At first it was my belief that she should take the children and go far into the thicket; but she, good soul, soon convinced me that such a course would be unwise, since it was not known how long the enemy would remain, and she could not stay in the forest very many hours with the young ones.
"We will wait here, Amos dear. The British cannot be so barbarous as to make war upon the helpless. If you or father was near at hand, and I could go to you, the situation would be far different."
Then she insisted that I should tell her all I had been doing, and by the time that long story was come to an end I had need to join Darius on the shore, having stayed the full length of the furlough he gave us.
It was not certain but that I could see my mother again before we went up river, therefore our parting was not as sorrowful as it would have been had I known all the perils which were to be encountered ere I looked upon her dear face again.
The village was in even a greater state of confusion and bustle than when I first passed through it. A full half of the people were on the point of running away, taking with them as many household belongings as could be carried or transported in carts or boats. A large number stood on the streets undecided what course to pursue, and asking each person they saw for advice, while not a few were apparently bent on following the example set by my mother.
I was appealed to for the latest news by a full score before I could reach the rendezvous; but to all I had the same reply, that I was in government service and could not delay.
I was the last of our party to arrive at the shore; the other lads were standing near Darius, looking uncommonly glum, and I could well understand the reason for the sadness.
"Did you hide the boat?" I asked, and the old man replied:
"Ay, a little better than half a mile up stream, where we can come at her conveniently in a hurry. We have just been talkin', however, about takin' stations on the opposite bank, where it will be possible to see what is done without gettin' in the way of the enemy."
That seemed to me a very good idea, for there might be many chances against our slipping away after the British had landed, and I urged that the change of base be made without delay.