The Minute Boys of York Town

by James Otis

  CHAPTER II

  SILVER HEELS

  It was for a moment as if I could scarcely credit my senses. The ideathat any one, even those belonging to the plantation, should bestride myown colt, my little Silver Heels, as I had named her!

  She had been given to me when a baby, and no hand save mine had touchedher, except when some of the negroes would rub her coat to silkenglossiness in order to curry favor with me. Now she was being ridden androughly handled by a red-faced private of Simcoe's Queen's Rangers!

  When my surprise had given way to anger, which it did within a very fewseconds, I would have run swiftly forward, claiming my own Silver Heels,and defying, if needs be, all that company of red-coats, for the rage inmy heart was so great that I had no thought of prudence nor of myinability to cope even with a single one of those Rangers; but thatPierre, seizing me firmly by the arm, actually dragged me amid thefoliage where we might be screened from view, for the men--the thieves,I should say, were by this time riding directly toward us.

  "Have you lost your wits entirely?" Pierre whispered angrily, andforgetting to shrug his shoulders. "Of what avail for you to demand yourSilver Heels when the king's officers would have her for their own? Doyou count on being carried to the guard-house at York Town as amalcontent, or even worse, a dangerous rebel?"

  "I care not where they carry me, so I take Silver Heels from yon brutethat is bestride her!"

  "And how will you take her?" little Frenchie whispered, this timeshrugging his shoulders and waving his hands, I having so far obeyed himas to be standing by his side beneath the shelter of leaves. "Do youfancy that after Colonel Simcoe's men have seized a likely lot ofhorse-flesh, a lad such as you may wrest from them their spoils?"

  "But Silver Heels is my own, my very own! No one, not even the kinghimself, has the right to take her!" I cried in my folly.

  "But some one has taken her, and he is stronger than you, my friendFitz," Pierre said, stroking the sleeve of my coat as he would the backof an angry cat. "It is no less than Colonel Simcoe of the Queen'sRangers, a trusted officer of my Lord Cornwallis, who thus gathers inmounts for his men that they may the better punish the rebels ofVirginia, among whom may be counted your father, and even you, lad,since you are pleased to call yourself a Minute Boy. Will you not listento reason?" little Frenchie continued in a coaxing tone. "Did you notsee Horry Sims talking with these very men, and pointing in thedirection of the Hamilton plantation? Do you not know he was tellingthem that a rank rebel owned the place--one whose stables were filledwith the best horse-flesh in Virginia? Before those men took your SilverHeels they knew right well to what plantation she belonged, and eventhough you had had by your side a dozen neighbors and friends, theresult would have been the same. Now what would it avail that youshould pour out your unreasoning wrath? Simply to the end that theymight abuse, or, perhaps, imprison?"

  Even before Pierre had ceased speaking did I come to understand howuseless it would be for me to make any attempt at taking poor littleSilver Heels from those who had stolen her, and I crouched yet furtheramong the foliage as the horsemen approached, for there had come into mymind on the instant a certain thought, call it plan if you will, thecarrying out of which depended upon holding myself free.

  Then, like a great wave upon the seashore, there flowed into my heartthe memory that it was Horry Sims who had directed these men where togo--Horry Sims who had ever envied me the possession of Silver Heels,and who, most like knowing that these red-coated minions of the kingwere looking for horse-flesh, pointed out the Hamilton plantation,counting that I would lose my colt. He, the son of the rankest Tory inVirginia, without cause for enmity against me, had laid train for thecruelest blow that could be struck at my heart!

  During all this while Saul had not spoken; but now it was, even as thehorsemen were well abreast our hiding place, he turned fiercely upon me,clutching both shoulders of my coat as if I were an enemy whom he wouldbring face to face with himself, and whispered in hoarse anger:

  "It is well you formed your company of Minute Boys just as you did, FitzHamilton, for now has come the time when they shall see service! Are we,simply because of being lads, to remain idle while our own horses arebeing stolen?"

  On the instant my heart went out in sympathy to Saul, for I knew fullwell that he loved his mare even as I did my own colt Silver Heels, and,harking back to the thought which had come into my mind a few secondsbefore, I said to him stoutly, shaking my fist in the direction of thatpopinjay of an officer who was riding so proudly in advance of his squadof thieves:

  "We will make them pay for this day's work, Saul Ogden, and while we arecasting up the reckoning with those who wear red coats, there is one notfar away who must also be held accountable for that which has just beendone!"

  "Meaning Horry Sims!" Saul cried, actually trembling in his impotentrage.

  "Meaning that worse than Tory, for it was with no idea of serving theking, or aiding the king's cause, that the miserable scoundrel pointedout to those horse thieves where your mare and my colt might be found!"

  "He shall have cause to regret that he saw this day's sun rise," Saulsaid in a low tone, his voice aquiver with anger, and then, the horsemenhaving passed, he stepped out into the road, turning his face towardYork Town.

  "Where would you go?" Pierre cried excitedly, following the lad to seizehim by the skirt of his coat. "Would you venture into the Britishencampment at a time when your heart is so filled with anger that it isnot possible you could hold it in check?"

  "Ay, that is exactly where I count on going. You need have no fear,Pierre Laurens, that I shall do aught which may deprive me of myliberty, for I will hold myself in the presence of those who wear redcoats as gentle as any dame in silken skirts, until I have got back mymare, or shot her with my own hand to spare the poor creature the abusethat would come from such handling! If, however, in the meanwhile Ishould come across Horry Sims where were none of his kidney who couldfall upon me with too great force, then is it certain you would seewhether a Minute Boy, and of late I'm beginning to be proud of thattitle--you would see whether a Virginian, a member of a company ofMinute Boys, even though they number only three, could do anythingtoward paying off his just and lawful debts."

  To have argued with Saul at that time would have been worse thanuseless, as I knew full well, for when the cloud of anger was upon himhe would not listen to prayers or to arguments, and in good truth I wasmore than willing he should go his way, counting to make it my own, forat that time I believe it would have been actually impossible for me tohave turned my back on poor little Silver Heels, even though by goinginto the British encampment at York Town I could do her no good.

  Pierre soon realized that he could not hope to turn Saul from the pathhe had set out on, and he showed himself the dear little comrade I haveever since known him to be, by ranging alongside first of Saul and thenof me as we went in single file, knowing full well that we mightencounter great danger, and yet holding himself ready to bear full shareof it.

  We were not in the mood for conversation, Saul and I, as we pressedforward on the way to York Town, giving no heed to anything around us,and little Frenchie soon came to understand this, for after striving tospeak first with one and then the other in a friendly fashion andreceiving no reply, he held his peace, but now and again taking us bythe hand as if to show his friendliness and loyalty to his friendships.

  I was burning with the desire to come up with Horry Sims, who it wasreasonable to believe had gone into the town of York and to that endquickened my pace, although knowing full well it was best I did notspeak with the viper that day.

  There was yet before us, if we both lived, plenty of time in which tosettle the debt, and if I attempted to wipe off the score before havingdone that which was in my mind, then might it be that I sacrificedSilver Heels herself simply to gratify my desire for revenge.

  That which I had in my mind! It was as wild a scheme as ever entered aboy's brain, I am willing to confess, and yet it was neither more nor
less than the following of poor little Silver Heels until I could seewhere she was quartered, after which, devoting all my time and my energyto her rescue, for it was to me almost as if she was a human being inthe hands of a vengeful enemy.

  All this may seem wild or witless when spoken by a lad of fifteen, but Ihad the will and determination of a man who had grown grey-headed, andknew that I lacked not the courage once my anger had been aroused.

  In cold blood I could be as timorous as any girl; but once the fever ofrage beset me, I lost sight of all the odds that might be against me,which, mayhap, is much the same as saying that at heart I was a coward,and when I showed any token of bravery, if indeed I ever did, it was themadness of anger, rather than true courage.

  Be that as it may, I am not more disposed at this day to discuss such aquestion than I was on that morning when, with the blood seeminglyboiling in my veins, I trod on the heels of Saul as we plodded our waytoward York Town in moody, angry silence, while little Frenchie ran bythe side of first one and then the other, mutely striving to show thewealth of friendship which was in his heart.

  It was well for us that the miles were long and reasonably many on theroad to the town of York, else might we have blundered into the Britishencampment to our sorrow, for we had no plan save that of following ourhorses, and it was not until we were come within sight of the village,having met neither man, woman nor child on our way, that Pierre said,shrugging his shoulders and waving his hands as he ran swiftly ahead toturn and face us:

  "Are you members of the Minute-Boy company intent on blundering into thevery midst of our Lord Cornwallis's army without knowing what it is youcount on doing?"

  "We count on finding our horses!" Saul exclaimed, sturdily striving topush little Frenchie aside, but failing because the lad stood firm.

  "Ay, that is your desire, my dear friend; but tell me how you wouldcompass it? By pressing on in sulky fashion and telling every red-coatedsoldier you meet that you are here to force the British troops intogiving up your property?"

  Both Saul and I came to a sudden halt, astonished by the quick change inPierre's manner, for now his voice was filled with scorn, and one mighthave said he was chiding us as an elder chides a child.

  "There is little need of telling why we have come," I replied,impatient because the lad would thus delay us. "Surely we may wander atwill through the town of York."

  "In New Orleans I have been among soldiers who were encamped and did notfind it possible to wander at will," Pierre said, again shrugging hisshoulders in that peculiar manner which set my nerves atingling. "Itwill be strange indeed if my Lord Cornwallis allows the rabble to enterhis lines at pleasure."

  "Rabble?" Saul cried in anger. "Do you call us of Hamilton plantation arabble?"

  "I am not the one who would thus misname you," and Pierre held out hishands deprecatingly; "but unless I am much mistaken in these red-coatedfollowers of the king, they will give even worse names to those who aresuspected of being friendly to the Cause which the colonists have thusfar upheld so nobly. It might be, mayhap, that if you were of the rabbleyou would be permitted to enter the enemy's lines simply because of yourcuriosity; but I doubt me much whether a Minute Boy would be allowed toinspect the encampment lest he give information to General Lafayette."

  "We are not known as Minute Boys!" Saul cried fiercely, striving to wavePierre aside, but the little Frenchie held his ground as he said with apeculiar laugh:

  "Ay, but you are known as worse, my lad; you are known as coming fromthe Hamilton plantation--from a place which General Cornwallis andColonel Simcoe have set down as a nest of rebels, otherwise they wouldnot have made such a wholesale seizure of horse-flesh without havinggiven some notice. Once let you be recognized, and I question whetheryou may not have some trouble to return at will."

  "Who knows--" Saul began, and then stopped abruptly because, as Iunderstood full well, he realized that Horry Sims was somewherenearabout York Town, perhaps within the British encampment, and he musthave stood fairly well with a certain portion of Simcoe's Rangers aftergiving such information as he did concerning the Hamilton plantation.

  If we were seen loitering about the works, it was certain Horry wouldpoint us out as having a leaning toward the Cause. As much as this lastdid he know for a fact, because many a time since General Cornwallis hadcome into Virginia had we lads discussed the situation, when neitherSaul nor I were backward in saying that it would give us greatestpleasure if we were of age to be taken into the ranks of the Americanarmy as soldiers.

  "Perhaps you who have seen so much of military encampments can tell uswhat we ought to do," Saul said sneeringly, and a deep flush came overPierre's face as he understood the meaning of my cousin's tone; but likethe true little comrade that he was, he gave due heed to the grief inSaul's heart and seemingly paid no attention to the sneer, as he repliedin a friendly tone:

  "I am not setting myself up as having more of wisdom than either you orFitz; but I truly believe it is within my power to give good advice totwo lads who are yet so angry as to have lost sight of prudence. Youhave due reason to believe that Horry Sims, who has already this morningdone you grievous wrong, is in York Town, and if there was enough ofvileness in his heart for him to point out to those soldiers of theking your horses that he might strike a heavy blow, then would he do yetworse on seeing you within the encampment. I have never met the lad butonce. He has no cause for enmity against me; I am so poor in thisworld's goods that it is beyond his power to deprive me of anything saveliberty, and on seeing me alone I dare venture to say he would have nothought that I might have been your comrade this morning; but--"

  "Yet he knows that you and your mother are guests at the Hamiltonplantation," Saul added sharply.

  "My mother and I are French, who have lately come from New Orleans, andhe can not point us out as having said a word of disrespect against theking."

  For my part it was needless for Pierre to argue. I had come tounderstand before he was done with speaking that it would be better forhim to reconnoitre the ground; that he could learn as much, if not more,than the three of us, meanwhile running comparatively no risk, and whenSaul would have argued I cried out impatiently:

  "Can you not see that it is better Pierre go alone? Do you not realizethat, however eager we may be, it is not possible we could gainpossession of the horses within any very short time, and all we areneeding now is to know where they are quartered? Let Pierre do as hesuggests, and learn so much as he can. Then, when we are minded toventure our heads within the lion's jaws, it will seemingly be the firstvisit to the town of York instead of the second. Thereby shall we standless risk of being suspected of an intent to do harm."

  Saul soon gave way, although he was burning to venture so far as mightbe possible inside the British lines, because running into real dangerwas as a balm to his heart while he yet smarted under the loss of hismare.

  Therefore it was I told little Frenchie to go his way, taking due careto his own safety, and endeavor to find out where the stolen horses hadbeen quartered, pressing upon him, although there was no necessity of sodoing, that we were more eager to learn where Silver Heels and Saul'smare were, than to know the whereabouts of the other horses.

  "And do you poor lads believe it may be possible for you to wrest fromthe grasp of these red-coated soldiers that which they have laid handsupon?" Pierre asked in a tone of sadness, and I replied, striving invain to repress the tone of irritation:

  "We shall at least make an attempt, Pierre Laurens, even though there islittle hope of success. I could not find it in my heart to remain idlewhile Silver Heels is in the possession of a Britisher, no matter howmuch of danger I might be sticking my nose into. Now go, and if so beyour visit is vain, then will I take the chances myself, although I havecome to believe with you, that Saul and I should not be seen loiteringaround the village this morning of all others, because it would easilybe guessed why we had come."

  Pierre made as if to speak, and then, most like realizing theuselessness of
attempting, while we were in such angry frame of mind, tocombat any plans we had formed, he turned on his heel and strode off inthe direction of the town from whence we could hear now and then thebeating of drums, the hum of voices, and noises which betokened thedigging up of earth.

  Saul had thrown himself face downward amid the bushes, striving, as Iunderstood from the pain in my own heart, to prevent giving noisy tokento his grief, and I was in no mood to exchange words with him, thereforewe two lads lay concealed by the side of the road, giving no heed towhat might happen to our disadvantage; but dwelling only upon the losswhich had come to us.

  To some it may seem veriest folly that we should so mourn over the lossof our horses; but let him who laughs once have companionship with sucha colt as Silver Heels, as I have had, and then if he can have mirth inhis heart when she has been taken away from him, most like to be abusedas are horses in the army, then will I say that he has not within himthe instincts of a true man.

  Silver Heels had come to know me as I knew her; at my faintest call shewould gallop to my side however tempting the grass when she was hungry,and no dumb animal could have given greater proof of joy at being withme, than did she time and time again when we scampered here or there,bent only on pleasure.

  I could not have said how long little Frenchie remained absent, forneither Saul nor I took heed to the passage of time as we lay there amidthe foliage eating our hearts out with sorrow.

  Certain it is, however, that the afternoon was well spent before we sawhim coming up the road, and our surprise can well be imagined when welearned that he had with him as companion none other than Horry Sims.

  "He has taken up with that snake of a Tory brood simply because ofbelieving that those on the Sims plantation stand higher in favor withthe red-coated soldiers than do we of the Hamilton plantation!" Saulcried angrily, and so incautiously loud that I pressed my hand over hismouth as I whispered in reproof:

  "You have no right, Saul Ogden, to cast aught of discredit upon Pierre,even though you have known him so short a time. He has shown himself agood friend, and, to my satisfaction at least, has proved that he wouldnot turn traitor, more especially when it might be simply to his ownadvantage."

  Now little Frenchie knew full well where he had left us by the roadside,for I saw him mark the dead cottonwood tree 'neath the foot of which wewere lying, and yet he went on his way past us, giving no heed, buttalking busily, and, as it seemed, interestedly with Horry Sims.

  I must admit that just for the instant there came into my heart a greatfear lest that which Saul had said might be true, and then I thrust itfrom me, saying in my mind that I would not so wrong a lad who had allthe marks of gentlemanly breeding. Surely, even though he might at someother time be willing to play us false, he would not do so while we werein such deep sorrow.

  "If he is playing fair with us, why should he at this minute be hand inglove with that Tory scoundrel?" Saul whispered hoarsely, as he sat upto gaze after the two who were walking rapidly down the road in thedirection of our home. "Why did he not have speech with us? Surely heknows where we are."

  "To have spoken when he passed would have been to tell Horry Sims thatwe were lying in hiding while he went into York Town to pick up suchinformation as might be possible. The chances are the lad met the youngTory--came across him by accident, of course, and could do no less thanshow a friendly front, unless he was minded to much the same as tell himwe were counting on making reprisals because of the loss of our horses."

  Although this was the reasonable, and, to my mind, the only explanationof little Frenchie's behavior, Saul would not at first admit it; butinsisted that there must be treachery somewhere else than in HorrySims's heart, and thus he argued until I verily believe he convincedhimself that our little comrade from New Orleans could have done nodifferent. Then came the question as to whether we should remain wherewe were, or start homeward, for now it was too late for us to make anyventure into the town of York even though we had been so minded.

  Saul was for pushing on hurriedly, and, overtaking the young Tory, floghim within an inch of his life. It was all I could do to hold him backsufficiently long to repeat again and again that a flogging was all toopoor a punishment for the crime he had committed, and that if we shouldlay hand against him now we might, and very likely would, put astumbling block in our way, for until the moment came when we couldrepay the debt in full, it was absolutely necessary we seem to holdourselves friendly with this fellow who had dealt us such a cruel blow.

  I forced Saul to listen to me so long that it would have been useless toset out in pursuit, and after that again came the question as to whetherwe ought to go on our way homeward, or wait where we were.

  It was fortunate we spent so much time in such discussion; fortunatethat Saul differed from me as to what we had best do, for while we laythere disputing we heard a crashing of the underbrush where the growthwas thick, and a moment later little Frenchie, looking heated and sonearly breathless that for a full minute he could not speak so we mightunderstand, came into view.

  Panting, and with the perspiration streaming down his face, he threwhimself headlong on the ground beside me, breathing like one who hadbeen running a race, until it was possible to have control over hisvoice, when he said hurriedly, as if eager we should understand all thereasons for his movements without loss of time:

  "I was forced to go a certain distance with that young villain, elsewould he have mistrusted that you might be near about."

  "How did you get rid of him?" I asked. "Why might he not suspectsomething when you broke away instead of continuing on so far as hishome, which lay directly in your path, if you were heading for theHamilton plantation?"

  "I made out that I knew of a short way through the woods, which wouldtake me directly out of his path, and when we were come to that trailwhich leads off toward the York river I left him, although he wasmightily surprised at hearing that such a course would bring me to yourhome more directly than if I continued on the road."

  "Where did you pick him up?" Saul asked impatiently. "Why did you wastetime on the scoundrel? It would seem to me that after all he has doneit was your business to flog, rather than make friends with him."

  By this time Pierre had so far recovered his breath that it was possiblefor him to speak distinctly, and without undue effort. Rising to hisfeet and shrugging his shoulders as he spread his hands palm outward, hesaid in his mild voice, and with that peculiar accent:

  "To have done so, my friend, would have been to show myself an enemy toyou. While I was striving to make my way inside the British lines,pretending that I was simply bent on curiosity, he came up, seeminglyhaving a right of way everywhere within the encampment, and when hegreeted me civilly, evidently wondering why I was there alone, I coulddo no less than treat him as I would have done yesterday, in the hopethat something might drop from his lips which would aid me in mysearch."

  "And did it?" I asked eagerly, for now I began to understand that bybearing himself friendly toward Horry Sims, Pierre had succeeded whereotherwise the chances were he must have failed.

  "Indeed it did," the lad said in a tone of triumph. "It was far betterthan if I had indulged in a game of fisticuffs with him, because hisred-coated friends would speedily have come to his relief."

  "What did you learn?" Saul demanded fiercely.

  "Where your mare and Fitzroy's Silver Heels are stabled," was the quietreply, whereupon I sprang up as if within my body was a stout steelspring which had lately been released.

  "You learned where they were stabled?" I cried excitedly.

  "Ay, that I did," Pierre replied with a shrug of the shoulders, "andwithout any great labor, for Horry Sims led me at once, and meeting withno interference from the soldiers, to where all the horses which hadbeen taken from the Hamilton plantation were quartered, showing them tome as if it caused him great pain in the heart because such an injuryhad been done a neighbor."

  "What did he say about it?" Saul demanded.

  "He told m
e that he was walking along bent only on coming into that townof York in order to see the British encampment, when a squad of Rangersrode past him leading your mare and Fitzroy's Silver Heels. Then I askedif he had no suspicion such a thing might have been thought upon by theBritishers, and he replied that until he was come this time to York Townhe had never seen the Rangers. In fact, had not believed they were withmy Lord Cornwallis's army, all of which went to prove that he, thesnakey Tory, told the red-coated soldiers where they might find thelargest and best supply of saddle beasts."

  "Did he explain how it chanced he could wander at will inside theencampment, and also take with him a companion?" I asked.

  "He told me he had come upon a lieutenant of Tarleton's Legion, who,when Cornwallis was in James Town, had been quartered at the Simsplantation, and that this officer had made the way plain for him, sayinghe might visit the encampment at will."

  If there had been any question in our minds up to this time as to theguilt of Horry Sims, no doubt now remained. We knew, because of havingseen the scoundrel, that he had had speech with Simcoe's Rangers beforethe horses were seized, and his story that one of Tarleton's officershad been quartered at the Sims plantation during Cornwallis's short stayin James Town I knew to be absolutely false. He had played the traitordeliberately, and as the price of his treachery gained admission to theencampment, most like vouched for by the officer who had met him on theroad that morning.

  "The hope is," Pierre said after a short pause and with thatindescribable gesture, "that the Tory Horry will not suspect I took thetrail to York river for any other purpose than that of gaining theHamilton plantation as quickly as might be."

  "Why?" I asked.

  "Because it is not well he should know I have been in your company thisday, else he might suspect that we know of his treachery. It is in mymind that we must keep him to the belief that we know nothing whatsoeverconcerning his misdeeds of this day."

  "But how can we come at the scoundrel save he does know that samething?" Saul cried, he ever being hot-headed and not inclined to listento any plans or arguments when he was burning for revenge, or excited bythe desire for pleasure.

  "I have in mind," Pierre said, waving his hands in that odd fashion,"that which I believe will give the Tory lad into our keeping, where wemay do by him without fear of interference--"

  "What is it?" I asked eagerly, for all that time we had been awaitingthe lad's return from the town of York I had turned over and over in mymind without avail, plans for laying the Tory villain by the heels.

  "It may not be that I shall explain everything now," little Frenchiesaid as he shrugged his shoulders, "and for the very reason that it isnot as yet plain in my own mind. I have a plan which, if it can beworked out, will not only give him to our hands; but also gainpossession of at least the mare and Silver Heels despite the fact thatthey are within the British encampment."