Here he was aware that Nat had halted, and so drew up beside him.
“They have stopped,” said Brewster. “Now is our chance. Remember, now, you are a thick-headed lout, willing to work and willing to take kicks and cuffs for your pay.”
Adopting a gait in character, they shambled on and into the light of the sleigh lanterns. The train had arrived before a roadside inn of a low type. The drivers were struggling to draw their sleighs up to the side of this, but the drifts were deep and the horses sullenly refused to exert themselves.
The officer in command of the guard flew into a rage and brandishing his riding whip, shouted:
“Pigs! Have you no brains! You must first a way make. Come, now! Shall I stand for you here in the cold!”
The drivers, who were apparently farmers of consequence, impressed by the Hessians, muttered among themselves rebelliously. And it was here that the two rough figures came up from the rear, seized shovels from the sleighs and fell to on the drifts.
“Ach! das is gut!” approved the German officer. “Here men are who can work.”
In a very short time the sleighs were through the drifts, and the soldiers were thronging the inn. In about an hour they were ready to start once more upon the cold road to Trenton. But as they filed out and mounted, the two supposed country bumpkins bent low over the blaze upon the hearth and seemed content to remain where they were. The leader of the Hessians espied them, however, and his heavy lash snapped about their ears.
“Out with you,” he cried. “Shall we Hesse men into the cold go, and you two pigs stay by the fire!”
“But,” protested Nat, in a dull sort of way, “we are going to stop here for the night.”