CHAPTER XXI
THE RIDE WITH THE LIEUTENANT
TOM COWARD followed young Lieutenant Gordon as he led the way to thepost to which Friend Nathan had tied the steed, and then stopped and fora moment gazed ruefully at the beast. His friend's good-natured laughbroke forth again as he beheld Tom's evident hesitancy about mounting tothe back of the animal; and surely to a boy who had been accustomed toride the colts in Benzeor's pastures without saddle or bridle, and dashabout the lots in sheer delight at the antics and efforts of theunbroken steeds to dislodge their rider, there was not much to inspireor impress him in the sight of the broken-winded beast which Nathan hadprovided. Even the horse himself appeared to be conscious of hisdegradation, and stood motionless and with hanging head, as if he, too,would protest against any warlike efforts on his part.
"I've only one request to make, Nathan," said the lieutenant. "I'm sureyou will not object to it, but I think I'd better make it before westart."
"What is thy request?" said the Quaker.
"If General Washington once sees that horse, he'll want it for himself.You'll not object, will you, to his use of it?"
"Nay. I think not that George Washington will care for this beast ofmine," protested Nathan soberly, and apparently not suspecting that theyoung officer was poking fun at him. "Still, he may be able to make himof some use. Thee will not forget to see that I am suitably rewarded?"
"Never fear as to that, though I doubt not my friend Tom here will be ofthe opinion that you ought to pay him handsomely for the pain he willsuffer after he has ridden your beast a few miles. That is, if the horsecan go as far as that."
"Thy heart may rest easy as to that. He may limp when he first starts,but as soon as his joints are warmed he will do thy service."
"We'll warm his joints, then," laughed the lieutenant. "You might bewarming him up now, Tom," he added, turning to his companion, "while I'mgetting my horse ready. He's in the barn, and I'll join you in a minuteor two."
In a brief time the officer returned, but his steed was showing theevidences of his recent hard work, and Nathan's eyes twinkled withsatisfaction at the sight, for his own horse, perhaps, might not then beat such a disadvantage, and the prospect of a "suitable" reward becamemore promising.
The young men quickly mounted, and, after thanking their host in asubstantial manner for his hospitality, started down the long lane whichled to the road beyond. Tom's horse limped painfully and caused nolittle delight to young Gordon, who again and again laughed aloud andoffered all manner of suggestions to the lad concerning the impressionhe would create when the army should discover his approach.
At times Tom thought of dismounting and, turning the horse loose in theroad, strive to make his own way on foot; but the creaking joints of thepoor beast seemed to find relief with action, and the young riders hadnot gone far on their way before, to the surprise of both, Nathan'ssteed was proving his ability to keep up with the lieutenant's horse,which evidently had been overridden and was in no condition for a hardride.
But, with the discovery of the service which Tom's horse might render,all the disposition to regard their journey lightly departed from theriders, and the serious nature of their undertaking rendered both ofthem silent. The American army could not be far distant now, but betweenthem and it all the dangers had not disappeared. The visit of theBritish band at the home of Nathan Brown had indicated that otherparties might be in the region on similar errands; but Tom was notthinking of these possibilities so much as was the young officer who wasriding by his side.
Tom's meditations were mostly concerning the American army. For monthshis strongest desire had been to join it, and now that the time had comewhen his desires were likely to be satisfied, he discovered that much ofhis eagerness was gone. Not that he had any thought of turning back, butthe proximity of the two armies clearly indicated that a meeting betweenthe forces was not improbable, and Tom's thoughts were largely of that.The glamour was all gone now, and the serious nature of his undertakingwas uppermost in his mind. The silence also of his companion did nottend to allay his fears, but the lad did not refer to them, and wasdoing his utmost to make his horse keep up the pace at which he wasgoing.
"Whew! This is a warm morning! Let's give our horses a drink and arest," said the lieutenant at last, as he turned into a little brookthat crossed the road.
Tom followed his example, and the dripping horses thrust their headsdeep into the water. The sun had now appeared and the beams fell full ontheir faces. The air was motionless, and even at that early hour was inplaces quivering under the heat of the summer sun. The very birds weresilent, while high overhead the heavens were like brass. On the horizonmasses of dark clouds were piled, and a low, deep rumble startled boththe young riders.
"Was that a cannon, or was it thunder?" inquired Tom quickly.
"Thunder. We may hear the cannon before long, though."
"Why don't we start on, then? The sooner we gain the army the better. Wedon't want to be caught in here between them." Tom spoke anxiously, andhis fear was as apparent in the expression upon his face as in hiswords.
"We've got to give our horses a bit of a rest. Mine has been going hardall night, and yours won't be able to go far in such heat as this. We'llhave to be careful of their strength, or we shall be worse off than weare now."
"Have you been out all night? What have you been doing?"
"Finding out what Clinton is up to. When I was talking with Nathan Iknew all the time more about it than he did."
"Did you find out?" said Tom eagerly. "What are the redcoats doing now?"
"Pretty much the same thing they've been doing right along. They'remaking a change in the direction they're going, unless I'm greatlymistaken. And then, too, they've done something else which doesn'tpromise very well."
"What's that?"
"They've drawn all their stronger forces into the rear guard and sent onthe Hessians with the baggage train in front, for one thing."
"Why do you suppose they have done that?"
"Oh, they've an idea, I fancy, that we're going to try to take theirsupplies. They'll find out, though, that we're after men more than weare after their baggage wagons. However, that explains the change inthe direction of their march, if I'm not greatly mistaken. They've putthe Hessians in front and the best men behind."
"I wish they had left the Dutch butchers there!" said Tom impulsively."I hate the Hessians. I hate the very name and sight of them! Think ofit! A lot of men just hired to come over here and shoot and kill andsteal! I wish they had been left where they were, that is, if GeneralWashington is ready for them!"
"I think you'll find him ready when the time comes," remarked thelieutenant quietly. "But about the Hessians. I don't like them anybetter than you do, but somehow I can't bring myself to feel about it assome of the men do. I can't see that they're to be blamed for beingbrought over here, or even being engaged in such work as they're doing;and I know more about that than you do, too. The ones who are the worstare not those who have come over here, but those who have sent them.Just think of a petty little prince, or king, being able to hire out alot of his own subjects to pay off his own debts with! These men feeljust the same as you or I would, I have thought. They have wives andmothers and children, and yet they have to leave them all and come overhere and be marks for our bullets, whether they want to be or not. Theyjust haven't anything to say about it. They're told to come and comethey must, though there won't be so many to go back as came over, I'mthinking. At least, I'm going to do all I can to thin out their ranks,though I feel sorry for the poor fellows all of the time."
This was a new way of looking at the hated "Dutch butchers," at least itwas entirely new to Tom Coward. He had heard only the expressions ofrage among the colonists which their coming had aroused, and theirstrange words and brutal acts had never received much mercy in thejudgment which he had heard passed upon them by his acquaintances.
The anger of the patriots, perhaps, was but natural; but the employmento
f the Hessians has not furnished the only instance in history where thefirst and most apparent view has not always been the most correct one.Indeed, it frequently happens that the troubles between men, to saynothing of boys, arises from a misunderstanding; and it is the part ofwisdom, as well as of justice, to look below the surface and try todiscover the true conditions.
"Then the British are to be blamed, if what you say is true," said Tom,after a brief silence. "They are the ones at the bottom of it all."
"Yes, the British are the ones who are most to be blamed. But eventhere, Tom, if I'm correctly informed, it's the leaders and not thepeople. The way I understand it is that the rank and file of the commonpeople in England are opposed to this war, and would put a stop to it ina moment if they could."
"If they could?" repeated Tom. "I don't understand what you mean."
"Just what I say. The very best people in England have, from the verybeginning of this war, been opposed to the taxes, the use of theIndians, and the hiring of these Hessians. It's the king and Lord Northand a few others of the pig-headed fellows who are doing it all. Tom, myfather and my mother both came from England. As far back as I canremember they have told me stories of our old home and of the friends wehave over there. Why, do you know it's been the dream of my life to goover there some day, and meet some of my cousins and see the placewhere my father and mother were born."
"I didn't know you were a tory," said Tom slowly.
"Tory? I haven't a drop of tory blood in my veins, and hope I nevershall have."
"But--but--you talk like one."
"Is it tory talk for me to say I don't blame the Hessians for comingover here, but those who hired them and sent them? Is it tory talk forme to say I love to think of the place where my father and mother wereborn, and that I should be glad to look into the faces of those who bearthe same name I do, and who have some of the same kind of blood in theirveins? Is it tory talk for me to say that I'm proud of what Old Englandhas done, or rather of many things she has done, from the days ofWilliam the Conqueror until now? And that belongs to me as much as itdoes to them, for my own grandfather was one of the bravest men in thewhole British army! This war is like one between brothers, and it's allthe more wicked on that account. And it's worse yet, because the most ofthe Englishmen are not in favor of it at all."
"I don't just see why you don't fight with the redcoats, instead ofagainst them, then."
"Because this is my home and this is my country, and because the kingand his court aren't fit to govern cannibals, to say nothing of men. No,sir, it's just because I do believe in all I've said that I'm fightingfor my country and shall till the war is ended--which I hope will besoon!"
"And would you shoot a redcoat or a Dutch butcher?"
"Every time! It was a sad thing that the war had to come, but as come itdid, it would be sadder still not to do everything in our power now tocarry it through. I'm sorry for the Hessians, but I'd shoot every one ofthem if I could do it. I'm sorry for the redcoats, and I know they arenot to be blamed, or at least some of them are not, but I'd mow themdown now, every one of them, as I'd cut the grass in haying-time. Fight?Why, my lad, I'm in this war from the crown of my head to the sole of myfoot! And I wouldn't stop till the redcoats cry 'enough,' or we drivethem right into the Atlantic ocean, the way Parson Tennent used to tellabout the pigs in Gadara being chased by the devils right into the sea.Not that I think the ones who are doing the chasing are in any wayconnected with the swine drivers in the parson's story," he added,laughing lightly as he spoke. "But we must be going. Our horses arerested now, and we'll be running into a thunder-storm before we see theContinentals, if we don't look out."
The ride was quickly resumed, but Tom Coward was silent and sadlypuzzled to account for his friend's words. Apparently, he wasenthusiastic in his devotion to the cause of the patriots, but he hadnever heard any one talk in that manner before. His friends andneighbors were all hard and bitter, and the bitterness seemed toincrease as the war continued. But here was his friend, fighting withall the devotion of his heart, and yet not blaming the very men he wastrying hard to conquer for the part they were taking in the war.
It seemed to him all strange, and while he was deeply impressed by manyof the words of the enthusiastic young lieutenant, his own feelings wereof a very decidedly different character. For a half hour they rodeforward as swiftly as their steeds could carry them, but the heavyclouds had meanwhile been climbing higher in the heavens, and themutterings of the thunder had now become deeper and heavier.
"We'll put into that barn ahead there, and wait for the storm to pass,"said the lieutenant, pointing as he spoke to a rude barn by theroadside.
As the rain was now falling, Tom was glad to follow the advice, and in afew moments they approached the open door. They had not dismounted whena strangely clad being stepped forth from the barn and shouted:--
"Halt, will yez? I'll be after havin' yez give an account of yerselves,that I will."
Tom glanced up in fear and surprise, and the sight before him did nottend to allay his alarm. The soldier presented a gun, but was its bearera man or woman? A long petticoat certainly looked like the garb of awoman, but the soldier also was clad in an artilleryman's coat, while acocked hat and feathers crowned the head of the strange being.
Tall, broad-shouldered, and with a voice that was gruff and deep, thestrangely clad soldier bore but slight resemblance to a woman, thoughthe dress certainly seemed to proclaim the sex of the speaker.
The rain was now falling in torrents and Tom was drenched in a moment;but in the brief silence which followed the demand of the soldier, hecould not determine what course his companion would decide to follow.
Boys of Old Monmouth: A Story of Washington's Campaign in New Jersey in 1778 Page 21