These people were not firing upon the vessels near by Gloucester; but straightway up the river, and therefore it was we knew our people were coming over the land in considerable force, giving no more token of an inclination to halt because of this summons by heavy missiles, than had those who manned the fleet.
The water front of the village was much the same as deserted when the bow of our skiff grounded on the shore. I was too deeply excited to give particular heed to everything within my range of vision; but it was to me as if no man stood near at hand to observe our landing, and on comparing notes with Pierre afterward I learned that he was of the belief that we had come ashore into this encampment of seven thousand soldiers without having been observed.
As we made our way up into the village we found that all the troops were in front of us, having manned the outermost entrenchments. We passed my Lord Cornwallis's headquarters to find it apparently deserted. At the stable lines of the Rangers not a single horse stood, and my heart went heavy as lead for I realized that poor little Silver-Heels, with a red-faced, red-coated Britisher upon her back, was most likely well toward the front where she stood a good chance of being disabled if not killed, for by this time Pierre and I understood, because of the roar of guns in the distance, that our people were not remaining silent under this iron hail which the enemy were sending among them.
"If they keep this up ten minutes longer we shall have no trouble whatsoever in making our way to old Mary's cabin," I cried almost gleefully, forgetting in this my moment of triumph, when I was pluming myself with having accomplished something heroic, although I had simply taken advantage of an opportunity, that men a short distance away were lying mangled and in the agonies of death.
"We can do better than that, lad," Pierre cried, catching me by the shoulder as if a sudden thought had just come into his mind. "Look about you as we run, and if so be your eyes light upon a pick or an axe, seize upon it."
"To what end?" I asked, panting because of the swift pace which my comrade had kept. "Are you counting on taking part in the battle?" for then it was I had no doubt but that our people had set about measuring strength with my Lord Cornwallis's army.
"Yes, we'll fight a battle on our own account, and the result shall be the release of Saul from the guard-house. I'm allowing that the sentries are not giving any great attention to prisoners just at this moment, and if those who should be outside the prison have pressed toward the front to see what may be going on, our chance has come."
It did not need that the dear lad should go into the details of what he would do. I realized on the instant that even though we were within the enemy's encampment, there was a possibility we might work our will, and no time was wasted.
It was reasonable to suppose that the sentries here, there and everywhere throughout the village would be pressing toward the front from motives of curiosity, if nothing else, feeling thoroughly well convinced that no harm could come upon them from the rear.
Fortune so far favored me as we run that I was speedily armed with an axe which had been left near by a pile of fuel, and before we had traveled twenty yards further Pierre came upon a pick. Therefore it was we had all the weapons we needed for an attack upon the guard-house, if so be little Frenchie had the same aim in mind which had come to me, that is to say, to force an entrance through the chimney into the fireplace.