"You have turned her against you by your own outrageous conduct," Dick retorted. "If you had treated them right, your family would have remained with you, but you cannot expect anything better when you act as you have."
"Where have they gone? I have a right to everything that any of them earns, and I'm going to have it. Tom is under age, I have brought him up, and I can claim everything he has, and whatever my wife has also. I know my rights, I tell you!" savagely.
"Do you know your duties, as well?" sharply. "I don't care what the law is in your case. I know what justice is. You made an attempt upon my life last night, and if I choose to make a charge against you, I could put you on trial for your life."
The man was not so much intoxicated that he could not understand Dick's position and his own danger, and he turned pale and moved hurriedly away, losing himself in the crowd that thronged the wharf at the time.
"I don't think I shall have any more trouble from Mr. Fletcher," thought Dick, "or not on account of this affair, at any rate."
He remained on the wharf till nearly sunset, and then set out for the camp, where he arrived shortly before supper. There was an alarm during the night, and early the next morning Dick learned that some ships had passed up both rivers, and not long after this there was the sound of heavy firing at some distance above the city, and the boys knew that the enemy had succeeded in landing troops. There was great excitement in the city, and many of the inhabitants began leaving in great haste.
Dick hurried off to Putnam's quarters, and soon afterward word was received that the city was to be evacuated. The general despatched Dick to the lower part of the city to see that there were no ships coming up the river and to warn the men at the lower batteries to leave. Dick took Bob and a dozen or more of the boys with him and hurried away on foot, sending Mark and the rest of the boys toward the upper part of the island. The boys had performed a part of their mission and were returning, when they suddenly heard a great bombarding from the river and at the same time saw a considerable body of redcoats coming toward them.
"To the stone house, boys!" hissed Dick. "These fellows know nothing of it and we are safe there."
The stone house was the nearest place of refuge, and the boys hurried to it, the redcoats losing sight of them. They reached the place in safety, and were all inside and out of sight before the redcoats came to the wharf and began to look for them. The door above was closed and looked as if it had not been open in months, the boys not having been seen to enter it. Dick and Bob hurried below, leaving Ben, Harry, Sam and others at the upper door, while the rest scattered through the building. There were a few persons on the wharf below when the redcoats came along, but these had not seen the boys and knew nothing about them.
"What place is that?" asked a sergeant of redcoats of one of the loungers, pointing to the stone house.