Mrs. Morris
wrote, one or two of them must have been the same men who had previously
come to her house and threatened the life of her boy, who had been
looking at them with a spyglass. But now they very meekly and humbly
asked her to come and attend their poor comrades who were unable to
move. At first Mrs. Morris thought this was some sort of a trick, and
that they wanted to get her on board of one of the gunboats, and carry
her away. But when she found that the sick people were in a house in the
town, she consented to go and do what she could. So she took her bottles
with her, and her boxes and her herbs, and visited the sick people,
several of whom she found were women.

They were all afflicted with some sort of a fever, probably of a
malarial kind, contracted from living day and night on board of boats
without proper protection; and, knowing just what to do in such cases,
she, to use her own expression, "treated them according to art," and it
was not long before they all recovered.

What happened in consequence of this hospital work for those whom she
considered her enemies, is thus related by Mrs. Morris:--

"I thought I had received all my pay when they thankfully
acknowledged all my kindness, but lo! in a short time afterwards, a
very rough, ill-looking man came to the door and asked for me. When
I went to him, he drew me aside and asked me if I had any friends
in Philadelphia. The question alarmed me, supposing that there was
some mischief meditated against that poor city; however, I calmly
said, 'I have an ancient father-in-law, some sisters, and other
near friends there.' 'Well,' said the man, 'do you wish to hear
from them, or send anything by way of refreshment to them? If you
do, I will take charge of it and bring you back anything you may
send for.' I was very much surprised, to be sure, and thought he
only wanted to get provisions to take to the gondolas, when he told
me his wife was one I had given medicine to, and this was the only
thing he could do to pay me for my kindness. My heart leaped for
joy, and I set about preparing something for my dear absent
friends. A quarter of beef, some veal, fowls, and flour, were soon
put up, and about midnight the man came and took them away in his
boat."

Mrs. Morris was not mistaken in trusting to the good intentions of this
grateful Continental soldier, for, as she says,