The Liberty Boys Running the Blockade Read online

the twoboys, but seemed to be thinking deeply.

  "You rebels don't have very much money," he said at last. "What wouldyou consider a fair amount to allow me to escape?"

  "You have made two serious errors," replied Dick coolly. "First, we arenot rebels, as I have frequently told you, and second we are not forsale. Do you think we are as mean as yourself, who associate withthieves and murderers to gain your ends? There is not money enough inthe world to induce us to violate our oaths."

  "But why should you deliver me up to death, when I have never done youharm?"

  "You forget last night," tersely. "Who tied me in a sack and threw meinto the river?"

  "Well, but I gave you a knife to---"

  "You did not. That was Tom Fletcher. You had nothing to do with it. Youcame out upon the river in a boat afterward to look for me, fearing thatI would escape. Don't add lying to your other faults."

  The man rode on in silence for ten or fifteen minutes, and then suddenlysaid:

  "You will be no better off if you do deliver me up to your rebelgeneral, for Howe will be in possession of your wretched little city bytomorrow and the lot of you may be shot."

  "If it is such a wretched little city, why does General Howe botherhimself about it?" laughed Bob, Dick saying nothing.

  "If you will let me go I will find a way for you to escape, and---"

  "If you say another word on that subject I will gag you!" interruptedDick sternly. "We are not to be bought, I tell you!"

  Hughson flushed and remained silent after that, and at length the boysmet some American soldiers and turned the spy over to them.

  "That disposes of him," said Dick shortly.

  "Yes, but he has been a very troublesome fellow, and would have been ifwe had not caught him. That was a very fortunate meeting."

  "Except for him!" grimly.

  "Very true, but, as Patsy says, we don't consider the enemy's feelingsin such matters."

  Returning to the camp, the boys heard from Mark that there had beenconsiderable activity among the ships of the enemy during the afternoon,and that there were more at Governor's Island and one or two much nearerthe mouth of the Hudson than during the morning.

  "It is all very threatening," declared Dick, "and I think that the spywas right when he said that Howe will try to be in possession of thecity by to-morrow. At the latest, it cannot be more than a day or twoand then we must look out for ourselves."

  "As we generally have to do!" laughed Bob.

  CHAPTER X.--Caught in a Trap.

  There was time enough before supper for Dick to visit the general, andshortly after his arrival in camp he went out afoot and made his wayacross the Commons and down Broadway. Seeing the general, Dick informedhim of the capture of the spy, and what the man had said about Howe.

  "It looks as if we might have trouble in a short time, Captain," theveteran answered, "and you will hold your Liberty Boys in readiness toact at a moment's notice at all times."

  "I will do so, General," replied Dick. "If there is to be any fighting,the Liberty Boys will be glad to take part in it and do their share inopposing the advance of the enemy."

  "I have always found them ready to do that, Captain," Putnam replied,"and to do it well, too. I have every confidence in you and the LibertyBoys, Captain, and I know that you will all do your best wherever youmay be posted."

  Dick then saluted and left the general, taking his way down to the lowerend of the island in order to see for himself what was going on amongthe ships. On Whithall wharf he suddenly came face to face withFletcher, Tom's father, the man being in a semi-intoxicated state at thetime, and glaring fiercely at him as he said:

  "You got away last night, you confounded rebel, but you don't do itagain so easy. What have you done with my wife and the young ones? Nicebusiness, ain't it, turning a wife against a husband?"

  "You have turned her against you by your own outrageous conduct," Dickretorted. "If you had treated them right, your family would haveremained with you, but you cannot expect anything better when you act asyou have."

  "Where have they gone? I have a right to everything that any of themearns, and I'm going to have it. Tom is under age, I have brought himup, and I can claim everything he has, and whatever my wife has also. Iknow my rights, I tell you!" savagely.

  "Do you know your duties, as well?" sharply. "I don't care what the lawis in your case. I know what justice is. You made an attempt upon mylife last night, and if I choose to make a charge against you, I couldput you on trial for your life."

  The man was not so much intoxicated that he could not understand Dick'sposition and his own danger, and he turned pale and moved hurriedlyaway, losing himself in the crowd that thronged the wharf at the time.

  "I don't think I shall have any more trouble from Mr. Fletcher," thoughtDick, "or not on account of this affair, at any rate."

  He remained on the wharf till nearly sunset, and then set out for thecamp, where he arrived shortly before supper. There was an alarm duringthe night, and early the next morning Dick learned that some ships hadpassed up both rivers, and not long after this there was the sound ofheavy firing at some distance above the city, and the boys knew that theenemy had succeeded in landing troops. There was great excitement in thecity, and many of the inhabitants began leaving in great haste.

  Dick hurried off to Putnam's quarters, and soon afterward word wasreceived that the city was to be evacuated. The general despatched Dickto the lower part of the city to see that there were no ships coming upthe river and to warn the men at the lower batteries to leave. Dick tookBob and a dozen or more of the boys with him and hurried away on foot,sending Mark and the rest of the boys toward the upper part of theisland. The boys had performed a part of their mission and werereturning, when they suddenly heard a great bombarding from the riverand at the same time saw a considerable body of redcoats coming towardthem.

  "To the stone house, boys!" hissed Dick. "These fellows know nothing ofit and we are safe there."

  The stone house was the nearest place of refuge, and the boys hurried toit, the redcoats losing sight of them. They reached the place in safety,and were all inside and out of sight before the redcoats came to thewharf and began to look for them. The door above was closed and lookedas if it had not been open in months, the boys not having been seen toenter it. Dick and Bob hurried below, leaving Ben, Harry, Sam and othersat the upper door, while the rest scattered through the building. Therewere a few persons on the wharf below when the redcoats came along, butthese had not seen the boys and knew nothing about them.

  "What place is that?" asked a sergeant of redcoats of one of theloungers, pointing to the stone house.

  "Just an old warehouse," the man answered.

  "Is there any one in it?"

  "No, not now," was the reply.

  Dick was listening at the door, and he knew the man to be one of therascals who had been in the house but had escaped. There was a reason,therefore, for the man not saying very much about the place.

  "Why not?" the sergeant asked.

  "Because the rebels arrested 'em and took all the stuff out," the manreplied.

  "We shall have to get a look at the place," the redcoat said, and hepromptly went to the door with a dozen of his men.

  The door was locked and was very strong, and the sergeant speedily cameto the conclusion that there was little use in trying to force it and sogave up the attempt.

  "Have you seen any rebels about here?" he asked, but the other man wasgone, and those he spoke to said:

  "No, there hain't been nobody here sence we come around."

  The sergeant and the redcoats, as well as a second lieutenant andanother party, examined the region all about the place, but saw nothingof the boys and so concluded that they had gone elsewhere. There was aguard of about a dozen left on the wharf, but none on the bank above,the rest going into the city. The loungers about the place, evidentlyfearing that they might be pressed into the service, went away, and thusthere was no one to give any information
to the redcoats, which mighthave resulted in giving the house another visit.

  Dick sent Harry and Will to the cellar and thence under the wharf to theriver, the boys reporting that the tide was high and that there was nogetting out that way at that time. Then one of the boys was sent to theupper door to keep a lookout, Dick going to see him in a few minutes.

  "There are redcoats on the Commons, Captain," the boy reported. "Acouple of men went by here just now and I heard them talking about it."

  "We can leave the house," remarked Dick, "but we would not get a greatway before being discovered, and I think it better we remain here for atime, till dark,