The Liberty Boys Running the Blockade Part 2

"In which he was likely to get the worst of the argument," put in Ben dryly.

At that moment a jolly-looking Irish boy up and said, giving a comical salute:

"Captain dear, supper do be ready an' the young leddies have come to camp, an' will ye ate thim foirst--Oi mane mate thim foirst an' ate supper afther, or phwativer?"

There was a laugh, and then two young very pretty young ladies rode up to the fire and were helped to dismount by d.i.c.k and Bob. The girls were their sisters and their sweethearts also, the sister of each being the sweetheart of the other, and were as constant companions as the boys themselves. They lived in Westchester county and had come to visit friends in New York, stopping on the way to see the boys.

"Well, Alice," said d.i.c.k to his sweetheart, "so you have come to the city, have you? Things are in a rather turbulent state, but I fancy we can get you out of it in case there is any immediate trouble. You will stay to supper, of course. Patsy has just announced that it is ready, so we will lose no time in sitting down."

The girls were well known to all the Liberty Boys and when they sat down they received a general salute, every boy there being glad to see them.

After supper the boys who had brought in the spy took him to the general's quarters, and shortly after this d.i.c.k and Bob set out with the girls to see them to the house of their friends in the city. d.i.c.k and Bob took their horses, the captain riding a magnificent black Arabian and Bob a fine bay, and all set out together, laughing and talking in lively fashion. They struck across the Common to the road running to the west of it, and would then make their way into the city past the new church and Broadway to Maiden Lane.

As they were going on at an easy jog, expecting to leave the Common, four or five dark forms suddenly sprang up in front of them and seize their bridles, while as many ran up behind and prevented their wheeling.

Then some one flashed the light of a lantern in their faces, and a voice was heard saying:

"H'm! women! We don't want them. All want is the rebels!"

The girls' horses were at once set free, and the girls themselves lost no time in wheeling and dashing back toward the camp, Alice taking the lead.

"Hi! what are you doing?" growled one of men, who were all evil-looking fellows, as d.i.c.k could see. "The gals will bring the rest of the rebels."

d.i.c.k was dragged from the back of Major, his black Arabian, and one of the men attempted to mount the animal to go in chase of the two girls but was immediately thrown.

"Back to camp, Major!" said d.i.c.k.

In an instant the intelligent animal was flying after the girls, who quickly recognized his hoof-beats. Meanwhile the men who had captured d.i.c.k and Bob knew the danger they would run remaining on the ground, and they hurried away with the two boys, letting Bob's bay go free. They went on so rapidly that d.i.c.k was unable to see much of the way, but he knew the direction they took almost by instinct, and could have returned without trouble if he had been liberated. The men kept the two boys in the middle of the party and held on to them tightly.

"We got the rebels an' we'll get the reward," said one.

"Yes, the gals an' the other rebels won't be able to find the house, and they can hunt all they like."

It was a sharp decline to the river, down the lane, and one of the men stumbled and rolled several yards, picking himself up with a grunt and a groan and a lot of bad language, and then hurrying after the rest. d.i.c.k heard the swash of the water on the gravel bank, and then saw the river itself dimly, but in another moment some dark object loomed up before him, and then he and Bob were taken into a house, the front of which was much lower than the back on account of the steepness of the hank. The boys were taken to the front and then down a flight of steps to a room in the rear, where they were left in the dark, the door being locked and barred on the outside.

"Who are these fellows, do you suppose, d.i.c.k?" asked Bob, when they were left alone.

"I don't know. Tories, no doubt, or just men who want the reward offered for my capture."

"But there is none offered for me," with a laugh. "Why should they take me with them?"

"To keep you from giving the alarm. They would have taken the girls if they had thought twice."

"But will the girls be able to show them the way?"

"They can take them to where we were attacked, and after that the boys will follow the trail. Mark is a good hand at that sort of thing, and he will have good boys to help him."

"Yes, they would all turn out and join in the hunt if he asked them,"

declared Bob.

"But there is no use in our staying in the dark, Bob," said d.i.c.k. "You have matches with you?"

"Yes. They did not search us and I have matches, and my pistols and everything."

Bob then lighted a sulphur match, the only kind in use at the time, and looked about him. They were in a room with one door but no windows, and were evidently under guard at the back of the stone house. d.i.c.k listened attentively for some minutes, and at last heard the sound of some one coming downstairs.

"Put out the light, Bob," he said, in a low tone. "If they see it under the door they may get suspicious."

Bob blew out the candle, and in a moment all was dark and still in the room.

"When the door opens make a rush at it, Bob, and overturn the fellows.

There are two of them."

Bob stood ready to act upon the instant, and the steps of the two men coming on could be heard plainer than ever, rays of light beginning to show under the door. The men said nothing, and came on softly, but d.i.c.k's ears were very sharp, and he could hear them with no trouble.

The key was turned in the lock and the bolts shot back, and then, as the door opened slowly, the boys both threw their weight upon it suddenly and sent it flying wide open in an instant. There was a startled cry and a heavy fall, and in a moment the place was thrown into profound darkness.

"Pick them up and lock them in, Bob," said d.i.c.k, and the boys hurried into the pa.s.sage, presently stumbling upon two men who were just getting upon their feet.

They seized the men, threw them into the room, closed the door and locked them in, taking out the key, and then looked for the lantern as they heard a call from above.

CHAPTER IV.--The Boys' Escape.

"Hallo, down there, what's the matter?" called some one at the head of the stairs.

"The blame rebels tried to get out and upset the lantern," answered d.i.c.k, in a gruff voice.

"Huh! where are they now?"

"They're all right. We locked the door again."

"H'm! we better come down and help you. We gotter take them away."

"All right, come on, an' fetch another light."

Then the boys began to move steadily toward the stairs, finally finding them.

"Come on, Bob," whispered d.i.c.k. "Don't waste any ceremony on them, but tumble them downstairs as soon as they come. They won't get the others out in a hurry, for I have the key."

The boys went rapidly upstairs, but, just as a light appeared at the top, the men in the room below began to shout:

"Hallo! Bill, Toby, look out for them rebels; they've shut us up in the storeroom!"

"Hurry, Bob!" hissed d.i.c.k.

The two boys dashed up to the top of the steps and came upon two men carrying lanterns. In an instant each seized one of the Tories and sent him rolling down the stairs uttering startled yells. Then they hurried forward in the dark to the front of the stone house, opened the door and ran out. At the same moment they heard shouts from the house, and then shots were fired, the bullets pa.s.sing over their heads. They returned the shots, and heard a yell, and a sudden slamming of a door, and then a cry from up the bank:

"Hallo! d.i.c.k, Bob, are you there?"