The boys all laughed at his belligerent attitude.
“They are on the way to meet us,” replied Ezra Prentiss. “We heard something of it before we left camp. They say that Lord Cornwallis was just about to take ship for England when the word of the taking of Trenton reached General Howe; and now he is back in the Jerseys at the head of their force once more.”
“News was brought in that the enemy have gathered all their scattered forces at Princeton,” said George Prentiss, twin brother to Ezra. “Cornwallis brought with him a strong reinforcement of picked troops, and with those of Grant there are some eight thousand of them ready to march if they have not already started.”
The three youths had been on the other side of the river seeking traces of the enemy from that direction, but finding none had crossed the stream upon a flatboat, thinking to fall in with Ben, as they had done. All five now started north having made up their minds to cross the river at the point where the troops had effected their latest passage. The Prentiss twins rode on ahead, while Ben Cooper and his stalwart cousin, Nat Brewster, followed some little distance behind. A great deal of news had made its way into the American camp during Ben’s two days’ absence, through scouts, spies and deserting Hessians, and Nat knew that the other would be eager to hear it all.
“They are pressing[1] wagons on every hand,” said young Brewster; “when we left, we heard that their advance pickets were very near to Trenton.”
“What is thought of the situation at headquarters?” asked Ben.
“From a word here and a word there, I gather that they are rather anxious. The winning of Trenton, however, has roused the Jerseys at last, and the militia is beginning to rise. Cadwallader and Mifflin have been ordered in with their commands and should reach camp to-day. The general seems to have made up his mind to fight, but it looks to me that he will now have to do so whether he would or no, for the enemy is before and the river is behind. And this time he must not retreat, for to do that would dishearten the Jerseymen and the country as well.”
The boys reached Washington’s camp shortly after dark, and Ben instantly presented himself at headquarters. As he stood, saluting in an outer room, a smart young officer demanded his business.
“To see the general.”
“Your business,” said the young officer, curtly.