FOR KING OR COUNTRY.[1]
A Story of the Revolution.
BY JAMES BARNES.
CHAPTER IX.
THE MESSENGER FROM STATEN ISLAND.
For a long time George lay awake underneath the pier, worrying more and more about Carter. At last he decided that it was better to take the brightest view of things, and that there was no use borrowing trouble, taking all into consideration.
"He may have hailed and I not heard him," he reasoned, sensibly, putting it out of his mind; and looking out, he saw that the fog had cleared away, the anchor lights of the fleet shone brightly, and their reflections flashed in the waters of the bay.
While watching he fell asleep again. But he was soon awakened by footsteps that literally sounded in his ears. The planks of the pier were only a few inches above his head, and some sand fell through the cracks upon him. It had been daylight for two hours or more, and it was stifling hot in his cramped hiding-place.
The sounds that had aroused him had been made by a party of sailors coming ashore from some of the boats that were tied to the landing. On the beach below a number of small craft were drawn up, and some Jack Tars and a few soldiers were digging in the sand for clams.
"Jupiter, but I'm hungry," murmured the young Yankee soldier, "and as dry in my throat as a sooty chimney!"