“After him at once!” shouted the older officer. “I tell you, the boy must be stopped. The papers he bears may be of the utmost importance.”
They were all off at a gallop the next instant, and the axles of the heavy wagon began to creak again. “Them fellers seem toler’ble anxious ter see you, Had,” drawled Holdness, turning half around in his seat. “What yeou been doin’?”
Hadley related in a few words the excitement at the inn and his escape from the barn on Black Molly. “And now I want to know what to do with the papers, Lafe. Will you take ’em, and—”
“No, sir! I can’t do it. I’ve orders to perceed just as I am perceedin’ now, an’ nothin’ ain’t goin’ ter stop me.”
“But the papers may be of importance. The man said they were for General Washington.”
“Then take ’em across the river an’ give ’em ter the Commander-in-Chief yourself. That’s what yeou do, sonny!”
“Me go to General Washington?” cried Hadley. “What would Jonas say, anyway?”
“Don’t yeou fret erbout Jonas. I’ll fix him as I go by. I can’t relieve ye of any responsibility; the duty’s yourn—yeou do yer best with it.”
Hadley was silent for a time. “I’ll do it, Lafe!” he exclaimed, finally. “But I don’t know what Uncle Ephraim will say when he hears of it. He’ll think I’ve run away to join the army.”
“Don’t yeou worry erbout ol’ Miser Morris, Had. He’s as mean a Tory as there is in New Jersey, ef he is your kin. I’ll stop right here an’ you git the mare out.”