Cam nodded and waved. He exited the cafeteria and turned right.
If only I had the ability to turn invisible, I thought. Did I really trust Cam? Mostly. I waited a few more seconds before I bolted toward the door, slowly opened it, and peered to the right just in time to see Cam enter the next building. My curiosity got the best of me so I slipped out of the cafeteria and hid in the shadows of the buildings. I peered through a side window that was open halfway. I noticed that Cam was in a gym filled with treadmills, stationary bikes, weightlifting equipment, and even punching bags. Cam had taken off his shoes and was strapping a pair of boxing gloves to his hands. Within a couple of minutes he was wildly punching the bag with jabs, hooks, and even some roundhouse kicks. Punch after punch he grunted and gritted his teeth. Obviously, he was releasing some frustration. After an intense three minutes Cam came to a rest, breathing hard.
The outside door to the gym opened and the last person I wanted to see entered the building. Billy the bully walked in wearing shorts and a tank top. He was even bigger than I remembered. He immediately recognized Cam and headed in his direction. This is exactly what I hoped to avoid.
Cam must have heard Billy approach because he turned around and stopped to see what Billy was up to.
“Well, look who we have here,” said Billy. “Cam and a punching bag. It’s hard to guess who will win, since neither of you has any brains.”
Cam didn’t reply. Instead, he tightened the straps on his boxing gloves.
“No stupid comeback? Maybe you do have some brains,” taunted Billy. “Or maybe you’re just too afraid to say anything since your daddy isn’t around to save you.”
Cam paused without looking at Billy and then starting jabbing and striking the punching bag. I was impressed by Cam’s self-control.
“You hit like my grandma,” Billy mocked. “What are you trying to do, get big and strong ’cause your daddy can’t protect you?”
Cam swung his leg with a fierce roundhouse kick that sent the bag swinging into Billy. Cam grinned slightly as Billy stumbled backward.
“Sorry about that,” Cam said unapologetically.
“Whatever,” Billy said. “You know you want to hit me. Go ahead. Give me your best shot.” Billy raised his hands and stuck out his chest. “Nothing? Really? I don’t blame you. You’re too weak and scrawny to mess with this!”
Cam rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
Billy got awkwardly close to Cam’s face and said, “Come on, let’s go!”
Cam stepped away and said, “I’m not going to fight you, Billy, but I will compete against you—my team versus your team. Let’s say next week.”
“You’re on,” Billy said. “I’ll beat you in any challenge. It’s almost not fair but I never back down from a challenge.”
“Good, then I’ll text you when and where,” said Cam.
“Oh, one more thing,” said Billy. “When you lose, you and your whole team will have to wear T-shirts for the rest of the year that say LOSER on the front in big, bold letters. Every day, every hour, and every minute I want you to remember the humiliating loss. In fact, I’m going to invite the entire base to the competition so everyone can see you lose. Well, except your daddy. That’s okay, you can send him a postcard that says, ‘I’m the king of losers!’ I can’t wait!” Billy turned around and laughed all the way out of the gym.
Cam started wailing on the punching bag again. Striking, kicking, kneeing, punching like never before. He was relentless as he pummeled the bag and then gave one final right hook and pushed off until his back hit the wall and he slumped down to the ground from sheer exhaustion.
I decided it might be a good idea to give Cam some time to cool down. As I walked back to the cafeteria I thought about Cam’s confrontation with Billy. It could have ended badly in the gym, but Cam remained in control. He chose not to give into his anger and not to engage in a fight. Of course, it would be extremely humiliating if Cam lost this challenge. Billy looked like a mighty opponent.
Cam and his team would certainly be the underdogs. How could he win? Cam had some major planning to do.
Chapter 4
A new morning brought overcast skies to Manchester Middle School. Cam, Liberty, and I stood behind the school on the grass near the track, waiting for Tommy. This had become our time-travel meeting spot.
“Hey, Mr. Revere. I made it!” shouted Tommy as he jogged up to us. “Hey, where’s Freedom?”
“She texted this morning and said she had some family stuff,” I replied.
“I think she’s still recovering from our adventure,” said Cam.
“For sure, we found ourselves in some intense moments. Freedom and Cam were very brave, especially Cam,” I said. “He had nerves of steel in Dr. Warren’s home.”
“I heard about that,” exclaimed Liberty. “Dr. Warren almost intoxicated him for smallpox.”
“Not intoxicated,” I corrected with a chuckle. “Inoculated.”
“Ahhhhh!” said Liberty, grinning.
“I’m just glad that’s over. I’ve never been a big fan of sharp knives just inches from my skin,” Cam clarified.
“Sounds like I missed a great field trip! So where are we heading this time, Mr. Revere?” asked Tommy.
I fed Liberty a crisp carrot from his saddlebag and said, “I was thinking we should go and see if we can follow Paul Revere. We need to see if he made it across the river.”
“Sounds good to me! But you need to fill me in on the river crossing part,” said Tommy.
“Okay, I’m in,” Cam chimed in. “Hanging with you guys is safer than sticking around the base.”
“Is that bully still bothering you?” asked Tommy with a half smile.
“Yeah. And I sort of challenged him to a competition,” said Cam.
“Seriously?” Tommy asked, raising his voice. “You really are brave. Stupid, but brave.”
“Thanks, dude. I’ll let you know when I need some backup. It could get dangerous,” replied Cam with a smirk.
“So can the bathroom after my dad uses it,” joked Tommy.
I smiled and nodded. “All right, then. Liberty, I think it’s about time we jump. Boys, change quickly into your colonial gear.”
Liberty swallowed the carrot he was chewing and asked, “Where are we going?”
“We’re time-jumping to the other side of the Charles River, to Charlestown, directly across the water from Boston’s north tip,” I said.
Liberty nodded. “Got it, Captain. Are we jumping to April 18th, 1775, again?”
A modern-day view of the Old North Church in Boston, with a statue of Paul Revere in front.
“Correct,” I confirmed, “about eleven o’clock at night somewhere near the Charlestown shore.”
Liberty took a deep breath and said, “Rush, rush, rushing to history!” He started forward and was soon galloping toward the purple and gold time portal that was now swirling in front of us. I ran behind Liberty as Cam and Tommy clung to his saddle.
* * *
We landed in a grove of trees not far from the river. Nearby, there were some brick houses with chimneys, but Charlestown looked much smaller than Boston. I turned around to see the wide Charles River behind me. I could clearly see the Old North Church across the water as I looked back at Boston. I explained to Cam and Tommy that Charlestown was almost an island itself, similar to Boston, and thus we were surrounded by water on one side and hills on the other.
It was late at night and dark, but we could still see the huge warship Somerset in the moonlight. It still guarded passage between Boston and Charlestown. The ship was so close I could hear the massive hull tugging at its huge anchor. Even the voices of the British Redcoats on board could be heard as bits and pieces of their conversation drifted across the water.
Whispering, I said, “We need to find Paul Revere. If he made it past the warship, he should be on this side of the river about to go on his Midnight Ride.”
“Let’s find out,” said Tommy, who yelled, “
Hey, Paul Reve—!”
Quickly, Cam silenced him with a hand over his mouth.
“Shh, someone’s going to hear us,” Cam whispered.
“Cam’s right,” I said softly. “We need to stay quiet. We can’t let anyone know we’re here. General Gage ordered several soldiers on horseback to patrol these roads and stop anyone who looks suspicious.”
“Oops, sorry,” whispered Tommy. “Now I get why Freedom freaked out. The British soldiers could be hiding behind any one of these trees and could throw us in jail . . . just because!”
This is exactly why Dr. Warren planned everything so well. He made sure there was more than one rider and they spread the alarm in every town they passed. This meant that if one rider was captured, the others could go on.
“I sense another horse just beyond those trees,” said Liberty. “It’s too dark to see from here but I’m sure of it.” Just as we started to head in that direction to get a closer look, a single figure on a dark horse came galloping by us.
“Whoaa,” said Cam, startled by the speed.
All of a sudden the horse stopped, turned around, and started walking toward us. Oh no, I thought, this isn’t going to be good. As the trees cleared I could see the face of the rider. It was Paul Revere.
“Paul, it’s me, Rush Revere!” I yelled out.
“Rush, I knew it had to be you. I thought I saw a boy but I wasn’t sure so I came back for a quick look. I am so glad that you made it across.” Paul Revere dismounted next to us.
“The guard on the big ship didn’t see you!” Cam said with excitement.
“No, we were very lucky indeed. Somehow with the angle of the moon and the fog, the soldiers on the warship Somerset could not see us crossing below,” replied Paul.
“Where are you heading now?” I asked.
“I am following Dr. Warren’s plan. First I have to let the people in the countryside know about the King’s soldiers coming. They’ll need to get ready and armed to protect themselves.”
“What happens if they don’t have time to get ready?” Cam asked Paul.
“If the people are caught off guard, the Regulars will come in, capture our Patriot leaders, and take all of our gunpowder,” Paul said, adjusting his saddle. “The Patriots in Charlestown saw the two-lanterns signal at the Old North Church across the river and knew it was time. I am thankful to Deacon Larkin for getting this wonderful horse called Brown Beauty ready for the ride.”
Liberty perked up at her name, and turned his head toward her.
“Without her I wouldn’t be able to get there in time,” Paul said, pulling Brown Beauty’s saddle tight. “Now we have to start riding because the King’s soldiers are heading this way. I have to arrive in Lexington before they do. John Hancock and Samuel Adams must be warned. Let’s go!”
“Godspeed, Paul. We will follow behind, helping to spread the alarm,” I said, watching Paul mount his horse and race off.
I turned around to see Liberty’s jaw hanging open wide. “Are you okay?” I asked, snapping my fingers multiple times in front of his face.
“Huh? Oh, I’m more than okay, I’m F-I-N-E, fine! And speaking of fine, did you see Paul Revere’s horse? Dreamy.” Liberty was obviously bitten by the love bug.
“Oh, geez . . .!” Cam said, rolling his eyes.
“Liberty, focus, I need you to focus!” I said, clapping my hands by Liberty’s ear. “Hurry, we have to chase after Paul Revere, he can’t get too far ahead! There are too many of us to ride on Liberty, so we need another horse! Where can we find a horse in the middle of the night?”
Liberty’s nose twitched as he sniffed the air. “I sense a horse near that yard over there.”
“He’s right,” Tommy said, almost a little too loud. “I see it, right there!” Tommy pointed to a field surrounded by a wooden fence. Under the moonlight, only twenty yards away, stood a very short, pudgy pony. His light blond mane was choppy like a bad haircut and his hooves looked too big for his legs. Even from this distance, the pony stared at us like a puppy that wanted to play.
“Ah, what luck! We’ll borrow the pony and return him later,” I said.
“Are you kidding me?” said Cam. “No, no, no, no, no. I’ve had stuffed animals bigger than that thing. This is not going to work.”
“I second that, for the horse record! Just saying.” Liberty exclaimed.
“There’s a horse record?” Tommy said, distracted by Liberty’s commentary.
“Do not be fooled by appearances,” I said, trying to be reassuring. “That pony may not be as fast as a horse, but I’d hang on tight if I were you. Hurry,” I urged. “We don’t want to miss our opportunity to ride with Paul Revere.”
Cam moaned as Tommy ran over to the fence. Cam, Liberty, and I followed as Tommy quickly dislodged two of the wooden slats and led the pony out of the field and onto the dirt road. It looked like Cam was taller than the pony.
“You’re killing me,” said Cam, sighing.
The small pony trotted over to Liberty and looked straight up, like a little brother idolizing his big brother.
Liberty rolled his eyes and said, “Wonderful, I have a sidekick.”
Tommy smiled and said, “Hey, standing side by side the two of you could be like Batman and Robin.”
Liberty gave a courtesy laugh. “Ha, ha. Except Robin didn’t drool and he wore a cool mask. Seriously, I think that thing would look better with a mask.”
“What are you talking about; he kind of looks like you, Liberty,” Tommy teased. “Just a little smaller. Maybe we should call him Little Liberty?”
Cam doubled over laughing, pointing at Liberty. “Oh man, he got you, Liberty.”
“He looks nothing like me. I take offense to that,” Liberty said, casually glancing at Little Liberty.
Little Liberty looked up with great affection at his new, big brother.
“All right, you three and Little Liberty. Come on, we need to hurry and catch up to Paul Revere and Brown Beauty!” I said, amused by Liberty’s obvious annoyance.
“Now you’re talking! That filly is my kind of lady!” Liberty said, the lovesick twinkle returning to his eyes.
“Go ahead, Mr. Revere,” said Tommy. “We’ll catch up.”
“Yeah, we should be there in a couple hundred years,” Cam moaned again.
Reluctantly, I agreed. “All right, but we won’t go too far ahead. I’ll be looking back often! If we ever get separated remember the code word ‘Hancock-Clarke House.’ That’s our meeting place in Lexington.”
This is the Hancock-Clarke House in modern times. Here, Paul Revere warned John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the Regular soldiers were coming to arrest them.
“Wait, what?” Cam asked.
“I got it,” Tommy confirmed. “The Hanclarke-Lock House in Coxington. Kidding, just kidding.” Tommy smiled, the usual jokester. “The Hancock-Clarke House in Lexington. I have it, really.”
I smiled, relieved. “Good luck,” I said. I was nervous for the boys but knew we wouldn’t be far behind. “Liberty, can you do something to encourage the pony and make sure he follows toward Lexington?”
Liberty neighed at Little Liberty and stamped his left hoof three times.
Little Liberty neighed back and nodded his head.
“I get the vibe he takes these roads a lot with his owner. He seems to know exactly where he’s going,” said Liberty.
“All right, then. Let’s go.”
I waved at the boys and then turned northward as Liberty started off after Paul Revere and Brown Beauty.
Cam called out, “It can’t be any worse than getting inoculated for smallpox!” his words trailing off into the distance.
I reassured myself they would be fine. Up ahead dark shadows filled the road. The night air was crisp and cold as we raced along.
“I’m sure Brown Beauty is fast but you’re rocket-fast tonight,” I said.
Liberty panted deeply, “Remember . . . I’m not . . . an ordinary . . . horse.”
&nbs
p; That’s true, I thought. Liberty was anything but ordinary. The trees went by in a blur and the fields in blotches of blackness. It felt a little like riding the roller coaster Space Mountain at Disneyland.
* * *
It was around midnight when we saw Paul Revere and Brown Beauty again. They had slowed in front of a small house along the road. A man about my age listened intently as Paul warned, “Hear ye, the Regulars are coming out! They travel up the road from Boston! Let everyone know, protect yourselves!” Immediately, Paul raced off into the dead of night.
The man yelled back, “We thank you, we’ll be ready! I will spread the word and we will send more riders to alarm the other towns.”
The man raced back into his house. Through the window I could see him take his musket off the wall as his wife tried to comfort their crying baby. I was amazed by the response of this colonist. I knew there was more than one rider, but I did not know that riders fanned out from every village. Incredible!
“What are we waiting for?” asked Liberty. “Brown Beauty, er, I mean Paul Revere is getting away.”
I turned around in the saddle and looked back to see if I could spot Cam and Tommy. Amazingly, Little Liberty was plodding along. He was only back a few hundred yards, pushing as fast as his little legs could go with Tommy and Cam gently bumping up and down.
“Let’s go, Liberty,” I said. We quickly resumed the chase into the middle of the night.
Every so often the moon would peek out from behind the tall trees, the thin moon rays giving off just enough light to help us see the rough outline of the surrounding countryside.
As we raced along, village after village showed similar signs of being warned by Paul Revere. Bells rang and people were awake and quickly moving around. I was just about to ask Liberty if he knew how far we were from Paul Revere when I saw a faint image of a rider up ahead.
Rush Revere and the American Revolution Page 6
