"That's just it, Uncle 'Rasmus, that's just it," Pierre cried cheerily.

"We've got into the muss, and it stands us in hand to hold our own so long as we can. We're no worse off if Horry Sims gives us the slip after we've brought him here, than we would have been had we allowed him to go free after Saul was so foolish as to let the fellow understand we knew of all his knavery. Now it's a case of keeping our backs stiff, trying to get possession of the horses, and doing all we can toward carrying to the Americans news of what's being done in this town."

"Sure, honey, you ain' countin' on doin' nuffin 'cept holdin' Horry Sims quiet?" and again Uncle 'Rasmus showed signs of terror.

"Now look here, Uncle," and Pierre knelt by his side, looking up into the wrinkled black face with a cheery smile as if there was nothing in all this wide world to trouble him. "We are not going to waste our time on one Tory--that is to say, all of us are not, for one must remain on guard. After what has happened Saul should do more than his fair share of playing the jailor. Now you wouldn't have Fitz and me loafing around this town doing nothing, would you?"

"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."

"You believe if we could carry any word of importance to the Americans we should do it, don't you, Uncle?"

"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."

"And if matters should turn, such as we can't really hope for, that there was a possibility of getting hold of the horses, would you have us do it?"

"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."

In such manner did this little French lad talk with the old negro until he revived all his courage, and before having come to an end Uncle 'Rasmus was as eager as Pierre to be up and doing, meanwhile as seemingly careless of what the future might bring us as was that little lad on whom all my hopes for the future, so far as the Britishers were concerned, depended.

Having thus restored Uncle 'Rasmus to hopefulness and courage, Pierre announced, as if there could be no question of any protest from me, that we would make our way to where the Rangers were quartered, and I obeyed him, much as a child might have done, mentally clinging to the lad as if he had been my elder.

We two walked around the village as if having no other purpose than to view a military encampment. We gaped here, or stood there in open-mouthed astonishment, as if mightily impressed with everything we saw, and while doing so Pierre would whisper now and then as we pa.s.sed this redoubt or that battery:

"Have you got everything well in mind now, lad? Seven redoubts and six batteries on the land side; a line of batteries on the river bank; the grand battery near the church; three redoubts just at the ravine, one near the road to Hampton, and two by the river."

Thus it was he called my attention to each point where the Britishers were working, although in some cases it would have been impossible for me to have said whether they were building redoubts, throwing up earthworks for a battery, or simply digging a ca.n.a.l. It appeared that little Frenchie understood all their purpose, and I said to myself that if so be he could make his way from out this town of York into the American lines, of a verity he would be able to give General Lafayette such information as would be of exceeding value.

We saw Silver Heels. She was made fast to the stable line with a lot of other horses, and, so far as I could see, was receiving even more attention than if she had been at home on the plantation, for there were a dozen men or more working all the time currying this horse, rubbing that one down, bandaging a leg that showed signs of swelling, and in many ways taking as good care of the steeds as the best jockeys in Virginia could have done.

"You see she hasn't fallen into such bad hands," Pierre said as we pa.s.sed for the third time where I could have a good view of my pet, and I replied sorrowfully:

"It isn't that she won't be taken care of, Pierre, for he into whose hands she might fall would indeed be a fool if he neglected so valuable a bit of horse-flesh; but it is the thought that she will be taken into battle, wounded, and left on the field to die, that breaks my heart."

"And yet many a poor fellow will be wounded on the field of battle, and left there to die. Mayhap it will be the fate of you or of me, and since Silver Heels has been reared by a rebel, she must take the same chances that all us rebels in this country are forced to take if the yoke of the king's oppression is to be removed from our necks."

Little Frenchie spoke like a preacher, and I dimly wondered whether his courage might not be failing him, now that we were fully committed to as desperate a venture as ever lads embarked on; but I need have had no forebodings, for after remaining silent a dozen seconds or more he seemingly shook off somber thoughts, and said cheerily:

"The less you and I think of the future, and the closer we keep to the present, the better. Now let us make our way along the outer works in order to decide where we may have the best show of getting through the lines, if so be we decide to play the part of spies."

"What about making ready to bring Horry Sims into the cabin?"

"There's plenty of time for that 'twixt now and sunset," Pierre said carelessly. "We need spend little time in forming plans, because it must all be done by accident, or, what is the same thing, through chance and the negligence of the enemy. We'll get a good idea of the general situation, and then go back to Uncle 'Rasmus for something to eat."

As Pierre had said so we did. Twice we traversed the entire length of the outer works, meaning the entrenchments facing the north; noted where each sentinel was posted, and otherwise gained all the information possible that might be of advantage to one who was trying to escape from the British.

Then we went back to old Mary's cabin where Uncle 'Rasmus, despite his seeming feebleness, had made ready for us a most appetizing meal, by warming the corn-bread and toasting some of the boiled ham in a frying-pan.

Although the outlook was most dismal to me, it did not affect my appet.i.te on this day, and I ate as heartily, and with as great satisfaction, as I ever ate a meal at the Hamilton plantation.

CHAPTER VI

A DISAGREEABLE SURPRISE

While we ate with so much of pleasure I could not but let my thoughts go out to Saul, who was doubtless as hungry as we had been, and gave words to my regret that we had not first carried the lad some of the food which we had in such generous abundance; but to my repinings of this kind little Frenchie put a stop by saying:

"I have no desire that your cousin shall be in distress because of hunger, and yet it is in my mind that he should have somewhat more of punishment because of having given way to ill temper and put us in such a plight, than simply standing guard over Horry Sims. He will be the more careful in the future, if he suffers considerably because of what has been done."

I was far from desiring that Saul should be punished. The mischief had been wrought, and however bitterly he repented it would not right matters. I believed for the time that Pierre was overly harsh, and would have insisted on going straight to the lad with food, but that I realized how dangerous it might be if we visited the shed in the rear of Master Bemis's shop more often than was absolutely necessary.

Again I consoled myself with the belief that most like Saul had partaken of a hearty breakfast that morning before leaving the plantation, whereas we lads had satisfied our hunger with cold food, and thus arguing with myself desiring to be convinced, I came to the conclusion that since it was not possible to mend matters save at the expense of much risk, it was well I should get such enjoyment as was possible out of the present moment.

Not until we had finished the meal did Uncle 'Rasmus have anything of importance to say, and then he surprised me beyond the power of expression, by proving that he was not counting on being a mere figure-head in this wild plan to regain possession of Saul's mare and Silver Heels.

"I'se done bin tol', chillun, dat dere's six or seben big French ships layin' in Lynn Haven bay, whar dey've come to stop de Britishers from runnin' away 'fore Gin'ral Washington gets a chance to trounce 'em right smart."

"You've been told that, Uncle 'Rasmus?" I cried in amazement. "Have you been toddling around this town after pretending that you were so crippled with aches and pains that you couldn't move out of your chair?"

"Sure I hasn', honey, sure I hasn'. Yer Uncle 'Rasmus ain' no sich fool as dat; but de still trout wha' lays under de shadder ob de rock catches a good many more flies what drif down de stream, dan does de fish what am leapin' an' plungin' to beat de band. Say, wha' you tink when I done tole you Gin'ral Lafayette wid all his army is layin' at Williamsburg des waitin' fo' a chance to jump down on de back ob Gin'ral Cornwallis?"

Pierre and I looked at each other questioningly, as if asking whether the old negro had suddenly taken leave of his senses, for it seemed impossible he could have gathered information which was of the greatest importance to us, while we who had been moving around through the encampment had failed to hear anything of the kind.

"Have you been dreaming, Uncle 'Rasmus?" little Frenchie asked with a smile. "Surely you couldn't have picked up all that news while being denned in here."

"I did fo' a fac', honey, an' s'posen yer Uncle 'Rasmus kin tell you dat Gin'ral Washington is a hustlin' fo' to get all his sogers down dis yere way so's to make de Britishers don' gib him de slip? I'se 'lowin', chillun, dat now's de time when de king's men hab done got dereselves in a mighty small box."

"If you didn't dream it, how did you come to learn all these things?" I asked impatiently, and the old negro replied as he pattered to and fro in front of the fire, adding to the already plentiful supply of provisions before us:

"Don' you 'member Ma.r.s.e Peyton's ole Joe, honey? Course you do, kase you've seen him on de plantation more times dan I'se got hairs on dis yere gray head. Well, ole Joe is right in dis yere town, waddlin' back an' forth, makin' out as ef he was waitin' on some ob de British ossifers. Ma.r.s.e Peyton done sent him down here so's he could keep his ears open, an' he's come dis berry day from Williamsburg, where he sneaked off so's to tell Gin'ral Lafayette wha' he done foun' out."

Again Pierre and I looked at each other in amazement, and I must also add with no little of disappointment. We had been flattering ourselves that it might be possible for us to play the spy upon the Britishers, and thereby earn much of credit for our small company of Minute Boys, never for the moment dreaming that there might be others in the village who were playing the same part; but surely not allowing that an old negro, a slave, might be employed in the same work.

"It begins to look as if we were not needed very much in this town of York," Pierre said after a brief time of silence, and I could well understand by the tone of his voice how disappointed he was because thus suddenly had we been shown that the American army could well dispense with our services, since others were engaged in the work we would have taken up.

"I'm not so certain, Pierre, but that your skill at reading the meaning of military moments will yet prove of great value," I exclaimed as a happy thought came into my mind. "It isn't possible old Joe would be able to tell what the British are doing here, with so much exactness as you who seem to be familiar with such work. There's no good reason why we shouldn't continue to pick up all the information possible, and if we find that we have gained more than has Colonel Peyton's negro, then one of us shall make his way to Williamsburg, after we have Horry Sims stowed snugly away in the loft."

It appeared, as we understood from Uncle 'Rasmus's story, when he told it later, that old Joe had by accident seen him sitting at the cabin window, and, quite naturally, come in, when explanations followed.

As both Pierre and I came to realize, instead of grieving over the fact that this slave of Colonel Peyton's was playing the spy in the town of York, we should have rejoiced, for here was at least one person who might be able to aid us in a time of extremity.

Surely, situated as we lads then were, with a prisoner on our hands, even the a.s.sistance of an old slave who was free to move about within the encampment as he pleased, might be of great value.

After we had turned the matter over and over in our minds, discussing what seemed much like a new phase of the situation, Uncle 'Rasmus advised that we did not venture out again until the time had come when we could relieve Saul from his duties as jailor by bringing Horry Sims to the cabin.

The old negro argued, and with much of wisdom it seemed to me, that having been through the encampment more than once, seemingly bent on curiosity, there was no good reason why we should do so again. He contended that it would not be wise to show ourselves too often during one day, and urged that we remain concealed until the time arrived when we were to perform our task of the night.

Following his advice we went into the loft, and, spreading down a blanket on the puncheon floor, stretched ourselves out on the hard bed with the hope of gaining sleep. We could have disposed ourselves more comfortably below; but there was a possibility that some of the soldiers, curious to know who was dwelling in this ramshackle of a building, might enter to gratify their curiosity, and it would not be well if they saw us living there with the old negro; at least, there was a chance harm might come of it, and we were not inclined to take any such risk simply in order to enjoy a trifle more of comfort.