The Minute Boys of York Town. Otis James
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the skirt of his coat. "Would you venture into the British encampment at a time when your heart is so filled with anger that it is not 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 my liberty, for I will hold myself in the presence of those who wear red coats as gentle as any dame in silken skirts, until I have got back my mare, or shot her with my own hand to spare the poor creature the abuse that would come from such handling! If, however, in the meanwhile I should come across Horry Sims where were none of his kidney who could fall upon me with too great force, then is it certain you would see whether a Minute Boy, and of late I'm beginning to be proud of that title – you would see whether a Virginian, a member of a company of Minute Boys, even though they number only three, could do anything toward paying off his just and lawful debts."
To have argued with Saul at that time would have been worse than useless, as I knew full well, for when the cloud of anger was upon him he would not listen to prayers or to arguments, and in good truth I was more than willing he should go his way, counting to make it my own, for at that time I believe it would have been actually impossible for me to have turned my back on poor little Silver Heels, even though by going into 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 path he had set out on, and he showed himself the dear little comrade I have ever since known him to be, by ranging alongside first of Saul and then of me as we went in single file, knowing full well that we might encounter great danger, and yet holding himself ready to bear full share of it.
We were not in the mood for conversation, Saul and I, as we pressed forward on the way to York Town, giving no heed to anything around us, and little Frenchie soon came to understand this, for after striving to speak first with one and then the other in a friendly fashion and receiving no reply, he held his peace, but now and again taking us by the 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 was reasonable to believe had gone into the town of York and to that end quickened my pace, although knowing full well it was best I did not speak with the viper that day.
There was yet before us, if we both lived, plenty of time in which to settle the debt, and if I attempted to wipe off the score before having done that which was in my mind, then might it be that I sacrificed Silver 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 a boy'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 see where she was quartered, after which, devoting all my time and my energy to her rescue, for it was to me almost as if she was a human being in the hands of a vengeful enemy.
All this may seem wild or witless when spoken by a lad of fifteen, but I had the will and determination of a man who had grown grey-headed, and knew 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 of rage 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 the madness of anger, rather than true courage.
Be that as it may, I am not more disposed at this day to discuss such a question than I was on that morning when, with the blood seemingly boiling in my veins, I trod on the heels of Saul as we plodded our way toward York Town in moody, angry silence, while little Frenchie ran by the side of first one and then the other, mutely striving to show the wealth of friendship which was in his heart.
It was well for us that the miles were long and reasonably many on the road to the town of York, else might we have blundered into the British encampment to our sorrow, for we had no plan save that of following our horses, 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 to turn and face us:
"Are you members of the Minute-Boy company intent on blundering into the very midst of our Lord Cornwallis's army without knowing what it is you count on doing?"
"We count on finding our horses!" Saul exclaimed, sturdily striving to push little Frenchie aside, but failing because the lad stood firm.
"Ay, that is your desire, my dear friend; but tell me how you would compass it? By pressing on in sulky fashion and telling every red-coated soldier you meet that you are here to force the British troops into giving up your property?"
Both Saul and I came to a sudden halt, astonished by the quick change in Pierre's manner, for now his voice was filled with scorn, and one might have 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 at will through the town of York."
"In New Orleans I have been among soldiers who were encamped and did not find it possible to wander at will," Pierre said, again shrugging his shoulders in that peculiar manner which set my nerves atingling. "It will be strange indeed if my Lord Cornwallis allows the rabble to enter his lines at pleasure."
"Rabble?" Saul cried in anger. "Do you call us of Hamilton plantation a rabble?"
"I am not the one who would thus misname you," and Pierre held out his hands deprecatingly; "but unless I am much mistaken in these red-coated followers of the king, they will give even worse names to those who are suspected of being friendly to the Cause which the colonists have thus far upheld so nobly. It might be, mayhap, that if you were of the rabble you would be permitted to enter the enemy's lines simply because of your curiosity; but I doubt me much whether a Minute Boy would be allowed to inspect the encampment lest he give information to General Lafayette."
"We are not known as Minute Boys!" Saul cried fiercely, striving to wave Pierre aside, but the little Frenchie held his ground as he said with a peculiar laugh:
"Ay, but you are known as worse, my lad; you are known as coming from the Hamilton plantation – from a place which General Cornwallis and Colonel Simcoe have set down as a nest of rebels, otherwise they would not have made such a wholesale seizure of horse-flesh without having given some notice. Once let you be recognized, and I question whether you may not have some trouble to return at will."
"Who knows – " Saul began, and then stopped abruptly because, as I understood full well, he realized that Horry Sims was somewhere nearabout York Town, perhaps within the British encampment, and he must have stood fairly well with a certain portion of Simcoe's Rangers after giving such information as he did concerning the Hamilton plantation.
If we were seen loitering about the works, it was certain Horry would point us out as having a leaning toward the Cause. As much as this last did he know for a fact, because many a time since General Cornwallis had come into Virginia had we lads discussed the situation, when neither Saul nor I were backward in saying that it would give us greatest pleasure if we were of age to be taken into the ranks of the American army as soldiers.
"Perhaps you who have seen so much of military encampments can tell us what we ought to do," Saul said sneeringly, and a deep flush came over Pierre's face as he understood the meaning of my cousin's tone; but like the true little comrade that he was, he gave due heed to the grief in Saul's heart and seemingly paid no attention to the sneer, as he replied in a friendly tone:
"I am not setting myself up as having more of wisdom than either you or Fitz; but I truly believe it is within my power to give good advice to two lads who are yet so angry as to have lost sight of prudence. You have due reason to believe that Horry Sims, who has already this morning done you grievous wrong, is in York Town, and if there was enough of vileness in his heart for him to point out to those soldiers of the king your horses that he might strike a heavy blow, then would he do yet worse on seeing you within the encampment. I have never met the lad but once. He has no cause for enmity against me; I am so poor in this world's goods that it is beyond his power to deprive me of anything save liberty, and on seeing me alone I dare venture to say he would have no thought that I might have been