The Dare Boys of 1776

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He ate the rest of his food, and then sat down beside a tree and took
it easy for a while. He knew that the soldiers were busy cooking their
dinners, and that none would likely come to the timber for quite a
while.

As he sat there, gazing idly over toward the encampment, however, he
suddenly heard footsteps behind him, and turned his head quickly, and
saw a British soldier standing within a few paces of him, musket in
hand, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Hello," greeted the redcoat.

Dick was surprised and somewhat dismayed as well, but he was a cool
youth, and did not let the fact that he was flustered show on his
face. Instead, he affected a cool and careless air, and replied:

"Hello. Good afternoon, sir."

The soldier stood there, keeping a keen eye on the youth.

"Who are you?" he queried.

"My name is Dick Morris." Dick gave the first name that came to his
mind.

"Humph. What are you doing here?"

"Nothing. Just sitting here."

"Why are you sitting here?" Dick believed the soldier was suspicious
of him.

"I'm resting," replied the youth.

"Resting, eh?"

"Yes, sir."

"What made you tired?"

"I have come quite a distance. I walked here from nearly twenty miles
east, and I'm resting in the shade, before continuing my journey. No
objection is there?"

"Humph. Where are you bound for?"

"Over on the shore of the bay."

"What are you going there for?"

"To work for a man, sir."

"Who?"

"An old fisherman."

"Humph. You seem to be interested in the army, yonder, judging by the
way you were looking that way when I came up."

"Yes, sir," replied Dick, quietly. "When one has never seen an army
before, it does interest one."

The redcoat eyed Dick searchingly.

"I'm almost inclined to believe that you are not what you make out
yourself to be," he said, after a few moments.

"Why so, sir?" Dick opened his eyes as if surprised and puzzled and
looked at the soldier inquiringly.

"Because-in these times of war, it is often the case that anyone like
yourself may turn out to be a spy."

"A spy?" exclaimed Dick, assuming a most astonished expression.

"Yes, and you may be a spy for all I know."

Dick shook his head. "Oh, no, you've got another guess," he said. He
felt that he was doing no wrong in denying being a spy, to a British
soldier.

"I'm not so sure of it," was the stubborn reply. "I think that I shall
have to take you into camp and see what General Percy has to say about
the matter."

Dick's heart sank. General Percy was the officer he had seen, a few
weeks before, when he had pretended to join the British force, and the
officer would recognize him at once, without doubt. It would not do to
permit himself to be taken into the camp, a prisoner. It would result
disastrously, as he would likely be shot as a spy, for it was known
that he had rescued the patriot prisoners out of the old prison-ship
in the bay, and he would be handled severely. Even though only a boy
in years, he had proven himself capable of doing a man's work.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that, if I were you," said Dick, calmly.

The soldier smiled grimly. "I suppose you do not view the matter
favorably," he replied. "But, I think it my duty to take you into
camp, for you may be a dangerous spy."

Dick had been doing some swift thinking, and he had made up his mind
that he must not permit himself to be taken into the encampment a
prisoner. He must manage in some way to prevent the soldier from
accomplishing this. The only way, so far as he could see, was to
engage the soldier in a struggle, and overpower him, and as the
redcoat looked a pretty husky fellow, this would likely not be an easy
thing to accomplish. But Dick was more than ordinarily strong, and he
was quick and athletic, and a good wrestler, and he believed he could
overpower the soldier. He felt confident he could do so, if he could
succeed in taking the redcoat by surprise.

Dick, busy thinking, made no reply to the redcoat's last remark, and
the soldier, after waiting a few moments, said sharply: "Get up, young
fellow."

Dick rose to his feet, slowly and quietly. His actions were such as
would cause the redcoat to think he did not contemplate offering any
resistance, and this was done purposely, so as to throw the redcoat
off his guard. And it worked that way, for the soldier, with a
careless wave of the hand, said:

"March along in front of me to the encampment, young fellow. We'll see
what General Percy thinks about you."

But Dick did not march, as ordered to do. Instead, he suddenly leaped
upon the amazed soldier, and seizing him by the throat, so as to
prevent his crying out, tripped him, throwing him to the ground
heavily, and then, seated astride the redcoat's body, and holding him
pinned to the earth in spite of his struggles.

The soldier was a pretty strong man, but he had been taken at a
disadvantage and by surprise, and so was not in a position to exercise
his full powers, and the result was, that although only a youth of
eighteen years, Dick managed to choke the soldier into a state of
insensibility in a very few minutes.

And then, when confident that the redcoat was unconscious, Dick let go
his hold, and proceeded to bind the redcoat's hands and feet, and gag
him. This accomplished, the youth dragged the soldier into the deepest
and thickest clump of bushes and concealed him there, so that in case
any soldiers came to the timber, later on, they would not discover his
presence.

Having accomplished this task, Dick sat down beside the tree and drew
a long breath of relief and satisfaction.

"There, that turned out all right, after all," he murmured. "But, I
thought at first that I might be taken into camp a prisoner, and that
would have been bad indeed."

Dick looked toward the encampment keenly, as he spoke, and noted that
all was quiet there, and that none of the soldiers were as yet
evincing any disposition to visit the clump of timber.

At least an hour passed, and then Dick saw a couple of soldiers leave
the encampment and come toward the timber. As soon as he was certain
they were coming to loll in the shade of the trees, Dick climbed the
tree. From there he could hear the conversation of the redcoats, and
there was not much chance that they would discover his presence, the
foliage in the tree as has been noted, being quite thick.

The two soldiers entered the edge of the timber and seated themselves
under a tree close to the one Dick was in, and sat there, smoking and
talking, their conversation being mainly personal, as had been the
case with the two that had been there in the forenoon. But, after a
while they got to talking about the army, and finally touched upon the
very matter that Dick wish to hear discussed. In a general way they
commented upon the bustle, stir and preparation that indicated some
important move.

"I'm glad of it," remarked one. "I am getting tired of being cooped up
in camp. I'd rather do some marching and fighting."

"So would I. Well, I think it likely that we will have fighting to do
in a few days, if the colonel knew what he was talking about, and I
suppose he did."

"He had the news from General Percy?"

"I suppose so. The general was over to the main encampment yesterday,
you know, and likely they held a council of war and decided to make an
attack."

Dick was straining every nerve to hear distinctly.

Just then a groan sounded, from amid the clump of bushes in which Dick
had placed the soldier he had overpowered. The soldiers heard it, and
looked at each other wonderingly and inquiringly and then gazed keenly
toward the clump of bushes. Dick had heard the groan also, and his
heart sank, for he thought that if the soldiers found and released the
other redcoat, a search might be instituted for him, and result in his
discovery and capture.

"What does that mean, comrade?" remarked one of the soldiers.

"Somebody groaned," was the reply. "Let's take a look in that clump of
bushes and see who is there, and what ails him."

They leaped to their feet, and drawing pistols, strode to the edge of
the clump of bushes, and stooping, pushed their way through between
the bushes. A few moments later Dick heard an exclamation from the
lips of one of the soldiers, and knew they had discovered the bound
redcoat. The youth had thought of slipping down out of the tree and
trying to make his escape, but did not do so, for he realized that the
chances were that he would be seen and either shot or captured. So he
decided to remain where he was, and risk being discovered.

A few minutes later the three redcoats emerged from amid the bushes,
the two having freed the redcoat from his bonds. They paused
underneath the tree Dick was in, and the redcoat explained about his
encounter with and capture by the person he had suspected of being a
spy and had intended to march into the camp, a prisoner. To Dick's
amusement, the redcoat described him as being a big, ferocious-looking
fellow, a six-footer, and very strong. Evidently the soldier did not
want his comrades to know that he had been overpowered and mad a
prisoner by a youth of eighteen years, and smaller than himself.

"I suppose the rascally spy isn't still in this clump of timer, eh?"
remarked one of the soldiers, with a glance around.

"No, not likely," was the reply of the one who had been made a
prisoner. "Probably he got away from here as quickly as possible,
after making a prisoner of me."

"Luckily he was not here to listen to what we were saying," remarked
one, and he looked significantly at the other who agreed.

Then one suggested that they go into the encampment and make a report
of the affair to the general. The other two assented to this
proposition, and they at once left the clump of trees and made their
way to the encampment.

Dick was eager, now, to get away from there.

He felt that he had important if not really definite information and
wished to get it to General Washington as quickly as possible. He knew
that he might succeed in getting away from the clump of timber without
being discovered, but again there was a chance that he would be seen
and captured, and so he decided to wait till nightfall, when he could
slip away in safety, and without being in any danger of being seen.
True, the redcoats might come and search the clump of timber, for the
spy the soldier had had the encounter with, but the youth did not
believe they would do so, as they would not think him likely to linger
thereabouts after having had the struggle with the British soldier
there.

So Dick remained in the timber, and the result justified his judgment,
for the soldiers did not come out again to make a search. Evidently it
was thought that the spy had taken his departure.

When night came, Dick slipped away and started in the direction of the
patriot encampment on Brooklyn Heights. He reached there in safety, a
couple of hours later, and at once went to headquarters and made his
report, General Washington being there, conferring with General
Putnam.

When Dick told them of the unwonted activities in the British lines
they were well pleased, and said that if an attack were made they
would be able to hold their position on the Heights, in spite of the
superior numbers of the enemy.

Next day preparations were begun for the reception of the British, and
all was done that could be to make it possible to offer strong and
successful battle to the enemy. Then the patriots waited, as patiently
as possible for the coming of the British, who might now come at any
time. The days dragged slowly by, however, and it was not until the
morning of the 27th of August that the British advanced to attack.
Seated in their quarters on the Heights, Dick, Tom and Ben, and the
other soldiers were discussing the matter and wishing that the
redcoats would do something, when suddenly the rattle of musketry was
heard, coming from down on the Narrows road, near the bay, where
General Stirling's division was stationed.

"To arms!" at once shouted General Putnam. "The British are beginning
the attack!"

Instantly all was excitement. The soldiers grabbed their muskets and
took their places, ready for battle, and down where Stirling's force
was there sounded the rattle of musketry, as volleys were exchanged.
It was indeed exciting, and Dick, Tom and Ben, their eyes shining,
could scarcely contain themselves. They wanted to be at the front,
helping fight the redcoats.

"Say, Dick, ask General Putnam to let us go down there," pleaded Ben
Foster. "I want to help fight the redcoats!"

"Yes, do ask him, Dick," urged Tom. "I can't stand staying here, doing
nothing, when there is fighting going on. Get him to let us go down
there."

"All right, I'll try," said Dick. "I would like it myself. But, I'm
afraid he won't be willing to let us go."

"Ask him, anyway," said Tom.

"I will," and Dick hastened to General Putnam and made his wish known.

General Putnam listened, but shook his head. "No, I can't permit you
to go down there," he said. "You must stay here with your company. If
it should go, of course you would go too. But I don't think it will
leave the works."

Dick nodded, a disappointed look on his face.

"Very well, sir," he said, and turning, started to rejoin his
comrades.

"It is possible that I may make use of you boys as messengers during
the battle, Dick," the general said. He had noted the disappointed
look on the youth's face, and doubtless thought the idea of being used
as messengers would please the boys.

It evidently pleased Dick, for he turned a beaming face toward the
general and said: "Thank you, General Putnam. If you have any messages
to send to the commanders of the other forces, at the front, we will be
glad to take them."

"Very well, Dick. It is likely that I shall want to send some
messages. You boys hold yourselves in readiness to take them."

"We will do so, sir."

Then Dick hastened back to his comrades and told them the result of
the interview. They were slightly disappointed because of not being
permitted to go and join the troops already engaged in fighting the
British, but were pleased with the idea of being sent to the
commanders with orders.

"I hope General Putnam will have a lot of messages to send," said Tom
Dare, his eyes shining with excitement.

"So do I," said Ben Foster.

Chapter XVI

The Battle of Long Island

Down on the Narrows Road, General Stirling's force was holding its own
against the British. The patriot soldiers were steady and calm, and
loaded and fired regularly and with considerable effect, and had
fortune gone well with Sullivan's division, the Continental soldiers
would probably have won the battle. But General Sullivan, stationed on
the hills south of Bedford, was attacked fiercely in front by a strong
force of British, and another force under Generals Howe and
Cornwallis, having marched around to the north of this position, by
way of the Jamaica Road, attacked Sullivan from the rear, and his
force, thus caught between two fires, was driven back and forth among
the trees, with disastrous results.

General Putnam, watching the battle from the Heights, through his
glass, saw that Sullivan was in difficulties and in danger of capture,
and he decided to send a message to Stirling, warning him of this
fact, and ordering him to retreat toward the Heights as quickly as
possible-for as soon as Sullivan's force was overpowered, the British
would sweep on across the fields and fall upon the rear of Stirling's
force and capture it. So, having written a brief note, General Putnam
summoned Dick Dare.

"Do you think you can find General Stirling?" the general asked.

"I think so, sir," was the reply.

"He is over on Narrows Road. You will know him, because he will be
mounted on a large bay horse. Get to him as quickly as possible, and
hand him this message," and he gave Dick the slip of paper.

"I will do so, General Putnam," said Dick, firmly.

"Very good. Now hurry. Get there as quickly as possible."

Dick hastened away, running swiftly, and as he passed where Tom and
Ben were stationed, he called out: "I'm taking a message to General
Stirling."

"Good for you," cried Ben.

"Go it," from Tom.

Dick vaulted over the breastworks and then ran down the slope at the
top of his speed.

"I'm a messenger from General Putnam," he called to the sentinel, as
he approached the soldier on duty partway down the slope, and then on
he dashed, without slackening speed in the least.

Soon he was in among the trees and out of sight of the patriot
soldiers on the Heights. He knew the direction to go in order to reach
General Stirling, and he headed in that direction and kept up his
speed.

Dick heard the firing over to his left, and knew this was where
General Sullivan was having such a hot fight with the enemy. The youth
would pass within two or three hundred yards of the left wing of the
attacking British, and he kept a sharp lookout in that direction, for
he did not want to get shot by any of the British soldiers.

Presently he caught sight of the right wing of Sullivan's force, and
saw the patriot soldiers firing at the British as rapidly as possible,
and then he saw the redcoats, who were attacking the patriots from
both the front and the rear.

Dick wished that he might be able to help the patriot soldiers fight
the British, but he had business of his own to attend to, and so he
kept onward, running at the top of his speed.

Suddenly, however, when he was perhaps halfway to the point where
General Stirling's army was fighting so bravely, he was given a
surprise, and a most unpleasant one-for he found himself confronted by
a force of British soldiers, which was making a flank movement, with
the intention, doubtless, of falling upon Sullivan's right wing.
Doubtless another force was executing a similar movement on the
opposite side, to attack Sullivan's left wing, and when this movement
was finished, the soldiers under Sullivan would be surrounded.

Dick halted instantly, on catching sight of the approaching soldiers.
He had seen them while still they were a couple of hundred yards
distant, they being easy to see owing to the brilliant red of their
coats, which stood out plainly between the trees. He wondered if he
had been seen. If not, it might be possible to escape capture by
hiding-if a hiding-place could be found. If he were to turn to the
right and run in that direction, with the purpose of getting around
the end of this advancing force, he would be almost certain to be seen
and either shot down or captured. Evidently, therefore, the proper
thing for him to do was to hide if he could find a place of
concealment.

But could he do this? He glanced around him, eagerly and anxiously. He
was determined to get through the British ranks and deliver the
message to General Stirling, if such a thing were possible. It would
never do to fail in the very first work that he was given to do in a
battle with the British. No, he must reach General Stirling. General
Putnam had shown confidence in Dick, and the youth was not going to
give the general reason to think his confidence had been misplaced.

But, where could he hide? While pondering this matter, Dick was
standing behind a larger tree, and on glancing around this tree, to
see how close the redcoats were, the youth noted an interesting fact:
The tree was hollow. There was an opening at least two feet high by a
foot and a half wide, at the bottom, but halfway around to the other
side. In order to enter this opening, Dick would have to take the
chance of being seen by the approaching British soldiers.

It seemed to be his only chance, however, for he could not hope to run
around the end of the force and escape without being shot down, and to
remain where he was would be to be discovered the instant the soldiers
came up to him.

This being settled, Dick did not hesitate, but acted at once. He
dropped to the ground, and lying on his stomach, wriggled his way
around the tree-trunk, much after the fashion of a huge snake. He
glanced toward the approaching redcoats, and while he could see them
plainly, they being within seventy-five yards of him, they had not as
yet, he felt certain, discovered him. This gave him courage, and
quickly he reached the opening and crawled through it and into the
hollow within.

Crouching back as far from the opening as possible, Dick waited
anxiously for the coming of the British soldiers. Had they seen him as
he crawled through the opening? Would he be hauled out of the hollow
tree and made a prisoner? Dick could not say. All he could do was to
wait and see what would happen. If the redcoats had seen him, he would
certainly be captured, but if they had not, then he stood a chance of
escaping discovery, and when they passed, he could continue on his way
and deliver the message to General Stirling. How Dick wished that this
might be the case!

The moments that intervened before the redcoats reached the vicinity
of the tree were anxious ones for Dick. He sat there, crouching back
as far as possible from the opening, and waited, and as he heard the
footsteps and voices of the British soldiers, his heart came up into
his throat.

It was indeed a critical moment. It was a situation to try the nerve
of the bravest person.

Louder sounded the footsteps, plainer the voices of the redcoats.
Closer and closer the soldiers came, and then some of them appeared
opposite the opening. Dick's heart was in his mouth. He held his
breath and wondered if some of the redcoats would stop and haul him
out from his hiding-place. But no, nothing of the kind occurred. It
was now evident that he had not been seen as he was entering the
hollow tree, and the redcoats merely walked past, without looking
through the opening, and Dick was not discovered.

Eagerly and thankfully he saw the soldiers pass, and when they had all
gone by, and had gotten perhaps fifty yards beyond, he stuck his head
out through the opening and took a look after his enemies. They were
walking swiftly onward, their faces to the front. Not one was looking
back, and deeming it was safe, Dick crawled out of his hiding-place,
and heaving a sigh of relief, he again set out in the direction of the
point where Stirling's force was giving such valiant battle to the
British.

On Dick ran, at top speed, and presently he emerged upon the Narrows
Road, and caught sight of the patriot force, and also of the British.
The battle between these two divisions of the armies was still going
on, and Dick quickly caught sight of General Stirling, who was seated
on his big bay charger, watching the progress of the battle.

Dick hastened up to the general, and saluting, said: "I have message
for you, General Stirling, from General Putnam."

General Stirling took the message and quickly read the few words
written there.

"Ah!" he exclaimed. "Sullivan is in sore straits, being attacked from
both front and rear, and I must retreat, or my force will be treated
to the same fate."

Then he turned to Dick, and said: "Tel General Putnam I will begin
retreating toward the Heights at once."

"Yes, General Stirling," said Dick, and then he moved away, in the
direction from which he had come, while General Stirling gave the
order for his force to beat a retreat. They obeyed, though
reluctantly, for they did not know that Sullivan's force was
practically in the hands of the British, and so could not understand
why the order to retreat was given. They knew there was a strong force
of redcoats over to their left hand, however, and so they kept a sharp
lookout in that direction as they fell back. They were attacked from
that side, by a part of the force, and General Stirling, while
fighting valiantly, was surrounded and made a prisoner.

Dick, from quite a distance, saw the capture of General Stirling, and
he remained where he was for a little while, until he saw that the
main force under Stirling succeeded in getting past the British and
were coming toward the Heights, which they would undoubtedly succeed
in reaching, and then he turned and hastened on up to the Heights, and
made his way to General Putnam.

"I delivered the message to General Stirling, sir," the youth said,
"and he told me to say to you that he would begin a retreat at once."

"Very well, Dick," said Putnam. "You did well to deliver the message."

"I saw his force retreating, sir, from down the slope a ways," went on
Dick, "and I saw some of the redcoats make a prisoner of General
Stirling."

"So you say, my boy?" exclaimed Putnam. "That is bad. Well, it cannot
be helped. But, I think the major portion of his force will succeed in
reaching the Heights."

"Yes, I think so, General Putnam. The soldiers are coming steadily,
and have got past the main part of the British force."

"Thanks for the information, Dick," said the general, and then the
youth rejoined his comrades at the breastworks. Tom and Ben had many
questions to ask, and he told them briefly the story of his trip with
the despatch.

The soldiers of Stirling's force reached and entered the works on the
Heights by the time Dick had finished his story, and the battle of
Long Island was practically ended, the firing ceasing very soon
afterwards.

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