The lad was ready to sacrifice his own need to our pleasure, and I would have forced upon him some portion of the provisions which he had given me, but that he resolutely refused to take it, saying he was not hungry; that the news brought by Morgan had driven all thoughts of food from his mind, and such other excuses which I knew had been invented simply to force me to take more than my share.
Fortunately for my peace of mind even at this late day, I refused to eat more than did he, and the keenness of my anger was not yet dulled when I carried the remainder of the portion allotted me to the cupboard, saying in what I intended should be a jovial tone:
"The knowledge that your stomach is set against food has weakened my appetite, and perhaps it will be as well, for we have the more when the time comes for serving dinner."
The old negro insisted that both Pierre and I should go through the town to put ourselves in the way of learning whether any further information had come in from the outside, and declaring that he would take care of Horry Sims providing we brought him down on the floor once more.
I would have refused to act upon this suggestion; but it seemed to please Pierre, and he at once set about getting the Tory cur where Uncle 'Rasmus could overlook him, therefore was I forced to lend a hand.
"Am I to be left here trussed up like a chicken ready for the roasting?" Horry Sims asked angrily when we had put him once more in the corner of the room without taking undue care as to the handling.
"Your stomach is full; except for your liberty are you better off than either Pierre or I, and you may lie there thanking your stars that matters are no worse for you," I cried, whereupon little Frenchie, as if fearing I might abuse the prisoner of which he was so careful, opened the door and literally thrust me out.
When we were come near to my Lord Cornwallis's headquarters, I noted with surprise that a goodly number of the soldiers, together with a large sprinkling of officers, were pressing on toward the water's edge, and it was no more than natural Pierre and I should follow the throng, excited as we were by seeing the privates throw down shovel or pick without permission, to chase at the heels of their superiors.
Before we were come to the dock it was possible to hear from the distance a dull boom, as if many miles away a heavy cannon had been discharged, and then there came another and another, and I heard those red-coated men nearest me say gleefully:
"Admiral Graves is stirring up the frog-eaters! We may count it as certain that these two rivers will no longer be blockaded by Frenchmen."