The Minute Boys of York Town Part 33

"Don't get the idea into your mind, Fitz Hamilton, that all the danger is pa.s.sed, and strive not to grow reckless in your hour of triumph, for this army will not move until after dark, and 'twixt now and then the red-coated soldiers have it within their power to do you a deal of mischief."

I was near to laughing at these words of caution, thinking how completely the tables were turned between us, when it was him who seemingly had grown timorous, and I showed myself the venturesome one.

Saul apparently gave no heed to over-cautiousness or impudence; but wandered here and there with his hands in his coat-pockets as if he was an honored guest, and I could well fancy that the lad much the same as forgot all the fears which beset him a short time before.

We noted with glee the fact that the Britishers were gathering all the boats that could be come at, and even from Gloucester Point did they send over barges and skiffs until the river front was completely lined with small craft.

The afternoon was not yet more than half spent before baggage wagons were being loaded into the larger boats. I saw more than one officer carrying his belongings down to the river to stow them in this or that craft instead of trusting a soldier to perform the labor, as would have been done had matters not been so pressing, and if each man who wore a red coat was not looking forward with somewhat of fear to the possibility that the retreating army might be choked before it had gotten well on its way toward New York.

As the day drew nearer to a close I became painfully nervous, fearing lest something even at this last hour should prevent my Lord Cornwallis from carrying out his plans, and seeing the expression of trouble on my face, understanding perhaps from that which was in his own mind, little Frenchie whispered to me in a tone of encouragement:

"Don't fret yourself, Fitz Hamilton, fearing lest the red-coats will not carry out the manoeuvre. They only await the coming of night, when it will be possible to steal across the river without being seen by our people, and then you may set it down as a fact that all these valiant soldiers of the king will make every effort to get out of the way of that French boy who, as my Lord Cornwallis has said, is striving to 'play war with a handful of rebels.'"

"Then there is in your mind no question but that the retreat is much the same as begun?" I asked, wanting to hear him confirm that which was in my mind.

"I can see no evidence of their failing to go on as they have begun,"

the lad replied cheerily, and added as he dropped his voice to a whisper: "The one chance which may work against us is, that my Lord Cornwallis will take some steps to prevent any of the people in the village from carrying word regarding his movements to the Americans, therefore let us get into some place of hiding, where we may watch all that goes on here about the river bank without presenting ourselves to the eyes of the red-coats."

Hardly more than fifty yards from where we were then standing were the ruins of a house which had been literally torn into fragments by shot from the American lines. Under these splintered and partially-burned timbers would it be possible for us to find a fairly good hiding place, unless peradventure strict search might be made, which was not probable because so far as we knew, the red-coats had no reason to suspect us as being other than lads whose parents so loved the king that they had been willing to remain in the village of York even during the siege.

Saul was not at first inclined to go into hiding. When Pierre told him what we would do, he declared that it was putting ourselves to useless trouble, for these gentry who wore red coats no longer had the time nor the inclination to concern themselves about us; but when little Frenchie explained that we might in some way be prevented from carrying early news of the retreat to the American lines, then my cousin followed, unwillingly, mayhap, still he kept at our heels until we had wriggled our way beneath the shattered timbers to where it was possible to have a fairly good view of the river.

It was not until we had snugly stowed ourselves into this place that I began to realize how great was the danger which menaced. Our people had the range so well that the buildings roundabout this place were torn and wrecked, while now and then a shot came unpleasantly near, and I saw two men killed while they were striving to get one of the heavy baggage wagons on board a barge.

Then I realized that it was more than possible we might never come out from beneath these timbers alive because of having been killed by our own friends. The triumph which had been mine was sadly marred by the timorousness which came over me, as I understood that death might be nearer at hand than when we were in old Mary's cabin, with Abel Hunt roaming around the village in search of us.

Not for anything I owned of worldly goods would I have allowed Pierre to know that which was in my mind. I strove manfully to drive out the fear by saying to myself that while we remained in the village of York exposed to the fire of our friends we were as safe in one place as another, and if it was written we should die that day, then did it make little difference what precautions might have been taken.

When the sun had set the activity of the red-coats was redoubled. In the twilight we who were hiding beneath the ruins could see the officers as they went to and fro hurriedly, and hear their sharp words of command or of reproof as they chided this man or that with lingering, or strove to incite a squad into more rapid movement.

Now was my heart beating so loudly and so violently that it was as if even the enemy on the river bank must hear it, for I realized that the supreme moment for us of Virginia had come, and could conjure up nothing which might prevent the Britishers from carrying out their plans.

I ceased to think of Uncle 'Rasmus who had been alone in the cabin all day, and gave no heed whatsoever to those scoundrels in the loft; forgot all else save the fact that the moment was fast approaching when I would be on my way to the American lines with the most welcome news ever carried by a lad of Virginia.

It was not until nigh to ten o'clock, as nearly as I could judge of the flight of time, that we saw the first of the boats loaded with men push off, heading for Gloucester Point.

The retreat had begun! Barge after barge, skiff after skiff, and craft of every kind, all heavily laden with soldiers or with baggage, set off from the sh.o.r.e, while as far back from the river as Governor Nelson's house, where my Lord Cornwallis had his headquarters, the men were ma.s.sed awaiting their turn.

"Now has come the time, Fitz, when we must make ready for a swift journey," little Frenchie whispered, as if counting it a long distance from old Mary's cabin to the outposts of the American lines, whereas it was within less than half a cannon-shot. "Every minute is precious now, and I am counting that we should be ready to set off on the instant the men have been called in from the outer works."

"What preparations have we to make?" I asked in surprise.

"Have you forgotten Uncle 'Rasmus and the prisoners?"

"I count that they are yet in old Mary's cabin, and there they may remain until our people have entered the village," I replied indifferently.

"But none of them have broken their fast this day, and those fellows in the loft have had nothing whatsoever of drink."

"Well, what then?" I asked irritably. "Neither have we lads had anything to eat, and, save that it is possible for us to drink our fill, I see not that we are any better off than they."

"But we must not have ever on our consciences the knowledge that we doomed two human beings to starvation."

"Surely there is no danger of their dying 'twixt now and to-morrow, and by that time our people will be here."

"As to that you cannot say, Fitz Hamilton. True it is the enemy is retreating; but the night is half spent, and it may be that the last of the troops will not have gone over much before daylight. Then our army is like to set out in pursuit, and I am minded to go with it, whereas matters be arranged properly at the cabin, we are confined here in the village with no opportunity of showing ourselves as Minute Boys among real soldiers."

I had almost forgotten that we decided to call ourselves Minute Boys.

There had been so much of pain, fear and hope during the past four and twenty hours that all else had gone from my mind, save the fact that the Britishers were much the same as whipped, and that it might be possible for me to regain possession of Silver Heels.

When, however, Pierre thus reminded me that we might, even at this eleventh hour, do something toward showing ourselves worthy of being called Minute Boys, although we really accomplished nothing more, then was I fired with the same desire that was in his mind.

Although as I have said many times, I had little knowledge of military matters, it appeared to me that as soon as it was learned the red-coats had crossed over to Gloucester our people would, by using the boats and vessels which were lying in the stream 'twixt York and Williamsburg, cross directly over to the other sh.o.r.e without coming down through the village, for thus they might circle around the advance of the retreating foe.

In the meanwhile both encampments would be in the hands of such Tories as had remained throughout the siege, and, most like, a certain number of camp followers would linger behind.

"What can be done with Uncle 'Rasmus?" I asked anxiously, fearing lest it might be necessary we take him with us and thus have a drag on our movements, for the old man could not travel very swiftly; but little Frenchie had the matter already mapped out in his mind as I might have understood, and replied:

"It has been decided that you shall go on a westerly course, while carrying word across the lines, and therefore it is I propose you take Uncle 'Rasmus with you. Once beyond the enemy's works, where there is no danger either Tory or camp follower can molest him, set the old fellow's face toward the Hamilton plantation and let him plod his way on alone, for there is naught of danger on that road."

"But the prisoners?" I asked.

"They must be set free, else will it become our duty to remain here instead of joining in the pursuit."

"When do you count that should be done?" I asked, and much to my surprise little Frenchie replied thoughtfully:

"There is no reason why we should not begin at once, and every inducement for us to have our preparations made for a quick departure from the town. Suppose you go back and attend to it? Within the hour we must be on our way, for when those boatmen who have just put off, come back and take on another cargo, then is the retreat much the same as accomplished, for by that time every soldier from the works roundabout will be called in."

Because of the past, when Pierre had shown himself so quick-witted and having such a good idea of military matters, I made no protest against his proposition; but stood ready to obey implicitly any orders he might give. Therefore I asked how he had it in his mind we should release the prisoners, for I was not burning to go into the loft and set Abel Hunt free, because of knowing that the first of us lads with whom that scoundrel came in contact when he was at liberty to use his hands, would suffer most severely.

Pierre had it all planned out, and, as I believed, in a most skillful manner. He proposed that after Uncle 'Rasmus had left the building, and had gotten say twenty or thirty yards on his road toward the Hamilton plantation, I should bring Horry Sims down to the lower floor, and there set him free with instructions for him to remain where he was a certain length of time, after which he was to go up and release Abel Hunt.

Before this could be done I ought to be well toward the enemy's outer works, where I was to remain in hiding until all the Britishers had left their posts. This would give me the advantage of starting instantly the works were abandoned, and even before the last of the army had embarked, therefore was it reasonable to suppose I might gain speech with some of the officers of our army while there was yet time to draw the nets around the fleeing red-coats.

"I will go whenever you shall say the word," was my reply after little Frenchie had explained thoroughly the plan. "But what is Saul to do in the meanwhile?"

"I am counting that when you start for old Mary's cabin, he shall set off further to the eastward, where he will remain hidden as I propose you are to do, until the works have been abandoned."

"And you yourself, Pierre?"

"I am counting to wait here only until I see the boatmen return from the Gloucester sh.o.r.e to take on another cargo, and then I shall follow your example, giving no heed, however, to either you or Saul; but bending all my energies toward getting within the lines of our people with as little loss of time as may be."

After this there was nothing for me to say, unless peradventure I had some fault to find with the plan, and I lingered only to press each of my comrades by the hand as I whispered:

"G.o.d grant that we Minute Boys of York Town, as from this instant we will call ourselves, may be able to do that thing to-night which will result in the capture of Lord Cornwallis and all his troops!"

Then I crept out from the shattered timbers, not taking overly great care to avoid making a noise for there were none who would pay particular attention to me at that time, and once free of the ruins I walked without undue haste in the direction of old Mary's cabin, knowing that I had ample time to do all which was set me before the way into the American lines would be opened.

When I entered the cabin Uncle 'Rasmus was seated by the window, as he ever had been since we came into this place of refuge, patiently waiting for our coming, and surely the old man's heart must have been tried during that long, long day when we failed to give any token of our whereabouts, for he had good reason to fear, because of our continued absence, that some trouble had overtaken us. Yet there was never a word of repining or reproach upon his lips when I showed myself.