Commodore Barney's Young Spies

"What do you reckon he counts on doin' with that trash? If he needed more of a crew, it strikes me he might have found better material."

We soon learned what purpose the old man had in mind, for on nearing the place where our canoe was drawn up, the Byard family went a short distance down stream in which direction their own craft was moored, and began making her ready for a voyage.

"One of you lads must go to the commodore with news of what we have seen," Darius said, speaking quick and sharp as if to prevent us from holding any parley on the subject. "The Byards are to be paid for paddlin' the best they know how from here to Nottingham, makin' no stop on the way, an' he who goes will only need to act as helmsman."

"Are the remainder of the party to stay here?" I asked, not minded to take myself out of the way when so much of excitement might soon be witnessed.

"Sure. We who stay will be ready to make the quickest trip on record, once we've found out all that's to be known. Who will go to the commodore?"

No one replied, and by this time the Byards had their canoe afloat.

"We'll draw lots," Darius said after finding that neither of us was willing to volunteer for the service. "The one who pulls the shortest twig starts without delay or grumblin', an' I'm free to tell you that those who stay behind with me are like to have the toughest night's work they ever put in."

While speaking he had been breaking into bits a small twig, and five of these he held in his clenched hand.

"Make your choice quickly, for we can't waste many seconds over this business," the old man cried impatiently, and we obeyed his command, I hoping most sincerely that the lot would fall to some other than myself, for I was willing to risk the hard work in order to remain with the leader.

It was Jim Freeman who drew the short twig, and his face was pulled down very long when he found that he had been selected.

"Into the canoe with you!" Darius cried, "an' listen well to what I say. Tell the commodore that we came upon the advance ships of one fleet five miles below Benedict, and are waitin' here to make certain what they will do. He is to give these Byard boys three dollars for takin' you to Nottingham. Make the best time possible, for the fate of all our vessels in the river may hang on you're gettin' there quickly."

The Byards dug their paddles deep in the water as if determined to obey orders as promptly as possible, and in twenty seconds from the time Darius ceased speaking the canoe was around the bend of the river, Jim waving us a mournful adieu as he disappeared from view.

"Joshua Coburn is to go with me to hide the boat further up-stream," the old man said with the air of a general giving his commands. "The others may stroll around the village; but in half an hour every one must be here on the shore to meet me."

I gave no heed to my companions; but ran at full speed toward home, answering curtly the greetings from the neighbors as I passed, and soon I was where every fellow longs to be – in mother's arms.

She, good soul, had heard from those who saw us, that we passed the village more than once; but never a word of complaint because I had not stopped to see her.

The first question was whether I had come to Benedict under orders of the commodore, or if I was taking time to visit her which should be devoted to some other purpose.

I speedily soothed all such fears, and frightened her by saying that Darius believed the Britishers would make a halt at the village.

At first it was my belief that she should take the children and go far into the thicket; but she, good soul, soon convinced me that such a course would be unwise, since it was not known how long the enemy would remain, and she could not stay in the forest very many hours with the young ones.

"We will wait here, Amos dear. The British cannot be so barbarous as to make war upon the helpless. If you or father was near at hand, and I could go to you, the situation would be far different."

Then she insisted that I should tell her all I had been doing, and by the time that long story was come to an end I had need to join Darius on the shore, having stayed the full length of the furlough he gave us.

It was not certain but that I could see my mother again before we went up river, therefore our parting was not as sorrowful as it would have been had I known all the perils which were to be encountered ere I looked upon her dear face again.

The village was in even a greater state of confusion and bustle than when I first passed through it. A full half of the people were on the point of running away, taking with them as many household belongings as could be carried or transported in carts or boats. A large number stood on the streets undecided what course to pursue, and asking each person they saw for advice, while not a few were apparently bent on following the example set by my mother.

I was appealed to for the latest news by a full score before I could reach the rendezvous; but to all I had the same reply, that I was in government service and could not delay.

I was the last of our party to arrive at the shore; the other lads were standing near Darius, looking uncommonly glum, and I could well understand the reason for the sadness.

"Did you hide the boat?" I asked, and the old man replied:

"Ay, a little better than half a mile up stream, where we can come at her conveniently in a hurry. We have just been talkin', however, about takin' stations on the opposite bank, where it will be possible to see what is done without gettin' in the way of the enemy."

That seemed to me a very good idea, for there might be many chances against our slipping away after the British had landed, and I urged that the change of base be made without delay.

It was if Darius had only waited for my opinion. Immediately after I gave it he led the way along the road which followed the course of the river.

Within an hour we had the canoe hidden on the opposite shore, and were seeking for some spot directly across from the village where we could see all that was done.

It was some time before we found exactly what we wanted, and then it was in the midst of a small clump of trees on a gentle rise of the land, a full two hundred feet from the shore.

Here, by trimming away some of the branches, we could have a full view of the river and settlement, in addition to being at a safe distance from the enemy, who would hardly land on that side of the stream.

"We've got into position none too soon," Darius said as he pointed over the trees on the opposite shore, where we could see the upper spars of what appeared to be a reasonably large vessel moving through the water slowly. "Within ten minutes we shall know whether it's a case of watchin' 'em come to anchor an' landin', or takin' to our heels to gain the canoe before they can get that far up the river."

CHAPTER XI.

THE BRITISH FORCES

After we were in a position to see all that might be going on immediately opposite, and for a mile or more down the river, we could make out the spars of several ships which appeared to be at a stand-still, and at once the question was raised as to whether they were aground or at anchor.

"You lads shall stay here, never venturin' to leave the hidin'-place unless the Britishers themselves drive you out, an' I'll take a little trip down stream to see what is goin' on. If the enemy has come into the river without a pilot, I'll go bail that more than one of his vessels has taken the ground."

Then the old man stole softly through the underbrush, and we gave but little heed to his departure, so intent were we on the wondrous panorama spread out before us.

The first craft to heave in sight was an armed brig, the decks of which were brilliant with red uniforms and glittering weapons, and immediately astern of this vessel were a dozen or more barges, and two pungies.

Then came boats filled with soldiers, one astern of the other until it surely seemed as if every craft in the Chesapeake had been brought here to make up the procession, which was more imposing than anything I had ever seen.

It was the glittering, fanciful side of war, which would be transformed into something hideous immediately the actual work was begun, for then one lost sight of the pomp and parade, seeing only the ominous stains of blood, and unable to hear aught save the shrieks of the dying and the groans of the wounded.

Then, to our great surprise, we found that the Britishers were making preparations to take possession of the village. The armed brig was moored stem and stern in the channel where her full broadside could be brought to bear upon the settlement, and the three barges, each having on board a twelve-pounder, were rowed up to the beach on which no less than four hundred soldiers, with weapons ready for use, stood as if to repel an attack.

"They are makin' a mighty lot of fuss." Jerry said with a laugh. "A corporal's guard could capture Benedict without turnin' a hair, an' yet look at that crowd!"

It was truly astonishing that so many men should have been brought to take possession of our little village. Boat-load after boat-load came up the river, landing their living cargoes in the cove where we lads had always kept our canoes, and before the disembarkation had been concluded, the shore of the river was literally covered with soldiers, marines, and, strangely enough, companies of negroes who were decked out in uniforms of the British army.

Since that day I have seen statements made by the enemy's officers to the effect that five thousand men were landed at Benedict, and for what purpose we lads were unable to imagine.

I had never seen such a throng of people before; the town was over-run, and the woods above and below seemed to be packed full of armed men.

Fortunately for us, none attempted to come on our side of the river; but all stood in something approaching a military formation as if expecting an immediate attack.

As a matter of course all us lads were greatly alarmed lest our families should come to harm amid such a gathering; but we could not have afforded them any relief had we been at home, and it was necessary to choke back our anxieties as best we might, though it was difficult at times to prevent the tears from coming into a fellow's eyes.

The troops and guns had been landed before Darius returned, and, what seemed to me strange, no other vessels of any size had put in an appearance. There were pungies, barges and row-boats enough to entirely choke up the river; but nothing larger than the armed brig which had first arrived.

When the old man came back we learned why the fleet had apparently shrunken to such small proportions as compared with the size of the army.

"Nearly every vessel is aground," he said when he approached our hiding-place with every evidence of having traveled long and rapidly. "The river is black with 'em from here to the point, an' some are likely to stay quite a spell on the mud unless mighty quick work at lighterin' is done. I allowed the Britishers had better sense than to run ships up here where there's about half water enough to float 'em."