"You have done a good work this night, lad! A brave work, and your seeming misfortunes were the luckiest that ever befell man or boy. I was not mistaken in you, lad."
"But I haven't done anything, Mr. Greene. It was all an accident, and one that came very near costing my life."
"Never mind how it came about. The work has been done, and we can carry to Valley Forge such news as has long been waited for—news that will change the condition of affairs there very decidedly."
As he spoke Greene sprang to his feet, and seizing Enoch by the arm went hurriedly into the road.
"Are you going to leave your market-truck?" Enoch asked.
"I would willingly leave everything on Rogers' farm to the mercy of the Britishers after such word had been brought, my boy. Now step out at your liveliest pace until we can get the horses, and then it is a question of a quick ride to headquarters to announce the fact that our work has been finished in the completest manner."
"But isn't it dangerous to go ahead too boldly? There may be soldiers between here and the farm."
"I will answer for it there are none, lad, for haven't I just traveled over this road? It is seldom they come out so far unless in goodly force."
"I thought perhaps scouts might be sent in every direction, for the two men whom I heard talking while I was in the sloop seemed very certain I'd be captured."
"They are most likely looking for you in the city yet, and a rare time they'll have of it. I would have been willing to give a good many shillings if I could have seen the old Quaker's face when you bowled him over. So he must have been the one who warned Howe of General Lafayette's advance? We'll settle matters with him after the evacuation, and there are one or two other Quakers who should be attended to, particularly he who would have made prisoners of Generals Reed and Cadwalader."