The Dare Boys in Virginia

  CHAPTER XVII--Arnold's Encampment

  The British soldiers came dashing through the kitchen and out by way ofthe rear door, and, directed by the excited redcoat that had permittedthe prisoners to escape, through leaving his post, they dashed throughthe underbrush in pursuit of the three patriot soldiers.

  On they ran, for quite a distance, but they did not catch sight of thefugitives, or hear any sound of them, so they presently, there beingnaught else to do, gave up the chase and made their way back to thehouse, where the young people, greatly excited, were eagerly awaitingtheir return.

  When it was seen that the redcoats were returning empty-handed, therewas great delight expressed by the young people, though in subduedtones, so that the redcoats could not hear what was said.

  And Ralph Hicks, who had been responsible for the capture of the threepatriot youths, was glad they had escaped, for he felt that if they hadbeen recaptured, Sally would have kept her word, and never spoken to himagain.

  When all had entered the house, the sergeant began questioning thesoldier that he had left to guard the prisoners, and the fellow saidthat the prisoners had somehow gotten their hands free, and had suddenlyjumped up, knocked him down and had dashed out of the house. He hadquickly gotten to his feet and followed them, had then fired the shotand yelled that the prisoners were escaping.

  The sergeant looked puzzled, but did not say much. "I thought that youmen could tie a prisoner's hands so that he could not get free," hegrowled. "That was a poor job you did, Simons."

  "I thought I tied their hands tight, sir," was the reply.

  "Oh, well, the rebels have made their escape, so there is no useworrying about it," said the sergeant. "Let's have another dance, andthen we'll return to camp and say nothing about it."

  They went back into the front room, the musician started a tune, andthey were soon dancing with great enthusiasm. And after the dance wasover, they and the young people went into the kitchen and ate heartilyof the food that had been prepared.

  All that the young folks regretted was that Dick and Tom Dare and BenFoster, whom they had taken a liking to, were not there to help enjoythe supper, as they had expected would be the case.

  As for the three in question, they had ran onward till they found thatthe redcoats had given up the chase, when they had turned around andmade their way back to the house. And when the young people were eating,and at the same time wishing the patriot youths were there, the threewere near enough so that while they could not look in through thewindow, they knew what was going on. Dick, Tom and Ben would liked tohave been in there, engaged in the same pleasing work, but fortunatelythey had eaten heartily that evening, after reaching the Hart home, andwere not really hungry. So they simply watched and waited.

  When the soldiers and the young folks had finished the repast, theredcoats took their departure, and soon after they had left the house,by way of the front door, Dick Dare opened the rear door, and called toSally Hart, who came quickly, a delighted look on her face.

  "I wanted to thank you for freeing us," said Dick. "It was very kind ofyou, and we appreciate it, I assure you."

  "Oh, I was glad to set you free," said Sally. "I am a patriot girl, youknow, and I didn't want the redcoats to take you to their camp,prisoners." And then she motioned toward the table, and said: "Come onin, and have something to eat. There is plenty of food left."

  "Thanks, we will do so, Miss Sally," said Dick. "But, I will go and makesure that the redcoats have taken their departure. Tom, you and Ben cango on in. I'll be back in a few moments."

  Tom and Ben entered the house, and Dick made his way around to thefront, and after listening a few moments, heard the voices of theBritish soldiers, as they made their way through the woods, toward theirencampment.

  He followed a couple of hundred yards, and then, feeling sure that theredcoats would not return, he went back to the house and entered thekitchen, where Tom and Ben were already seated at the table, eating.

  Dick took a place beside them, and Sally waited on the three, while theyoung folks stood around, asking questions about the manner in which theyoung patriot soldiers had escaped from their pursuers.

  When the three had finished their supper, the young folks said theywould be going home, and they shook hands with Dick, Tom and Ben andsaid good-night and went to their homes.

  Mr. Hart invited the three patriot youths to spend the night there, andthey accepted the invitation, though Dick said they would want to leaveearly in the morning, so as to get to the encampment of the party ofBritish soldiers before they broke camp and started away, as it was hisintention to follow them to the main encampment of the British.

  "I'll get you up as early as you like," said Mr. Hart.

  The youths were given blankets, and lay on the floor in the big frontroom, and slept soundly. They were up early, and found that Mrs. Hartand Sally had been up some time, and that they had breakfast on thetable.

  Dick told them that they need not have gone to this trouble, but theysaid it was a pleasure to them. The three youths ate heartily, and thensaid good-by. They took their departure, promising that they would callat the Hart home, if ever they were in the vicinity again.

  They made their way to the vicinity of the British encampment, and foundthe redcoats just astir and that they were getting their breakfast.

  "We are in plenty of time," said Dick. "We will stay here, where we cankeep a good watch on them, and when they break camp and leave, we willfollow them."

  This they did, and about an hour later the redcoats broke camp and setout through the open country, going toward the east. The patriot youthsfollowed, skirting the woods, and kept the redcoats in view, beingcareful, however, to keep out of sight themselves.

  On marched the redcoats, and always on the trail the youths. They werefeeling pretty well satisfied, for they believed they would soondiscover the whereabouts of Arnold's encampment.

  About the middle of the forenoon, the three reached the top of a highridge, and on looking ahead, down the slope, they saw, about half a miledistant, in an open piece of ground of perhaps fifty or seventy-fiveacres, a good-sized encampment, which they did not doubt was theobjective point of their search. The redcoats they had been followinghad just reached the camp, and had settled down as if intending to stay.

  "That's Arnold's encampment, without doubt," said Dick. "Well, now wemust get the information to Colonel Morris as soon as possible."