simply to gratify my desire for revenge.

That which I had in my mind! It was as wild a scheme as ever entered a
boy's brain, I am willing to confess, and yet it was neither more nor
less than the following of poor little Silver Heels until I could see
where she was quartered, after which, devoting all my time and my energy
to her rescue, for it was to me almost as if she was a human being in
the hands of a vengeful enemy.

All this may seem wild or witless when spoken by a lad of fifteen, but I
had the will and determination of a man who had grown grey-headed, and
knew that I lacked not the courage once my anger had been aroused.

In cold blood I could be as timorous as any girl; but once the fever of
rage beset me, I lost sight of all the odds that might be against me,
which, mayhap, is much the same as saying that at heart I was a coward,
and when I showed any token of bravery, if indeed I ever did, it was the
madness of anger, rather than true courage.

Be that as it may, I am not more disposed at this day to discuss such a
question than I was on that morning when, with the blood seemingly
boiling in my veins, I trod on the heels of Saul as we plodded our way
toward York Town in moody, angry silence, while little Frenchie ran by
the side of first one and then the other, mutely striving to show the
wealth of friendship which was in his heart.

It was well for us that the miles were long and reasonably many on the
road to the town of York, else might we have blundered into the British
encampment to our sorrow, for we had no plan save that of following our
horses, and it was not until we were come within sight of the village,
having met neither man, woman nor child on our way, that Pierre said,
shrugging his shoulders and waving his hands as he ran swiftly ahead to
turn and face us:

"Are you members of the Minute-Boy company intent on blundering into the
very midst of our Lord Cornwallis's army without knowing what it is you
count on doing?"

"We count on finding our horses!" Saul exclaimed, sturdily striving to
push little Frenchie aside, but failing because the lad stood firm.

"Ay, that is your desire, my dear friend; but tell me how you would
compass it? By pressing on in sulky fashion and telling every red-coated
soldier you meet that you are here to force the British troops into
giving up your property?"

Both Saul and I came to a sudden halt, astonished by the quick change in
Pierre's manner, for now