Drum! Drum! Drum! Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
The soldiers stopped to listen. Again the drum sounded and the fife squeaked.
“What does that mean?” asked a British soldier.
“Troops! They are coming down to hem us in. We’d better leave.”
Up over the sides of the ship they scrambled like frightened rats. By the time the American army of two had reached the point the great ship was speeding away out to sea. Meanwhile the villagers had been much surprised, thinking that troops had come down from Boston to help them and just in time, too! Imagine their surprise to see sitting comfortably on the rocks, their drum and fife by their sides, these two little girls, Rebecca and Alice!
DAMON AND PYTHIAS
How one man was willing to sacrifice his life for his friend.
Once upon a time there were two very great friends who lived in Syracuse. One was called Damon and the other Pythias. They were always together. They ate together, they walked together, and often could be seen with their arms around each other on the streets of Syracuse. On one occasion Damon, in anger, had called the ruler of Syracuse a tyrant, for which he was condemned to die. He asked to go and bid his wife and child farewell. Pythias promised to stay in prison for him and let his life be the forfeit if Damon failed to return. Dionysius, the ruler, was only too glad, as he thought Damon would not return, and thus he would be rid of the two friends.