ndance in the British camp; but no
possibility that we lads could come upon them, either by begging or by
stealing, while our only chance lay in finding some of the villagers who
were able and willing to minister to hungry boys without questioning
whether they were for the king or the colonies.

Left to my own devices, I should have returned to old Mary's cabin,
declaring it was impossible to get that which we needed; but Pierre was
not minded to confess himself beaten, and proposed that we present
ourselves boldly at a dwelling mayhap an hundred yards away, which we
knew was yet occupied by its owners.

I tried to dissuade him from such a course, insisting that most like
the people were Tories, else they would not have remained to be shut up
in this beleaguered village; but he only shrugged his shoulders and
waved his hands in that peculiar fashion of his, as he said in what he
counted should be a careless tone:

"It is better, Fitz Hamilton, that we are held in the guard-house even
under the charge of being spies, than that we starve to death, as you
must admit there is danger unless we speedily find provisions. Let the
people in yonder dwelling be Tories or Whigs, I question whether they
could get the ear of any British officer within a very short time, and
if we find that they are inclined to do us harm, it is only a case of
taking to our heels. Besides, I am of the mind that those who were rank
Tories yesterday, are standing undecided to-day until they shall see
which side wins the victory that they may put on the proper coat."

Then, without waiting to learn whether I agreed with him, the lad led me
forward by the arm with such a tight grip that I could not escape him
save by a downright struggle, and knocked boldly at the door of the
dwelling.

It was opened by an old man, whom I believed I had seen more than once
since we had come to this village of York in converse with some of the
red-coated officers, and even then I strove to pull Pierre back that we
might make our escape in the darkness.

With a strength such as I had not believed was his, he held me by his
side as he said to this man who might prove to be our bitterest foe:

"We are lads who came down from the Hamilton plantation to look after an
old negro who was too feeble to leave his quarters here, and now are we
shut in with nothing to eat and no way of getting provisions save by
begging. We ate our last morsel of food yesterday, and have come h