The Minute Boys of York Town. Otis James

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СКАЧАТЬ he wait until I go to this plantation or that where I might borrow a horse to carry him; but he would have none of it.

      He was bent on entering the town of York in his own way, and alone. The only assistance he would agree to, was that we might carry his blankets and scanty store of provisions a certain portion of the distance, and when I would have insisted on bringing out some delicacies from the house, he positively refused to accept them, whereupon I urged almost angrily to be allowed to do as I pleased, until little Frenchie, whose head is ever clear, said to me laughingly:

      "Can't you understand, you thick-headed Fitz, that it would be strange if Uncle 'Rasmus was disabled in old Mary's cabin with all sorts of delicacies in the way of food? If the Britishers should grow suspicious and look into the matter, wouldn't they think it odd the old man had been allowed to remain in that hovel while there were yet horses in the stables of the Hamilton plantation to bring him back where he belonged?"

      Surely there was good reason why I should be called thick-headed, for this was not the only time since morning that I had shown myself to be a stupid; yet I was not so simple but I could readily understand that even though we might have the advantage of being able to go and come from the town of York to the plantation at will, we would not be so far advanced toward the recovery of the stolen horses as to be able to say that our work was in a fair way of being performed.

      It was one thing, and I grant you an important one, to enter the town without giving rise to suspicions; but quite another and more serious to take from the quarters of the British army horses which would be guarded by soldiers, and get away with them through the lines of sentinels out over the entrenchments.

      "Then this Minute-Boy business that you talked about Fitz, is to be dropped?" Saul asked a few moments after Uncle 'Rasmus had left us, and I turned upon him in astonishment, whereupon he, reading the question which must have been plainly written on my face, added:

      "It would seem as if we were turning all our attention to getting back the mare and Silver Heels, in which case, as a matter of course, there can be no other work for us. If we should be so fortunate as to succeed, it would become necessary to scurry out of this part of the country, lest my Lord Cornwallis lay us by the heels, for I suppose they would set it down as stealing if we should reclaim our own."

      "And why might it not be that you would continue the work of Minute Boys, even while striving to get back the horses which were taken from you?" little Frenchie asked as if in wonderment. "It is not to be supposed we can go into the town of York, and, without delay, take from the stables where Simcoe's Rangers keep their horses, two of the best; but many days will pass, yea must pass, before the work can be accomplished. In the meanwhile, if we are free to go in and out of the town, why might it not be possible for us to carry much of information to the Americans? It would seem as if our work as Minute Boys was but just beginning."

      "What between your plans and those of Uncle 'Rasmus's, I confess to being thoroughly mixed," Saul muttered impatiently. "In the first place, even though you deem it of so much importance, I fail to see how being able to go in and out of the town will add to the possibility of getting our horses. Unless I am much mistaken in regard to military matters, it will not be a simple affair to steal either the mare or Silver Heels from the soldiers. Then, if we are bending all our efforts to that one purpose, how are we to serve the colony? What we could learn in the town of York that would be of importance to the Americans, passes my understanding."

      "We shall see," Pierre said laughingly, with a shrug of the shoulders and a wave of his hand. "It shall be for a little French boy from New Orleans, who never saw the land where his father and mother were born, to teach you Virginians how it may be possible to bear a hand in this business, which is like to grow exceeding warm when our French general closes in on Cornwallis's army, for now has come the time to hold the king's men as a strong man holds a child in his grasp, if so be your General Washington is minded to give him the authority."

      "To hear you talk, Pierre, one might suppose you had served with soldiers all your short life," Saul cried irritably, and again little Frenchie laughed as he replied:

      "My father was a soldier, and fought bravely. I have heard him and his comrades conversing; I have seen them draw plans for a campaign, and discuss the strength of fortifications, until it seemed to me, even though I have had no experience in such matters, that I knew much concerning them."

      Then the conversation ceased, Saul seemingly giving himself up to a sulky mood, while I had so much food for reflection with dwelling upon what we might do and the possibilities of running our necks into a British noose, that I was not minded to give play to my tongue.

      Uncle 'Rasmus remained within his cabin a good half hour, while we lads awaited him, having no inclination to meet our mothers just at this time lest we be ordered to keep within the bounds of the plantation, and thereby prevented from carrying out our plans, foolhardy though they might be.

      When the old negro did appear among us again he was ready for the journey; that is to say, he had with him two blankets and a small bundle, or package, which I doubted not contained the store of food he was minded to carry with him to York Town. In addition to this outfit I noticed that he had his heaviest cane, which was fashioned with a handle much like a crutch, and I dimly wondered, hardly knowing that I did so, whether he had taken this particular stick just at this time as a weapon, or simply to guide his faltering steps.

      "I reckon I'se done put ole 'Rasmus's business on dis yere plantation in shape, an' now, chillun, I'se gwine ter be moseyin' erlong, an' ef you'se countin' to help de ole man, it won't be out ob de way ef yer carry dese yere blankets an' de little bundle, kase I ain' been much used to totin' stuff dese las' years."

      "Of course we're going to help you, Uncle 'Rasmus," I said quickly, taking the blankets from his hands. "We count on keeping right by your side from here until you come within sight of the town of York."

      "I'se 'lowin', chile, dat our roads don' come together till we get to a dead cottonwood tree, whar you say you an' Saul lay hid while de little French boy went on inter de town."

      "But which way are you going, Uncle?" Saul cried. "There's no other road than the nearest course from here to York."

      "I'se 'lowin' your ole Uncle 'Rasmus knows better'n dat," he cried. "He's libed on dis yere plantation nigh to forty years, an' it would seem kind'er strange ef he didn't know all de rabbit an' de coon paths trou dis yere growth. Ef it won't tucker you chillun out to carry de blankets an' de bundle, an' leabe 'em at de ole cottonwood, I'll get 'em 'twixt now an' mornin'. Ef so be you'se feelin' kind'er trubbled 'bout de ole man, come to see him wheneber you gets ready. He's gwine ter be right dar in ole Mary's cabin, sure's you're bawn."

      It was a surprise to me that Uncle 'Rasmus should be able to find his way anywhere between the two rivers, for I hardly remembered of seeing him stray from the bounds of the plantation; but certain it was, at least to my mind, that he should go his gait, for now had we come to put all our dependence upon him, so far as making any move toward recovering the stolen horses was concerned.

      In fact it now began to seem to me, so far as proving ourselves Minute Boys, that unless we could get within the British entrenchments we could do naught of good for those men who, I doubted not, were slowly making their way toward the town of York to hold my Lord Cornwallis prisoner until the time should come when they might lay their hands heavily upon him.

      Thus it was that Uncle 'Rasmus went off by himself, going down past the line of grape-vines across the creek, as I supposed, while we three struck out along the road until we had traveled perhaps a quarter of a mile, when little Frenchie suddenly halted and said as he turned upon us:

      "Why is it that all three shall travel twelve miles or more this day, and repeat the same journey to-morrow forenoon?"

      "You СКАЧАТЬ