Tom saluted and left the tent. All that day Greene and Morgan were in consultation; the result was a goodly packet of papers strongly tied and securely sealed, which were handed Tom next day as he sat upon Sultan’s back before the commander’s headquarters, with his faithful Cole at his side.
“Make your best speed,” said General Greene, “and guard your dispatches with your life. And now, God bless you.”
The hands of the young swamp-rider and his faithful servant went up in a smart salute. Then they touched Sultan and Dando with the spur and went dashing away toward the north, Tom’s heart throbbing with joy at the prospect of at last rendering his father aid.
CHAPTER XVII
HOW A TRAITOR TO HIS COUNTRY WAS TAKEN AND LOST
The hardships of the following weeks were never forgotten by Tom Deering nor Cole; the entire state of Virginia seemed overrun with the enemy in small parties; they were compelled to lie concealed for days at a time in the hut of a slave, in the cabin of a woodman or in the dwellings of patriots of higher rank. Sometimes these shelters were not to be had; and in such cases they slept in the woods or the thickets. Food was scarce, and many days they scarcely broke their fast.
At length joyous news reached them. Lafayette had set out from Baltimore in the latter part of April and had arrived on the 29th, after forced marches of two hundred miles, at Richmond. This was the first news of the gallant marquis that they had heard since leaving the camp of General Greene on the Don, weeks before. They were not more than a hundred miles or so from Richmond at the time, and at once set out for that place.
“Great things have happened, Cole, since we started on this journey,” said Tom, “and greater still are going to happen.”
News had reached them that on March 15th Greene, with an army of above 4,000 men had been attacked by Cornwallis at Guilford Court House, and they learned that while the Americans had fallen back, Cornwallis was so badly crippled that he could not follow up his advantage.
“And they say,” said Tom, “that Lord Cornwallis intends to march north and endeavor to conquer Virginia. Well, let him come; I suppose Lafayette will be ready for him, and perhaps he will find that Virginia is as tough a bone to pick as Carolina.”
They were riding, while Tom spoke, along a narrow and little frequented road; it was late on the second day of their journey since hearing of the entrance of the French general into Richmond, and they had already began to wonder how far they were from the town. Standing some distance from the road, among a clump of trees was a long, low building that looked like a schoolhouse. The two stopped to examine it carefully before venturing into full view of its possible occupants.