CHAPTER III

SKINNY BAKER

Now, after having set down all dangers which compassed us, as if making ready to tell some tale of wondrous adventure, I am forced to come down from my high horse and say that we sailed, or rather rowed, the boat directly around the city until we were come to the Falls of the Schuylkill, without having been hailed by man or child.

Here it was, as a matter of course, that Master Dingley counted to set off by himself, and when he would have praised us for what we had done in his behalf, I know full well that my cheeks were mantled with shame, for children half our age could have performed the work equally as well under the same circumstances; but yet he put it as if we had accomplished what might have been brought about by none others.

It was a little past midnight when we pulled up under a clump of bushes that he might step ashore, and waited there to hear what he had to say regarding our forming a company of Minute Boys.

Until this moment we had not ventured to speak one with another, save in the most cautious of whispers, and only on such matters as were absolutely necessary for the working of the craft. But now we were in comparative safety, he harked back to his proposition that we band ourselves together in a company for the purpose of doing whatsoever we might to aid the colonies, and took down our names, together with such information as would serve to show him where we lived if peradventure he came into the city, or sent another who would seek us out.

The result of all his talk was, as might be supposed, the agreement on our part to do, without loss of time, exactly as he had proposed.

We even went so far as to say that he might, on any day at the hour of noon, find one of us three lads loitering roundabout the front of the London Coffee-House, agreeing to go there regularly as if it was a post of duty, and to hold ourselves in readiness to perform whatsoever anyone, who could show to our satisfaction that he had come from the American camp, should desire us to do.

“I’m thinking that before a week has passed I shall visit at the home of one or another of you lads, for now that you have agreed to do that which will provide us with means of sending information out from the city, whosoever goes there to spy upon the Britishers may remain, without taking the many chances of detection by going out himself frequently.”

Then Master Dingley had very much more to say regarding our duties, and of what value we might be to the colonies, all of which it is not necessary I should set down here, for if so be I ever bring to an end this poor attempt at a story of the Minute Boys of Philadelphia, you will see, as one incident follows another, that which he had set for us to do.

He lost no time after receiving our promises that we would get together immediately to raise our company of Minute Boys, and also that one or another of us would be in front of the London Coffee-House each day; but then left us, moving away at a swift pace as though minded to finish his journey before sunrise, if indeed that might be possible.

It would have pleased me right well if we could have stayed there within the shelter of the bushes during a certain time, for I was wearied as if having labored severely, when, as a matter of fact, I had worked no harder than I would have worked had we been out on a pleasure voyage. The anxiety, the fear that we might come suddenly upon the lobster-backs, was what had worn me down almost to the verge of exhaustion; yet I knew that we must continue on, for unless our journey was done before daybreak, and our skiff back in her old hiding place, then were we come to grief.

Therefore it was that immediately Master Dingley disappeared amid the bushes, we pulled the _Jolly Rover_ out into the stream, and, having grown careless, I suppose, because of coming thus far in safety without meeting any who might do us an ill turn, instead of taking due heed to remain within the shadow of the bank, we kept the middle of the river, giving little or no heed to the noise which might be made by the oars. As young Chris said, it would be time enough to creep along at a snail’s pace while remaining hidden from view, when we were come to where there was chance of being overhauled by the red-coats.

But however boldly we might go on, our progress was not so rapid but that there were signs in the eastern sky of coming day when we neared Gilson’s point, and even a blind man could have said that we would not be able to gain Dock creek before the sun had fairly shown himself.

All this at the moment did not seem of very great importance. We could readily enough find a hiding place for our skiff during a twelve-hours, and strike across the city to our homes, contenting ourselves with the knowledge that we would return next night to carry the _Jolly Rover_ back to Dock creek.

Therefore it was at the next clump of bushes, or rather thicket, which we came upon, the skiff was run up on the bank, and we spent no little time in hiding her securely amid the foliage, after which we set off at a rapid pace for home, having, as it may well be supposed, an eye out for any straggling lobster-backs.

Strange as it may seem, it was not a Britisher who brought us for the time being to grief, but rather one of our people--I might almost say one of our own comrades.

When the day had fully dawned we were no less than a mile from Chestnut street. Then was the time when it seemed that we might safely come upon any number of Britishers, for surely lads of our age were likely to be out thus early in the morning, for pleasure, if not on some household errand.

We were walking carelessly along, feeling that the matter which we had in hand was well finished, and congratulating ourselves that, lads though we were, we had within the past four and twenty hours saved the life of a man who was struggling to aid in this war against the king.

Suddenly we came upon Benjamin Baker, “Skinny” we called him, a lad for whom I never had any great affection, nor did I consider him an enemy, save in so far as his father was a rabid Tory.

Now if I had had my wits about me, I would have seen by the expression on Skinny’s face that he knew more concerning our movements than we could readily suspect, for there was a certain ugly leer upon his face as he halted us by coming to a full stop directly in our path, as he asked:

“Are you lads out often as early as this?”

“It seems we are out no earlier than you, Skinny,” young Chris said with a laugh, and would have pushed the lad aside in order to continue on his way, but that Skinny stopped him very suddenly and caused the faces of us all to whiten, as he asked in a meaning tone:

“Why did you leave your skiff down by the Point? Why not have come around in her?”

While one might have counted twenty we three stood staring at him in open-mouthed astonishment, and then I managed to ask in a voice which I knew was tremulous with fear:

“How do you chance to know whether we left the boat anywhere or not?” And then I added like the simple that my timorousness had made me, “we haven’t been out in a boat this many a day.”

“And yet you hid one in the thicket, Richard Salter. As a matter of fact, I chance to know that you came down the Schuylkill. From where, I can’t say; but my idea is that if the king’s servants should know you had been spending the night on the river, it would be necessary to make some explanation.”

For the life of me I could not have made reply to the lad at that moment; but young Chris, whose temper is prone to rise beyond all bounds of prudence, caught him roughly by the shoulder as he asked angrily:

“Have you been spying upon us, Skinny Baker? Have you dared to follow us this night?”

“And what if I have? Who shall bring me to account? Surely you three, who must have been engaged in some business which has to do with the rebels, will not dare question me.”

“You shall see whether we dare or not!” Chris cried in a rage as he seized Skinny by the throat, and for the instant I believed it was in his mind to throttle the lad, therefore I sprang forward, catching him by the arm as I said warningly:

“Be careful, Chris, be careful!”

Before I could say more, Skinny Baker, an evil look on his ugly face, said in a tone as of triumph:

“Ay, Richard Salter, young Chris, as well as you and Jeremy Hapgood, have reason to be careful with me now. I have long had it in mind that you would play into the hands of the rebels if so be you had the chance, and now I know it for a verity.”

“How do you know it?” Jeremy cried, and Skinny said, speaking slowly as though it gave him the greatest pleasure to torture us:

“I know it because I saw you going down the Delaware when there were four in your skiff, and I followed along the bank until having come to the Point, where I waited, thinking you must return that way. Where is he whom you had with you?”

I verily believe anyone could have knocked me down with a feather, so to speak, when the churlish lad thus gave us to understand that he was in possession of our secret. I knew full well it was in his heart to use it to our harm whenever he had the opportunity, and of a verity there would not be lacking chances in our city of Philadelphia for him to impart to enemies of the Cause such information as he had stolen.

We three lads stood gazing at each other in dismay, while Skinny, looking first at one and then another, grinned with delight, for he well knew how much of fear he had caused us.

It might have been better for him if he had been willing to delay his triumph a while longer; but the evil-minded Tory must needs make it yet more plain that he held us under his thumb, and said jeeringly:

“And now, unless I am mightily mistaken, it is I who will do the fiddling while you dance to my tune.”

I can’t say what there was in the words which caused me to have a clearer understanding of the situation than I would otherwise have gained, owing to my great fear; but on the instant there came into my mind like a flash of light that this fellow’s tongue must be stopped at any hazard. That it was for our own safety he be put out of the way.

Not for a moment did I dream of committing a crime; but by putting him out of the way, I meant that in some manner, such as had not come into my mind as yet, he must be silenced, or we stood good chance of being hanged.

Young Chris, in obedience to my gesture of a few seconds previous, had released his hold of Skinny’s throat, and now it was my turn to grab the Tory by the neck, holding myself ready to choke him if he should make any outcry, as I said hurriedly to Jeremy and Chris:

“This fellow knows so much that if we allow him to go free this moment, we are likely to find ourselves under that beast of a Cummingham’s thumb, for to prison we shall surely go if he wags his tongue!”

“And how may we stop him?” Jeremy asked in a tremulous tone, whereupon I replied, speaking from impulse as it were:

“That I know not just now. At least, at such an early hour, unless peradventure we come across a squad of lobster-backs, we should be able to force him to go with us to the old hiding place where we have kept the skiff, and once there we must decide upon some plan for keeping his tongue quiet.”

I believe of a verity that the cowardly cur thought we had it in mind to kill him, for straightway all expression of triumph faded from his face, and but for my hold on his throat he would have begged, like the coward that he was, for mercy.

He did succeed in uttering a few words; but I was not in the mood to listen to what he might say, for though he had promised until he was black in the face to hold his peace, I never would have given him credit of keeping the truth.

It was his liberty against our lives, and if so be any venture, however bold, could save us, I was determined it should be the Tory who would suffer.

Had it been an hour later in the day, I question whether we could have forced Skinny along, for whoever had seen us, with me clutching him by the throat, while Jeremy and young Chris prodded him from behind, would have known that he was a prisoner.

Realizing that the instant my grasp upon his neck was relaxed ever so slightly, he would shout for help, and he was already pale with fear, I was forced to keep him half-choked, while but for Jeremy and young Chris alternately pushing and pulling, he would not have advanced a pace.

As it was, however, we succeeded in forcing him at reasonably good speed, and, as we had been during the night, so were we now, favored by fortune, for save here and there a servant girl out on some errand, we met no person until we were come within two squares of our destination.

Then there appeared suddenly, coming from around the corner of Second street, a squad of lobster-backs who were beginning their work of the day by marching to and fro, with the hope of finding some so-called rebel who had transgressed General Howe’s laws so far as to bring him within their power.

It seemed to me that at that moment were we come to the end of our rope, and had it not been for Jeremy I truly believe I must have turned tail and run at my best pace, leaving Skinny Baker to go wheresoever he would.

“Keep right on, boys; keep on and make them think it is all in the way of sport,” Jeremy said in a hoarse whisper, as he pushed Skinny yet harder, and began at the same time to cry out that he should soon learn what it meant to be ducked.

“The odds are that we shall find ourselves in the guard-house mighty soon,” young Chris said, and I could almost fancy that his teeth were chattering with fear.

Yet he could do no better than follow the advice given by Jeremy, because there was no other course to be pursued, unless we would desert the prisoner, leaving him free to tell all he knew concerning us.

It is impossible for me to so set it down that you can understand how terrified I was as we rapidly approached the British squad, for I had no faith whatsoever that Jeremy’s plan would work, and if, when we were come within a dozen paces of them, the corporal who was in command had called upon me to speak, I believe it would have been beyond my power.

He did call upon one of us, however, and it was Jeremy who acted the part of spokesman--Jeremy who proved himself brave, braver than either Chris or I, for he said laughingly, as if it were one of the best jokes he had ever heard:

“This lad believes Washington’s ragamuffin army can march into Philadelphia whenever it feels so disposed, and we are taking him down to the creek where we count on washing some of the rebel ideas out of him.”

“Dip him deep, lads,” the corporal cried laughingly, making no attempt to stop us. “It is a pity you couldn’t have more of the rebels to serve in the same fashion, for were I in command of this city there would be less treason talked. Dip him deep!”

“Ay, that we will, sir, never fear. I am not certain that we won’t anchor him out where he can soak for a while,” Jeremy replied, still laughing, and at the same time doing all within his power to force Skinny on at a yet swifter pace.

That which I have just set down had hardly more than been spoken when we were past the squad, and hurrying as we had never hurried before to gain that poor shelter on Dock creek.

Then it was that young Chris, looking back to make certain the red-coats were not inclined to follow us in order to see the sport, called out to me that unless I was minded to kill Skinny Baker then and there, it would be best I unloosened my hold upon his throat.

Indeed it was time I did so, for the fellow was literally blue in the face when I looked at him. Until this instant I had failed to realize how much force I was exerting, and if peradventure young Chris had not seen him in time, I verily believe I should have killed the lad unwittingly.

Then, when I did release my grasp, and the fellow could draw a long breath, instead of talking with us like a decent lad, he must needs go to begging and imploring, as if he believed it was in our minds to slaughter him as we would a pig.

Even though I had had any sympathy in my mind prior to that moment, it would have all vanished with those cowardly words. Instead of making reply, we forced him on, Jeremy saying in a tone which told he was making no idle threat, that unless Skinny went on at his best pace he would prod him in the back with his pocket knife.

Skinny quickened his steps. In fact, had we told him to do anything whatsoever that lay within his power, so frightened was the cur that he would have attempted it without making protest, and it would have pleased me right well to have pummeled him severely, not because of the threats he had made against us, but because he was showing himself such a poltroon.

“We’ll soon have him under cover,” Jeremy said as if believing that young Chris and I needed heartening, and I could not refrain from asking:

“What then? If we get him under cover, how long may we keep him there? Surely we must set the fellow at liberty before night falls.”

“That shall depend upon himself,” Jeremy replied much as though he had already formed some plan for the future. “If he refuses to do as we say, then will I hold him there a prisoner till the crack of doom, if so be he and I stay on this earth till then.”

I verily believe I was almost as much dismayed by Jeremy’s threat as by what Skinny had said when he first met us, for it seemed as if we were sinking deeper and deeper into a mire from which there could be no escape.

We had begun this piece of work by aiding a spy, and thereby bringing upon ourselves the shadow of the gallows. Now had we grown so bold as to make prisoner of a lad whose Tory father would unquestionably have no slight influence with General Howe.

However, we had made our bed, and must lie in it. The question to be decided was, not what would please us, but how we might best shut this fellow’s mouth, and that was indeed a serious matter. Let him once be free of us, regardless of how many oaths he had taken to keep secret that which had been done this night, he would break them as a child breaks a bunch of straws, for there was no truth in the lad, as we fellows had known this many a day.

As a matter of course, we pushed on at our best pace, for if peradventure we met another squad of lobster-backs, it might not be possible to shut their eyes as readily as we had those who were just passed, and our present safety lay in getting beneath that pile of lumber where there were at least a few chances we might escape being taken by General Howe’s men.

You may rest assured that we hustled Skinny beneath the decaying timbers, once we were come to the lumber pile, as rapidly as might be, and in so doing were we putting ourselves yet farther in his power, for he would know the secret of our hiding place.

If he escaped us to tell his story to the lobster-backs, then must we find some other refuge, if indeed we were allowed to go free sufficiently long to seek one.

I verily believe Skinny thought he was being taken to the place of his murder, when we forced him to his hands and knees, for one could not gain the shelter save by creeping. It was necessary we literally shove him along in order to make any advance; but once we were come inside where no less than thirty lads might have found a fairly good resting place, the expression of fear on his face faded somewhat, and I dare venture to say it came on mine instead.

There was no evading the fact that, having gone so far as we had on this road which was pointed out to us by Master Dingley, we must hold Skinny for no one could say how long, since it was imprudent to depend upon his word; and how might that be done, I asked myself.

Perhaps it was well for me that at this time Jeremy, having an eye to our necessities and our situation, proposed that he go out to our homes in order to say we were come safely back to Philadelphia, and, perhaps, to explain in what situation we were, as well as to get food sufficient to last us during four and twenty hours.

This was no more than a necessity, and I bade the lad go with all speed, urging that he make the matter of as little importance to my mother as might be, lest she, dear soul, should die with anxiety.

Now it was that young Chris, having succeeded in doing his share of carrying Master Dingley to a place of safety, began to take upon himself the airs of a leader, and insisted that he also must go out, leaving me to guard the prisoner, at the same time claiming that there was no real need more than one of us should remain on duty at a time.

It was true I could take care of Skinny, so far as preventing him from making any outcry or escaping was concerned; but at the same time I was not pleased to remain there alone, although I can hardly say why.

However, there was nothing I, or in fact anyone, could say to change young Chris’ mind after it was once made up, and when Jeremy hastened out in order to take advantage of the hour, for the lobster-backs would not be abroad in any numbers so early in the morning, the baker’s son went with him, while Skinny and I were left in that dreary hiding place, facing each other much, I fancy, like two Kilkenny cats who only await the opportunity to spring one upon the other.

I was not in the mood for conversation, having so much of disagreeable forebodings in my mind that I could give heed to little else than the situation into which we had plunged ourselves; but Skinny, eager, as a matter of course, to learn what he might regarding our plans as they affected himself, asked in a whining tone, when mayhap we had remained silent three or four minutes:

“How long do you count on keeping me here?”

“That depends, Master Baker, considerably upon yourself, and yet more upon our willingness to take your word. You must understand that we cannot afford to let you go free to carry to the lobster-backs that information which you have gained this night by spying.”

“But unless you kill me outright, I must go at some time. It is impossible you can keep me here many days, even though you would dare do such a thing, for my father will speedily seek the city through in search of me.”

I knew full well we could not keep him there very long, and it was that which was causing me the greatest anxiety, yet I was not disposed to let the fellow see that the situation worried me in the slightest degree; but replied with as much of carelessness as I could assume:

“It remains to be seen how long we can keep you here, and also whether it will be possible for your father, seek as he may, to find you while we remain hidden here. We have had this lumber pile as a rendezvous ever since the lobster-backs marched into Philadelphia, and as yet it has been undiscovered.”

“That may be,” Skinny replied with a world of truth in his words; “but until to-day there has never been any serious reason for seeking you out. I dare venture to say I am the first prisoner you have attempted to take, and now is come the time when the people of the town, meaning those who are ready to obey the king, will be in arms against you.”

“All of which may be true,” I said with a laugh which had in it little of mirth. “But at the same time, Skinny, you are bound to stay with us until we can decide upon some way of letting you go free without danger to ourselves. If so be you should make any attempt at getting away while I am on guard, let me warn you that, in order to save my own life, I would take yours with no more hesitation than I would crush a fly.”

“You would commit murder?” and Skinny’s face paled, as I could see even in the gloom.

“I could kill you and not call it murder.”

“Yet you rebels make a great howl about that which the king’s men do, if so be they take the life of one of your kidney,” the cur said with a snarl which sounded to me much like the hiss of an angry cat.

“The lobster-backs kill those whose only crime consists in striving to free themselves from the burdens which the king has put upon them, while whatever we might do to you would be in order to save our own lives, therefore do I believe we might be warranted in doing it.”

This was not a very pleasant conversation for Skinny, as can well be imagined. After looking at me sharply as if to learn from the expression on my face whether I would really dare carry out the threat, he fell silent, and we two sat there facing each other, I ready to spring upon him at the first move he should make giving token that he was counting on trying to escape, and meanwhile counting the seconds as they passed, complaining to myself because young Chris had left me thus alone.

[Illustration: “I COULD KILL YOU AND NOT CALL IT MURDER.”]

I was not overly eager to have the son of the baker as companion that we might converse on pleasant subjects, for the time had gone by when I could make cheery talk with anyone, at least, until after I was out of this hobble; but it seemed that two of us should be on guard, if peradventure it became necessary for one to go outside, and I dare venture to say that just then I felt quite as timorous and fearful of the future as did the prisoner.

How long we two remained there alone I am unable to say; but certain it is that it seemed to me as if a full day had passed before I heard those sounds which betokened the coming of a friend, for a friend it must be who approached us boldly, since I was firmly convinced that the secret of our hiding place had not been discovered.

It was Jeremy, good, faithful Jeremy, who went about whatsoever he had to do in a business-like manner, wasting no time, not eager to win for himself the applause of others; but ever striving to do with all his might that which was set him as a task whether in behalf of his friends or himself.

The lad was literally laden with the provisions he had gathered, and said with a long-drawn breath as he shoved a bag in front of me:

“There, thankful am I that the stuff is here at last! I feared each moment to be overhauled by some of the lobster-backs who would be curious to know what I was carrying in this bag, and had come almost to believe that I should never get here.”

“Did you see my mother, Jeremy?”

“Ay, that I did, Richard, and she greatly fears you have undertaken more than a lad should.”

“In that she differs not greatly from myself,” I said, striving to smile, but making a wry face instead. “Did she say aught concerning my coming home?”

“Only that you must look well to your own safety, and if so be there was danger in your coming to Drinker’s alley, it were best you stayed away a month.”

“And how about your own mother, Jeremy?”

The lad made a grimace, which told plainer than words could have done that he had met with much opposition at home when he would have returned to the lumber pile, and there was no need of explanation.

“And now, what about Chris?”

“He has taken it into his head that the time is at hand when he must gather together the company of Minute Boys, and instead of thinking of that which we have on hand, he is going here and there like a dog who seeks a bone, striving to enlist recruits.”

I was literally astounded by this information. It verily seemed as if young Chris was determined to increase our troubles rather than do whatsoever he might toward lessening them.

This was no time in which to raise recruits for a company of Minute Boys, because if peradventure he should speak with one who was not inclined to join, and willing at some later date to reveal what had been said, then was the secret of our absence and the knowledge of our hiding somewhere near at hand with a prisoner, much the same as discovered.

“What shall we do, Jeremy?” I cried in despair. “It would seem that young Chris is determined to work us all the harm he may.”

“Ay, so it is in my mind, Richard, and yet what is there we can do, save strive to get ourselves out of this hobble in which that villainous Skinny has plunged us, giving no heed to what young Chris may do? You understand quite as well as I, that even if we had him here this instant, and he was determined to go out seeking recruits for a company of Minute Boys, he would set off despite all you or I might say to him, so pig-headed is the lad when he takes a whim into his head.”

I knew full well that Jeremy spoke no more than the truth. If my heart had been heavy before, verily it was like unto lead now, for the dangers were seemingly growing thicker about us, and I could see no way out of the mire into which we had been led by our desire to aid Master Dingley.