"And you yourself, Pierre?"
"I am counting to wait here only until I see the boatmen return from the Gloucester shore to take on another cargo, and then I shall follow your example, giving no heed, however, to either you or Saul; but bending all my energies toward getting within the lines of our people with as little loss of time as may be."
After this there was nothing for me to say, unless peradventure I had some fault to find with the plan, and I lingered only to press each of my comrades by the hand as I whispered:
"God grant that we Minute Boys of York Town, as from this instant we will call ourselves, may be able to do that thing to-night which will result in the capture of Lord Cornwallis and all his troops!"
Then I crept out from the shattered timbers, not taking overly great care to avoid making a noise for there were none who would pay particular attention to me at that time, and once free of the ruins I walked without undue haste in the direction of old Mary's cabin, knowing that I had ample time to do all which was set me before the way into the American lines would be opened.
When I entered the cabin Uncle 'Rasmus was seated by the window, as he ever had been since we came into this place of refuge, patiently waiting for our coming, and surely the old man's heart must have been tried during that long, long day when we failed to give any token of our whereabouts, for he had good reason to fear, because of our continued absence, that some trouble had overtaken us. Yet there was never a word of repining or reproach upon his lips when I showed myself.
"Bress de Lawd, honey; bress de Lawd dat you'se come back! Whar's de odder chillun?"
I speedily made the old man acquainted with all that was going on; but did not tell him what it was proposed he and I should do, for luckily I realized that Abel Hunt's ears were open, and if I should advertise all our proposed movements there might possibly be a chance of his overtaking us to wreak revenge before our task could be finished.
Therefore it was I told the old man only that the British army was retreating, and made an overly long story because he could not refrain from crying out in his joy now and again, and insisted on hearing all the little details concerning the movements of the soldiers.
But the story was told finally, however, and then I led the old man out of the cabin, he following me obediently, never asking where we were going, and when we had come to a ruined building mayhap fifty yards distant from old Mary's cabin, I halted, explained what we would do, saying that he should stay there while I went back and released the prisoners.