Surely this time they were making a grievous mistake, for the fire from the front was continued with vigor as I understood full well before we were a dozen yards from the guard-house, for then a cannon ball came so near to me that I could feel the wind of it, and I started back in surprise as if having supposed that our people had been firing blank cartridges.

Saul laughed at my show of fear, and asked as though he found something comical in the situation:

"Did you think that amid all this noise there were no shots flying?"

"To tell the truth, Saul Ogden, I haven't had time to think since the cannonading began. Then Pierre and I were on the Gloucester sh.o.r.e, having made up our minds it would be useless to try to get into York before another night had come. When we found it might be possible, as has been proven, such a fever of excitement seized upon me that I have had no clear knowledge of what has been going on."

"It seems that you knew sufficient to understand the moment had come when you might set me free," the lad said in a tone of exultation, and I, determined that the credit should go where it belonged, replied promptly:

"It was not me, Saul Ogden, who was quick-witted enough to think that we might find the guard-house without sentries around it. Pierre Laurens is the one to whom your release is due, and save for him I dare venture to say at this moment I would be with you inside the Widow Marshall's house with red-coated sentinels standing guard over me."

"Why? How? What has happened since I have been shut up yonder?"

It was no time for story telling just then, as Saul must have understood, for the first cannon ball which had reminded me that there was danger in the air and that danger coming from the ranks of our own army, was followed by another and another, until while we ran it seemed as if we were actually being pursued by these missiles--as if there was a force in the air to guide them out of a direct course to where they might work destruction.

By this time Pierre had overtaken us, for the lad could ever run more swiftly than either Saul or I, and seizing me by the arm as if I was a child who needed guidance, shouted in a tone of triumph even amid all that peril:

"If any one had told us when Abel Hunt was following so close at our heels, that we might have worked this trick, it would have seemed like a fairy tale, and yet we have come through thus far in safety, with every chance of gaining old Mary's cabin unmolested."

"If so be we get in the path of one of these messengers," I said, motioning toward a cannon ball which was ploughing up the earth not twenty yards away, "then shall we find that we have been molested for all time."

"If we have worked our will in this encampment of my Lord Cornwallis's, we two lads alone, then I predict that we shall come through in safety, at least so far as this work is concerned. What may happen before the battle is ended I care not, so that we have kept faith with those who waited for us."

It can thus be seen that Pierre, quick-witted and versed in military matters though he was, believed as did I, that this cannonading betokened a regular battle, whereas, as we afterward came to know, it was simply the investment of York, the beginning of a regular siege.

There is no good reason why I should use many words in telling of that flight across the village, although again and again were we in danger of death from the missiles sent by the Americans, even though I might make an interesting story of that which we saw and feared; but it is enough that we were finally arrived at our destination.

I, who at the end of the race was leading the way, dashed into the cabin without realizing the alarm that I might thus cause Uncle 'Rasmus; but I understood instantly I was inside, that it would have been better had I entered in a more seemly fashion, for the old negro leaped to his feet, his black face grey with the pallor of fear, believing from my sudden, noisy entering that the enemy had come to work him harm.

Because of the dim light in the cabin it was a dozen seconds before he could distinguish our faces, and then while we three stood in front of him he sank back in the chair where he had so long played the part of invalid, trembling in every limb as he said in a quavering voice:

"Bress de Lawd! Bress de Lawd for all his mercies! Here am de chillun come back when I neber expected to see dere faces agin!"

Saul in his delight clasped the old man around the neck, hugging him as affectionately as though he had been of the same color and of the same blood; but Pierre, cautious and thoughtful as ever, instead of spending his time calming Uncle 'Rasmus when there was no real need of doing so, began looking around to find Horry Sims.

Even though a battle might be raging on the outside, it was yet of vital importance to us that the Tory be held prisoner, because his escape might mean our death, if so be the fortunes of war allowed the Britishers a breathing spell.

Pierre ran hurriedly to the corner of the room where we had last seen the Tory cur lying, and an exclamation of dismay burst from his lips, for the lad was not there. Hearing the cry I ran toward him, whereupon he turned to Uncle 'Rasmus asking sharply:

"Where is he? Has he given us the slip? Who has been here since we went away?"

"De Sims boy am safe, honey," Uncle 'Rasmus replied as Saul released his hold on the old man's neck. "I 'clare for it I done got scared kase you didn' come back, an' 'lowed it wouldn't do no ways to keep dat young snake whar he could kick up a row ef any ob de king's sogers come in, so I done put him away, honey, I done put him away."

"Put him away, Uncle 'Rasmus?" I cried in alarm. "Do you mean to say that you killed Horry Sims?"

"Kill him, chile? Sure not. What for I kill him?"

"But where is he?" Pierre demanded, and I understood from the quick, nervous tones that he had been equally alarmed with me by the old man's words.

For reply Uncle 'Rasmus went to that end of the room near the fireplace where he raised a short length of the flooring, and there we who gathered around in breathless anxiety, saw Horry Sims lying upon the earth, bound as we had left him, in a narrow s.p.a.ce between the puncheons which had evidently at some time been hollowed out as an apology for a store-room.

"How did you get him down there, Uncle 'Rasmus?" I cried, for I had not believed the old man sufficiently strong to perform such a task.

"I done roll him ober, chile, I done roll him ober. Don you see, honey, I didn' dare keep him whar de sogers might see him, so I'se boun' to get him out ob sight. I'd seen dat yere hole befo', an' sence de shootin'

begun I 'low he was mighty glad to be under cover."

"Can't you take me out of here?" Horry asked imploringly. "I've been tied up so long that my legs and arms are numb and aching. I promise not to open my mouth and to do whatsoever you say, if these ropes can be taken off for ever so short a time."

"That's what they shall be," Pierre said quickly. "We have no desire to cause you suffering, Horry Sims, and never counted on being forced to remain away so long; but matters couldn't have been changed, for of course we must think of our own safety before consulting your comfort.

Now, however, you will have a chance to move around."

As he spoke so Pierre did, and when I would have argued with him that it was unsafe to let the Tory lad have the freedom of the cabin even while all of us were there to guard him, he shut me up in short order by declaring that unless we were disposed to give the prisoner something like fair treatment, he would insist on setting him free altogether.

"And when Abel Hunt has found us out, as I believe of a verity he will, then Horry is on exhibition where that meddlesome fellow may see him," I cried hotly, but Pierre, giving no heed to my words, released the Tory from his bonds.

CHAPTER XIII

THE SIEGE

For some moments after Pierre released Horry Sims from the bonds which had held him so securely, the Tory was literally unable to move hand or foot, thus giving good proof of the suffering which must have been his while he lay beneath the puncheon planks of the floor, powerless to command his body save in the way of breathing.

After having chafed his limbs until the circulation of blood was partially restored, the prisoner limped over into the corner where Pierre and I had left him when we set out upon that stroll which resulted so differently from our expectations, and there he crouched upon the floor as if intent on showing us that he would remain a willing captive. As a matter of fact, I believe the lad was more terrified by the cannonading which yet continued and seemingly shook the very ground beneath our feet, than he was by the knowledge that we held him in our power.

And it was terrifying, whether for Tory or Whig, far more so than if we had been in the open where it might be possible to see all that was going on, or if we were taking part with the troops; but to remain shut up in the cabin, not knowing how near death might be to us, and fearing each instant lest our frail shelter should be torn to splinters by a cannon ball, was something that got on one's nerves more, I dare venture to say, than any other danger.

During the first two or three minutes after the excitement of meeting with Uncle 'Rasmus had died away, there were times when it seemed well nigh impossible for me to so far control myself as to remain in-doors; it was as if I must go out; as if I must face that danger which seemed so imminent; as if I could not meet death while being all ignorant of how it might come to me.

It was well, perhaps, that Pierre started a conversation by asking Uncle 'Rasmus how he had pa.s.sed the hours of our absence, and I believe little Frenchie did this rather in order to take our minds from what was going on around us, than because he really desired information.

The old negro told us in his peculiar way, of awaiting our coming with whatsoever of patience he could summon, believing each instant we would enter, and then as the hours wore on fear, as was quite natural, took possession of him. He could not imagine any combination of circ.u.mstances which would keep us abroad so long, save we had fallen into the hands of the enemy, most like arrested as spies. Before morning came he was convinced that such must have been the case, and the only hope he had of learning what had befallen us was in the coming of Morgan; but there was a fear that he might have been taken in our company, and would therefore share our fate.

"I done got terribly fl.u.s.tered up, chillun, an' dats a fac', kase I counted I wasn' eber gwine to see youse any mo'. Dere was one spell jes'

'fore daybreak when I got it inter my min' dat dere was nuffin lef' fo'

de ole n.i.g.g.e.r to do but skitter out ob dis yere village, an' it was mighty uncertain whether he could get out ob it or not."

"In that case what did you count on doing with Horry Sims?" Pierre asked.

"I done made up my min' to leabe him sittin' up in de chair by de winder, kase I couldn' take him wid me, an' it wouldn't hab done no how to let him go gallivantin' 'roun' from one ob dese yere ossifers to de odder tellin' 'em what had happened to him."

Then the old man painted with painful vividness the hunger and thirst which had come upon him with the morning, after he had decided it would be impossible for him to make his way through the lines. He repeated what Horry Sims had said while begging for food or for water, and added with an odd grimace:

"I 'clare for it, chillun, I got right mixey wid Horry, eben ef he is a Tory, kase de lad was sumfin to talk wid, an' I was carried away wid fear till it seemed as ef I was boun' to keep my tongue runnin', else I'd gone crazy."

"You didn't get so mixey with him, Uncle 'Rasmus, but that you finally dumped him under the floor," Pierre added with a laugh, and the old man chuckled as he replied: