Commodore Barney's Young Spies

We had funds in plenty for the purchase of such food as would satisfy our hunger during two or three days, and the only matter which gave us any uneasiness was regarding a shelter, which had now become absolutely necessary since father joined us, for it went without saying that he must not be seen.

When Jerry conceived the scheme we were attempting to carry into execution, he believed, as did I, that Washington would be almost wholly abandoned by the citizens, and, in fact, it was reasonable to suppose that when the news of the defeat was brought to the city nearly every one would seek safety in flight, therefore we counted on being able to take shelter in any building which took our fancy.

While yet in the outskirts of the town, however, we understood that we were mistaken. So far as I could see, the inhabitants remained within their homes, probably under the belief that the enemy would behave like civilized people rather than as barbarians, and our chances for finding a hiding-place seemed small.

Having no acquaintance with the city, we walked on at haphazard until having come within a short distance of a tavern near the Capitol, hard by a large building which looked not unlike a rope walk.

It was in my mind that we could do no better than stop at the tavern, trusting that our small store of money would suffice to pay for one room in which all of us might gather; but to this Darius made most decided objection.

"It is the last place for us to choose," he said decidedly. "Even if the house is not taken as quarters by some of the officers, it will be visited by the rank and file, and we might as well be in the open air. Yonder smoke-house would suit our purpose better."

It seemed to me that in a city said to contain nine hundred buildings we could do better than hide in a smoke-house, and so I said, claiming that we would be in no more danger by making ourselves as comfortable as possible under the circumstances, than if we huddled into some corner.

Jim Freeman and Jerry seemed to be in my way of thinking; but Darius declared that unless we could content ourselves with such a hiding-place as was not likely to attract the attention of the enemy, we might count him out of the scheme.

"But what can be done with the mule, if we take to the smoke-house?" I cried, believing I thus had an argument which he could not well answer.

"Turn him loose, of course. He is government property, and would give stronger proof of our havin' been with the army than your father's wound. Besides, should the soldiers hear him, an' you can't reckon on keepin' that kind of a beast quiet, they'd be bound to have him out, if only for the sake of sport."

Then Darius went toward his chosen place of refuge, leaving us to follow or not as best pleased us, and the result can well be imagined.

We would not cut loose from the old sailor who, because of his experience in such circumstances, was best calculated to advise and aid, therefore we followed him meekly, but with many a mental complaint.

When we were come to the rough building, which was hardly larger than the cabin of the Scorpion, Darius lifted my father from the animal's back as if he had been no more than a child, and carried him into the place that was less inviting than the hold of the Avenger after we had taken out a cargo of oysters.

Placing him in one corner where he might sit with his back against the boards, the old sailor went outside and drove the mule in the direction of the tavern, himself following until he was lost to view, much to our surprise and disquietude.

"Now what is he about?" Jerry asked petulantly. "I thought we were to stay here?"

"It seems that we are," I replied with a mirthless laugh; "but it appears that Master Thorpe counts on being better lodged."

"Do you suppose he allows to stop at the tavern while we're to stay in this smoke-house?" Jim Freeman asked in a tone of dismay, and I, sore at heart because my advice had not been followed, replied bitterly, thereby setting myself down for at least the twentieth time as a simple:

"We can be certain he'll look after himself, no matter how we may fare."

Then we stood waiting in silence until it should be certain that Darius had really abandoned us, when my father said, striving to suppress any evidence of the pain which he suffered:

"You lads are making a big mistake if you think Darius Thorpe would leave you at such a time as this. He has ever had the name of holding to a comrade, and he'll not steer another course while we're in so much danger."

Five minutes later I was covered with shame because of my unkind words, when we saw the old man returning with as much hay as he could stagger under.

"Here's what will make our cripple a bit more comfortable," he said cheerily as he thrust his burden through the narrow door. "Pile it well up under him, an' I'll go back for the rest of the supplies."

None of us lads made any comment when Darius returned toward the tavern; but that all hands were conscious of the same sense of shame as had come over me, I understood by the expression on their faces.

When the old man joined us the second time he had in his arms the larger part of a ham, some strips of cotton cloth, and a jug of water.

"How did you get all that stuff?" Jerry asked in surprise.

"Traded the mule. When I was drivin' the beast off it struck me that he might be made to serve us a bit, so I drove a bargain."

"Did you give the people to understand that he was yours?"

"Not a bit of it, lad; I ain't tryin' that kind of business even when I'm hungry. I told the truth; but claimed that the beast was under my protection, an' I'd be willin' to leave him for the few things we might need. It ain't certain but I'd got what I asked for without the mule, though it was better to have a reg'lar trade made. Pitch into the ham, and later, it may be we can get some bread."

We did not wait for the second invitation; but began chipping off bits of the meat, eating greedily regardless of the fact that it was uncooked, when I saw that Darius was making no effort toward getting his share.

"Why don't you eat?" I asked as I gave my father a small handful of the uninviting food.

"I'm the surgeon now, an' till this job is finished I reckon I can contrive to get along without more in my mouth than a piece of terbacco. It's mighty lucky I laid in a good supply before we left Pig Point."

The true-hearted old sailor had provided us lads with a meal, and now proposed to dress my father's wound before attending to his own wants, which must have been greater than ours because he had performed more work.

I resolved then and there, that however much against him might be appearances, I would never believe him guilty of any mean act toward his comrades, and in the future he should have the full half of anything which might come into my possession.

Darius washed and bandaged father's wound; raised the bed of hay that he might recline more comfortably; fastened the door in such a manner that there would be no token on the outside of our occupancy, and not until all this had been done did he give heed to his own necessities.

"We're not so bad off here as we might be," the old man said in a tone of content as he whittled away at the small remnant of ham, while we lads were stretched at full length on the hay. "I'm allowin' that whatever happens, the Britishers won't look in a smoke-house for American soldiers or sailors, an' we can stay here snug as bugs in a rug, barrin' bein a little hungry, till Amos' father is in better condition to travel."

"But it will be a long while before that wound is healed!" Jim Freeman exclaimed in dismay.

"Yes, I reckon it'll be quite a spell, pervidin' the Britishers stay in the city; but if they go it won't be a hard job to find a boat that'll take us to the Patuxent. But there's little call to make much talk about movin', for we can't leave one of the crowd, no matter what happens to the rest of us."

By the time all this had been done it was sunset. The retreat from Bladensburg had been begun about four o'clock in the afternoon, and we were not so badly off to be in Washington and housed so soon after the defeat.

The one distressing question was whether the enemy would make search in the city for such as we?

After he had eaten all the scraps of ham remaining on the bone, Darius set about making a more thorough examination of our refuge, beginning with the small shutter at the top of the building which was used when, the meat having been cured, it was desired to clear the place of smoke.

"What are you doing up there?" my father asked when the old sailor clambered on the logs to get at the shutter.

"Makin' sure we can keep a lookout in case things get too hot," Darius replied with a laugh. "I'm allowin' this shutter can be swung open a crack without its bein' noticed from the outside."

He had no more than opened the window when an exclamation burst from his lips, and without delay I clambered up beside him.

From this point of vantage we had a fairly good view of what was going on near about the Capitol building, and my heart beat fast and furiously with fear as I saw the enemy advancing.

"There seems to be the biggest part of the British army," Darius said, pointing in the direction of the burying-ground, where I could see the soldiers bivouacking for the night; but nearer at hand were two officers, evidently high in command – General Ross and Admiral Cockburn, as I afterward learned – , with an escort of three or four hundred men, riding directly toward us.

Within full view of our hiding-place was a dwelling standing near the government building, and as we gazed I saw the flash of a musket come from this house, when the horse on which the general was riding fell dead, carrying the officer to the ground with him in what looked to be an ugly fall.

"That's a fool trick!" Darius cried angrily when no other sign of attack could be seen or heard. "A crazy man must have fired that shot, which can do no other good than to make the enemy hot to inflict some punishment!"

We saw a score or more of the escort rush to the assistance of the officer, while the remainder of the soldiers were wheeled about to face the dwelling.

I was confident that they would fire a volley into the house, and, indeed, I could well have excused such a course, considering the provocation; but instead of this a squad of men were told off to enter the building, as we saw when the force ran forward on the double-quick with fixed bayonets.

By this time, as may well be imagined, all our party, with the exception of my father, were clinging to the timbers of the building that a view might be had of what was going on outside, and Darius, ever mindful of others, took it upon himself to keep our invalid informed of what was being done.