CHAPTER XX.
ANCHORED IN THE HARBOR.
There came a very black night toward the beginning of winter in theyear 1777. A light wind blew in from the sea, carrying an unpleasant,chilly feeling among the people of the town of New London. They hadpreviously been somewhat uncomfortable, for, during several days, therehad been British men-of-war hovering along the coast. None of thesehad ventured in far enough to exchange shots with the forts, but therewas a rumor, nobody knew where from, that the British had determined toseize the port and put an end to its notable services to the cause ofAmerican independence. The harbor forts were believed by theircommanders to be in good fighting condition, and their garrisons atonce received small reinforcements. The thing most to be feared, itwas said, was the landing of a strong body of troops, for in that casethe town itself would be assailed, as well as the forts.
In short, military men foresaw and predicted precisely such an attackas was so destructively made at a later date by the king's forces underArnold.
Very dark was the night. Wakeful and watchful were the sentinels andguards at every battery. Moreover, boats were out, silently patrollinghither and thither, ready to run in and report whatever signs of dangerthey might discover. The sea-scouts could not be everywhere, however,nor could they see everything. Somehow or other, an exceedinglyimportant arrival passed by them all in the darkness.
A little before midnight a solitary musket shot rang out at the seawardbastion of Fort Griswold, and the officer of the guard, with a party ofsoldiers, hurried to the spot to ascertain its meaning.
"Officer of the guard," responded the sentry to the formal hail, "twoAmerican lights, seaward. Flash, flash, and cover. There they areagain."
One of the soldiers was an old sailor, and he exclaimed:--
"Captain Havens, jest let me watch that there signal a minute."
"Watch!" said the captain.
Again the seaward flashes came, as if they were asking questions.
"What is it--"
"Captain Havens!" shouted the old whaling man, excitedly. "That therewas Lyme Avery's private signal. The _Noank_ has come home! The otherlight was Joe Taber's, I guess. I've whaled it with both of 'em."
"Hurrah!" burst from the captain. "Signal back, if you know how."
"Shall we fire a gun, sir?" asked an artilleryman.
"No," said the captain; "we won't stir up the town. And we won't sendany information to the British cruisers, either. See Hadden work hislantern."
The sailor was swinging the lantern given him,--this way, that way, upand down, and he was speedily replied to from the sea.
"Two craft comin' in together," he explained. "I guess it's the_Noank_ and a prize."
"I'll send word to Colonel Ledyard," said Captain Havens. "Hadden, youand four men come with me. I must go out and meet 'em with a boat.Lieutenant Brandagee, you may tell the colonel I will anchor the shipsin the harbor mouth, so that their guns may support our batteries, ifthe British try to run in to-morrow."
Every gun would count in such a case, it was true, but half an hourlater, on the deck of the _Noank_, he was told by Captain Morgan:--
"No, sir! Their boats would be too much for us, so far out as that.We'll run farther in and lie still till morning. After daylight ourguns'll be good for something, I can tell you. Ledyard'll say I'mright."
"Take your own course," said the captain, "only be ready if they come.Now, that's settled.--Morgan! This is bad news about Lyme Avery. Idon't want to be the man to tell his wife."
"No more do I," said Morgan. "Taber says he'd a'most as soon be shot.Don't I wish, though, that Lyme was alive, to hear of the surrender ofBurgoyne's army. It makes me feel better'n I did. We hardly felt safe'bout comin' in at all. For all we knew, we might be sailin' into aBritish port and under the king's guns."
"It hasn't quite come to that yet," said Captain Havens. "I can tellyou, though, the country's wider awake than it ever was before. Haveyou heard about Sam Prentice and Vine Avery? They got in long ago. Sodid your other prizes. What did you say this one with you is?"
"It's a long story," said Morgan. "Joe Taber's captain of her. Heknows more 'bout her than I do. She was a British privateer. LymeAvery was killed when we took her. Now!--My head's in a kind of whirl.Havens, I'm thinkin' of Lyme one minute, and the next I'm thinkin' ofBurgoyne and the way he was defeated. Jest you hold on with any morequestions till some time to-morrow. The first thing for Taber and meis to get farther in."
There might be little time to spare, indeed, if a Britishline-of-battle ship and three frigates were in the offing, drawing ontoward cannon range of them. Therefore the _Noank_ and the _Lynx_stood slowly in, feeling their way, and as yet their presence was knownonly to a few boatmen and the garrison of Fort Griswold. ColonelLedyard himself had settled one question.
"No," he said, "we will wait. The good news and the bad news will keeptill morning. Let Mrs. Avery sleep--don't wake her. It'll be hardenough for her.--I thought a great deal of Lyme Avery!"
So the little that was left of the night waned away, and all New Londonremained in ignorance of any important arrival. As the sun arose,however, a gun rang out from Fort Griswold, and all who were awakesprang up to listen.
A minute passed, while hundreds were hastily dressing, and then anothergun sounded. One full minute more, for there were those who counted,and the third gun began to make the firing understood.
"Minute-guns! The British are coming!" shouted more than one hastylistener. "Every man to the forts! Our time's come!"
Many were the conjectures and exclamations, but the first men to reachthe water front sent back word that not a British sail was in sight.More than that was sent, however, for a hasty messenger ran on to theAvery house and knocked at the door. It was opened instantly by VineAvery himself.
"What is it?" he asked.
"The _Noank_!" was half whispered. "A large prize ship is with her.Don't say a word about it to your mother."
"Why not?" said Vine.
"Well!" replied the messenger. "It's this way. There are minute-gunsat the fort and both of the flags of those ships are at half mast.There are boats pulling from 'em to the shore now. Come on!"
Vine stood still for a moment, hesitating. Then he turned and shoutedback into the house:--
"Mother! The _Noank_! I'll go on down to the wharf. I'll let youknow."
"Lyme! Lyme is home again!" she said. "Vine--"
She was darting forward without waiting for hood or wrap, but otherears besides Vine's had heard the messenger, and a firm hand was laidquietly upon Mrs. Avery's shoulder.
"My beloved friend," said Rachel Tarns, "hold thee still for a moment.I have a word for thee."
"What is it, Rachel?"
"Rachel Tarns," broke in the excited voice of Mrs. Ten Eyck, "did hesay the _Noank_ is here?"
"Yea," replied Rachel, "and I say to both of you women that she hathher flag at half mast, and that from her deck hath some one gone homeindeed. It may be that many of those who sailed away in her are nothere to be welcomed. Be you both strong and very courageous,therefore, for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth. I will go alongwith you, and so will He. Be ye brave this day!"
So the strong, good, loving Quaker woman helped her friends, but hardlyanother word was spoken as they walked hurriedly along down the roadtoward the wharves.
"I do not see him!" murmured Mrs. Avery. "He would surely be coming tomeet me."
"Anneke Ten Eyck," said Rachel, "be thou a glad woman! Look! Yondercomes thy son!"
"And not Lyme?" gasped Mrs. Avery.
"On crutches!" exclaimed Mrs. Ten Eyck, as she sprang forward. "Idon't care! O Guert! Guert! Thank God!"
If anything else, any other word than "Mother!" was uttered during thenext few moments, nobody heard it.
Mrs. Avery was trying to speak and could not, and it was Rachel Tarnswho came to her assistance.
"Guert," she said, "thee brave boy!
Thee is wounded? It is well. Weare glad thou art here. Tell Mary Avery of her husband--at once! Ishe with thee and her, or is he with his Father in Heaven?"
"Mother," whispered Guert, "I can't! You tell her. He was killed whenwe boarded the British privateer. I did all I could to save him.That's where I was cut down--"
Low as had been his whispering, there was no need for his mother totell Mrs. Avery.
"Don't speak!" she said. "I'm going back to the house! He fell inbattle!"
Around she turned, catching her breath in a great sob, and Rachel andVine turned to go with her, putting their arms around her. Guert andhis mother lingered as if it were needful for them to stand still andlook into each other's faces. She glanced down, too, at his crutches,and he answered her silent question smilingly with:--
"That's getting well, mother."
"O Guert!"
"Ugh!" exclaimed a deep voice close behind them. "Up-na-tan say olewoman go home. Take boy. Ole chief mighty glad to bring boyback.--Whoo-oop!"
It was, after all, the triumphant warwhoop of the old red man thatclosed the record of the long cruise of the _Noank_.
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