by Ross Kay
CHAPTER X--THE CAPTURE IN THE PASS
There was no enthusiasm manifest among the four boys when again theywalked across the field on their way to the old Meeker House. As theycame near the building, suddenly lights were seen in the windows oncemore and a faint sound of the automobile horn again was heard.
"Shall we go in?" inquired Fred, his voice trembling in spite of hisattempt to control it.
"It's getting late," suggested George. There was a note of laughter inhis voice, but his companions were so excited that they were scarcelyaware of it. "Perhaps we had better put it off until some other time."
"That's the way I feel about it," joined in John.
"All right," said George, "and we must look after our car too. My fatherwouldn't want me to lose the old car as well as the new one."
Like the famous soldiers who marched up the hill and then marched downagain, the Go Ahead boys without protest on the part of any member ofthe party retraced their way to the road and silently took their placesin the car.
Conversation lagged and when at last they arrived at George's home theyleft the car in the garage and then quickly entered the house.
When they came into the room where the lights were shining they staredblankly at one another for a moment and then laughed loudly.
"What a pack of brave fellows we are, aren't we?" said George.
"We are going to find out about that old house," declared John quietly.
To the surprise of the boys George's father had arrived during theirabsence. He was an interested listener to the story which the boys hadto relate, although none of them detected the sly glance which passedbetween him and George. Evidently there was something understood by themwhich was unknown to the others.
"Yes," said Mr. Sanders when the boys were seated in the room. "Therehave been some strange occurrences in this part of the country from thedays when it was first settled."
"I guess that's so," said Grant. "We were hearing about the young fellowwho was captured up here in the Ramapo Pass in the Revolution."
"Do you mean young Montagnie?"
"We don't know his name," replied Grant, "but it was the one who wasused by Washington as a messenger without his understanding it."
"That's the fellow," said Mr. Sanders. "I have always been greatlyinterested in him. I do not think people ever have appreciated the parthe took in the plan which Washington wanted to try. He was a fine youngchap, about twenty years of age, and was a licensed preacher. Washingtonhad heard such good reports of him that when he came to try his plan hesent for young Montagnie one morning up on the Hudson at Dobbs Ferry. Itwas there the Continental army was encamped at the time. The generaltold Montagnie that he had heard good reports of him and the youngsoldier was so embarrassed that he could only stammer his thanks. ThenWashington went on to tell him that he wanted him to go across thecountry and through the Ramapo Pass and carry a message to GeneralHeath, who was then at Morristown. He explained carefully how the paperswere to be sewed inside the lining of his coat. Young Montagnie agreed,but suggested that he knew a better way across the country. There wasdanger of his being taken if he should go down through the RamapoValley. It is said that Washington drew himself up to his full heightand looked sternly at the young soldier as he thundered at him, 'It isyour business to obey.' And of course there was nothing more to besaid."
"He must have had a strange feeling when he went down through the Pass,"suggested John. "He knew what the danger was and at the same time heknew that he could find his way safely across the country without goinginto the Pass. It seems strange that he did not suspect the trickWashington was trying to play."
"Apparently he didn't suspect anything," said Mr. Sanders. "It was earlyin the morning when he entered the narrow defile. The only weapon he hadwas a stout club and he was swinging along at a good rate, confidentthat if he once safely got through the Pass many of his perils would beover. He had just entered one end of the Pass when he saw five mencoming in at the other end.
"He instantly recognized the leader as young Richard Smith, whose fatherhe had seen hanged up in Goshen a few days before this time. You see hisfather was one of the worst of the cowboys. At least many of hisdastardly deeds were committed against the colonists, but he didn't stopfor that and he was willing to have dealings with either side, providedhe made by the transaction."
"What was he hanged for?" inquired John.
"Why, the people became so indignant at last that about two hundred ofthe boys and men started after him one day. Of course he ran then, butthey chased him clear down to Long Island."
"Did they catch him?" inquired John.
"They most certainly did, and they brought him back to Goshen and he washanged there in the courtyard. Then his son, Richard, declared he wouldrevenge his father's death and it was this young man whom Montagnie sawwhen he came into the Ramapo Pass just at sunrise that morning away backin 1781.
"The young messenger felt of the letter inside the lining of his coat tomake sure that it was safe and grasping his club more firmly and doinghis utmost to appear indifferent he at once turned and approached themen. Very likely he would have run if he thought he could escape in thatmanner, but he had no weapon except his club while the others werearmed. He well knew that if he should try to escape they would at oncestart after him.
"He quietly saluted the men when he passed them and received a gruntfrom Richard in response. However, he was not critical, as now he washoping that his peril had been passed. He was not to get away so easily,however, for before he came out into the open road he was hailed by themen behind him and ordered to stop. Once more the young preacher wastempted to run, but he was aware that his effort would be useless.Accordingly he waited for the men to come back to him, and when RichardSmith gruffly demanded who he was and where he was going he answered ina general way saying that he was simply going across the country, 'Thatwon't do,' said Richard loudly, 'that may mean to New York or it maymean to Morristown. Who are you anyway?'
"By this time Montagnie was convinced that he was in deadly peril and hequickly decided to sell his life as dearly as possible. Swinging hisclub he knocked down one of them and leaping over his prostrate bodystarted up the steep side of the Pass. For some reason he was not firedupon but before he gained the top he was astonished to see two of theparty whom he had left in the valley now approaching from above him,almost as if they had dropped out of the clouds."
"How did they do it?" inquired Grant.
"Very likely they knew of a short cut. At all events the young messengerwas caught between the two parties. They took him to a little shanty inthe woods and then began to search him. They cut his hat into shreds,and of course found nothing valuable. Then they made him take off hiscoat and as soon as they had cut the lining they discovered the letterswhich were hidden there.
"Young Montagnie expected every moment that he would be shot or hanged.One of the common methods of hanging employed by the cowboys in thosedays was to put a noose around the prisoner's neck, tie the rope to thelimb of a tree after they had put the man on horseback, and then, whenthey struck the horse and it started quickly, the wretched victim wasleft hanging in the air. But for some unexplained reason young Montagniewas simply kept in the house three days. Then when he still confidentlybelieved that he was being led to his death he was taken down the Hudsonand carried across to New York, where he was shut up in the old VanCortlandt Sugar House, which stood near the corner of what is nowBroadway and Cortlandt Street. You see there were so many Americanprisoners in New York that the British had to make use of some of thebig buildings besides the jails."
"Yes," suggested John, "I have heard that they used some of the churchesas jails."
"They did," responded Mr. Sanders.
"Well, what happened to young Montagnie?"
"I was just about to tell you," said Sanders, smiling as he spoke."Naturally he felt very bitter when he found himself a prisoner in theold sugar-house. He was so thoroughly convinced that his capture wasusel
ess and that he might have made his way successfully across thecountry to Morristown, that he was angry at Washington for his arbitrarycommand.
"However, three days later his keeper showed him a copy of _Rivington'sGazette_. Rivington was a printer in New York and was a very bitterTory. Montagnie was not especially interested when he first took thepaper, but in a moment he was keenly excited when his eye fell upon anannouncement that one of Washington's messengers had been captured andthat valuable information had been found concealed in his coat. Thestatement further announced that in this paper was a letter from GeneralWashington to General Heath in which the commander explained that he wasabout to attack the British in New York and expected to find GeneralClinton entirely unprepared for such action.
"And at that very time," resumed Mr. Sanders, "Washington with hislittle army had crossed the Delaware River and was on his way towardYorktown to help Greene and Lafayette. It was impossible now for Clintonto leave New York, believing as he did that it was about to be attacked,and even after he had found out the trick which Washington had playedupon him it was too late for him to try to transport his army by seabecause Washington would arrive at Yorktown before the red coatspossibly could come to the aid of Cornwallis. The battle of Yorktownfollowed, as you know, and Cornwallis and his army were made prisoners.Indeed it was at Yorktown that really the final independence of theColonies was won. But I have always felt that the part which youngMontagnie took in winning the victory at Yorktown has never been knownas it ought to be."
"What became of him?" inquired Fred.
"I don't know. I have often tried to find out," replied Mr. Sanders."You see the men in those days were so busy making history that they hadlittle time in which to write it. As a consequence there are many thingswhich we would like to know, but do not."
"Now," continued Mr. Sanders as he arose from his seat, "I understandthat you boys have lost an automobile."
"We didn't lose it," exclaimed George; "it was stolen."
"It seems to me," said Mr. Sanders, "that if you had an automobile andhaven't one now you must have lost it, whatever the way in which itdisappeared."