The Dare Boys of 1776

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"I wasn't frightened, any such thing!" said Tom, his eyes flashing. "I
am not frightened even now, sir. I was surprised, for they came upon
me so suddenly, and the leaped at me as if I were a desperado, and
naturally I may have seemed a bit confused in my answers to their
questions. But I wasn't frightened, sir."

Something like a grim smile appeared for an instant on the general's
face, as he looked at the bright face of the boy.

"So you were not afraid, eh?" he remarked. "Well, if you are not a
rebel spy or an enemy to the king, there is no reason that you should
be afraid. What is your name?"

"Tom Dare, sir." Tom had given his real name to the soldiers, but had
wished afterward that he had given a fictitious one. Now he could do
nothing other than give his own name.

"Tom Dare, eh? Well, Master Tom Dare, where do you live?"

The boy hesitated an instant, and then said: "I live over in New
Jersey."

"Ah, in New Jersey? Well, what are you doing over here on Long
Island?"

"I wanted to see the British army, sir, and so I came over here."

"Ah, indeed? Why did you wish to see the British army?"

"Just out of curiosity, sir. I have never before seen an army, and I
wanted to see one."

General Percy eyed the boy searchingly for a few moments, and then
said:

"It seems to me you have come good ways to satisfy a feeling of
curiosity. Your action is a little bit unusual. You appear to have an
inquiring mind." There was something in his tone that Tom did not just
like. It had a threatening sound. However, he kept a bold face, and
said as calmly as possible:

"Yes, sir."

"I suppose," said the general after a few moments, "that you have so
much curiosity, you would like to see all that you possibly can."

Tom still did not fancy the general's tone and air, but he answered:

"True, sir. So I would."

"Very well. Such being the case, I have no doubt that you would like
to see the interior of one of the old hulks down at the bay, that we
use as prisons for rebel spies and other prisoners. I am going to send
you down there, my boy, and I hope you will like the looks of things
there, for you will probably be there some time."

Tom started and turned slightly pale.

"Surely you are not going to make me a prisoner there, sir!" he
exclaimed in dismay.

"That is just what I am going to do, Master Tom Dare!" was the reply
in a stern tone. "The fact is, I believe you are a rebel spy. Your
explanation of your presence here, when your home is over in New
Jersey is not satisfactory at all. I am certain that you have an
ulterior motive in coming, and the only motive that I can think of is
that you came to engage in spy-work. Take him to the prison at once,
men," this last to the soldiers.

Poor Tom! He knew it would be hopeless to expostulate. He felt that he
was doomed to become an inmate of one of the prison-ships, and as he
thought it would be useless he said not a word, but accompanied the
soldiers without making any show of resistance.

"Take him past the other encampments and let him see the whole army,"
called General Percy after them. "When one has as much curiosity as he
seems to be possessed of, it should be satisfied." This was sarcasm
and intended to hurt Tom's feelings and humiliate him, but instead it
only aroused a feeling of resentment in his breast, and almost before
he realized what he was saying, he exclaimed aloud:

"I'd like to kick him!"

"Who, the general?" queried one of the soldiers.

"Yes," said Tom, boldly.

"You'd better not let him hear you say anything like that, sonny!"

"Say, comrades," remarked another, maliciously, "let's go back and
tell the general what he said."

"No, let's not," said another. "The general would whip out his sword
and cut the boy's head off. Come on; it will be punishment sufficient
to be incarcerated in the old prison-ship, even if he is a spy."

"I guess you're right about that, comrade."

"If it was me," spoke up another, "I believe I'd rather have my head
cut off and be done with it, than to be imprisoned in that old hulk."

"I guess you're about right," agreed the first speaker. "I certainly
would hate to have to change places with you, my boy."

Tom decided that the prison-ship must be a terrible place, and he was
destined to soon find that such was really the case.

They passed the main encampment of the British, as they went to the
beach, and the patriot youth thought that the British would be hard to
defeat, with such a strong army.

"There must be fifteen or twenty thousand soldiers there" was his
estimate.

Soon the little party was at the beach, and getting into the old
row-boat, the soldiers rowed out to the hulk furthest north, and
assisted Tom to the deck. Here they found a British soldier on guard.

"What have you got there, comrades?" this soldier asked, looking at
Tom in surprise.

"Another prisoner, Hawkins. He is only a boy, but the general is of
the opinion that he is a rebel spy, so down he goes into the hold with
the rest of the rebels."

"All right; down with him. But I wouldn't think the rebels would send
out such a young one to do spy-work."

"Well, the general thinks he's a spy, and that settles it."

"It certainly does so far as I am concerned. Down with him."

The hatch was opened, and Tom was assisted down the ladder to the
bottom of the hold, and then leaving him there, with his hands still
tied together behind his back, the soldiers mounted the ladder and put
the hatch in place, leaving Tom in complete darkness.

As he realized his situation, a shudder went over the youth's form.

"I don't like this!" he murmured.

Chapter XII

Dick Does Wonderful Work

Dick Dare had been afraid that General Percy might connect him with
Tom, and suspect that they were in the neighborhood together, but such
a thought evidently did not come to the commander, for happily he
seemed to dismiss the matter from his mind when the soldiers departed
with the boy. He again busied himself with some writing.

When Dick noted this, he breathed a sigh of relief. It would have been
bad indeed had he been then suspected and made a prisoner, the same as
had been the case with Tom. With them both in the old prison-hulk,
escape would have been difficult, in fact well-nigh impossible, but
with Dick free to work from the outside, it was different. The youth
believed that he might be able to rescue his brother and the other
prisoners in the prison-ship, and he was fully decided to make the
attempt that very night.

The afternoon dragged slowly along. Dick could hardly wait for
nightfall, for he was eager to get to work. He thought the afternoon
never would end.

But it did, at last, and after he had eaten supper, he began mentally
reviewing the task that lay before him. The first thing to do would be
to get away from the encampment, and he decided to do this at once. He
had laid his plans, and going to the colonel, he asked permission to
take a walk.

"I am not used to camplife, sir," he said; "and I feel the need of a
little exercise. If not contrary to the rules, I would like to take a
walk of a mile or so in the country."

"I guess it will be all right," was the reply. "Go ahead, but don't
stay too long."

"I won't, sir. Thank you."

Dick walked boldly out of the encampment, and in order to disarm
suspicion, in case his action should occasion comment, he went toward
the east. To have started north might have aroused suspicion that he
was heading for New York.

"Where away, comrade?" queried the sentinel at the east side of the
encampment.

"Oh, out for a little walk for exercise," replied Dick, carelessly.

"All right. The Countersign is `The King Rules'."

"Thank you," said Dick. "I'll not forget."

He walked slowly on, as if merely taking a leisurely stroll, but as
soon as he was out of sight of the sentinel and others, he changed to
a swift pace, and turning, headed toward the prison-ships in the bay.

"Now for business!" he murmured, grimly. "I'll have the patriot
prisoners out of that old hulk before many hours, or I'll know the
reason why!"

He hastened onward, but paused frequently and listened intently. He
did not want to meet any force of British soldiers then for it would
have been awkward work explaining his presence.

He was fortunate, however, in that he did not encounter any redcoats,
and in considerably less than an hour he was at the shore, near where
the prison-ships were anchored.

"Now the next thing is to get aboard the hulk," was Dick's thought.

This would be difficult, for the reason that there was a sentinel on
the deck. To reach the hulk and climb aboard without being seen by
this sentinel was a task that would be hard to accomplish. But Dick
did not hesitate. He was brave, and eager to rescue his brother and
the other patriot spies and soldiers, and so he located an old boat,
got in, and then pulled slowly and carefully toward the prison-ship,
which could be faintly seen looming up a couple of hundred yards
distant on the water.

Dick felt that the chances were that the sentinel would have his
attention directed toward the shore, and so he made a half-circuit and
approached from the other side. He rowed slowly and cautiously, making
scarcely any noise at all, and was successful in reaching the hulk
without having been discovered. Dick had rightly guessed that the
sentinel was at the other side, doubtless keeping a lookout shoreward.

Dick felt around in the boat, and found a rope-ladder, with hooks on
one end, and with the aid of a boathook, he managed to get the hooks
caught over the ship's rail. This accomplished, he stood there and
listened intently. He feared he might have been heard by the sentinel.

Such did not seem to be the case, however, for all was quiet aboard,
and presently the youth began making his way slowly and cautiously up
the ladder. He kept on till his head was even with the top of the
rail, and then he gazed about, trying to locate the sentinel. It was
so dark, however, that he could not see the redcoat, and feeling that
the coast was reasonably clear, Dick climbed on up, and over the rail,
and a moment later stood on the deck.

So far all was well. He had escaped from the British encampment, had
reached the prison-hulk, and was on board. Now to overpower the
sentinel and rescue the prisoners.

The youth paused only long enough to tie the boat's painter to the
rail, and then he slowly and cautiously made his way along the deck,
going toward the bow. He reached the end of the cabin, moved quietly
around it, and then started in the other direction. He went with still
greater caution now, for he realized that at any moment he might come
upon the British sentinel.

Dick knew that there were two soldiers on board all the time, and that
they took turns at standing guard, so one would be on deck and the
other would likely be in the cabin asleep. To capture the one guard,
without making a noise that would be heard by the other would be a
difficult matter, but Dick was not the kind of youth to be dismayed by
difficulties. Their presence only made him the more determined.

He advanced carefully, and suddenly he caught sight of a shadowy form
a few feet ahead of him. It was the sentinel, undoubtedly, and luckily
for Dick, the redcoat's back was partially toward him, and the soldier
was gazing in almost the opposite direction from that in which Dick
was approaching.

The youth, after a keen survey of the form, decided that the redcoat's
back was toward him, and so advanced a couple of steps, as silently as
a shadow. He was now close upon the man, and reaching out suddenly, he
grasped the fellow by the throat with both hands, and raising his knee
quickly, struck the soldier in the small of the back, and threw him
with a twisting motion to the deck; then dropping upon the fallen man,
Dick compressed his windpipe, gripping it with all his might.

Although but eighteen years of age, Dick Dare was stronger than the
majority of men. He was naturally powerful, and his life on the farm
had been such as to develop his strength and endurance, and so it
happened that he was easily more than a match for the British soldier.
The fact that this fellow had been taken completely by surprise worked
to his disadvantage, too, and although he struggled hard, he was
unable to do anything, and the gripping fingers, compressing his
windpipe like bands of steel, gradually weakened him, for he was
unable to get his breath. Neither could he cry out, and the result was
that in about three minutes from the time Dick had seized the redcoat,
the fellow was lying unconsciously on the deck-choked into
insensibility.

Feeling confident the sentinel would remain unconscious some time,
Dick left the form lying there, and entered the cabin in search of the
other soldier. A snore sounding from a stateroom at one side guided
the youth, so he entered the compartment, and seizing this redcoat by
the throat, as he had the other, Dick quickly choked him into limp
insensibility. This accomplished, he went out on deck, dragged the
other redcoat into the cabin, and into the stateroom. Closing the
door, he locked them in.

"I don't think they will be able to get out of there, even if they
regain consciousness before I get to the prisoners," thought Dick.

Then he went out on deck again and hunted around till he found the
hatchway. Removing the covering, he looked down into the hold, but
could see nothing, the darkness there being even greater than on the
deck.

"Hello, down there!" he called. "Are you there, Tom!"

"Dick! Oh, is it really you?" came the reply, in the excited voice of
Tom Dare.

"Yes, it is I," was the reply. "How many are there with you, Tom? Is
father there?"

"No, Dick, father isn't here. Come down and free us, quick!" eagerly.
"There are twelve of us here, it is a terrible place,-slimy and
foul-smelling, and there are rats, insects and worms, ugh!"

"Climb up the ladder," instructed Dick. "Surely you are not bound."

"Our hands are tied. That's what I meant by telling you to come down
and free us, Dick."

"I'll be with you in moment, Tom."

Dick hastened down the ladder, and was soon standing beside Tom, who
had scrambled to his feet. He quickly cut the rope binding his
brother's wrists, and then asked where the other prisoners were.

"Here," replied a hoarse voice. "We are right at hand, Dick Dare, and
glad to welcome you. Your brother has told us about you, and we have
been hoping you would succeed in freeing us, though we feared you
might not be able to do so. But you seem to have succeeded, thank God!
I am Joseph Boswick," he continued, "one of the spies sent down here
by General Washington to secure information regarding the British.
There are three more spies, and seven patriot soldiers and all of us
are eager to get out of this terrible hole, as you may well believe."

"I can easily believe it, Mr. Boswick, and I'll have your hands free
in a jiffy, and then you can climb the ladder to the deck, and we will
go ashore in the boat. The two British guards are insensible, and
locked in a stateroom."

"You are a wonder, Dare!" said Boswick, admiration in his tone. "Well,
cut our bonds quickly and we'll try to get out of here."

This was speedily done, and a few minutes later the entire party was
on the deck. To climb down into the boat was a simple matter, but it
had only just been accomplished when there came the noise of oars in
rowlocks, from the other side of the hulk, followed by the sound of
voices.

"Some redcoats have come off to the ship, from the shore!" whispered
Dick, to Boswick. "We must get away from here in a hurry, for your
escape will be discovered very quickly!"

Chapter XIII

General Washington is Pleased

"We had better get to the shore at once," was the reply. "This boat is
so heavily loaded that it would be dangerous to try to go to New York
in it."

"Yes, and it is old and leaky, anyway. We'll go ashore and then head
for Brooklyn Heights."

Dick turned the oars and rowed cautiously toward the island. The boat
moved very slowly, for it was deep in the water, and rapid progress
was impossible.

The shore was reached presently, however, and at the same instant
there came out of the darkness excited yells from the direction of the
prison-ship.

"They've discovered your escape," said Dick. "Get ashore, men, as
quickly as possible."

The rescued patriots leaped ashore as fast as they could, and then
with Dick in the lead, they set out northward.

"By keeping over pretty close to the water, I think we shall be able
to keep clear of the redcoats," said Dick.

"Likely," agreed Tom. "We mustn't let them capture us now."

"I'll never go back to that terrible prison-pen alive!" declared
Boswick. "I would much rather die fighting."

"We'll get to the Heights and then over to New York in safety,"
assured Dick.

The excited voices of the British who had discovered the escape of the
prisoners could be heard for some time, but gradually grew fainter,
until at last no sound could be heard. The little party kept steadily
onward, and managed to get past the left end of the British army and
an hour or so later arrived at the patriot encampment on Brooklyn
Heights.

They paused there only long enough to rest a bit and apprise the
officer in command of their escape from the prison-ship, then they
went down to the shore and were taken across to the New York side in
boats.

They went direct to patriot headquarters, and were quickly ushered
into the presence of the commander-in-chief. When he saw Dick and Tom,
and also Boswick and the other spies and the patriot soldiers that had
been prisoners, his face lighted up with pleasure.

"You surely have succeeded well, Dare!" he exclaimed. "You have
rescued the patriot prisoners from the British prison-ship, and I hope
you have as well secured some important information."

"I have secured some information, your excellency," replied Dick. "And
I am pleased because I was able to free the patriots from the
prison-ship."

"You have done well, Dick-wonderfully well. I congratulate you, my
boy." Then he shook hands with Boswick and the other spies and the
soldiers and asked them about their experience in the prison-ship.
According to their words, the prison-ship was a terrible place, the
bottom of the hold being water-soaked and slimy, and infested by
myriads of insects and worms, which crawled over the prisoners'
bodies, stinging and biting them and almost driving them wild. There
were large and vicious rats also. The prisoners were thin and gaunt,
and it was evident that they had suffered indeed.

"You have had a very unpleasant experience, men," said the
commander-in-chief; "but now you are free and will soon be your old
selves again. Go to your quarters, get some food and then rest up and
regain your lost strength."

The soldiers obeyed, all going save Dick, who remained at the command
of General Washington. When the others had gone, he turned inquiringly
at Dick.

"What did you learn, my boy?" he queried. "Have you secured any
information of value?"

"I haven't secured a great deal of information, your excellency," was
the reply. "I learned the numerical strength of the British army, for
one thing."

"That is important. What is the number?"

"Twenty-five thousand."

A sober, thoughtful look settled over the face of the
commander-in-chief.

"That is about five thousand more than I figured on," he murmured.
"Well, I am glad to have knowledge of their strength, even though it
is greater than I had expected it to be."

"I learned also, that an attack on Brooklyn Heights, while a
probability at some future time, is not contemplated at an early
date."

"That is important also, Dick. Well, did you learn anything else?"

"Nothing else, sir. But, if you desire it, I will go back over onto
Long Island and will keep watch on the British and do my best to learn
of any intended move early enough to get the news to you, so that you
will have time to make a move that will check the enemy."

"We will wait a few days, Dick, and then I may send you again. I
congratulate you on the success of your first attempt at spying. You
did well, Dick, exceedingly well, and I shall doubtless make use of
you frequently in the future, if you care to undertake the work."

"I shall be glad to do so, your excellency. My only wish is to do all
in my power to aid the people of America to secure their independence,
and if I can be of value by doing spy-work, then I shall take pleasure
in doing it."

"That is the right spirit, my boy, and I shall call upon you whenever
I have work that I think you can do better than an older man could do
it."

Then he dismissed Dick, who saluted and withdrew, going to his
quarters.

He found Tom there, engaged in telling the story of his and Dick's
adventures over on Long Island, and Ben and the other soldiers were
listening eagerly, their eyes shining. They greeted Dick joyously.

"Say, I wish I had been with you two fellows, old man," said Ben
Foster. "You have got the bulge on the rest of us, and that isn't
fair. You have already encountered the redcoats and had adventures
with them, while the rest of us have had to stay cooped up here in the
city." Ben pretended to be vexed with Dick and Tom, but it was only
pretense.

"You boys will get all the adventure you want, one of these days, I
think," smiled Dick. "There is going to be a battle over on Long
Island sooner or later, and then you will get all the fighting you
want."

"Hurroo!" cried Tim Murphy, "shure an' thot is phwat we are afther
wantin', Oi dunno. It's all av us wull foight to the last gasp, sure
an' we wull."

"Yah, ve vill fighd lige eferyting," declared Fritz Schmockenburg. "Ve
are nod avraid uf der retgoads, und dot is so."

"How soon will the battle take place, Dick?" queried Ben Foster.

Dick shook his head.

"As to that I cannot say, Ben," he replied. "But it will come soon
enough, without doubt, for the British have twenty-five thousand
soldiers, while we have not more than eighteen thousand."

"That is pretty big odds," said Ben, with a shake of the head.

"So it is," agreed Dick. "But the patriots will give a good account of
themselves when the time comes, I feel certain."

"Yah, ve vill gif ein goot accound mit mysellufs," said Fritz, the
Dutch soldier.

"Just listen to thot, wull yez?" remarked Tim, scathingly. "Shure an'
there is agotism fur yez!"

"Well, I hope all of us will always give a good account of ourselves,"
said Dick, quietly. "And I believe we will."

"We'll try to, Dick," said Ben, earnestly.

A few days later General Washington again summoned Dick and told him
to go over on Long Island and see if he could learn anything regarding
the intentions of the British.

"You will have to be very careful, this time, however, Dick," he
cautioned; "for you are known to many of the British, and if they
should see you, they would capture you, and that would be bad."

"True, sir," said Dick. "I will be very careful. I will not let them
capture me, if I can help myself." Then, after receiving his
instructions, Dick saluted and withdrew.

After supper he set out, and crossing the East River, made his way in
the direction of the British encampment, which was about five miles
distant, to the southward. He did not need to go to Brooklyn Heights
to see General Putnam, for the reason that he now knew more about the
location of the enemy than Putnam did.

Dick did not walk rapidly, for he felt that it were better to proceed
with caution, for if he went too swiftly he could not exercise much
care, and the result might be unpleasant, as there was danger that he
might run into a party of British. By going slowly he could avoid this
danger.

Two hours from the time he crossed the East River, he was in the
vicinity of the British encampment, and he moved slowly around it,
trying to figure out some way to get where he could secure
information, but to no avail. He could not devise any means of doing
this. To enter the lines was out of the question, for there would
likely be some of the soldiers who would recognize him as the youth
who had joined the British army a few days before and then deserted.
Doubtless the British were aware of the fact, also, that the same
youth had set the prisoners free from the prison-ship.

Dick remained near the British encampment till after midnight, but
could do nothing to further the purpose for which he had come, and so
he retired to a clump of trees situated about a quarter of a mile from
the edge of the encampment, and hunting up a place under some bushes,
lay down and went to sleep.

He slept soundly till morning, and then got up and took a survey of
the British encampment. The sun was just rising, and everything was
quiet in the camp. The soldiers were still asleep, with the exception
of the sentinels, who could be seen slowly pacing their beats.

Dick had nothing to eat, but did not let that bother him. He was
prepared to go without food all day, if by so doing he would have a
better chance of securing information regarding the enemy. He watched
till the British soldiers got up and ate their breakfast, and then as
he saw small groups moving about, some coming almost to the clump of
trees, he decided that it would be best to climb up into a tree and
conceal himself amid the leaves, and selecting a tree with very heavy
foliage, he climbed well up into it. Here he took up as comfortable a
position as possible, watching the enemy and awaiting developments.

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