Although we held ourselves ever ready to meet any enemies of the Cause, it was that young Tory whom we especially hoped to come across.
If I have not heretofore set it down strongly, let it be understood we had never come to a new neighborhood without a strong hope that he might be met, and the three of us were resolved to capture him at the first opportunity whatever the hazard, for in all the Carolinas could be found no more bitter enemy than this same lad who had taken sides with the hirelings of the king simply because of his own vicious nature.
"Without good reason therefore, Sam Lee is, I believe, bent on doing all possible harm to us of Williamsburg, and when we have made him prisoner, holding the scoundrel so close that he cannot escape until the Cause be won or hopelessly lost, we shall have accomplished a good work," Percy said when I had finished the story regarding that young Tory.
"How may he, a lad without influence, do so much mischief?" Gabriel asked, and Gavin Witherspoon replied promptly:
"It is because of being a mere boy that gives him the advantage. Unless our friends know him for what he is, it would naturally be thought that he was incapable of harm. I had rather have him in my clutches than any man short of a major in the British service."
"What prevents our setting out some day and bringing him into camp?" Gabriel asked with a merry laugh; but there was no need I should answer the question, for he knew full well had it been possible we would have had the Tory within our grasp long before this.
Just how many days we remained in camp at Shepherd's Ferry I am unable to set down, because there was much to occupy our time, although such occupation was not directly connected with the Cause.
We four comrades were constantly being sent out as scouts, or to urge that the planters near at hand bring in food, so that one day went by after another with exceeding swiftness and so much of pleasurable intercourse that it was more like a merry-making than a struggle against a mighty king.
However, the day came when word was whispered round about the camp that we were to set out at once for Lynch's Creek, to make an attack upon Colonel Harrison and his Tory Legion.
While we were preparing for the journey, good friends came in with tidings that the renegades were gathering in large force in and about Salem and the fork of Black River.