e they
might be used?"

"What is it you mean?" I cried impatiently, not in the mood to wait
until Pierre had gotten ready to repeat after his own fashion that which
was in his mind.

"Do you remember that the Jerseyman said my Lord Cornwallis was making
ready to run away?"

Like a flash it came upon me. I remembered all that Morgan had said, and
as it came to my mind everything unusual around me had its meaning as
plain as the sun at noon-time.

At last this general of the king who had boasted that he would come down
and drive all the rebels out from Virginia, regardless of what that
"French boy, Lafayette, might do," was making ready to run away--to run
away from those American soldiers whom the Britishers did not believe
could fight, although certain it is they had good proof of it at Bunker
Hill in the colony of Massachusetts, and were they not getting more
proof now? Was there a red-coat in all our village of York who had not
come to realize, and would be willing to admit, that the so-called
rebels who fought under every disadvantage and bore patiently every
suffering, could stand at their guns as bravely as any who wore his
majesty's uniform?

It was a moment when I was more proud than I have ever since been in my
life, proud of my people, not of myself, and with the pride came a
feeling of sad disappointment because I had not been able to contribute
anything to this downfall of the swaggering Britishers. I had hoped we
might enroll a full company of Minute Boys who despite their age would
earn the right to serve as soldiers, and yet had I accomplished nothing
save coming into this village in the vain hope of being able to regain
possession of my horse, remaining here almost as much of a prisoner as
either Abel Hunt or Horry Sims.

The news was too good to be kept to myself, and regarding not Pierre's
movements I ran at full speed back to old Mary's cabin, shouting as I
burst through the door:

"The Britishers are getting ready to run away! Cornwallis has grown
frightened, and is giving up the fight!"

"How know you that?" Saul cried sharply, seizing me by the shoulder as
if forcing me to give proof, and at the same instant I heard the
prisoners in the loft stirring as if in fear, while Horry Sims asked,
although knowing full well his companion could not answer a question:

"Do you believe it possible my Lord Cornwallis would really run away?"

"He is getting ready to run away!" I shouted triumphantly.