no hope of getting away.

I could not bring myself to believe we had accomplished aught of good by
coming into this village of York. It seemed to me matters would have
been better for all concerned had we remained on the Hamilton
plantation, and yet Master Morgan was so kind as to say before that day
had come to a close, that when he had speech with any of our generals he
should take good care to give us due praise for what we had done.

"Even though it had been nothing more than carrying the message to
Williamsburg and repeating my words to the man on the Gloucester shore,
then would you lads have good reason to be proud," the Jerseyman said
when I asked petulantly what we who called ourselves Minute Boys had
done deserving of praise. "Without you I should have been forced to
leave the lines some time ago, and thanks to your being here, it is now
possible for me to give accurate information as to all the defenses."

"That is, providing you get through the lines alive," Saul said grimly,
and the Jerseyman added:

"I count on getting through with sufficient of life remaining to be
able to tell my story; but if peradventure I am shot this side the
entrenchments, then I conjure you lads as you love your country, to risk
everything you hold most dear in the effort to communicate with our
people. Value your lives as nothing; the greatest suffering you can
endure as a pleasure, so that you may be able before another day has
come to a close to describe in detail that which you have seen."

CHAPTER XIV

AN UGLY SITUATION

After Morgan had finished telling us what would be our duty in case he
gave up his life while trying to get through the lines, then came a
discussion as to how it would be possible for us to procure food.

With Abel Hunt at liberty, roaming around the village seeking us out and
most like counting to denounce us as rebels, it was in the highest
degree dangerous for any member of our company to venture forth from the
cabin lest we come upon that fellow whom I doubted not was bent solely
on doing us a harm.

Why he should have turned his attention to such end I cannot well say,
save it might be that he fancied it was the best way to curry favor with
the British officers. Neither Saul nor I had done anything to make of
the fellow an enemy. It is true we did not associate with him, and I
question whether that could have rankled in his breast, because he knew
full well that lads of our standing wou