Read Ebook: The Young Continentals at Lexington by McIntyre John T John Thomas Boyer Ralph L Ralph Ludwig Illustrator

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Ebook has 1856 lines and 58797 words, and 38 pages

The broad-shouldered youth laughed and his gray eyes twinkled.

"Maybe," said he, "they were bits of Mr. Franklin's electricity."

"It might seem odd to you, Nat," proceeded Ben, without noticing the other's light words, "but I fancied that the roadside looked different. Everything seemed closer together and secretive, somehow. When the trees rustled in the wind and nodded toward each other, it seemed as though they were whispering mysteriously."

Again Nat Brewster laughed.

"Ben," said he, "I think you've passed the glen where Mother Babette lives, and that she's put a spell upon you."

But Ben paid no attention to the raillery; his round, good-natured face was serious and he went on soberly:

"Of course, I don't think any of these things are so. They are merely impressions caused by something I did not notice at the time."

Nat looked at him with more interest. The long rifle lay across his knee, and the burnishing ceased.

"That's so," said he. "I've often felt like that myself. Sometimes when I've tramped alone among the mountains I've felt worried about things that I couldn't give a name. And always something of importance turned up afterward. It was just as though I felt it coming a long way off."

Ben nodded his head.

"That's it," said he. "That's it, exactly." He paused a moment, then continued, "All along the road the people seemed quiet. Men burning brush in the fields looked strangely at me through the smoke. People in carts who'd usually have something to say just nodded their heads, and seemed to look after me, watchfully. I passed the schoolhouse there at the crossroads and the long drone that always comes from it, of the scholars chanting their lessons, was queer and hushed."

"It was a strange sort of ride," commented Nat. "I wish I'd gone with you."

"I went as far as the 'Bull and Badger.' Some farmers were gathered in front of it and some travelers were upon the porch. It was the same with them as with the others. The very inn seemed to be trying to contain some weighty secret; and I turned and rode away without even getting down."

Ben leaned over and his forefinger tapped his cousin upon the shoulder.

"I was at the gate of this place before I found out what caused it all," said he.

"What was it?" asked Nat, quickly.

"We're going to have a war with England," replied Ben. "It means nothing else."

TELLS WHY NAT BREWSTER WALKED TOWARD CLIVEDEN IN THE DARK

Nat Brewster settled his stalwart frame back against the coach house wall and, wrinkling his brows, regarded his cousin attentively.

"It's very likely you're right," said he at length. "The expectation of such a thing would act just about that way upon every one--even to children and others who did not understand." Then he stretched out his long legs and snapped the lock of his rifle with his strong brown fingers. "If war does come," he went on, "I hope it comes quickly, while the colonies are aroused to answer the call. The whole of the north country is ready; and from reports, the south and coast colonies are also."

There was a silence for a moment; then Ben asked:

"Do you think, if it came to blows, the colonies would dare defy the king?"

"They've done it before now," replied Nat. "Charles II tried oppression and his commissioners were soundly beaten and shipped back to England to him. James II patterned by his brother in this, and his governor was first imprisoned and then banished. If the colonies were bold enough to do these things when they were weak, they'll do others like them, now that they're stronger."

As Nat finished speaking there came a clattering of hoofs and the rumble of wheels upon a side road. Then a strong voice called:

"Who-o-e-e!"

The boys looked in the direction of the sound and saw a light spring cart drawn by four wiry little horses. A pockmarked man with fiery red hair sat upon the seat; and in his hands he held a sealed letter.

"Hello," called he, in his loud voice. "Come get this, some one. I can't leave these critters. If I did, they'd try to climb over the barn."

Ben arose and hurried to the fence.

"Something for us, Tom?" he asked.

"Something for you," replied the pockmarked man. "Was given to me at the City Tavern last night."

As he spoke the carter tossed the letter to Ben, who deftly caught it; then he went on:

"I stopped there to get some things which came in on the Baltimore coach for Mr. Pendergast, above here. There's a lot of Massachusetts Bay people stopping there; and one young fellow comes up to me:

"'I hear you carry goods up Germantown way,' says he.

"'Do you know the Cooper place?' says he.

"'As well as I do my own,' I says.

"'Here's a letter then,' he says. 'And I'd like it delivered with despatch.'

"And with that he gives me a half crown and the message, and tells me to keep the one and give you the other." The carter grinned across at Ben good humoredly and added: "Anything you want carried toward Whitemarsh?"

"I think not, Tom," replied Ben.

"Good-day to you," said the man. He tightened the reins; the wiry little horses sprang forward against their collars and the cart went whirling away in a cloud of dust.

All the time the man was speaking Ben Cooper's face wore an expression of astonished impatience. The astonishment was caused by a glance at the handwriting upon the letter, the impatience by the carter's monologue. But now that the man had gone, the lad broke the seal and his eyes ran over the few lines of writing which the sheet contained. Then he turned and dashed back toward the spot where he had left Nat.

"You'll never guess what it is," cried he, breathlessly. Then, without pausing for a reply, he added, "Ezra Prentiss, of whom I've told you so much, is in Philadelphia."

"In Philadelphia?" echoed Nat.

"Listen to what he says." Unfolding the letter, Ben read:

"MY DEAR BEN:--

"I know this will astonish you. I've come south with Mr. Samuel Adams and his brother John, of both of whom you've no doubt heard. They are here to attend the Congress which is soon to meet at the Carpenter's Hall. As you might guess, they were in a great hurry as they came into the town and I had no chance to call upon you. We will be staying in the City Tavern; come in if you can. In any event I will come to Germantown in a few days.

"Sincerely, your friend,

"EZRA PRENTISS."

"Mr. John and Samuel Adams!" said Nat when his cousin had finished. "They are the brothers who have spoken so boldly and openly against the king. It seems to me, Ben, that your friend keeps very famous company."

"He's a great patriot, you see," explained Ben. "Even while he was at school here several years ago, he used to tell us of the happenings at Boston and how the citizens defied the government."

"But I think you said his father was an Englishman."

"His grandfather. His father is dead. He never seemed to care to go deeply into his family history; but he told me this: Some years before his father's death, there was some sort of an outbreak--against the Stamp Act, I think. Ezra's father sided with the townspeople. But the grandfather was a Tory. A bitter quarrel was the result and they afterward no longer saw or spoke to each other."

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