The Boy Spies with the Regulators

"Is there any one who professes to command your force?"

General Hamilton, attended by Master James Hunter and my father, rode to the line of the encampment, and the old Scotchman lifted his hat in answer to the question.

"Who am I addressing?" the officer asked, and then it was that I recognized him as the governor's secretary.

"That you know full well, David Edwards!" our old commander shouted; "but lest you may think I'm afraid to bring myself under the ban of your mock court, I'll repeat it. I am Ninian Bell Hamilton, a freeholder of this colony, president of that association known as the Regulation, and bending the knee to no one outside of bonny Scotland!"

What a shout went up from the people as the old gentleman thus boldly announced himself! It was as if the hill literally trembled because of the tumult, and not until a good five minutes had passed was it possible for Master Edwards to make himself heard.

Then, when the people were hoarse from much shouting, the secretary cried:

"In the name of the king I bid you disperse!"

"Wherefore?" General Hamilton asked sharply. "Is it not allowed that the people may assemble when their court of law is about to decide upon the fate of two most worthy members of this colony?"

"It is not lawful to menace the king's officers while they are in discharge of their duty."

"It is you who are menacing, my good man. We have come here in orderly fashion, and were doing our best to preserve order when you marched out in full war array."

"You are inciting the people to deeds of violence. It is hardly an hour since one of his majesty's officers was foully murdered by you who call yourselves Regulators, and I demand that those who had any hand in that cowardly deed be delivered up to his excellency's guard, whereof I am temporarily in command."

"Whatever is the rascal talking about?" I heard General Hamilton mutter; but after Master Hunter had spoken with him, he looked around as if in search of some person.

I made bold to spur my horse forward a few paces, believing I understood what the general would have, and immediately he motioned me nearer.

"Have you that rascally tax-collector in your charge, my lad?"

"Aye, sir; that is to say, he was in our camp half an hour since."

"Bring him out here, and we will see if he's the man yonder popinjay prates about so loudly."

I rode back to our lean-to without loss of time, and once there called to Sandy.

He poked his head out from amid the brush like a turtle, and because of the pine needles which covered his face the best friend he had in the world would have failed to recognize him.

"The governor's troops have sent for you," I said curtly, intent only on performing my duty in the shortest possible space of time. "You are to come with me."

"I don't dare, lad, I don't dare!" he cried in an agony of terror. "You alone amid all this throng cannot protect me!"

"There will be no throng where you are to go. The Regulators are drawn up in line, and I give you my word they will brook no interference from those who were near to doing murder."

Instead of coming out, he drew back till I could see no more than the top of his head, and I was angered because of the delay.

"The general has sent for you, and I am not willing to waste time. If you are not by my side before it is possible to count ten, I'll put a bullet into your head as you lie there!"

Although I would not have done such a thing to save my right hand, the coward must have believed I was in deadly earnest, for he crept out, shaking with fear like a man suffering from an ague fit.

"Now march by the side of my horse, holding to the stirrup," I said sharply. "It will be well so long as you obey orders; but once I see any show of running away, my bullet will make a target of your carcass."

"How could I run away while on every hand are those who would murder me?" he asked with a whine. "If the people see me I am undone."

"The governor's troops have come to conduct you to the town, and surely you may trust them!" I cried.

Sandy shook his head doubtfully; he was in that frame of mind where he trusted no one, and his terror was so great as to excite pity.

I contrived, however, by a liberal use of threats, to keep him by me until I had arrived at General Hamilton's side, and then the old Scotchman bade me advance with Sandy until I was midway between himself and the three officers.

"Is that the man you accuse us of murdering?" the general asked when I had obeyed his order, and I could see a look of surprise come over Master Edwards' face.

"Is it Sandy Wells, of the sheriff's office?" he asked; but my prisoner remained silent, whereupon I prodded him in the side, whispering as I did so:

"Speak out, man! Do you distrust your own friends?"

"I'm not certain if I have any," he said mournfully, and then so far plucked up courage as to reply in a thin, tremulous voice:

"Aye, sir, I am Sandy Wells."

"We heard that you had been murdered," Master Edwards said, much as if disappointed because such was not the fact.

"I was indeed very near death; but those who call themselves Regulators rescued me from the vile men who accuse me of having worked them harm because of obeying the sheriff's orders."

"Is that the man you declared had been murdered?" General Hamilton shouted, and after some delay Master Edwards replied:

"That is the man."

"Send him forward, lad, and let those brave gentlemen take the fellow without delay to his excellency, who will be in distress of mind until after having assured himself that he is in the land of the living."

Master Edwards wheeled about as if to join his force, and General Hamilton shouted:

"Turn back, David Edwards, and take him who has caused you so much trouble! Why do you not grasp the gallant gentleman's hand?"

"Come back, please, dear Master Edwards!" Sandy shouted. "Else I shall be killed, for the Regulators evidently will have no more of me!"

At this pathetic appeal the people burst into a roar of laughter which was like unto the shrieking of a hurricane, and not until he had crossed to the other side of the river did Master Edwards turn his head.

Then his cheeks were flaming red as with shame, and I fearing lest we might let slip this opportunity of safely delivering our prisoner, said to Sandy:

"Run forward, man, now that you have the opportunity! It is not certain Sidney and I can smuggle you into the town, and you may come to grief on this side the river, no matter how close you hide yourself."

The tax-collector hesitated only an instant, and then seeing that there were none between him and the line of red-coated soldiers, took to his heels, crying at the full force of his lungs:

"Wait for me, Master Edwards! For the love of heaven don't leave me here to be murdered, dear Master Edwards!"

"Wait for the lost sheep which we have restored to you, Master Secretary!" General Hamilton shouted, and the people were once more convulsed with laughter.

They roared and shrieked in mirth until Sandy was by the side of the angry secretary, and jeered both the tax-collector and the soldiers until the governor's guard fairly ran toward the court-house.

Meanwhile I had ridden back to my place in the line, and, arriving there, heard one horseman say to his neighbor: