"Hurrah!" yelled Bob. "That's the kind of reception to get. Here we are, boys!"
CHAPTER XIII.--Tom Joins the Liberty Boys.
Mark and his boys gave Dick and Bob and the rest a hearty cheer, and then the whole body took a stand to be ready to meet the enemy in case they should make another advance. The patriots were out in full force now, however, and the redcoats fell back to the edge of Harlem Plains, where they had their camp, the plan being a sort of neutral ground between the two armies.
The boys shortly retired to their own camp, and here Dick and Bob and Ben, and the rest who had been left in the city, were given a right royal welcome, and then they all had breakfast together, Dick and his boys being very glad to get it. Mark and the others were eager to hear what had befallen them in the city, and were greatly interested in hearing the story of their many and varied adventures. "We had some trouble ourselves in getting away," declared Mark, "but nothing like what you fellows had. You must have given the redcoats a good scare at times, however."
"It was the only chance we had of getting away," laughed Bob. "If we had not made them think we were ten times as strong as we were, we would have been gobbled up."
The enemy made one or two sorties during the day, but were in every case driven back, and at last retired to their lines and did not again seek to molest the Americans. The patriots had lost New York, but they were still in possession of the upper part of the island and meant to hold it as long as they could, Fort Washington being a strong fort and well defended. At night the Liberty Boys' camp was well guarded, and the slightest move of the enemy toward it would have been detected in a moment. During the forenoon, Tom came to the camp and said:
"It's a fine place where we are, Captain, and I am obliged to you for sending us up there. Mother will get plenty to do and already has the promise of enough to keep her busy for a month."
"I am very glad of it, Tom," said Dick, "and I am sure that you will all be much happier there than in the city. The enemy are there now, and it will be much worse than before."
"So the redcoats have gone into New York, have they? I am sorry for that."
"So are we all, Tom, but it will not be forever. Some day we will be back there again, and the British will be driven out and have to go back to their own country beyond the sea."
"The sooner the better!" muttered Tom.
"Tell them when you go back that we are all right, Tom," Dick resumed.
"Some of us had a hard time getting out of New York and had to run the blockade, but we got out fast enough and gave the redcoats some pretty good slaps."
"The young ladies will be glad to hear of it. Did you see him again, Captain?"
"Yes, and he made some trouble for us, but we got away all right for all of him, and I doubt if we shall ever see him again."
"Well, I hope not, but you can't tell. What you don't expect is just what happens."
"At all events, he has no idea that you and your mother are up here, Tom, and it is not likely that he will trouble you any more."
"Well, I hope he won't, Captain, but you can't tell, as I said."
"No, but we will do all we can to keep him away. His reputation is not good, and if he appears in camp we will warn him that if he does not keep away he will be arrested."
"That may have some effect, though if he thought that arresting just meant being put in jail he wouldn't care, because he's been there before lots of times."
"We will make him understand just what it means, Tom," said Dick, "and I think he will keep away, but then, he has not appeared at all yet."
"No, that's so, and I was making out as if he had or was going to," with a smile. "Well, perhaps he won't."
The boy's look and tone seemed to indicate that he was afraid the man would come, however, and Dick said no more about it. Tom went back to Dick's house, and the Liberty Boys did not see him again for two or three days. Meantime the commander-in-chief, whose confidence Dick enjoyed, sent for the boy and said:
"There is an important mission which I wish to entrust to some one, Captain, and I know of no better, person than yourself to do it. Get ready at once to go down to the city and obtain certain information.
Procure a disguise and a horse, and then come to me, and I will furnish you with money for your expenses and a pass, which will enable you to get through the lines."
"Very good, your excellency," Dick replied, and in half an hour he was ready to start.
Bob, Mark, or any of the Liberty Boys, in fact, would have been glad to go with him, but the general thought it was best to go alone, and so he took no one with him. The pass had been taken from a spy whom the patriots had captured and enabled Dick to get through the lines in safety. Reaching the city, he set about getting the information required, and secured it the first day he was there. That night there was an alarm of fire in the lower part of the city, and Dick dressed himself and went out with many others to ascertain its extent and see what he could do to help put it down.
It had started in a low groggery on Whitehall wharf and was of considerable extent, spreading as far as Beaver street, and then shifting to the west, and going as far as the river and nearly to Partition street, Trinity church being destroyed on the way. It had started by accident, but many of the British declared that it had been set by the Americans, and there was a bitter feeling against them, many innocent persons being put to death by the enraged people.
During the fire, while Dick was working with others to stop its spreading, a man was caught looting a burning house and was at once dragged away and hanged to a post holding a street lamp. Dick saw his face for an instant and recognized Tom's father. There was no interceding for the man, who had been caught red-handed, and he suffered the penalty of his crimes.
"His wife and the rest are the better off for his taking away," said Dick to himself, "but I cannot tell how he died. He was never of any use to them and they are better off without him."
The fire burned out at length, but there were smoking ruins the next day and for several days, although Dick did not remain as long as that. He got away the next day and made his way out of the city and to the camp with very little difficulty, his pass being of great assistance to him.
Changing his clothes and putting on his uniform, Dick reported at once to the commander-in-chief and was complimented upon securing the information so promptly. Reporting other matters that he had learned, Dick returned to the camp and told Bob and a few others how the Tory had met his death, adding:
"Do not say anything to Tom about it. I will tell him that his father is dead, but not how it happened. It is a hard thing to say, perhaps, but they are better off without him than they ever were with him."
"It is the truth, at any rate," muttered Bob, "though it may not be necessary to tell them."
A few days later the Liberty Boys were ordered into lower Westchester to check the advance of Howe and Cornwallis, who were trying to get behind the Americans at King's Bridge and thus have a better opportunity to attack Fort Washington, which the British leader had set his heart upon subduing.
"That will give us plenty to do," declared Bob, "and give us a chance to bother the redcoats."
"And give Patsy a chance to get rid of some of his extra fat," laughed Mark, who was a bit of a tease.
"Sure Oi've none to spare at all, Liftinant," roared Patsy, "but if ye had said Cookyspiller now, ye'd have hit it to a tay. Sure he do be nadin' it had."
As the boys were getting ready to leave, Tom came into camp and said:
"So you are leaving, are you, Captain? You have not seen him, have you?"
"You will not see him again, Tom," Dick replied. "He was killed a few days ago while in the commission of a crime in the city."
"Did you see it, Captain?"
"Yes, Tom. You and your mother are now free."
Tom asked no questions, but presently said:
"I would like to join the Liberty Boys. Mother is doing very well, the little children are being cared for, and there is a good man up at Tarrytown who has lost his wife and needs some one to take care of his children. Mother can do it, and I think---"
"She will marry him in time, Tom? Yes, it will be good for both of them.
She likes him?"
"Yes, and so do all of us. Is it wrong for me to think that we are better off now that he has been taken away?"
"You need not think anything about it, Tom, but you are better off, for all that. The man was simply a clog about the necks of all of you."
"Then I may join the Liberty Boys, if I am big enough? Mother does not need me now and I want to do something for my country."
"Your mother is willing, Tom?"