“Yes, and he’ll get back easily too,” said Jud. “I’d pity any Redcoat who tried to stop him.”
“So would I,” said Don, thinking of how Glen had acted on the evening when they had crossed the flats together and had met the British sentry.
“Are you boys asleep?” came the voice of Aunt Martha.
Only the echoes answered her question.
CHAPTER XI
THE LIBERTY TREE
By the end of July both the people of Boston and the King’s soldiers were beginning to feel the ill effects of the siege. One of the main troubles was the food. Civilian and soldier alike were obliged to eat much salt fish and meat—so much in fact that sickness and fever broke out, especially in the army. Don and his aunt were rather better off than most folks, for at the beginning of the trouble the store had been well stocked, and, moreover, Aunt Martha now had money with which to buy fresh eggs and vegetables.
With the increasing discontent owing to improper food individual Redcoats became more arrogant toward the townsfolk, whom they far outnumbered. There were fewer than seven thousand inhabitants; whereas, the troops and their dependents numbered close to fourteen thousand.
“Oh, dear,” said Aunt Martha, “how is it ever going to end? How much longer are we to live this way, insulted and persecuted on every hand?”
“It seems that every time they have a skirmish with Washington’s men,” said Don, “they take their spite out on us. Well, just you wait, Aunt Martha; General Washington will show them he means business. He can’t do it now because his army isn’t ready; he has to train his men. And besides, he needs more powder and cannon and——”
“Why, Donald, where do you learn all these things?”