From the sounds of firing which came from every direction we knew full well that all our party was engaged, and the question had just come into my mind as to whether this force of Waddel's had been as badly demoralized as we were led to believe, when I heard shouts in the rear, and a moment later saw Master Howell ride up with eight or ten men at his back.
"Throw down your arms, and surrender!" he cried to our adversaries. "The remainder of the command have yielded, and you can do Tryon no good by holding out longer!"
In a twinkling the men came forward empty-handed, and the fight was won; but I failed to feel any great elation because of what we had lost, while Sidney was furious with rage.
"But for their holding out, we two might have captured Waddel with, perhaps, some of his officers. It is a clear case of cheating, and we have got the worst of it!"
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," I cried laughingly, for my sorrow was dissipated by Sidney's rage. "We never counted very surely on capturing the general, and should thank our lucky stars that we have deprived him of his force, for thus have we weakened Tryon."
He would not be consoled for the lost opportunity of distinguishing himself, and for a moment I really believed he was on the point of striking the disarmed men who had baffled his desires.
There was no reason why we should not feel proud of our work. We had captured the ammunition, which was the first task set us, and, in addition held as prisoners a force which Governor Tryon counted on as adding to his own. Surely we had done well, and if the remainder of the Regulators could do as much, then was it certain Tryon would be driven in shame from this portion of the colony.
Now it was that we had more prisoners than were convenient. As a matter of fact it would be impossible to feed them during the march to the Alamance where we counted on meeting our companions-in-arms, to say nothing of providing them with horses, for not more than half the number were mounted, therefore Master Howell called for a consultation in which all hands were to take part.
It was not necessary to spend very much breath over the question as to whether we would try to hold them captives. They must be disposed of in some manner, and without loss of time; but yet our duty was to make certain they did not join Tryon.
After hearing such propositions as our people had to make, and some of them were wild indeed, Master Howell raised the question as to whether it would not be wise to release them on parole?