CHAPTER IX.
ROBERT GREENE.
During the retreat to Valley Forge Jacob and Enoch did not see Seth,who, as a matter of course, remained with his regiment.
The two boys who had brought the earliest information regarding GeneralHowe's movements rode the horses taken from the Tory, and, therefore,were not inconvenienced by the forced march; but they had goodopportunity of learning something concerning a private soldier's dutiesand labors which they had never realized before.
"Now you can see that I wasn't such a very big fool because I wantedto be an officer," Jacob said as they neared the encampment at ValleyForge. "Look at the privates staggering under a load big enough for ahorse, while those who have commissions ride or walk at their leisure,with nothing to carry but a sword."
"I didn't laugh at you for _wanting_ to be an officer, but because youseemed to think it would be easy to perform the duties of one."
"I'm not certain that I shall enlist unless General Lafayette gives usa better show than the rest have got."
Enoch looked at him in astonishment.
"Do you mean that you hesitate to become a soldier now we are where itis possible to enlist?"
"That's it exactly. If nothing turns up in our favor, I shallthink twice before signing the rolls," Jacob replied with an air ofcomplacency, much as if he believed his enlisting would be of the mostvital importance to the cause.
"What will your father say when he learns that you do not care to be asoldier? He must be here at Valley Forge, and most likely we shall soonsee him."
"When father knows that we are given the cold shoulder after doing thework we did last night he will think as I do."
"I shall join the company of which Seth is a member, and you had betterdo the same thing. Of course we can't stay here in the encampmentunless we enlist."
"Don't be in too much of a hurry to tie yourself down; but wait untilI have seen father."
Enoch would have much preferred to enroll himself as a private in theContinental army without delay; but Jacob urged him so strongly towait at least twenty-four hours that he could not refuse without givingoffense to his comrade.
"What are we to do?" he asked as they rode into the encampment inadvance of the retreating force, being allowed to enter the lines afterexplaining who they were, and why they had come.
"You stay near here, while I look for father. He will find us a placein which to sleep to-night, and supply us with food."
"Shall you be gone long?"
"It doesn't seem likely; but you must stay near here, for I shouldnever find you if you strayed away. I had no idea there were so manymen in the Continental camp."
"Did you think the army would be composed of Seth, you, and I, and allthree of us holding commissions because by chance we did our duty?"
"Perhaps you won't make sport of me to-morrow at this time, and it maybe you'll learn that I wasn't very far wrong when I said we should berewarded for our services."
"We won't discuss that matter again," Enoch replied laughingly,"otherwise you may not find your father to-day. Don't be gone anylonger than necessary, for it won't be particularly jolly standingaround here holding a horse that ought to have his breakfast."
"I'll be back as soon as I can," Jacob cried as he rode away, and Enochturned his attention to the returning troops, finding much to interesthim as the different regiments marched into the encampment, filing tothe right or the left to occupy their old quarters.
He saw Seth as the latter's company came up among the last, and, butfor his promise to Jacob, would have followed in order to learn wherehis friend might be found later.
Finally the last of the soldiers arrived; the camp resumed its wontedair, much as though twenty-five hundred men had not marched out full ofhope, and come back again dispirited, if not disheartened.
One, two, three hours passed, and Jacob was yet absent.
Enoch had about decided to leave his unprofitable station, regardlessof the trouble it might cause Master Ludwick to find him, and seek outSeth, when he was accosted by a soldier whose face looked familiar, butwhose identity he could not recall.
"So you got into the Continental camp sooner than you expected, eh? Itwas a good bit of work you did, but, save for the urgency of the case,I could wish you had never left town."
"It seems to me I have met you before; but I can't remember where," andEnoch looked at the man scrutinizingly.
"It isn't strange you should fail to know me in this garb; I wasdressed as a farmer when you saw me last."
"You are the one who talked with us on the day of the carnival!"
"Exactly, and now perhaps you can understand why I am sorry because itbecame necessary for you to leave town."
"Yet we couldn't do very much toward helping you in your work."
"What you have done since last evening shows of how much assistanceyou might be. Two boys can loiter here or there without exciting thesuspicion which would naturally be aroused if a man was observed doingthe same thing."
"I can't say I'm sorry we came away. It seemed necessary we should doso----"
"And so it was, my boy. You did just right in getting to Barren Hill atthe earliest possible moment."
"It was Jacob's idea. I do not believe I should have thought of gettingthe horses but for him, and he planned the whole affair."
"Yet he is dissatisfied because General Lafayette did not embraceand kiss him on both cheeks, at the same time making him at least acolonel, isn't he?"
Enoch laughed heartily, and finally asked curiously:
"How did you know anything about that?"
"It comes natural for me to pry into every one's business, and it maybe I heard you two talking, or read it in Master Ludwick's face. Butwhy is it you do not expect a rich reward?"
"Because we have simply performed our duty, and when that is done inbehalf of the cause one is rewarded by the knowledge that he has beenof some service."
"It would be better for the cause if more were of your way ofthinking," Greene said in a low tone, and added quickly, "What do youpropose to do now?"
"Enlist."
"In what branch of the service?"
"I would like to be with Seth Graydon, and, if possible, shall join hiscompany."
"What does Master Ludwick say to that plan?"
"He has gone to consult with his father, and I am waiting here for hisreturn."
"If he finds old Chris, and complains because he has not beenrewarded, I predict that he will come back with a sore body, for ourbaker-general is a true-blooded American even though he was born inGermany, and will not have any patience with such ideas as his sonentertains. Tell me, Enoch Ball, would you be willing to serve yourcountry in another way than by becoming a soldier?"
"I would do anything in my power."
"Now more than ever is it necessary we should know all that is beingdone in Philadelphia. Clinton is soon to take command of the Britisharmy, and no one can guess what his policy will be. It would notbe safe for Seth Graydon to volunteer for such work, because theBritishers would hang him off-hand if he ever fell into their clutches;I'm not certain I could trust Master Ludwick implicitly, but I wouldlike you for a comrade."
"But I am known in town."
"Not to so many that it would interfere with your doing all that mightbe required. If you should return home at once--this very day--it wouldnot be difficult to persuade suspicious ones that you had never leftthe city."
Enoch was almost frightened by the proposition. He understood howmuch danger would be attached to such work, and fancied the enemyknew perfectly well who had carried the first information to GeneralLafayette; but yet he replied in as firm a tone as he could assume:
"I am ready to do anything, or go anywhere that is best for the cause."
"It is bravely spoken, my boy. Do not fear that the enemy are lookingfor you; I question very much if General Howe or his officers have theslightest idea that any information was carried to General Lafayette,save by the country people wh
o saw the forces on the march. Will you beready to go back with me this evening?"
"Yes; I only want to see Seth and Jacob a moment, and it is not reallynecessary I should do even that, for I could leave word I would sooncome back."
"There is no reason why you shouldn't wait till Master Ludwick returns,and then I will show you where Seth's regiment is encamped."
Greene seated himself on the ground as if perfectly willing to remainthere any length of time, and after tying the horse's bridle to thewheel of a cannon Enoch sat down beside the spy.
"How long have you been doing this kind of work?" he asked.
"Playing the spy, do you mean? I began last fall, when our army wentinto winter-quarters. There was some fear then that General Howemight take a notion to stir our folks up at a time when they werehaving about all they could do to keep body and soul together, withoutthinking of fighting, and I volunteered for the work. It seemeddangerous at first, as it now does to you; but I soon got over thatidea, and grew to like the task."
"You would be hanged if captured?"
"True, and it is not a pleasant way of going out of the world; but I amin no more danger of death than if I went into a battle, and some onemust do the work."
"Yet Seth was captured the very first time he tried to give our friendsinformation."
"That may be accounted for by the fact that he was not a spy; if he hadbeen he would never have allowed the Continentals to escort him wherehe might be seen by the enemy. A man engaged in such business does nottake any unnecessary chances, and is always on the alert lest his truecharacter be discovered. That which I propose you shall do, however,is not as dangerous as it now appears, and I am positive you will notdislike it. Tell me, have you seen nothing since you met the army todispel the supposed charm of a soldier's life?"
"I never thought there could be any sport in being a soldier, and whatI have seen is only such as I have believed was the fact. Why is itthat I have not met more officers?"
"Perhaps because Lafayette's advance was not considered an importantmovement, and, therefore, he had only his own staff with him. You wouldsee plenty of generals by staying here a few days, and some of them asuseless as they are gaudy in dress."
"It seems that you are not friendly with all of them," Enoch said witha smile.
"I am only a private, therefore could not be on intimate terms with themost humble of them; but I have seen very much, and heard more, sinceI began to play the spy, that shakes my faith in some of the officersunder General Washington, and the one I most distrust is he who is nextin rank to the commander-in-chief."
"What do you mean?" and now Enoch's curiosity was excited.
"Hark ye, lad, it is not for me to speak against my superior officer,whether he be a captain or a general, but if you and I are to worktogether you should know it, for I want you to keep your ears openvery wide whenever his name is mentioned, particularly by those whoare enemies to the cause. He it is that I fear more than I do Howe orClinton."
"What is his name?"
Greene bent forward that he might whisper in his comrade's ear:
"Charles Lee, senior major-general under our Washington."
"I have heard of him."
"Where?" the spy asked eagerly, as if believing he might hear somethingto still further confirm his suspicions.
"I can't say; but perhaps it was no more than the mention of his nameas one of General Washington's officers. Tell me about him."
"As I said before, it does not become a soldier to speak ill of hissuperior officer; but you shall hear what the world knows about GeneralLee. He was formerly in the British army, and served under Burgoyne inPortugal, where he was made lieutenant-colonel. He was with Braddockwhen that officer was defeated on the banks of the Monongahela, andwith Abercrombie at Ticonderoga. After that he lived for some timewith the Mohawk Indians, and was such a restless, jealous, quarrelsomeman that they gave him the name 'Boiling Water.' He left the king'sservice, and came over here in '73, claiming to be in sympathy withthe colonists, and succeeding so well in his pretensions, or hisfaith, whichever you choose to call it, that when the Continental armywas organized he received a commission as major-general. That didn'tsatisfy him, patriot though he claimed to be, and he demanded thatCongress make good to him any loss he might sustain by reason of havinggiven up his commission with the British army. In '76 Congress loanedhim thirty thousand dollars, without any security other than his ownname on a bond."
"He got a good price for his services. Why, even General Washingtonhimself hasn't been given that much!"
"No, nor any part of it, outside of his pay. Now what has Lee done forthe cause? When General Washington was pursued across New Jersey in'76 by Cornwallis, Lee followed with a heavy force; but although calledupon again and again by the commander-in-chief to strike a blow at thepursuers, he refused to obey--or neglected to do so, which amounts tothe same thing."
"Why?"
"Perhaps because he hoped some disaster would befall GeneralWashington, and he be given command of the army. Then, long afterCornwallis gave up the chase, Lee hung around New Jersey until he founda chance--that's the way I put it--found a chance to be captured bya small British scouting party, and was taken prisoner to New York.He was soon hand in glove with General Howe and his officers, andthere are many of our people who say he told all he knew regarding ourcondition and plans. Then came the farce of exchanging him for someofficer we had captured, and only two weeks or less ago he showed hiscloven foot again, according to my way of thinking."
"In what way?"
"The Congress ordered that the oath of allegiance be administered tothe officers here at Valley Forge before the beginning of the campaign,and Lee was forced to come up with the others. When he and two orthree more had their hands on the Bible, he took his off when GeneralWashington began to read the oath. The commander waited for him to puthis hand back, and he withdrew it again before the words could be read.Then General Washington asked what he meant, and he said--these arethe very words as they were told me by one who was there--'As to KingGeorge I am ready enough to absolve myself from all allegiance to him,but I have some scruples about the Prince of Wales.'"
"What did he mean by that?"
"According to my idea it was only an excuse to get out of taking theoath, but those present seemed to think it only one of his odd traits,and passed it over as something not to be remembered. I bear it inmind, though, and want you to do the same if you are ever where it ispossible to learn anything regarding him."
"But it isn't the duty of a private to watch his superior officers,"Enoch ventured to suggest.
"It is in this case, for I look on General Charles Lee as a man whocan, and will, if he gets the chance, do more against the cause thaneven Howe himself."
Enoch was impressed by what Greene had told him; but he did not believeit could ever be possible for him to detect an officer, second in rankonly to the commander-in-chief, in treasonable practices. Besides, itappeared to him a very disgraceful duty to impose upon a boy who wasnot yet a soldier, and, perhaps, would have remonstrated, but thatJacob appeared just at that moment.
Master Ludwick was not looking particularly cheerful, and Greenewhispered as he approached:
"I'll venture to say that old Chris the baker has been giving his sona lesson on the patriotic idea of expecting a rich reward whenever hechances to be of service to the cause. Old Chris isn't that sort of aman."
It seemed very much as if the spy was correct in his guess, for Jacobhad nothing more to say against enlisting, but appeared anxious to knowwhen Enoch proposed to sign the rolls.
"Have you decided to do so?"
"Yes," was the curt reply.
"To-night?"
"If I don't there won't be much chance of getting rations."
"But I thought you counted on staying with your father?"
"I have changed my mind," Jacob replied as if the subject was not apleasant one.
"What have you done with your horse?"
; "Father thought he ought to be turned over to the army, and then Icouldn't be accused of stealing him for my own benefit."
"I reckon I'd better do the same thing," Enoch said, trying not tosmile when Greene indulged in an expressive wink. "Where can it bedone?"
"I'll show you the ropes, or, what is better, do the business for you,"the spy replied. "I reckon you want to see Seth Graydon a spell beforewe leave?"
"That is what I would like to do."
"Go in that direction," and Greene pointed to the right, "until youhave passed a lot of cannon; then turn to the left, and you'll be inthe midst of the Jersey boys. I shall find you there, and we'll call onGeneral Dickinson before starting."
"What did he mean?" Jacob asked as the spy walked away with Mr.Wharton's steed. "Are you counting on going anywhere?"
Enoch explained to his comrade what it was Greene had proposed, andconcluded by saying:
"We'll have a talk with Seth. If he thinks I can really be of as muchservice in the city as here, I shall go."
"And I'll be with you! This enlisting ain't what I've always thought itwas, and if I can get out of camp without father's knowing it, I'll beall right."
"Without his knowing it? Do you think he would object to your goingback?"
"I don't _think_ anything about it, 'cause I know. There's no need oftelling any one else, Enoch, but he raised an awful row when I talkedabout being an officer, and when I said I guessed I wouldn't enlist heflew into a terrible rage. He acted as if it would just suit him for meto be marched out somewhere and shot at."
It was with difficulty Enoch could refrain from laughing at thedisconsolate expression on Jacob's face; but he succeeded in checkinghis mirth sufficiently to say in a sympathetic tone:
"Of course he doesn't want you shot, Jacob; but you must remember howmuch your father has done for the cause, and I suppose it made himangry when you spoke of being paid for the little we did last night."
"Made him angry? Why, he flew way off, an' I thought one spell thathe was going to flog me. If I can get away when you do, it'll be allright."
"I have been told that it isn't possible to walk out of a military campwhenever you choose. You must have a pass, or something of that kind."
"We didn't have any trouble to get in here."
"Not after we told who we were and that we intended to enlist."
"You said that; I didn't."
"Yes; but you came in, and I don't think it will be very easy to getout again unless your father knows you are going."
"Then I shall stay here as long as I live, except that fellow Greenewould be willing to say I could do a deal of good in the city. Will youask him?"
Enoch promised to do as his friend wished, but at the same time he didnot believe the spy would be very eager for this addition to the party.
The boys had been walking during the conversation, and by the timeit was concluded they had passed the artillery park, arriving at thatportion of the encampment where the New Jersey troops were quartered.
Seth was on the lookout for them, and the warmth of his greeting wasparticularly pleasing to Master Ludwick, who felt decidedly sore inmind.
The Boy Spies of Philadelphia Page 9
