CHAPTER VII

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MAKING READY FOR A BATTLE.

While I was ready, and even eager, to welcome the Britisher as a comrade, with never a question that he would make any attempt to play us false, I would have been the veriest simple if I failed to understand in what an odd light the Minute Boys of Long Island would thus be placed.

We would, by those who were informed of the facts, be credited with having taken into the ranks one of the enemy who still held himself bound to the king, because of having voluntarily enlisted, and of enrolling a member who could not fight with us in event of our being called on to do soldiers’ duty. It is true Abel Grant had proposed only that the Britisher should aid in sailing the sloop; but at the same time he would be counted as a comrade, and we would be exceedingly glad to welcome him as such.

Again, and this came into my mind while Seth Hartley sat amidships evidently trying to settle the matter in some way which would not do violence to his conscience, by enlisting him as had been suggested, we would, perhaps, lose the triumph and honor which might have been ours had we presented ourselves with a prisoner to be turned over to the military authorities, and this was no slight loss, as I viewed the matter.

However, both Abraham Decker and I had cheerfully agreed to the proposition made by our “admiral,” and it was too late now to protest, even though we might be so inclined.

The Britisher remained silent and motionless while we eagerly discussed among ourselves the possible movements of the king’s fleet, for a full hour, and then he raised his head suddenly, in a manner which told that he had arrived at some decision.

“Well, what is it?” I asked laughingly, for my heart was exceeding light now that we were come out of our dangerous venture in such good shape.

“I have agreed with myself that I will have done no real wrong if I admit that the parole shall hold good until such time as pleases you. The greatest fear that has been in my mind is as to whether the day may not come when, if you meet with disaster, I shall be credited with havin’ brought it about. And so it is that I am askin’ you to say solemnly if it is certain you can trust me? If you do, then I’m also puttin’ it as a favor that you won’t talk military secrets before me; not that there’s any fear on my part of bein’ tempted to betray you, but so you may feel more sure I can’t do you a wrong.”

“That part of it is all right, matey,” Abel Grant replied quickly, as if he was the only member of the party who had the right to be considered. “We haven’t lived with you these five days without gettin’ a mighty good idee of the stuff you’re made of. I’m allowin’ that what I say is in the minds of the military end of this ’ere force?” and he looked at me as if waiting for an answer.

“I am well content,” was my reply, and Abraham nodded his head vigorously to show that he was of the same mind.

“All right,” and Abel Grant spoke as if some great mental burden had suddenly been rolled away. “Now that is settled, an’ seein’s how we’ll soon be in New York, if we ain’t sich simples as to run the sloop aground, the question comes as to what’s to be done when we do get there?”

“We’ll go to headquarters without delay, as a matter of course,” I said promptly, “and, our report having been made to General Putnam, we must set off on foot to find Sam, for it stands to reason that we can’t use the sloop in our search while the king’s ships are so thick in the lower bay.”

“It wasn’t that which I had in mind,” he said with a laugh. “I was askin’ what we’d do ’bout reportin’ our prisoner?”

“As to that you must tell the whole truth,” Seth said emphatically. “Put it to your general as to whether you’ll be warranted in keepin’ me, an’ if he don’t believe it safe, I’ll be content to take my turn of prison duty.”

“It don’t strike me there’s any need of goin’ quite so far as that,” Abel said doubtfully, and the Britisher replied, speaking more sharply than I had ever before known him to do:

“It’s the only thing to be done, else I’ll insist on your deliverin’ me over to the officers of your army. We’ll have the whole business fair an’ above-board, or drop it.”

This pleased me not a little, for it seemed the only true way to arrange matters. Also, we would still get the benefit of having captured one of the enemy while being ourselves prisoners, and I was exceedingly eager the Minute Boys should have the credit of such a feat.

It was decided, however, that Seth should remain aboard the sloop while Abraham and I went to headquarters to make a report, for the reason that his uniform would not only attract attention; but might bring about trouble from some of the idle hot-heads on the streets.

As we neared the town, and our course of action was mapped out with so much discussion that every detail had been arranged, I literally quivered with excitement, for the time was near at hand when we would know if our services, slight though they had been, were such as might gain us the approbation of the commander.

It seemed to me particularly fortunate that night had come, for I counted on being able to get a meeting with General Putnam more readily than would be possible in the day-time, and, besides, I was not minded to hold converse with any one after having seen him, for it was quite within the range of chances that while walking across Bowling Green some of our acquaintances might be met.

Therefore it seemed to me as if everything worked in our favor, and when, finally, the Swiftsure was tied up at the Market Street bulkhead, I believed matters were going our way, though little did I dream how decidedly such might be the case.

“Go ashore as quickly as may be,” Abel Grant said in a tone of command. “Seth an’ I’ll look after the sloop. Be sure to finish all your business with the commander; but at the same time get back here as soon as is seemly, for both the Britisher and I’ll feel more comfortable in mind when we know if it is allowed that he shall stay with us.”

Abraham had not spoken since we came off the city, and when he followed me up the bulkhead and across Bowling Green in the direction of General Putnam’s quarters, I asked the reason for his silence.

“To tell the truth, Ephraim, I am so kind of stirred up that speech seems impossible. I verily believe my heart is nigh to my mouth, so choked am I with fear lest after what seems to us such a good piece of work, General Putnam will put it down as a failure. Besides, I have come to think more about Sam than at any time since we cut loose from the frigate, and wonderin’ if he hasn’t already been taken prisoner.”

He had no more than ceased speaking when from out the gloom came two figures, and we were within an ace of running afoul of them, so unexpectedly had they appeared.

I contrived to sheer off; but in so doing brushed with no little roughness past the smaller of the two, when I was startled to the verge of terror by hearing a voice cry:

“It’s Ephraim Lyttle! How do you happen to be here, lad?”

Verily it seemed to me I had heard a ghost speak, for it was Sam’s voice, and I felt confident as of my existence that he was either on Coney Island awaiting our appearance, or a prisoner on board one of the British vessels.

It was Abraham who aroused me from my stupor of bewilderment, which was nigh unto fear, by crying in a joyful tone:

“Sam Garratt! An’ we believed the red-coats had got hold of you!”

“The same has been said regardin’ you,” the dear lad replied. “Luther Stedman spread the report that you of the sloop were captured.”

By this time I was sufficiently master of myself to realize that fortune had been exceedingly kind to us, although my brain whirled in the effort to make out why the lad had remained in New York instead of coming to meet us as he proposed. However, I seized him by the hand to make certain he was the real flesh and blood Sam, instead of an apparition, pouring out a volley of questions which would have required a full hour in the answering, and giving no heed to the fact that he was demanding a like amount of explanation from me.

“We _were_ captured,” Abraham cried gleefully. “An’ what is better, we made our escape, taking with us a lobster-back who had been sent on board the sloop as guard; but there isn’t time to tell the story now, for we must first make report to General Putnam, an’ then you shall come aboard, Sam, my boy, where you belong, to hear a full account of the wonderful adventures of the Minute Boys and their admiral.”

Now it was I came to understand that none other than Lieutenant Winterbottom was Sam’s companion, and again had fortune favored us, for he above all others would be able to gain, if so be any man could, a speedy interview with the commander.

“We had given up all hope of seeing you lads again, at least, until the war was come to an end,” he said cheerily, taking me by the arm, “and I am as eager as Sam to hear the story, which I hope to do after you have seen General Putnam. You lads have done good work, better perhaps than could have been performed by men, and the fact that you lost no time in sending the report has pleased the general exceedingly.”

“Is that true, or are you simply tryin’ to smooth down our vanity?” I asked, waiting in suspense for the answer.

“General Putnam himself said, after your friend Sam made his report, that you had gained more information in a shorter time than he believed could have been possible.”

Now indeed was I treading on air. We had returned in safety after it seemed as if our race was already run, and what was yet better, had won the approbation of the soldier who had trusted in us.

Ten minutes later, thanks to the efforts of Lieutenant Winterbottom, we were standing in the presence of General Putnam, and I was telling the story of our adventures with no little of detail, for it seemed to me as if the more he learned regarding that which had been done, the more readily would he fall in with our plan of adopting Seth Hartley, for by this time I had begun to doubt whether he might believe it wise.

“And your prisoner; where is he?” the general asked when I had come to an end of the tale.

“On board the sloop, sir, an’ now we would keep him, if it so be we may.”

“How is that? How is that? Hob-nobbing with the enemy before you have really begun to show your mettle?” and I fancied the general spoke sternly.

“He’s a very decent fellow, sir, much more so than I would have believed any lobster-back could be. His parole was given when we first escaped, an’ I believe he’ll hold to it. He doesn’t claim to be willin’ to do aught against the king; but at the same time swears to do nothin’ for him, an’ Abel Grant proposes that we take him on to help work the sloop.”

Then I went on to explain yet more in detail all that we four had said while the matter was under discussion, to the end that Seth Hartley’s position might be the better understood, and, having come to an end, was more than surprised to hear the commander say in a cheery tone:

“You may work it out in your own way, lad. If so be you and your ‘admiral’ have the faith in the promises of the prisoner, keep him with you, remembering, however, that at the first sign of his playing false you are to turn him over to the nearest military force. We are on the eve of a battle, and before hostilities begin I am expecting you Minute Boys will do yet further service for the cause. Go your way for to-night, and in the morning the lieutenant shall tell you what duty I would have you engage in.”

It seemed to me this was sufficient intimation that the interview was at an end, and, making my best bow, but without venturing a word in reply, I backed out of the room, Abraham following, and Lieutenant Winterbottom saying in a whisper when we were just outside the door:

“Since I have already heard the story of your adventures there is no reason why I should go with you to the sloop, and the general has business for me here. I will see you in the morning.”

Then we three hurried away in the direction of Market Street, so eager to make report to the “admiral” that we did not venture to indulge in conversation on the way; but, having arrived near the sloop, Abraham said gleefully:

“Let’s send Sam ahead in order to hear what Abel Grant will say at first sight of him.”

And this we did, Abe and I following close behind, but standing in the cockpit when Sam entered the cuddy, and immediately was heard a cry of real terror from our “admiral,” who must have thought much as I did, that it was an apparition rather than a flesh and blood Minute Boy.

During two or three minutes the uproar was so great that no one could hear what the other was saying, and then we settled down that Sam might tell how he contrived to make his way across Long Island.

The story was a short one, and with but little of event. With no more in the way of food than the ship’s biscuit he took from the sloop, the lad traveled, without resting, all that night and during the next day, meeting but two who would have put any impediment in his way, and those he avoided by taking to his heels. Instead of going boldly through the villages he made detours, after day had come, and traversed the highways only when it became absolutely necessary.

“Yes, it was a hard pull,” he said in reply to a remark of Abel Grant’s. “More than once did I think my race was run, and had I stopped for a single moment to rest it would indeed have been over for many hours. Comin’ to the ferry I took the first boat at hand, regardless of ownership, and pulled over here, bein’ so nearly done up when I stepped ashore near the Bowlin’ Green Battery that my feet felt heavy as lead, an’ I dragged them one after the other. The fact that the information I brought might be of great importance to the Cause, was the only thing which kept me up, and no sooner was my report made to the general than I went down all in a heap. Lieutenant Winterbottom tells me it was twelve hours before I could be aroused from the slumber which enchained me.”

Having thus told his story, Sam proceeded to give us information of what the enemy had done since our departure from the town, and when he was come to the end we understood full well why General Putnam had said that a battle was near at hand.

General Howe had landed a greater portion of his troops on Staten Island, after the fleet came up and anchored off Vanderventer’s Point. The Britishers had gone into camp on the hills, and the general’s headquarters was at the Rose and Crown Tavern near New Dorp.

The Tories on the island had organized what they called a troop of Loyalists, under Governor Tryon, and were being drilled day by day. It was said nigh upon nine thousand men had gone into camp from General Howe’s command, and then arrived Admiral Howe with more British regulars and a large body of Hessians. They also had disembarked on Staten Island, and now, so it was said, there were thirty thousand soldiers in condition to fall upon General Washington’s army which did not number above twenty-seven thousand, at least seven thousand of which were in the hospital unfit for duty.

In addition to this disheartening news, Sam told us that two days before the ships of war Rose and Phœnix, their decks piled high with bags of sand as protection, sailed up the bay past New York into the Hudson river, going as far as Haverstraw, which move, so the knowing ones declared, was for the purpose of opening a communication with the British Carleton, who was coming from Canada with no small army, and also to provide with weapons the Tories of Westchester.

Our fleet had not been idle while the Britishers were thus making preparations for an attack. Four condemned vessels were sunk in the channel between Governor’s Island and the Bowling Green Battery, while obstructions were so placed as to prevent an entrance to the East river. Had it not been that our sloop was of such light draft, we would undoubtedly in the dark have found ourselves hung up upon some of these contrivances for shutting out the Britishers.

Seth also told us that the belief of the military authorities was that the first move made by the red-coats from their present encampment, would be on Long Island, and to that end the fort at Red Hook had been greatly strengthened and garrisoned with as many men as could find lodgment within it.

The redoubt on Governor’s Island had been enlarged, and batteries were building along the East river as far as Harlem.

“Lieutenant Winterbottom says there will be a battle soon, an’ on Long Island,” Sam went on. “I’m thinkin’ if any work is given us, it will be nearabout our homes; at all events on the island. You must know that for the past four days a large force has been workin’ on the redoubt that is to be called Fort Putnam, situated upon the hill back of your house, Eph, and there five guns are to be mounted. Leadin’ from it, down the hill to the old spring which father walled up last year, is bein’ dug an intrenchment, and on the other side are to be breastworks in zigzag shape across the Flatbush Road.

“Half-way between there and the mill-pond another redoubt is buildin’, which I have heard was to be called Fort Green, an’ near the road south of the Wallabout is another redoubt, where will be three or four guns. Three guns are to be mounted on Cobble Hill, with an intrenchment runnin’ in circles like unto a corkscrew from the base of the hill to the top.”

Sam’s information was not well calculated to cheer. Because so much in the way of fortifying Long Island was being done, none of us questioned but that the battle, which the general had said was near at hand, would be fought there. Our own people might find themselves between the two armies, and as we realized this a gloom settled upon us, causing all to fall silent until Sam, who had had more time in which to become familiar with the danger, set about making the acquaintance of our prisoner, for, having heard the story of our adventures as told to General Putnam, he had no further need to ask questions concerning him.

Then Abel Grant aroused himself from the fit of despondency to remember that he was hungry, and straightway we insisted that Master Sam, who had been idling his time away and living on the fat of the land for the past four days, should resume his duties as cook, therefore soon the little cuddy of the Swiftsure was stiflingly hot and filled with the smoke of frying pork and fish, which last Abel Grant had bought from a boy who passed nearby the sloop while we were at headquarters.

I fancied Seth Hartley had grown more jolly after learning that General Putnam was content for him to remain in our company, and he told us many stories while we were waiting for the long delayed meal, chiefly of what the Britishers had done nearabout Boston, for he was of the force which General Howe brought with him from that city.

It was well to midnight before any of us were ready to turn in, and then so soundly did we sleep that never one of us opened his eyes until Lieutenant Winterbottom leaped from the bulkhead down on to the deck of the sloop, causing her to heel over as if she had been struck by some passing craft.

“A pretty company of Minute Boys this is, to be asleep when the sun is a couple of hours high, and honest men have nearly finished a day’s work!” the lieutenant cried cheerily, as he pushed open the hatch to look down upon us.

It can well be fancied that we scrambled out in a hurry, giving very little attention to our toilets that morning, so eager were all hands to hear what work was to be performed; nor did the lieutenant keep us long in suspense.

“If so be you still count yourselves as Minute Boys ready to obey the orders of the military commanders, your sloop is to be sailed into Wallabout bay, and there left at anchor as a headquarters for the company. The admiral and the prisoner will remain on board, ready to use her as a despatch boat, if occasion requires. The Minute Boys themselves are to make their way, by whatsoever course is most expedient, to some point on the shore overlooking Staten Island, where strict watch is to be kept of the British encampment and the fleet. One of the party is to report each evening, making his way from the place selected for observation to where the sloop is anchored, and going across to the town in her. Do you understand the orders, lads, or shall I try to make them more plain?” the lieutenant asked when he was come to an end.

“We are simply to spy upon the enemy, as I understand it, sir, carryin’ word each night to New York of what has been done durin’ the day.”

“Ay, that is it exactly, except that in case of any sudden movement on the part of the British you will despatch a messenger post haste with the information, the others waiting as long as is prudent so to do, taking due heed to your own safety in case the enemy proceed to make a landing on the Long Island shore.”

“We will get under way at once, sir. There need not be any delay, for breakfast can be cooked while we are sailin’ across,” I said, and then harking back to the conversation which we lads had between ourselves in the cuddy on the previous night, I added, “Sam tells us that you saw Luther Stedman when he made his boasts as to having caused our capture.”

“Ay, lad, although I question whether the Tory saw me. I chanced to be standing just inside the door of the coffee house on Broad Street, when he entered with some kindred spirits and was explaining to them why it seemed necessary for him to leave town at once. It appears that he counted on going down the harbor to crow over you, and I have had no little satisfaction, since learning of your safety, in imagining what must have been his feelings when he learned you had not only escaped, but carried off a prisoner.”

“We are like to come upon him again, accordin’ to my way of thinkin’,” Abraham Decker said thoughtfully. “He an’ his friends are such staunch Tories that wherever the red-coats are gathered there may we find them, like flies around molasses, an’ it may be the Minute Boys will have an opportunity of giving Luther a dose of his own medicine.”

“I cannot blame you for wanting to do something of the kind,” the lieutenant said with a smile; “but you must remember that personal quarrels are to be put in the background now, because of your being engaged in a work that may prove to be of the greatest consequence to the Cause. As a matter of course you lads are not the only ones sent out to spy upon the enemy, but the general has believed from the first that three boys could do very much more of such work, and perform it better, than a like number of men, because of being less open to suspicion.”

“There would be no question as to our havin’ aroused suspicion, if we came across Luther Stedman,” Sam said grimly. “He’d know without bein’ told, why we were at such a distance from Wallabout bay, an’ as for our dealing him a dose of medicine in case of comin’ across the Tory cur, I’m thinkin’ we’re the ones who’d have to take it.”

“You are not running your nose into as much danger as when you sailed down past the fleet,” the lieutenant said as if thinking it necessary to stiffen our courage, and Abraham made haste to say:

“We’re not like to turn back because of possible danger any more than we would run into it needlessly; but if on some night we fail to make a report, you may set it down as certain that Luther Stedman and his Tory followin’ have got the better of us.”

“In which case I shall immediately make it my business, unless peradventure I have other work that cannot be neglected, to hunt up this Tory of yours, and, once finding him, you may rest assured I will get some inkling of where you may be. Don’t think that we here will be utterly careless as to your safety, for word has already been sent to the commanders of the different forces as to your duties, and orders given that every possible protection be thrown around you.”

Then the lieutenant gravely shook hands with each of us in turn, even including Seth Hartley, and the expression on his face told more plainly than words could have done, that there was some question in his mind as to whether he might meet all of us again. In fact, in those days when the red-coats were pressing us so hardly, we who called ourselves Whigs could not but doubt, on parting with a friend, as to whether we might meet him again.

The lieutenant went on shore abruptly, and Abel Grant, wearing a more somber expression than usual, said as he made ready the canvas for hoisting:

“Cast off the hawsers, Seth! Sam, stir your stumps for a bit of breakfast, so that you three may set out with full stomachs, an’ the work of fillin’ them up finished before we come to anchor at Wallabout.”

Then we pushed off from the bulkhead with barely enough wind to fill the sails, and while rounding the battery I could see how much more war-like was the appearance of everything than when I had last been there in the daylight.

Soldiers were marching and counter-marching, as if bent on some work more important than that of merely perfecting themselves in the drill; the sentinels looked to be more alert, and there was less of laughter and careless conversation ashore than I had ever observed.

Coming around the East river we could see plainly the obstructions which had been planted there, but in our small boat we had no difficulty in avoiding them. Then, stretching straight away toward Wallabout, we had before us on the New York side the newly built redoubts and intrenchments, until it seemed to me as if the entire town was surrounded by defenses, and save for the fact that I had seen that vast array of vessels, filled with men eager to kill us at the king’s bidding, I would have thought that we might hold ourselves secure from any enemy whatsoever.

As it was, however, and knowing from Sam’s story that General Howe could launch upon us fully eight thousand more men than we had fit for service, a big lump came in my throat as I asked myself how long we Whigs might be able to hold out against such superior numbers.

It was near to three hours, so light was the wind, before we were come to the sloop’s old anchorage, and then, to my great delight, we saw my father and Sam’s on the shore just making ready to take skiff, probably bound for New York.

It was a most opportune meeting, for otherwise we might have been forced to depart upon our work of spying without having had speech with those whom we were so eager to see, and once they recognized us we had good proof of their affection, and what their anxieties must have been.

We Minute Boys went on shore at once, and there I would have told my father what we counted on doing, but that he checked me, asking if it was a service required of us by any of the officers of the army, and on being told that it was, he bade me hold my peace.

With this, however, I would not be content, knowing that it was no secret to those Americans stationed on the island, therefore might be repeated to him, and when I was come to an end of the instructions that had been given, he said, taking me by the hands:

“Go, my boy, without delay, and may the good God grant that you and I come together again very soon. Say a word of farewell to your mother, who, during nearly two days, mourned you as a prisoner aboard one of the king’s ships, and then hasten away.”

“Will you go on board, sir, and see our prisoner?”

“To what end?”

“I believe that while he won’t declare himself a friend to the Cause, he is in heart favorable to it, and a word now and then from such as you and Master Garratt will do much to strengthen him in his purpose, for I am counting that before many days have passed he will come to believe that he may throw off all allegiance to the king, through having learned how bitterly we of the colonies have been oppressed.”

“Both Master Garratt and myself will go on board the sloop before leaving,” my father said, and thus we parted, I running with all speed toward my home, and he pushing off in the skiff toward the Swiftsure.

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