Hastening to the rendezvous at full speed, he found Jacob awaiting him and displaying every evidence of agitation and impatience.
"I thought you would never come," he whispered eagerly. "We have no time to lose, for I have seen more than a thousand soldiers in the ranks ready for a march."
"And I have heard exactly how many are to go; but we must hurry to the Tory's stable, for there is no time to lose!" and Enoch urged his comrade forward, telling him while they walked so swiftly as to be almost running that which he had learned.
"No two boys ever had such an opportunity as we've got now!" Jacob said triumphantly. "If we can be the first to carry the news to General Lafayette, it will be a work that even General Washington would thank us for! We shall find no difficulty in enlisting in any regiment we choose, and who knows but we'll be made officers?"
"I don't understand how that could be, when we are not even soldiers; a man must have had experience before he can command others."
"Couldn't we soon gain that?"
"We'd better give all our attention to getting the horses. If we succeed in finding General Lafayette I shall have reward enough, and a commission as colonel wouldn't make me any happier."
"I'd rather be an officer than a private," Jacob replied decidedly, "and we're now in a fair way to wear swords."
The pace at which they were traveling was not well suited for a prolonged conversation, and the boys were panting so heavily that it was absolutely necessary to remain silent until they were in the vicinity of the Tory's stable.
The building was situated a hundred yards or more from the dwelling, and no one could be seen in the vicinity.