was not yet at hand.

When, as nearly as we could judge, it was midnight, Abraham said with a long-drawn sigh of relief:

“I reckon it’s as safe now for us to make the break as it ever will be. We must give ourselves time to go there and back before break of day, for mayhap no hiding place will be found nearabout where the ship lays, an’ we shall be glad to come here again to find cover.”

There were no preparations needed for the remainder of the journey. We had partaken of our food often, as a means of making the time seem to pass more quickly, and if I could have quenched my thirst I should have been in good bodily condition for the tramp; but that was of small importance, and I put it from my mind as much as possible, even though the desire for water was great upon me.

Off we set in the same order as on leaving Peter Snyder’s hut; but the way was not as clear before us. Owing to the heat and beauty of the night many were astir, and more than once, even while we were in the thickets or among the hills, was it necessary for us to crouch amid the foliage to avoid what might have been an unpleasant meeting.

Because of such delays much more time was spent in making the journey than we had allowed, and if so be we failed to find a snug hiding place on the shore, the return to the quarry might be attended with considerable danger.

The stars gave so much light that when we were finally come to where a view of the bay could be had, there was no trouble in making out all the objects in the vicinity nearly as well as at noonday, and Seth Hartley cried as we gazed out over the water from behind a screen of bushes:

“There is the prison ship, an’ she’s none other than the Good Hope! Twenty-four hours ago I wouldn’t have believed that our luck could be so good! Now it’s in my mind that, if we can remain hidden securely, it will be only a question of time before Abel Grant knows we are on hand to do whatsoever we may!”

“You mean that Barney Nelson will carry a message?” I whispered.

“Ay, lad, I’ll go bail he’ll do that much, for his oath to the king don’t bind his tongue. Everythin’ depends on our hidin’ place, an’ the sooner that has been found the sooner we’ll know whether we’ve come here on a fool’s errand or not.”

Abraham, who had heard the words, now crept outside the bushes to look around, and I, knowing he was better acquainted with the shore than either Sam or I, depended on him to lead us from this point.

“There’s a little creek down yonder where the bushes grow thickly, or did before the Britishers came,” he whispered after taking a long survey of the shore, as he pointed to the southward of where we were crouching. “I’m afraid it wouldn’t avail us if the lobster-backs roam around freely; but it’s the only shelter I know of within a mile or more.”

“Let’s have a look at it,” Seth Hartley said hurriedly. “We haven’t any too much time, an’ can’t afford to loiter here.”

We were forced to go well inland in order to come upon the place of which Abraham had spoken, and a good hour of time was spent before we were among the bushes where the buzzing of mosquitoes told that there would be little rest for those who were forced to remain within shelter of the foliage.

“It’s the only bit of cover I know of,” Abraham said as if apologizing for the lack of natural advantages; “but from here, if so be we’re not routed out by curious lobster-backs, we can have a full view of all who pass to an’ fro between the ship an’ the shore.”

Seth Hartley explored the entire place, which did not cover more than an acre and was largely made up of swamp, before giving any opinion. Then he said with a forced show of cheerfulness:

“I’ve seen better hidin’ places; but reckon this will serve our turn for a while. Those who come on shore to stretch their legs won’t be likely to stray into such a swamp as this, an’ we have only to keep well back amid the bushes.”

Even to do this it was necessary that considerable work should be done, for no fellow could count on being able to stand knee-deep in mud and water any great length of time, and we set about breaking down bushes and willows to make a bed which would uphold the weight of all four.

As a matter of course we were obliged to work with the utmost caution lest we betray our whereabouts to some sharp-eared sentry on the ship, and it was necessary to make wise choice of the bushes to be broken down, otherwise the evidences of our work could be seen by those who passed along the shore.

We worked like beavers until the gray streaks in the sky told that a new day was dawning, and even then our refuge was anything but satisfactory. We had not been able to gather sufficient material to make a dry bed, and when all four had crawled upon it the water stood here and there in sufficient quantity to keep our garments well saturated. The mosquitoes were plentiful and hungry, and a fellow might spend every moment trying to keep them at a distance, without coming anywhere near succeeding.

“It’s goin’ to be pretty tough lines, if we have to stay here very long,” Abraham said as he curled up on the watery bed and strove to keep the winged pests from his face, and Seth replied gravely:

“We can’t hope to finish our work quickly, for it’s a case of waitin’ till we get a chance to speak alone with Barney Nelson. I’d be willin’ to take my full share of greater discomforts than are to be found here, if by so doin’ I could have a hand in workin’ a good turn for the fellow who has been a friend to me.”

“I reckon that’s the way we all feel,” Abe said with a grin; “but you must admit that it’s goin’ to be pretty tough.”

“We’ll get used to the mosquitoes after a spell,” Sam suggested hopefully.

“That may be, though it seems impossible; but what about something to drink?” I asked. “My tongue is as dry as a bone.”

“Here is water in plenty,” and Seth pointed to the muddy liquid that oozed up among our bed of brush. “It must be fresh, an’ by waitin’ till it settles a bit, we can have what will be better than many of our sailors get on a long voyage.”

If Seth Hartley, a lobster-back, could be cheerful under such circumstances, when he was helping those who had made him a prisoner, then surely it was not for us lads to grumble, and I said as much to my mates, whereupon the Britisher replied with a smile:

“It may be that I’m blossomin’ out into a rebel, though I much misdoubt it. You people are workin’ pluckily in what looks to be a one-sided fight, an’ I shouldn’t be sorry to lend a hand, if so be my oath didn’t prevent it, in order to see fair play. In this case, however, I’m tryin’ to pay Abel Grant for what he’s done in my behalf since I fell into your hands, an’ if the effort don’t cost more than hidin’ in this place a few days, I shall believe that I haven’t paid a very high price.”

“If Barney Nelson is anythin’ like you, we stand a good chance of seein’ Abel before a great while,” Sam said in a tone of admiration, and Seth added gravely:

“We will at least be able to send word that we’re here tryin’ our best to serve him, an’ that will go far toward cheerin’ the poor fellow.”

Then we fell silent, for the day was dawning so swiftly that we did not dare longer to indulge in conversation, and I occupied myself with watching the water around me grow clearer and clearer until at last I ventured to quench my thirst, though it was necessary to close my eyes else I could not have swallowed the disagreeable looking mixture.

Before an hour had passed we could see boats passing to and fro between the ship and the shore, and the beach, a short distance above where we lay hidden, soon became quite gay with sailors and marines who, as Seth explained, had been given a chance to stretch their legs.

Because of being able to see so much going on around us, the time did not pass as slowly as I had fancied it would, and Seth kept us amused by telling stories of this man or that who came within our range of vision. Before the day was half spent it seemed as if we were really acquainted with a dozen or more of the marines, and already knew by sight at least two who might be willing to aid us to a certain extent if Seth could have a private interview with them.

Shortly after noon our marine pointed out Barney Nelson, who was coming ashore with half a dozen others, and both surprised and frightened us by announcing:

“I’m goin’ to take the chances of creepin’ well inland in the poor hope that Barney may come that way. You’re to stay here, even though anythin’ should go wrong with me, for in case I’m taken there’s no good reason to show yourselves when you can’t lend any aid.”

“Why is there any chance of your bein’ taken?” I whispered. “Do you think Barney might do you an ill turn?”

“Not a bit of it; I’ll answer for him. There’s no knowin’ who I might stumble upon, an’ there are mean Englishmen enough belongin’ to the Good Hope to lay me by the heels if the chance offered. I’d be counted as a deserter, if found hangin’ ’round here makin’ no effort to rejoin my ship, an’ some of my old mates might be glad to see me danglin’ from the yard-arm.”

He was gone before I could make reply; but then I understood what had not come into my mind before, which was that of us all who were trying to do Abel Grant a good turn, Seth Hartley was running the greatest risk. If we lads were discovered, we would be made prisoners of war, whereas if he fell into the custody of his old mates, a shameful death must follow, for his officers would set him down as a deserter despite anything that could be said by us in his favor.

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