On shore, too, the morning drill was taking place, and the regiments of redcoats made a brilliant splash of color in the sombre tones of the ancient town. The scene was charming in itself, but to Jack Bell and Dicky Stubbs nothing was more disheartening than the evidences of the might of England.
Presently the advancing frigate, which was trotting along briskly, came near enough for Jack Bell to recognize her.
“That’s the Diomede, sonny,” said Jack dolefully, as if the arrival of another British ship filled his cup of woe to overflowing. “That’s Cap’n Forrester on the bridge—a mighty fine man he is, if he is a Britisher.”
Dicky agreed with this as with everything else that Jack Bell advanced.
As the frigate rounded to, in her usual grand style, Jack’s eyes kindled although he sighed. “It do a sailor man’s heart good for to see a ship anchored that way. I’ve knowed the Diomede ever since she slid off the stocks, and she never was counted on bein’ no great sailer—but the sailin’ qualities of a ship depends on the cap’n—d’ ye mind that, youngster; and Cap’n Forrester, he knows how to handle a ship, d’ ye see, boy? But I’m a-wishin’ she warn’t flying that ’ere flag at her peak. If ’twas only the American flag now!”
“Yonder ’tis,” said Dicky, pointing across to Narragansett Bay, where he fancied he could see it flying in the blue air.
“Maybe you can see it,” answered Jack reflectively as he gazed over the blue water.
“How I wish I were fighting under it!” cried Dicky, whose patriotic ardor increased rather than abated by living under British rule.
“I dessay,” remarked Jack slyly, who was much given to “pulling a leg” at Dicky’s expense, “if our people over yonder knowed about you, they’d be most as distrested as they are about Gineral Lee bein’ held by the British—’twould take a major-gineral to exchange for Gineral Lee, but maybe they could git you for a major or a colonel, p’r’aps. What a pity they ain’t never heard on you!”
Dicky at this turned very red, and giving a vicious kick to a stone sent it skimming across the water.