This they did, and about an hour later the redcoats broke camp and set out through the open country, going toward the east. The patriot youths followed, skirting the woods, and kept the redcoats in view, being careful, however, to keep out of sight themselves.
On marched the redcoats, and always on the trail the youths. They were feeling pretty well satisfied, for they believed they would soon discover the whereabouts of Arnold’s encampment.
About the middle of the forenoon, the three reached the top of a high ridge, and on looking ahead, down the slope, they saw, about half a mile distant, in an open piece of ground of perhaps fifty or seventy-five acres, a good-sized encampment, which they did not doubt was the objective point of their search. The redcoats they had been following had just reached the camp, and had settled down as if intending to stay.
“That’s Arnold’s encampment, without doubt,” said Dick. “Well, now we must get the information to Colonel Morris as soon as possible.”
CHAPTER XVIII—A Daring Attempt
The youths settled down and took it easy, while watching the encampment. They decided to wait till afternoon, before starting back to the patriot encampment, with the hope that Arnold might make a move, on learning from the soldiers that had just arrived that a patriot force had come down into that region from the North.
The result justified their judgment, for soon after noon the British soldiers began breaking camp, as if getting ready to march a considerable distance.
“Are they going to go toward our encampment, with the purpose of making an attack, or will they go in the other direction, I wonder?” questioned Tom.
“We will wait here and see,” determined Dick.
“Somehow, I think they intend going in the other direction,” asserted Ben.