Introduction
“The Young Continentals” series deals with the experiences of four boys in the American Revolution. One of them, Nat Brewster, is from the hills about Wyoming, Ben Cooper is from Philadelphia, while the Prentiss twin brothers come from Boston.
In the first book of the series, “The Young Continentals at Lexington,” Nat Brewster played the leading part—a part full of daring and enterprise. In the second book, “The Young Continentals at Bunker Hill,” Ezra Prentiss replaced Nat as the principal figure, while in the present volume, George Prentiss steps into the foreground.
The first book dealt with the revolution from the stirring of the wrath of the colonies to the first blows struck at Lexington and Concord Bridge. The second began where the first ended, and related the events that took place during the siege of Boston, including the fight on Breed’s Hill and ended with the evacuation of the city by the British.
The present, or third, takes up the thread of the great struggle where the second laid it down; it deals with the preparation for defending New York City, describes the battle of Long Island, the crossing of the Delaware and the capture of the Hessians at Trenton.
The fourth book, “The Young Continentals at Monmouth,” takes in the encounters around Philadelphia, including the battle of Germantown, and ends with Washington’s brilliant success at Monmouth. Ben Cooper fills the eye in this volume; and during the course of the story appears the celebrated Molly Pitcher, the girl who served a gun at Monmouth and whom Washington afterward made a sergeant on the field of battle. This volume is now in preparation.
Contents
| I. | Shows How Merchant Dana Boarded the “Nancy Breen” and What Came of It | [ 9] |
| II. | Shows the Reception George Prentiss Met With in New York Town | [ 34] |
| III. | Tells How a Bully Entered the “King’s Arms” | [ 52] |
| IV. | Tells How the Bully Changed His Mind, and How George Was Sent for in Haste | [ 64] |
| V. | In Which General Putnam Has His Say | [ 75] |
| VI. | Explains How George Prentiss Becomes a Guest at the “Wheat Sheaf” | [ 82] |
| VII. | Tells How Three People Made a Dash for Freedom | [ 111] |
| VIII. | Tells How Peggy Gave a Warning | [ 122] |
| IX. | In Which George Prentiss Receives an Invitation | [ 129] |
| X. | Shows How Washington Came to New York | [ 138] |
| XI. | In Which George Prentiss Makes a Sudden Resolution | [ 152] |
| XII. | Tells How Two People Peered Through the Window of the Old Mill | [ 163] |
| XIII. | In Which Peggy Camp Shows Her Courage | [ 171] |
| XIV. | Shows How the British Ships Came Into the Bay | [ 181] |
| XV. | Tells How George Visited the House in Crown Street | [ 190] |
| XVI. | Peggy Speaks Her Mind | [ 204] |
| XVII. | Shows What Happened in the Tapestried Chamber | [ 217] |
| XVIII. | In Which is Fought the Battle of Long Island | [ 229] |
| XIX. | Describes How George and His Friend Start Upon a Dangerous Mission | [ 255] |
| XX. | Tells of Two Patriots in Trenton | [ 274] |
| XXI. | How Colonel Rahl Proposed Giving a Christmas Concert | [ 283] |
| XXII. | Tells How a Fire Was Kindled on a Hillside | [ 301] |
| XXIII. | Shows How the Concert Was Interrupted | [ 317] |
Illustrations
| PAGE | |
| “Get Out of the Way, My Hearty” | [ Frontispiece] |
| General Putnam Glanced Up | [ 47] |
| “I Walked Into a Nest of King’s Men” | [ 89] |
| Lord Sterling Broke the Seal | [ 156] |
| “Alexander Hamilton,” He Replied | [ 184] |
| The Hand Paused | [ 221] |
| “It’s the Army of Washington” | [ 315] |