“Say, that was close, wasn’t it?” exclaimed Jud. “A little more, Don, and you and I might have been killed.”
Don laughed. “Come on, Jud, and let’s get home. Just look how dark it’s getting! It’s going to rain too.”
That evening the rain came down in torrents, and the wind continued to blow with unabated fury. And the next day, the sixth, found the waves in the harbor high and confused. Both armies waited; and Washington’s men strengthened their fortifications.
The next day Howe found himself in a critical and perplexing situation. His army was at the mercy of the Continental batteries, and the fleet was unable to ride in safety in the harbor. To remain in Boston would be to expose his men to the greatest danger; to withdraw would be to lose much valuable property. But Howe was first of all a soldier, and after a hurried council he determined to withdraw to save his army. Preparations began at once.
“They’re going, Aunt Martha!” cried Don, bursting in upon his aunt. “The Redcoats are going to leave the town!”
“And what will they do to the town before they go? O Donald, what will they do?”
“I don’t know,” replied Don thoughtfully. “They could do a lot of bad things, I suppose, but, Aunt Martha, I don’t think they’ll do anything very bad. I tell you it won’t be well for them if they set fire to any buildings.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of most of all,” said his aunt.
Many other persons besides Aunt Martha were worried about the fate of Boston. In the Continental army itself there was many a soldier who wondered what would become of his home and of his relatives who had refused to leave the town.
After a little group of prominent citizens had sent a petition to Washington, begging him to take no measures that would injure the town, the two armies reached a tacit understanding that the British might embark without the Continentals molesting them. Nevertheless, the American army held itself in readiness to act in case the enemy did any damage.