Part 39 (1/2)

”Nothing but the opportunity of doing so without injury to those of our own people who are still therein,” replied the commander-in-chief.

Great events had happened in the past few months. Not the least of these was the recall of General Gage by the British ministry and the appointment of Howe in his place. Was.h.i.+ngton had practically discharged one army and recruited another in the face of the enemy. The colonies were making a united effort toward liberty; for until this time New England had borne alone the brunt of the uprising.

The lads found the Porcupine at their quarters, and in a conversation with that small but very shrewd person, they learned a great deal of what had taken place.

”Last month,” said the dwarf, as he sat cross-legged before them upon a wide settle, while they ate of the good food set before them, ”there was a party of British light infantry landed at Lechmere's Point. They desired to take off some cattle; but Colonel Patterson and our riflemen objected and there was a brisk fight in which the British were driven off.”

”Have our men been keeping their hearts up?” asked Ezra.

”Fairly well. But last month things were very bad indeed in this camp.

We had nothing-no food to speak of, no quarters to keep out of the weather, no fire to warm ourselves by, no clothing but rags to hide our nakedness.”

”Well,” remarked Ben Cooper, ”so long as it was kept from the knowledge of the British, it was not at its worst.”

”But it was not kept from their knowledge,” returned the Porcupine.

”General Howe knew of our situation all the time!”

”And he did not attack!” cried Ezra, wonderingly.

”He had been expecting reinforcements, so our spies learned,” replied the dwarf with a wise nod of the head. ”And as they did not arrive, he kept waiting. You know,” and here a wide grin spread across the speaker's face, ”that he's tried our mettle once, and so he was in no hurry to do so again without a good force behind him.”

”And the general?” asked Ben, ”how did he take it all?”

”He went about as calm as the morning,” replied the Porcupine in high admiration. ”You'd never have thought but what everything was as well as it could be. He seemed always planning and building defenses. General Putnam was told to occupy and fortify Cobble Hill. Two half moon batteries were thrown up between Lechmere's Point and Cambridge River.

Three places between Sewall's Point and Roxbury Neck were also strengthened, to be manned in case of a sortie when the bay is frozen over.”

”But that things have taken a turn, I can see plainly,” said Ezra. ”The camp has a brisk look; the men look content; the officers hold their heads high.”

”It all began with Captain Manly's capture of the 'Nancy' brig,” said the Porcupine. ”Ah, there is a brave and enterprising officer; if there are many on the sea like him, they'll give the King's admirals trouble enough.”

”The 'Nancy' is probably the ordnance brig we heard Colonel Prescott mention,” said Ben to Ezra.

The Porcupine nodded his head.

”It's more than likely,” said he. ”All have talked of it more or less.

You see Captain Manly, who is in command of the 'Lee,' took the 'Nancy'

as she came into the bay, and carried her into Cape Ann. And she proved to be a most wonderful treasure s.h.i.+p-crammed to the hatches with military stores of every sort.”

”Excellent!” cried both listeners together.

”So full was she, and so struck was General Was.h.i.+ngton by her value, that he at once sent a strong guard to protect her. He felt sure that the British would not rest until they had done something to recover a vessel so desirable.”

”And did they?”

”They had not the time, so prompt were the general's orders, and so rapidly were they carried out. Teams were impressed, the minutemen about Cape Ann were called out to give their help; and in a little while the cargo was discharged and removed to a safe place within our lines.”

”Now that was an admirable stroke of fortune,” cried Ben Cooper. ”The stores must have pleased everybody much, to change the complexion of things so.”

”They would have pleased a king,” said the Porcupine. ”There were two thousand muskets; one hundred thousand flints, thirty thousand round shot for one, six and twelve-pounders; thirty tons of musket shot; eleven mortar beds; and one great thirteen-inch bra.s.s mortar that weighs not an ounce less than twenty-seven hundred pounds.”