iladelphia with Colonel Mortimer, yet there was no reason why the
conspirators should not wreak vengeance, and win the reward also. But did
Claire know, or suspect the predicament of her brother? If she did, then
she was seeking to conceal the truth from her father, but would never
remain long inactive in the city. I knew the girl's real spirit far too
well to believe she would fail for long in learning the boy's fate. And
when she did she would act quickly. Perhaps even now she was back at
Elmhurst, facing peril in the track of the contending armies, striving to
give the lad refuge.

In an agony of apprehension I asked for a scouting detail in that
direction, but was sternly refused. Word had come that Clinton was
evacuating Philadelphia; that his advance was already across the
Delaware. Any moment might bring to our little army orders to press
forward to intercept him. I was a soldier, compelled to remain.

CHAPTER XXVI

FORCING CLINTON TO BATTLE

I was left behind at Coryell's Ferry, for the purpose of hastening
forward any supplementary orders from Washington, when Maxwell, and the
Jersey militiamen, pressed forward in an effort to retard the march of
the enemy. From the reports of scouts we began to understand what was
occurring. Before dawn on the eighteenth of June the British army began
leaving the city, crossing the Delaware at Gloucester Point, and by
evening the motley host, comprising Regulars, Hessians, Loyalists, and a
swarm of camp followers, were halted near Haddenfield, five miles
southeast of Camden.

The moment this knowledge reached Washington, he acted. In spite of
opposition from some of his leading officers, his own purpose remained
steadfast, and every preparation had already been carefully made for
energetic pursuit. Our troops fit for service numbered less than five
thousand men, many of these hastily gathered militia, some of whom had
never been under fire, but the warmth and comfort of the summer time,
together with the good news from France, had inspired all with fresh
courage. Whatever of dissension existed was only among the coterie of
general officers, the men in the ranks being eager for battle, even
though the odds were strong against us. There was no delay, no hitch in
the promptness of advance. The department of the Quartermaster-General
had every plan worked out in detail, and, within two days, the entire
army had crossed the river, and pushed forward to within a few mil