The others exchanged looks. That was a tempting idea.
"Might as well. No one is about as early as this," said Jack.
"Come on, then! George, you're general, you know, so you must go first," advised Anne.
Nothing loath, George opened the door softly and peeped out. "All's quiet on the Brandywine!" reported George, going out on tiptoes.
Once out in the hall, however, the five Yanks seemed to lose their nerve. First Anne rushed back to the parlor, then Martha followed. Finally, the three boys came tumbling in, for no other cause than that they thought they heard footsteps somewhere.
"You're a lot of cowards! If Washington ever had to fight with runaways like you two, I pity him!" sneered George.
"Well, didn't you run back, too?" exclaimed Martha.
"Only to see what you girls were after! We're going out now and march properly!" declared Jack.
"So'll we—this time!" promised Anne.
Again the army sallied forth, George telling them that they had to storm the heights of Brooklyn and Harlem to hold the forts in New York.