on taking twice as many as we could
use; but I held my peace, because, as I have already set down again and
again, he had shown himself so much the better lad than I under such
circumstances, that it was not for me to say him yea or nay.

CHAPTER XVII

OUR BLUNDER

When we went out of old Mary's cabin, leaving the two prisoners
unguarded in the loft, and Uncle 'Rasmus, who could not be depended upon
in case either of the fellows should succeed in working himself free, on
the floor below, it came into my mind just for an instant that we had no
warrant for being so careless. Yet while the booming of the American
cannon was roaring in my ears and the Britishers moving to and fro like
ants whose nests have been disturbed, giving little or no heed to the
defense, then did I comfort myself with the belief that nothing of harm
could come to us.

It was in my mind that the hour of our danger had passed, and now it was
only a question of a short time before our troubles would be over and we
in the midst of our friends.

Then, as we walked slowly and unmolested through the encampment, seeing
on every hand signs and tokens of preparations for flight on the part of
the enemy, was I yet further convinced that we need not fret ourselves
regarding the future save so far as Silver Heels and Saul's mare were
concerned. I yet had hope that it might be possible to regain possession
of our pets. As a matter of course there was no idea in my mind that we
would be able to do it before Cornwallis's army had begun to retreat;
but I said again and again to myself that if we lads carried the news
of the evacuation speedily to our people, then would they set off in
such hot pursuit that there were many chances I might have Silver Heels
with me but little the worse for her experience in the British army.

So thoroughly well satisfied was I that this struggle had come to an
end, that the Britishers were willing to acknowledge themselves beaten
and now were only striving to prevent themselves from being taken
prisoners, that I gave little heed to anything save the hope of being
able, by the aid of our friends in the American army, to regain
possession of the dear little colt. I even put from my mind as if they
did not exist those two scoundrels in the loft of old Mary's cabin,
saying to myself that they could do us no harm even though they were set
at liberty this very moment, because my Lord Cornwallis had on his mind
more important