there flowed into my heart
the memory that it was Horry Sims who had directed these men where to
go--Horry Sims who had ever envied me the possession of Silver Heels,
and who, most like knowing that these red-coated minions of the king
were looking for horse-flesh, pointed out the Hamilton plantation,
counting that I would lose my colt. He, the son of the rankest Tory in
Virginia, without cause for enmity against me, had laid train for the
cruelest blow that could be struck at my heart!

During all this while Saul had not spoken; but now it was, even as the
horsemen were well abreast our hiding place, he turned fiercely upon me,
clutching both shoulders of my coat as if I were an enemy whom he would
bring face to face with himself, and whispered in hoarse anger:

"It is well you formed your company of Minute Boys just as you did, Fitz
Hamilton, for now has come the time when they shall see service! Are we,
simply because of being lads, to remain idle while our own horses are
being stolen?"

On the instant my heart went out in sympathy to Saul, for I knew full
well that he loved his mare even as I did my own colt Silver Heels, and,
harking back to the thought which had come into my mind a few seconds
before, I said to him stoutly, shaking my fist in the direction of that
popinjay of an officer who was riding so proudly in advance of his squad
of thieves:

"We will make them pay for this day's work, Saul Ogden, and while we are
casting up the reckoning with those who wear red coats, there is one not
far away who must also be held accountable for that which has just been
done!"

"Meaning Horry Sims!" Saul cried, actually trembling in his impotent
rage.

"Meaning that worse than Tory, for it was with no idea of serving the
king, or aiding the king's cause, that the miserable scoundrel pointed
out to those horse thieves where your mare and my colt might be found!"

"He shall have cause to regret that he saw this day's sun rise," Saul
said in a low tone, his voice aquiver with anger, and then, the horsemen
having passed, he stepped out into the road, turning his face toward
York Town.

"Where would you go?" Pierre cried excitedly, following the lad to seize
him by the skirt of his coat. "Would you venture into the British
encampment at a time when your heart is so filled with anger that it is
not possible you could hold it in check?"

"Ay, that is exactly where I count on going. You need have no fear,
Pierre Laure