CHAPTER XI--The Tories Again
"You are right," said Miller. "I hope the settlers will be able to drivethe redcoats away from the island."
"Mebby dey vill be able to do dot," said Fritz.
"Let's load our pistols and go to the point where the path reaches themainland," said Tim. "Oi would loike to be there whin the ridcoats getback."
"Yes, let's go at once," said Miller. "But, if you don't mind, we willgo past the Santon home. It isn't much out of our way, and I want themto know that I was rescued from the hands of the Tories and was notinjured."
"We'll have plinty av toime to do thot, an' thin get to our destinationbefore the ridcoats get there," said Tim.
So they set out, and presently reached the home of the Santons. Thefamily was still up, and when they saw Miller, free and uninjured, theywere delighted. When told that the two patriots, Tim Murphy and FritzSchmockenburg, had rescued the teacher and driven the Tories away, afterwounding three of them, the Santons shook hands with the patriotsoldiers and complimented them on their good work.
Then Miller explained about the affair at the patriot settlement, howthe patriots were on the island in the swamp, how the redcoats hadfollowed them there, and that the sound of firing had come from thatdirection, so it was likely that a fight was taking place between thesettlers and the redcoats.
"And we are going to the point where the path joins the mainland, so asto be there when the British soldiers return, with the hope that we maybe able to learn how the affair came out," said Miller in conclusion.
"I would go with you, but I think that I had better stay here, for fearthose Tories, angry by the treatment these men gave them, might comehere to get revenge on me," said Mr. Santon.
"I would advise that you fasten the doors," said Miller. "Though therascals may not bother you."
"Av they do come, ye foire two or three shots, an' we'll get here asquick as possible," said Tim.
"Yah, ve vill come und shoots der Tories a few more times," said Fritz.
"Very well, I will fire the signal shots, if the Tories put in anappearance," said Mr. Santon.
Then the three said good-night and took their departure, promising toreturn after the redcoats came back out of the swamp and tell theSantons what had taken place on the island.
When the three reached a point near where the path stretched from, themainland, they found all quiet, and settled down securely hidden toawait the return of the enemy. The firing had ceased, and so the fightwas either suspended or had ended.
The three were eager to learn whether the patriots had held the redcoatsat bay and driven them back, or not, and hoped that such had been thecase.
They sat there, talking in low tones, and keeping a sharp lookout towardthe interior of the swamp, and presently they caught sight of a lightbobbing about in the swamp. The redcoats were returning.
"We'll soon know how the affair turned out," said Miller.
"Yah, so ve vill," said Fritz.
Closer and closer drew the light, and presently the voices of thesoldiers could be heard distinctly. Listening eagerly, the threepatriots learned that the redcoats had failed in their attempt to reachthe island, and that they had been driven back with two or three oftheir number wounded.
"We had better move further back into the woods," said Miller.
"Yis, thot will be best," said Tim.
The three rose and made their way back into the forest a furtherdistance of twenty-five or thirty yards, and took up positions behindtrees. Here they stood, waiting, and when the redcoats came onto themainland, and stopped and settled down, as if to make a camp for thenight, the three slipped up nearer, and were enabled to hear theconversation of the British soldiers.
They learned how the redcoats had been driven back with comparative easeby the patriots on the island, owing to the fact that the path was sonarrow only two or three of the soldiers could advance at a time. Andthey learned also that it was the intention of the redcoats to establisha siege and try to starve the patriots into surrendering.
"Sure, an' the spalpanes are determined to get their han's on thehousehold goods av' the patriots," said Tim in a low voice to Miller,who replied in a whisper that such seemed to be the case.
Then, after a few minutes, the three patriots withdrew to a distancegreat enough so that their voices could not be heard by the redcoats,and held a council. After due consideration, it was decided that theycould do no good by remaining there, and finally Tim was struck with abright idea, which was that he or Fritz should return to the encampmentof the patriot force and get a company of soldiers to come to the rescueof the settlers in the swamp. He wondered why he had not thought of itbefore.
"Which av us shall go, Fritz?" he asked.
"I vould go," was the reply, "but you gan go faster as vot I gan, Tim,so mebby you vos better go."
"All roight, I'll go," said Tim. "An' you two fellows will go to theSanton home, Oi suppose."
"Yes, we will go there, for to-night, at any rate," replied Miller. "Wecould do nothing here, and we might be of assistance to Mr. Santon, ifthe Tories come back to bother him."
"Yah, dot is so," said Fritz.
"All roight. Well, I'll be goin'. Good-by, me byes."
They said good-by, and Tim set out through the woods in the direction ofthe patriot encampment, while Miller and Fritz made their way toward thehome of the patriot, John Santon.
Miller and Fritz walked at a moderate pace, and when they drew near theSanton home, they heard the sound of pounding, as of somebody hammeringagainst the door with a club. They hastened forward when they heardthis, for they guessed that the Tories had again put in an appearance.
Such proved to be the case, for they heard a gruff voice calling toSanton to come and open the door or it would be broken down, and pistolsin hand--Fritz having given one of his to Miller--they advanced tillwithin about ten yards of the Tories, of whom there seemed to be five orsix. Then pausing, they leveled their pistols and fired. Immediatelyafterward they dashed forward, yelling at the top of their voices.
The shots, followed by the yells of the two, coming so unexpectedly,startled the Tories greatly, and with exclamations of amazement anddismay they fled at the top of their speed, disappearing around thecorner of the house very quickly.
The two patriots followed to the corner of the house, where they paused,shouting and yelling in the loudest and fiercest voice they couldcommand. Then they listened and heard the brush crackling as thefugitives ran onward at the top of their speed.
"I don't believe they will come back here again," said Miller.
"I don'd vos think so, minesellufs," responded Fritz.
Then they knocked on the door, and Miller called out: "Open the door,Mr. Santon. It is Miller and one of the patriot soldiers that was here awhile ago."
There was a sound of the bar being taken down within, and then the doorwas opened by Mr. Santon.
"Come in," invited the patriot. "I'm glad you came just when you did,for those Tories were crying fierce threats, and would likely havehandled me roughly, had they got hold of me."
"Veil, uf dey don'd vos fall und break their necks runnin' through dertimber, id vill be funny," said Fritz. "I don'd think dey vill be backto bother you again to-night."
"I hope that you are right," said the patriot, and then, when they hadentered, he shut the door and put the bar in place again.
The other members of the family were still up, and they gave Miller andFritz a joyous welcome. It was evident that they were glad to see thetwo, and that they felt much safer with them there.
"Did you learn how the affair at the island in the swamp turned out, Mr.Miller?" asked Lizzie Santon, eagerly.
"Yes," was the reply. "The patriot settlers succeeded in driving theredcoats away." And then he told what they had learned by listening tothe conversation of the British soldiers after their return from theirunsuccessful attempt to reach the island in the swamp.
"Oh, I am so glad to hear
that the patriot families are safe!" exclaimedMrs. Santon.
"Yes, but they are still in danger," said Miller. And he told how theredcoats were going to keep up a siege. But he also told how Tim Murphyhad gone to get a company of patriot soldiers to come and drive theraiders away, and rescue the patriots. He added that he did not have anydoubts but that this would be done successfully.
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