The Liberty Boys Running the Blockade Part 3

"Yes, Mark, coming right along!" shouted d.i.c.k, and then he and Bob hurried up the steep bank, presently seeing lanterns and a number of the Liberty Boys.

"We had some little trouble in finding the place," declared Mark, when d.i.c.k and Bob joined him and the rest, there being fully a score of them.

"The young ladies had no idea where the wretches had gone, but we picked up the trail at length and then had less difficulty in following it.

Where were you?"

"In the stone house--a regular nest of thieves," d.i.c.k answered. "I must have a look at the place later."

There was no further sound from below, and the boys went on to the top, where they found several of the Liberty Boys and the two girls.

d.i.c.k and Bob now jumped into the saddle and resumed their interrupted ride, going with the girls to the house in Maiden Lane. The friends of Alice and Edith were very charming girls, and the boys spent an hour or two very pleasantly, telling the story of their adventures in the afternoon and evening, and talking of the situation in in the city. The boys at length left the house to return to the camp, Alice and Edith expressing considerable anxiety, however, lest they be way-laid by the men who had already made an unsuccessful attempt to keep them prisoners.

In a short time they were back in camp, the occasional tramp of a sentry or the sudden flaring up of a fire from a puff of night air being the only things to show that there was any one there. The Liberty Boys were always vigilant, for one never knew when an enemy might be about, and d.i.c.k had taught them to be on the lookout at all times, whether they expected a foe or not. After breakfast d.i.c.k took a party of about a dozen of the boys in addition to Bob, and set out for the stone house on the river. Reaching the lane, the boys dismounted, the descent being rather too steep for the horses, and d.i.c.k, Bob and seven or eight others went down. The door toward the road was closed and there was no sign of life about the place. d.i.c.k and Bob went down to the sh.o.r.e where there was a little wharf, and here they found a door on the lower story, this being closed, however, as were the windows, and no one stirring either in or about the house.

"The place looks like an ordinary storehouse," remarked d.i.c.k, "and I suppose that the people about here think it is such. I shall have to get permission from the general to examine it, for it is a nest of thieves whatever else it may be."

"That is plain enough!" muttered Bob.

Taking Bob, and leaving the boys to watch the place, d.i.c.k set out for Putnam's headquarters to report concerning the place and ask what should be done. Some of the boys remained on the bank above, and some on the wharf and near the lower door. They found a pa.s.sage under the wharf, and then another dug through the earth, and leading to a door evidently in the stone house under the bank and back of the wharf.

"These fellows are regular smugglers as well as thieves!" exclaimed Harry. "This is an important discovery. They use this place to take in stolen goods when they are afraid to take them in any other, I guess."

"See if the door is locked," suggested Sam.

Then he and Harry tried it, and found that it was not fastened, but opened readily when they lifted the latch.

"Hallo! Who is there?" cried a gruff voice, as they advanced.

"Here's one of the rascals! Catch him!" cried Harry.

CHAPTER V.--An Important Capture.

d.i.c.k and Bob set out upon their horses for the general's quarters, and upon reaching Broadway met the girls coming along on horseback.

"I am afraid we cannot give you much attention now, girls," said d.i.c.k.

"We are going to the general's quarters, and then to rout out the thieves, who make a rendezvous of the stone house and I think we shall be very busy for sometime."

"You might go up to the camp and cheer Patsy's heart by a visit,"

laughed Bob. "He is fond of the girls."

"You want us to get the poor boy in trouble, I see," said Alice. "You would get so jealous that Patsy would have no peace."

"You know what Carl says when he disagrees with any one, don't you, Sis?" asked Bob, with a sly wink.

"Come, my dear," replied Alice. "I think we shall be able to do without their company for a time. We ought to be resourceful enough for that."

"But, Alice, brother and Bob have business to attend to, and---"

"And you are a dear little matter of face goose and can't see a joke,"

laughed Alice. "You would spoil both those boys, but it needs me to put them in the right place."

Then the girls rode away toward the camp, while the boys went on to the general's. The veteran listened to d.i.c.k, and said:

"By all means break into the place and make a thorough investigation, Captain. If there is any complaint, say that I gave you full authority to act. There is something very about the whole affair, and I do not believe that the place is used for honest purposes."

"Nor we, General, but we wanted your authority before we proceeded to vigorous measures."

"Well, you have it now, Captain," said the general, who was well acquainted with d.i.c.k, Bob and many of the Liberty Boys.

They left the place, jumped into the saddle, were going up toward the Commons when, as they neared the head of Maiden Lane, they suddenly heard a sharp cry, and saw a young girl in a chaise come dashing toward them at a terrific pace, the horse having taken fright at something and being now beyond the girl's control.

"Quick, Bob!" cried d.i.c.k. "We must save her!"

"Why, it's Sarah Watrous," said Bob, that being the name of the girls'

friend whom the boys had seen the night before.

The boys dashed forward, one on each side the chaise, d.i.c.k dismounting and catching of the bridle, throwing himself backward and checking the animal's speed. Bob reached out at the same time and did what he could to stop horse, the two boys between them succeeding in checking him in a short time.

"Oh, I am so glad you came!" gasped the girl who seemed nearly ready to swoon. "I don't know what I should have done without you. He never ran away before and I didn't know what do."

"What started him up, Miss Watrous?" asked d.i.c.k, stroking the horse and getting him into calmer mood.

"I am sure I don't know. I have been before and he never acted in this fashion."

"Who harnessed him?" asked Bob, looking the horse.

"Why, I did. The boy was busy and I couldn't wait, so I did it myself.

Why shouldn't I do things for myself instead of being always dependent upon others?"

"That is all right in theory," laughed Bob, "but you have not done it right, and the horse has been chafed and annoyed, and has finally tried to get out of it and has run away. You had better let me fix things."

"Well, I declare!" exclaimed the girl. "And I thought I could do most anything!"

Just then d.i.c.k caught sight of one of the men he had seen the night before going down Broadway, and he said to Bob in a low tone:

"Look after the young lady, Bob. There is one of those ruffians. Take Major up with you when you get through."

Then he went away at not too rapid a walk and followed the man he had seen, observing him go into a tavern on the other side of the street and just below the corner.

"Not a very reputable place," he said to himself, "but I think I am safe enough."

Entering the place, he saw the man he had followed sitting in a corner talking to a man who, if he was not greatly mistaken, was the chief of the two spies he had captured the day before and had turned over to General Putnam. The man recognized him, and hastily arose, and d.i.c.k knew that he was not mistaken, although how he should have escaped was a puzzle to him.

"Stop that man! He is a spy of the British!" he cried. "And the man with him is a thief!"

"Better not talk too loud in this place, you saucy young rebel!" growled the landlord, coming forward. "All my customers are respectable persons, and if you don't like 'em, your room is preferable to your company."

From the black looks cast at him, d.i.c.k saw that he was likely to get into trouble, the patrons of the place being evidently persons of shady character and Tories. He pushed forward, nevertheless, and, suddenly drawing a pistol, said in a very determined manner: