CHAPTER XVIII—A Daring Attempt
The youths settled down and took it easy, while watching the encampment. They decided to wait till afternoon, before starting back to the patriot encampment, with the hope that Arnold might make a move, on learning from the soldiers that had just arrived that a patriot force had come down into that region from the North.
The result justified their judgment, for soon after noon the British soldiers began breaking camp, as if getting ready to march a considerable distance.
“Are they going to go toward our encampment, with the purpose of making an attack, or will they go in the other direction, I wonder?” questioned Tom.
“We will wait here and see,” determined Dick.
“Somehow, I think they intend going in the other direction,” asserted Ben.
Dick, however, shook his head. “I hardly think so,” he said.
When the British force, which consisted of perhaps fifteen hundred men, got ready, it marched out of the encampment and came slowly up the slope toward where the three youths were concealed.
“They are going to march into the vicinity of our encampment,” said Dick. “Well, that is all right. Colonel Morris won’t have so far to go to get at them.”
“True,” said Ben.
“Come, boys,” said Dick, a few moments later. “We must not let them see us.”
The three set out down the slope toward the west, and during the afternoon they kept about a mile ahead of the redcoats, who advanced directly toward the point where the patriot army was encamped.
It was slow work for the British force to march along poorly conditioned roads, and they only got to the vicinity of the little settlement, where the dance had taken place the night before, at the hour it was time to go into camp.
Here they stopped and went into camp for the night, and Dick, Tom and Ben, being certain that the redcoats would be there till morning, made their way to the home of the Harts, where they were given a cordial welcome.
“You are back quickly,” said Mr. Hart.
“Yes,” replied Dick. “We are on our way back to the patriot encampment, and are keeping a little distance in front of the British force, which is marching toward the point where the patriots are encamped.”
“Ah, so they are moving in that direction, are they?” exclaimed Mr. Hart.
“Yes, sir. They are encamped about a mile from here. They will be there till morning, and we thought we would come over here and see you folks.”
“We are glad you did. Supper will be ready in a few minutes, and you will take supper and stay all night with us, the same as you did last night.”
“If it won’t inconvenience you too much,” said Dick.
“We shall be glad to have you here,” was the hearty reply, and Mrs. Hart and Sally said the same.
When supper was ready, the six sat up to the table and ate heartily, laughing and talking, and had just finished when there came the sound of knocking at the front door.
“Some of the redcoats have come here!” exclaimed Dick, in a low voice. “We will slip out at the back door, while you go to the front door to see them, Mr. Hart.”
“Very well, but stay and come in as soon as they are gone.”
“We will do so.”
The three youths passed out through the rear exit, and Mr. Hart made his way to the front door, which, when he opened it, revealed to his view a couple of British officers.
“Good evening, sirs,” said Mr. Hart, politely. “Will you come in?”
“Thank you, yes,” replied one. And they entered, after which the officer who had spoken said: “I am General Arnold, of the king’s troops, sir, and this gentleman is Colonel Riggs, of my staff.”
“My name is Hart,” was the reply. “I am glad to make your acquaintance.”
Then the two seated themselves, and Mr. Hart did the same, after which General Arnold asked:
“I wish to inquire if there are many loyalists in this vicinity, Mr. Hart?”
“I think there are quite a good many, sir,” was the reply.
“Do you think I could recruit my army here, to do much good?”
“You might secure a few members,” was the reply.
“About how many, would you say?”
“Oh, perhaps fifteen or twenty, within a radius of five or six miles.”
“That would not be very much of a reinforcement,” said Arnold. “The country around here is not very thickly settled, then.”
“Not very.”
“There is quite a good-sized settlement about twelve or fifteen miles to the westward, is there not?” Arnold asked, after a few moments.
“Yes, sir.”
“How big a settlement is it?”
“There are forty or fifty houses, sir.”
“And there is another settlement near that one, made up mostly of rebels, is there not?”
“Yes, sir, so I have understood. It is not so large, however, having only twelve or fifteen families.”
“Humph. Well, thank you, Mr. Hart. My army is encamped near here, and I thought we would walk over and have a talk with you, some of my soldiers having stated that they were here last night, at a dance.”
“Yes, the young folks of the settlement had a little party here last night.”
“My men informed me that Dick and Tom Dare and Ben Foster, three rebel spies, were here, and that they had them prisoners, but that they managed to escape,” said Arnold.
“Yes, General Arnold. We did not know anything about them, of course, but as they appeared to be very nice young men, we gave them their supper, and they took part in the festivities.”
“Oh, I am not blaming you, Mr. Hart. I was just wishing that the rebels had not escaped. I would have liked to have made them prisoners.”
They talked a while longer, and then Arnold and his companion rose, said good-night and took their departure.
“That man is a rebel, Colonel Riggs,” said Arnold, when they were a little distance from the house.
“I rather think so, myself,” was the reply.
“Yes. He pretended that he was in sympathy with the king, but I am pretty sure that he is at heart a rebel.”
“He did not seem to be very enthusiastic when you were asking about securing recruits in this region,” said the colonel.
“No. I think he wished to discourage the idea.”
“It looked that way to me.”
Suddenly, when the two were about a quarter of a mile from the settlement, three forms leaped out behind them, from behind trees, and threw themselves upon the British officers. They were Dick and Tom Dare and Ben Foster, and they were attempting a most daring enterprise--the capture of General Arnold and Colonel Riggs.
Tom and Ben had seized the colonel, while Dick had leaped upon Arnold, and instantly a fierce struggle was taking place there in the underbrush.