The Rangers; or, The Tory's Daughter Part 24

"Bravoes! and no fool of an exploit on your part neither, Bart, if all this is so. But are the prisoners secured? Had we not better hasten to join the escort?"

"No, two or three more came up just as I left, and there's enough now to manage in that quarter; but the advance-guard here must be kept up till we get 'em out to the groat road, lest the sneaks slink away-into the woods as they pa.s.s along the road and slip through our fingers as your smart trooper did just now. Let's see--about eight strong we will have this guard, I guess. I will be rank and file, and you shall be the officer. Come, mount! They'll be poking their heads along in sight in a moment. Ay, there they come! Advance-guard!"

he now added, in a loud, commanding tone, as the slow tread of the prisoners, advancing along the devious and closely-embowered path, became audible--"advance-guard! Attention the whole! Prepare to march!--march!"

And accordingly he then, as Woodburn mounted and rode slowly on behind, commenced the enactment of his a.s.sumed part, always keeping within hearing, but never within distinct view, of the prisoners; now jabbering in as many voices as the most expert ventriloquist, and now sternly commanding, "_Silence in the ranks!_"--now getting up a seeming scuffle among his men, and now driving them, with thwacks and curses, to their places; and now again softening his tones and cracking jokes with his men,--Smith, Johnson, &c.,--who, in as many different tones, were heard to return various sharp and comical retorts, which raised shouts of laughter and made the forest ring with the sham merriment And thus he proceeded, to the secret amus.e.m.e.nt of the victors all if whom perfectly understood the artifice, till they emerged from the woods into the open grounds on the main road, when they were met by Major Ormsbee with a small detachment of regular soldiers. The tories were then, for the first time, permitted to know the smallness of the force that had captured them when, amidst showers of gibes and shouts of laughter, at their expense, from the Green Mountain Boys, the chapfallen creatures were wheeled into the main road, and hurried on at a lively pace to the village of Manchester, to be kept as prisoners of war, or tried as spies, as the higher authorities there should see fit to decide. [Footnote: This band of tories were, the next day after their capture, marched to Arlington, where the question was raised, and sharply discussed, whether they should be considered as prisoners of war, or tried as spies, the latter being insisted on by Mathew Lyon, and some others of the more bold and ardent friends of the American cause, who declared that Captain Rose, at least, should be tried and hung as a spy. A jury, however,--Eli Pettibone, Esq., presiding as civil magistrate,--was allowed the prisoner; when, more probably, from sympathy for the manly but misguided young officer, whom they had known as a pleasant neighbor, than from want of proof, he was acquitted as a spy, and, with the rest of his band, removed to Northampton jail as prisoner of war. Considerable favor, also, seems to have been extended to the other brothers, some of whom married into whig families, through whose influence, it is said, they retained their estates, none of the extensive Rose property being confiscated, except that of Captain Samuel Rose, which is now the residence of the Hon. J. S. Pettibone, from whom these particulars have been obtained, his father being one of the captors and his uncle the magistrate, above named.]

"Captain Woodburn!" exclaimed the clear, animated voice of one coming out of the door of the honored tavern before described, in the village of Manchester, as the person thus addressed, who had just arrived with those escorting the prisoners, was describing the capture to a crowd gathered round him in the yard--"Captain Woodburn, your most obedient!

I am glad my patience in waiting for your arrival is rewarded by the good news which Powell, our landlord here, has just told us you bring.

But come, sir, a word in your ear, if you please."

Woodburn turned and confronted the bright and smiling countenance of Ira Allen, who was beckoning him from the crowd.

"Certainly, Mr. Allen; but why honor me with that appellation?"

responded the former, stepping aside with the ardent young secretary.

"Because I have the warrant for so doing in my pocket--a captain's commission for you, my dear sir, if you will believe me."

"Indeed!"

"Yes, we have done something in the council at last worth talking about--voted to raise a regiment of Rangers forthwith, and appointed all the commissioned officers, Samuel Herrick heading the list as colonel."

"A gallant fellow, who will honor the post. But how about the means of paying and supporting such a force? You lately held taxing the people, without their consent, too bold a measure, I thought."

"We did, but have nevertheless adopted a bolder one."

"What is it?"

"Decreed the confiscation of the estates of the tories, appointed the necessary officers to execute the decree, and despatched messengers to them with commissions, instructions, and with orders to put the machine immediately into motion. By to-morrow nigh many of those on our black list will--"

"Your black list?"

"Yes, already mostly made out for operations. But what is there to startle you in that?"

"Nothing; and yet I cannot forbear asking if that list includes one in whose family you may guess I feel some interest."

"I fear so, and regret that the proofs are so strong as to require it."

"Could not action in that case be deferred? An angel is pleading with him to remain neutral."

"If she were a whig angel, Woodburn, I know not----"

"She is, she is--firmly, devotedly."

"Indeed! Well, for your sake, Woodburn, I am glad of it. And as the political hue of petticoats has already been permitted to have an influence, in some instances of the kind, in making up the list, it may have in this case. But the old man's enmity to our cause is so notorious, that I fear his estate must go, though the daughter, if she prove true, will not be forgotten on the question of a future restoration of her share of the property. But I am neglecting my chief business with you. We have fixed your present destination for the other side of the mountain, where among your old acquaintances, it was thought, you could raise a company most expeditiously."

"But where is the money to come from to pay my recruits: Even in case these estates are sold, who among us, these times, has money to purchase them?"

"The answer to that question involves a secret which is known to but a few of us, and which must not be further revealed. Suffice it that there is yet among us abundance of money, besides the British gold that is beginning to be scattered along our border to meet our present requirements. You will be supplied in season."

"I am content, and ready to depart."

"How soon can you start?"

"This hour, if necessary."

"Retire, then, and obtain a few hours' sleep; but be off before day.

Here are your commission and instructions, by which you will see that your subalterns are to be of your own appointing. Good-night, and G.o.d speed you on your way. Remember that we expect much of you, and that I stand voucher for your good conduct. And remember, also, my dear fellow," added the speaker, in a low, confidential tone, "that the interests of your fair friend could not be in better keeping."

"You have laid me under deep obligations to you, Mr. Allen for all this," began Woodburn, with grateful emotion.

"Yes, to do well; but not a word of thanks will I hear. So off with you to your rest. Begone, sir!" said Allen, pushing the other away, with that winning smile and kindly playful manner, with which he ever so wonderfully contrived to gain the hearts and control the actions of all whom he wished to make friends.

CHAPTER IV.

"It is not much the world can give With all its subtle art; And gold and rank are not the things To satisfy the heart."

The day following the occurrences noted in the preceding chapter was an eventful one to the Haviland family, developing circ.u.mstances calculated to hasten the crisis to which the conflicting feelings and conduct of the father and daughter had been for some time silently tending, and to give a new turn to their respective destinies.

It was late in the afternoon. No event had thus far during the day occurred to mar the usual tranquillity of the family; and Haviland, yet uninformed of the untoward affair which befell his party the last evening at Manchester, and little dreaming of the bold and decisive measures adopted by the Council of Safety, was seated at a table in his usual sitting-room, examining, with a satisfied and triumphant air, a map of New York, on which he was tracing out the intended route of the British army in its. .h.i.therto victorious way from the St.

Lawrence to Albany. At length he began to muse aloud, partly to himself, apparently, and partly to his daughter, who, with a pensive brow, was seated at an open window in the same room, quietly engaged with her needle-work.

"As soon as General Burgoyne can clear the road of the trees and other obstructions, with which the rebels, in their impotent spite, have filled it, so that he can move on to the Hudson, how that grand army will sweep away the feeble and undisciplined bands that may venture to oppose its victorious march! And when a junction of the British armies is formed at Albany, what can this infatuated people think of doing then? With the north completely cut off from the south, as will then be the case, what can these two sections, which together can hardly raise a respectable force, do, when thus divided and prevented from all concert and cooperation? Ay, what will they do then? Come, Sabrey," he added, turning with an exulting air to his daughter, "perhaps you, who appear to have so high an opinion of rebel prowess--perhaps you can answer the question?"

"I may be better prepared to answer the question, perhaps when I see the junction you antic.i.p.ate really effected. Burgoyne has not reached Albany yet," replied the other, with playful significance.

"Be sure not; but what is to prevent him? What force can the rebels oppose that he will not scatter like chaff before the wind? None! I tell you, girl, their doom is sealed!"

"It might be, if they would consent to let you fight their battles for them, father. But the battle which they are preparing to give Burgoyne they will choose to fight themselves, I imagine. A few Bunker Hill lessons, on his way, might materially alter the general's prospects."

"Bunker Hill? Pooh! Why, we routed them even there behind their breastworks. Besides, we never had so fine an army as this in the field before. I only wish I was as sure of some good commission in Burgoyne's army, as I am that he will march triumphantly through to Albany, and thus bring this unnatural war to a close."

"Would you think of going into that army, father, should you receive such an appointment?" asked the daughter, in a tone of surprise and expostulation.

"Why, I should be proud to be there, Sabrey, in an army that contains so much of the first talents and chivalry of England."

At this stage of the conversation, a man rode up to the door, and, dismounting and entering the house, handed to Mr. Haviland, after inquiring his name, a gorgeously-sealed packet.

Haviland, after examining the seal a moment, bowed low to the stranger, and inquiringly observed,--

"From General Burgoyne, I believe?"

The messenger, nodding in the affirmative, and saying he was directed to wait for an answer, the former broke open the missive, and found in it, by singular coincidence, an answer to the prayer he had a few moments before indirectly uttered a commission, or appointment in the commissary department of the British army. After perusing the paper a second time, he turned, and, with a consequential air, handed it to his daughter, whose countenance instantly fell AS she glanced over the suspected contents.