CHAPTER XV--At the Dance
The door was opened, presently, and a woman of middle age stood on thethreshold.
"Good evening, ma'am," said Dick, bowing. "Myself and comrades wouldlike to get something to eat, if you have any food to spare. We will payfor the food."
"Come right in," was the cordial reply. "There is plenty of food in thehouse and you will be welcome to all you can eat. Come in."
The youths entered, and the woman led the way to the kitchen, along ahall, past the room in which the young people were dancing. Here sheinvited the youths to be seated, and began placing food on a table.
"You don't belong in these parts, do you?" she asked, looking with someshow of curiosity at the youths.
"No, ma'am," replied Dick. And then he asked, somewhat hesitatingly: "Isthis--are the people around here, loyal to the king, or are theyinclined to be patriotic?"
The woman looked at Dick rather sharply, and then after hesitatingslightly, she said: "Well, I don't know just what to say, young man. Yousee, General Arnold has an army of British soldiers about twenty milesfrom here, and some of his soldiers have even come this far and donesome plunderin' of patriot settlers, and--well, mebby it wouldn't bebest to say whether we are patriots or Tories. I don't know whether youare patriots or not, either," with another searching glance.
Dick shrewdly guessed, from her words and actions, that she was apatriot, and so he said: "We are patriots, ma'am, so you needn't beafraid to say you are a patriot."
"I'm glad of that," with a relieved air. "What are your names, and wheredo you live?"
Dick told her their names, and said that they were soldiers, belongingwith a regiment of patriot soldiers that was in that part of thecountry, having come there recently from the North.
"Well, I'm glad there is a patriot army in this part of the countrytoo," said the woman. "Maybe they will be able to put a stop to theplundering and burning of the homes of the patriot settlers aroundhere."
"I think that we shall be able to do so," said Dick.
The food was on the table by this time, and the three youths needed nofurther invitation to move up their chairs and to eat heartily of thegood things provided. The woman stood near, waiting on them, and talkingeagerly. She asked many questions about the patriot army, and asked ifthe youths thought the patriot people of America would win theirindependence. And Dick told her he thought they would. "Washington is agreat general," said Dick, "and I believe he will bring about the defeatof the British before many months have passed."
"I hope so," said the woman.
While the youths were eating, a pretty girl of perhaps seventeen oreighteen years entered the room, and she looked surprised when she sawthe three strangers. The woman motioned to her to come nearer, and thenshe said to the youths: "This is my daughter, Sally Hart. Sally, theseyoung men are Dick and Tom Dare and Ben Foster." She indicated each asshe spoke their names, and the girl bowed to each, and the youthssaluted in return.
"They are patriot soldiers, Sally," said the woman. "They belong with apatriot army that has just come down here from the North, and now Arnoldand his redcoats will have to be careful or they will get into trouble."
"I am glad of that," said Sally, smiling. "And I am glad to make theacquaintance of you young men."
The youths assured her that the pleasure was mutual, and then she askeda few questions about the patriot army, after which she invited thethree to spend the evening there and take part in the dancing.
"We shall be very glad to have you stay," she said. "Most all that arehere are patriots, so they will be glad to make your acquaintance. Stayand dance, and later on we will have a big supper."
"I don't feel as if I would want any more food to-night," said Dick,smiling. "And indeed I feel almost too full to move. But perhaps alittle later I shall be able to dance a little."
"Oh, you will be able to eat another supper by the time it is ready,"said Sally, smiling.
"Well, perhaps so. Thank you for the kind invitation, Miss Hart."
"It will be a pleasure for us to have you spend the evening with us,"said the girl. "When you are ready, we will go into the other room, andI will introduce you to the young folks."
The youths soon finished eating, and were ready to accompany the girl,and as soon as they were in the other room, where they were quickly theobjects of surprised scrutiny from all present, Sally introduced them,and explained briefly how they happened to be present.
They were given a cordial welcome by the young people, the girls bowingto them, and the youths stepping up and shaking hands with them in ahearty manner.
Dick, Tom and Ben were feeling quite at home in a few minutes, and whenthe musician struck up a tune on his violin a few minutes later, theywere ready to dance, having invited a partner from among their newfriends. They were quickly out on the floor, taking part in the dancing.
Dick and Sally at the outset were partners. He found her a good dancer,and a pleasant companion as well. They talked and laughed as theywhirled about the room, and were soon very well acquainted indeed.
The three patriot youths danced every set after that, and enjoyedthemselves hugely, but when they had been there an hour or so, therecame an interruption: The front door was suddenly thrown open and intothe room strode ten British soldiers.
"What's going on here?" cried one, who wore the uniform of a sergeant."You young people seem to be enjoying yourselves greatly, and that's afact."
Dick, Tom and Ben were naturally somewhat dismayed, for they thoughtpossibly the British soldiers had seen them as they were coming awayfrom the vicinity of their encampment, and had followed with theintention of capturing them.
As the redcoats did not take any particular notice of the three,however, they decided that they were mistaken in their supposition, andthat the British soldiers had just happened in at the settlement, thesame as had been the case with them. Dick, Tom and Ben had on citizen'sclothing, so there was nothing to make the redcoats suspect them ofbeing patriot soldiers. Doubtless the British intruders supposed thethree to be residents of the settlement, the same as the other youthspresent. Having come to this conclusion the three patriot youthsbreathed more freely, and the feeling of dismay left them.
The soldiers insisted that they liked to dance, and so the music wasstarted up again, and soon the dance was going merrily on, with theredcoats almost monopolizing the floor. The next set, however, only fiveof the redcoats danced, the others looking on, and Dick, who wasdancing, saw one of the youths, Ralph Hicks, whisper something to thesergeant, after which the two left the room together. Dick's suspicionswere aroused at once, for Sally had given Dick to understand that Hickswas her "fellow," as she put it. As Dick had danced with Sally severaltimes, and had seen Hicks regarding him with a jealous frown on hisface, the youth reached the conclusion that Hicks was going to tell thesergeant that there were three patriot soldiers in the house. Sally hadstated that Hicks was the son of a loyalist, and this made Dick all themore suspicious. He would not stop dancing, however, for he thought itpossible he might be mistaken in his suspicions, and he did not want tolet the redcoats suspect that he feared capture.
He made up his mind to warn Tom and Ben, however, but just as the setwas finished and Dick was leading his partner to a seat, Hicks and thesergeant reentered. The officer hastened to whisper something to each ofthe redcoats, and as Dick turned away, after seating his partner, hefound himself confronted by the sergeant and another soldier, each witha pistol leveled at his head. A brief glance toward Tom and Ben showedDick that they were threatened in the same manner.
"Surrender, you rebel!" cried the sergeant. "We arrest you, Dick Dare,in the name of the king!"