The Dare Boys with General Greene

by Stephen Angus Douglas Cox

“That’s an idea worth trying,” cried Tom, and he was first to tackle the task and was quickly followed by Dick and Ben.

The three occasionally assisting one another made rapid progress and Dick meantime further explained his project. Their united weight would bend down the long slender trunk and at his command all were to drop at once into the depth beneath. Where would they land? There was not time to think.

While the Indians were yet at some distance, the youths found that their weight was effectively bending down the tree into the ravine. The change was gradual at first, and then the more slender wood gave quicker response to the strain, so that finally it bent so low into the depths below that the boys instead of climbing up were sliding down toward the tree top. Before the Indians reached a point where they could observe the boys they had disappeared below the level of the ground which marked the margin of the declivity.

Down, farther and farther went the patriot youths, and as the redskins came upon the scene they saw their intended victims slipping out of their hands in a most peculiar manner. They gave expression to their chagrin in yells of rage, brandished their tomahawks, and threatened to discharge arrows, but did neither. It seemed evident, from this, that they wished to capture the youths alive. Doubtless they knew the three were newcomers in that region, and wished to find out why they were there. Possibly they were working in co-operation with the British and had been instructed to capture any strangers seen and bring them to the officer in command.

Anyhow, they did not discharge any arrows or throw any tomahawks, which probably saved the youths’ lives, for the Indians, being expert in the use of those weapons, could hardly have missed at so short a range.

Down lower and lower swung the three youths, and presently they came to a point beyond which Dick deemed it not prudent to test the strength of the wood. They were now within perhaps nine or ten feet of the bottom of the gulch. “When I count three, let go and drop, boys,” ordered Dick. “The fall won’t hurt us,” he added encouragingly.

One.

Two.

Three.

The boys let go at the same moment and down they dropped, striking on the rocks of the gulch-bottom with considerable force, and dropping to their hands and knees, but they were not injured, excepting that they were jarred somewhat.