CHAPTER XXI--Tom Reconnoiters
Herbert Miller left the patriot encampment about the middle of theafternoon, and went to the Santon home, where he was given a cordialgreeting by Mr. and Mrs. Santon and Lizzie.
"You are not teaching school, now, Mr. Miller?" said Mr. Santon, with asmile.
"No," was the reply, "I guess that I won't teach any more for a while. Ihave joined the patriot army."
"I am glad to hear that."
"You will be safe from the hands of the Tories of the settlement,anyway," said Lizzie.
"Yes," said Miller, "but I don't believe you folks had better stay here.There will be a battle between the British and our army, possiblyto-morrow, and it may take place right in this vicinity. So I have cometo have you folks return with me to the patriot settlement, where youwill be safe."
"Do you really think we would be in danger here?" asked Mrs. Santon.
"Yes I do," replied the young man. "When the battle begins, bullets willfly pretty thick, and as our army has two or three field-pieces, theremay be a few cannon-balls flying through the air, and if the battle wasto take place near here, the house might be riddled. You folks woulddoubtless be injured and would stand a chance, I fear, even to lose yourlives."
"Then let us go to the settlement with Mr. Miller," said Mrs. Santon,who was of a somewhat nervous disposition.
"Very well," said Mr. Santon. And then they gathered together such ofthe household effects as they might require, and set out for thesettlement.
The Santons had friends in the settlement, and were taken into the homeof one of the residents. Herbert Miller was much better satisfied thanhe would have been had they remained in their home.
That evening and night passed quietly, but Dick Dare did not put in anappearance.
"I fear he has been captured," said Colonel Morris addressing thecaptain of Dick's company. The latter nodded, and said that it seemedprobable that this was the case.
They were still talking about this matter, when the orderly announcedTom Dare, and a few moments later Tom was in the room.
"Well, my boy, what is it?" asked the colonel.
"I have come to ask what you think about Dick not having returned," saidTom.
"We were just discussing the matter," was the reply. "What do you thinkabout it?"
"It looks as if Dick has been made a prisoner, sir," was the reply.
"That is what we thought."
"Yes, and I have come to ask if I may go and reconnoiter the Britishencampment. Perhaps I may be able to learn something."
"Yes, you may go. But be discreet, and don't yourself fall into theirclutches."
"I will be careful, sir."
Then Tom saluted and withdrew, and was soon making his way through theforest in the direction of the Tory settlement and British encampment.
He passed the Santon home, and later on the schoolhouse where HerbertMiller had taught, and presently he came in sight of the settlement.
He paused and took a careful survey of the surroundings, and then, aftera few moments he made his way around and approached the Britishencampment.
He moved forward till as close as he thought he dared venture, then hepaused behind a big tree and began a careful study of the camp.
He could see the redcoats lolling about in the tents, but he did not seeany signs of Dick, nor did he see any soldiers acting as if guarding anyone of the tents, in which a prisoner might be placed. Tom was puzzled.
"I fear Dick is surely in there, a prisoner," he murmured. "Well, if heis, I can't rescue him. Now, what shall I do?"
He decided to stay around in the vicinity and keep watch on theencampment. The redcoats might make some kind of a move, and he couldthen carry the information to Colonel Morris.
It was slow work for Tom, who was of a lively, active disposition, butby leaving his post occasionally and taking a walk through the timber adistance of a mile or so, and then returning, he managed to stick to thework.
When noon came, he grew hungry, but had not thought to bring food withhim, so he had to go without any. He stood it till about the middle ofthe afternoon, and then as everything was quiet in the camp, he decidedto return to the patriot encampment and get something to eat, make hisreport to Colonel Morris, and then once more to resume his self-imposedtask. He must determine what had become of his brother.
This he did, and when he had reported and had feasted to his heart'scontent, he fixed up a package of provisions and again set out. He toldMiller and Ben Foster that he might remain away till morning. Ben wantedto accompany him, but Tom said he could reconnoiter better alone, and soBen remained at the camp.
Tom was back in the vicinity of the British encampment in about anhour's time, and approaching cautiously, took up his position behind atree and watched the redcoats.
Everything seemed quiet, and he decided that they did not intend makingany move that day. After supper that evening, however, he noted that thesoldiers began to move about energetically, that they were examiningtheir muskets, and seemed to be getting ready for an enterprise of somekind.
"I believe that under cover of the night they are going to make anattack on the patriot army," was his thought. "If so, I must get thereahead of them and warn Colonel Morris."
Presently there could be no doubt that the British were going to make amove, and Tom waited eagerly till they left the camp and marchedcautiously in the direction of the patriot encampment. Then he set outon the run in the same direction. He made a detour, however, to getaround the British and he ran so swiftly that in about half an hour hewas at camp headquarters, and promptly made his report.
"So the British are coming to attack us!" exclaimed the colonel. "Well,all right. We'll be ready for them." Then he gave instructions to thevarious officers, and soon the patriot soldiers were arranged in thebest possible positions to repel the attack of the enemy.
Ten or fifteen minutes later the redcoats appeared, and came chargingthrough the settlement, firing their muskets as they came.
Thanks to the warning they had received of the coming of the British,however, the patriots were not taken by surprise, and the former's firewas returned.
And then the crash of the musketry and the occasional roar of the cannonmade a terrible din on the night air.
The battle between the British and the patriots was on.
The Dare Boys in Virginia Page 21
