The barns of the tavern were now burning; but the wind drew in with greater force, a draft having been formed by the flames, I suppose, and while our refuge was as hot as it well could be, the more intense heat was carried in the opposite direction.
"I reckon this 'ere smoke-house will stand while many a better buildin' goes down," Darius announced. "We're gettin' the biggest part of the heat from the stables now, an' I don't see any signs of fire on these logs. You lads stay here with our invalid, an' I'll sneak 'round outside a bit. There may be a chance to get somethin' in the way of rations if the men break into more shops, as is likely."
Then the old man slipped down from his uncomfortable perch, stopped at the door to warn Jim and Dody that they must not stray far away, and disappeared behind the ruins of the tavern.
It gave me a certain sensation of loneliness to have Darius go at that time. Although it was late in the day to make such a discovery, I had come to understand of how much assistance he was to us lads, and how helpless we would be without him; but, as a matter of course, I could not presume to dictate as to his movements.
The one singular thing to me in this wanton work of destruction, was the fact that not all the buildings in this portion of the city had been given over to the flames. It seemed as if the British commander had singled out certain dwellings to be burned, while the others were unmolested, save in two cases where I saw soldiers bringing out plunder which was valueless to them, and had been taken only in a spirit of cruelty.
Perhaps an hour was spent by the enemy in our immediate vicinity, and then that quarter of the city was deserted by all save the homeless ones, or those who mourned over the loss of property.
The conflagration was still sufficient to light up the streets and fields near by, therefore we could not venture out save at the risk of being seen; but I question if any especial attention would have been given us, except in the case of my father, had we gone boldly forth.
Had he not been with us I should have proposed that the moment was come when we might be able to slip down the river unobserved, for who would give heed to a party of lads when the capital city of the United States was in flames? With my father, however, we were forced to remain in hiding, for his wound was sufficient evidence that he had taken part in the battle of Bladensburg, and this would insure his being seized as a prisoner of war.
Jim and Dody, however, went across to where two shops were in flames, and returned a few moments later with a piece of bacon which had been trampled upon in the street, a bag of dirty flour, and, what was better than all, three loaves of bread, the whole of which had been thrown aside by the Britishers when they plundered the buildings.
It was quite a store for our empty larder, unsavory though the bread and flour looked; but hungry lads, and particularly those who are fugitives, cannot afford to be squeamish in regard to their food.