The Boy Spies with the Regulators

"Return to your homes, and smother this rebellion in the bud, else the penalty will be great. There shall be no association banded against the laws of his most gracious majesty! See to it that your fellows disperse at once, and have a care how you meet in opposition to our will!"

"I pray your excellency to read that which we have brought at risk of our lives," Master Howell said firmly. "You will see that we do not rebel against his majesty's laws; but rather against those who exceed them unlawfully."

"Go home and pay your taxes, or I will sweep the upper Carolina with my troops till it is a wilderness!" the governor cried as if beside himself with rage, and it appeared to me that he was about to give yet more rein to his passion when an officer entered hurriedly, whispering a few words in the angry man's ear.

"Admit him at once," was the command, and then, to my astonishment and fear, in walked one of those two cavaliers who had opposed our passage and afterward made prisoners of the deputies.

The newcomer had all the appearance of one who has traveled far and fast, and after looking around hurriedly as if to satisfy himself that we were really there, he laid a paper on the table in front of the governor.

Then, at a sign from Tryon, he backed out of the room as if in the presence of royalty itself, and the governor hastily took up the written message.

It must have contained something which did not please him, for his brows wrinkled as he read, and after coming to the end he perused it once more with greatest care.

Although having had no experience in such matters, I understood full well that this missive had been sent by David Edwards, and could reason out all the circumstances readily.

Most likely a messenger had been sent back to Hillsborough within a very short time after the escape of the deputies, and even while a portion of the party were pursuing us. Knowing as he did, that the Regulation was sufficiently strong to dominate upper Carolina if it was forced to extremities, Master Edwards had unquestionably sent a full account of all that had happened to the governor, in order that the latter might not do anything rashly.

That my reasoning was correct I understood when, after some reflection, Tryon, turned toward us once more with something like a smile of friendliness on his cruel face.

"You will excuse me, gentlemen, for having diverted my attention even momentarily from your affair. In these times, when treason is rearing its head against his most gracious majesty a moment's delay may have fatal results. I will read your petition."

Then, as if he had but just understood our request, he perused the document we brought, and having done so said condescendingly:

"This matter shall receive our immediate attention. Return to your homes; explain to your associates that their welfare has my best care, and assure them that within a month I will make a personal visit to Hillsborough. Then these complaints shall be inquired into by impartial judges, and that which is wrong or unjust will be remedied without loss of time."

He bowed, to intimate that the audience was at an end, and we went out of the room, not backward, as had the messenger from Edwards; but as gentlemen should, in a manner calculated to show that we stood on terms of equality with all there.

But for the manner in which he first received us, I would have said that the troubles of our people were well-nigh at an end; but, believing he had spoken us fairly at the last only because of realizing that the Regulation was of great strength, I fancied we had accomplished nothing of good by our coming.

When we were at the inn once more, and could hold converse without fear of eavesdroppers, I learned that the deputies were of much my way of thinking, for Master Howell said with a grim laugh:

"At least, we have pinned Tryon down to the promise that he will come to Hillsborough within a month."

"And then I warrant you that those whose names are on the rolls of the associations will find themselves fast beset by Fanning's henchmen. Our last condition will be worse than the first."

"He will need to bring a strong following with him."

"Not so, my friend," Master Hunter replied gravely. "The weak-kneed among us will profess to believe in his promises, and the Regulation will be reduced to less than an hundred. He may work his will until again are the people so oppressed that alleged rebellion becomes necessary if we would save ourselves from prison."

It was not a cheerful ending to our long journey; but there was nothing more that we could do, save make the people of Brunswick understand yet more thoroughly the situation of affairs in those countries where Fanning and Frohock held the courts of law in their hands.

During the remainder of this day, in accordance with Master Howell's suggestion, we talked with such of the citizens as came to question us, and by nightfall the Brunswickers must have had a fairly good idea of the situation in upper Carolina, where already had four hundred gentlemen declared they would resist the misrule which was crushing them to the earth.

One more day we spent in the town, and then it was as if the citizens had learned all they wished concerning our affairs, for our questioners ceased to be curious, and Master Hunter declared that the time had come when we should return.

"We will set out to-morrow morning," he said, and Master Howell nodded to show that he was of the same mind. "Having described to the association our journey, and that which has taken place here, there will be nothing to do until the governor institutes the promised inquiry into the wrongs of the people."

"Which will result in yet greater oppression," Master Howell added moodily.

"We at least have done our duty, and will again be in the front ranks of the association when the time is ripe for action."

Well, all was done as Master Hunter had said. We were on the return journey shortly after sunrise, and allowed the horses to take that pace which best pleased them, for we had no need to make great speed.

Our haversacks had been well filled at the inn, and we would have no need of searching for game until two days had passed, when it was reasonable to suppose we should be in that section of the country where the planters would provide us with food and shelter.

There was no thought in our minds that any effort would be made to stop us, for now were we carrying a message from the governor, and such an one as would go far toward soothing our neighbors who had so lately been in arms against those who represented the government.

At noon we halted an hour to rest the animals, who were yet quite fresh for the journey, and to partake of the noonday meal. Then we rode leisurely forward again until about five o'clock in the afternoon, when we were arrived at a plantation where was promise of comfortable accommodations for the night.

"It is better to halt here, at the expense of two or three hours, rather than push on and sleep in the open air," Master Howell said as he reined his horse in at the door of the dwelling.

A white man and a negro, one an indentured servant and the other a slave as we afterward learned, appeared in response to our summons, and from them we learned that the planter and his family were in Newbern on a visit to relatives; but this did not prevent us from receiving such hospitality as is famous in the Carolinas.

The negro led our horses to a stable of logs which was situated fifty feet or more in the rear of the main buildings, and the white servant ushered us into a sitting-room that gave access to the broad, vine-covered veranda overlooking the main road.

In this last place we were served with light refreshments until a hearty meal could be prepared, and my comrade and I congratulated ourselves on having come across such a lodging, when we had expected to sleep in the thicket where flies and mosquitoes would disturb our repose.

Our weapons, saddle-bags and haversacks had been brought into the sitting-room, and we could come at our belongings, if we so desired, by simply stepping through the open window.

The deputies were taking their ease in a couple of hammocks, and we two lads were lounging in huge chairs when the clatter of horses' hoofs aroused us all to curiosity.

Peering out through the vines which formed a curtain in front of the veranda, I saw five horsemen, the leader that same man who had brought the message to the governor while we were having audience, ride past in hot haste and halt a few yards beyond the path leading to the house as they carefully scanned the road.

"Yonder men have been following on our trail," I said, giving words to the thought which was caused by their movements. "Having over-ridden it, they will turn back."

It was as I said.

The horsemen rode slowly back to the house-path, gazed toward the building, and continued on at a walk in the direction from which they had come.

"Can it be that Tryon would try to prevent us from reaching Hillsborough?" Master Hunter said half to himself, and Master Howell replied grimly:

"Those fellows have followed us by his orders, or those of Fanning and Edwards, you may be certain, for they have no personal quarrel with us. It is now known where we are, and I'm of the opinion that we had best make preparations for defense."

"But it is to the interest of the governor that we report to the association his reply to our petition," Master Hunter continued with the air of one trying to read a riddle.

"So it seems to us who are not in the secret. We need not try to solve the problem until preparations for defense have been made, since it is positive those fellows are on our trail."

I failed to understand how we might turn another's house into our castle; but Master Howell was not troubled by such trifles.

Entering the sitting-room hurriedly, he summoned the white servant who was supposed to be making ready a meal for us, and hurriedly explained to him the situation, concluding by saying:

"It is likely that we shall be attacked before morning. What would your master do if he were at home?"

The fellow shook his head in perplexity, and Master Howell added:

"Having given us shelter we are his guests, and as such he would be bound to aid us, provided we had proven ourselves honest citizens of Carolina. So much, and no more, you shall do. I am of the opinion that they will take away the horses, if possible, and to check such an attempt the animals must be brought nearer the house where we can defend them."

"There is no other stable, sir."