True it is the General thanked me for that which I told him; but straightway the words were out of his mouth he turned to the officers nearabout and began discussing the news while one of them sat down at a table and attempted to draw the fortifications as I had told him they existed, or were about to be built, and no one gave any heed to me whatsoever save my father.
And I must also confess that even he whom I loved so dearly did not spend overly much time in caressing me, nor did he utter one word of praise. It was to him that I had simply done what any lad of Virginia should have done, and he was satisfied, rather than proud, that I had acted the part.
"It is well you should return at once, my lad, and since I see no good reason why you should not do so, I advise that you make your way around by our home, so you may tell your mother what you have seen. I sent a messenger to her yesterday; but she will be pleased to get later information from the mouth of her own child. If you are an hungered we can give you food."
I was hungry; but after having failed of receiving the reception accorded a hero, and being treated as if I had done nothing of moment, my folly got the best of me once more, and instead of saying that it would refresh me to have food, I declared there was nothing to prevent my setting out on the return journey at once.
If I had counted that this might remind my father of his neglect to bestow praise, then did I make a grievous mistake, for he took me at my word without parley, saying:
"Very well, my son, perhaps it is as well that you should not linger here, lest there be spies in camp who would recognize you when you re-enter the town of York. I will go with you as far as the outposts so you may have no difficulty in leaving the lines. It needs not that I should remind you of your duty to Virginia, and urge that you continue as you have begun. It would have pleased me far better were you in the ranks, even though you served as a private, rather than playing the part of spy; but since it has been brought upon you by the force of circumstances, we must accept the situation as it is, and pray to the good God that you come to no harm."
This last served better than any other words could have done, to show me how foolish I had been to give way to irritation and disappointment because I had not been received as a hero, when I had done nothing as yet to win a hero's crown, and, thoroughly ashamed of myself, I clasped my father around the neck, kissing him again and again, mentally asking his pardon for having been such a simple, yet not daring to put the prayer into words lest he should come to learn that his son was so great a fool.
The good man talked with me as he led the way toward the outposts which I must pass, telling me of the great hopes in the breasts of the Americans that Cornwallis would speedily be overcome, and otherwise discussing the affairs of the colonies, rather than private matters.
I now believe he did so because of not daring to give words to his affection for me, lest he weaken my heart when he would have it stout. At the time, however, it surprised me, because he had ever been a most loving father, who took pleasure in showing his love; but I laid it all to the door of a soldier's anxiety at this time when there was so much of vital importance to the colonies at stake.
Within an hour from the time I first had speech with General Lafayette I was alone on the road, not that which led to the town of York; but rather across the peninsula to the Hamilton plantation, and the dangerous journey which was to win me so many laurels was finished with no more peril, nor more of adventure, save when I had been accosted by the American scouts, than if I had walked into my mother's drawing room at night-fall.