The Dare Boys in Virginia

  CHAPTER XX--Dick And Hank Sprowl

  Dick remained near the Tory settlement till nightfall, and then began tofigure on entering and trying to learn something about the intentions ofthe enemy. The British force was encamped just at the edge of thesettlement, and the youth believed he could visit one of the houses andperhaps learn something from the settler, without being seen by any ofthe redcoats.

  So he made his way into the settlement, at the opposite side from theBritish encampment, and approaching one of the houses, knocked on thedoor.

  The door opened, and a tall, rough-looking settler appeared. He was noother, in fact, than Hank Sprowl, Herbert Miller's worst enemy, butDick, of course, did not know him.

  "How are ye, stranger?" Sprowl said, gruffly. "What kin I do fur ye?"

  "I am a stranger in these parts," replied Dick, "and I thought thatperhaps I could get something to eat here. I will pay for the food."

  "Thet's all right. Yas, I guess we kin let ye have somethin' to eat.Come in."

  Dick entered, and Sprowl motioned to a chair after closing the door, andas the youth sat down, he asked: "What is your name, stranger?"

  "Dick Ford," was the reply, Dick deciding that he had better give afictitious name, he being so close to the British.

  "Where do ye live, an' where ye goin'?"

  "I live about a hundred miles north from here," was the reply. "And I'mgoing about fifty miles beyond the James River."

  "Got folks down there, hey?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Here's a stranger to supper, Molly," called Sprowl. "Cook enuff extrafur him."

  "All right, Hank," was the response from the kitchen.

  "I saw what looked like a big encampment at the edge of the settlement,"said Dick. "What is going on? Are those men soldiers?"

  "Yes, they're British soldiers. That is General Arnold's army," was thereply.

  "Ah. I suppose they intend to fight the rebel army that I saw yesterday,fifteen or twenty miles from here, do they?"

  "So ye seen ther rebels, did ye? Yes, thet's what Arnold intends to do.The rebel army is now at a rebel settlement about three miles from here,an' Arnold will git arter 'em pretty quick."

  "When, to-morrow, do you think?" queried Dick.

  Sprowl looked at the youth somewhat suspiciously. "W'y do ye wanterknow?" he asked.

  "Why, I thought that if there was likely to be a fight in this vicinityto-morrow, I would wait here and see it," was the prompt reply. "I wouldlike to see a battle."

  "Oh," said Hank. "So thet's your idee, hey? Wai, I don' know as he'llmake an attack to-morrer, but he will git arter ther rebels before verylong, thet's sartin."

  "I've a good mind to stop here till the battle does take place," saidDick.

  "Wai, I guess ye kin stay here ef ye want to," said Sprowl. "Ther battlemay take place to-morrer."

  An idea struck Dick, and he said: "As I said, I'm a stranger here, andwouldn't like to bother the British officers by asking questions, butyou could find out whether they intend to make an attack to-morrow, ornot, couldn't you, and if they do intend to do so, I will stay."

  "Ye'll stay all night, anyhow, won't ye?"

  "Yes, but I want to get up very early, and so if you will go and findout about that to-night, I will be much obliged. If they don't intend tomake the attack to-morrow, or by the next day, I will go on my way."

  "All right, I'll go over to ther encampment arter supper an' have aleetle talk with General Arnold, an' see if I can find out about therbattle."

  "Very well, and thank you," said Dick. "I have always wanted to see abattle."

  "Me, too," said Sprowl. "I never seen one, an' this will likely be a bigone, fur Arnold has fifteen hundred men an' I hear thet ther rebels hevmore than a thousand."

  "That ought to make a lively fight," said Dick.

  "Yas, thet's what I think."

  Presently the evening repast was ready, and the three sat up to thetable in the kitchen and ate supper. Dick was hungry, as a result of thewalking he had done that day, and he ate heartily.

  After the meal, Sprowl smoked a pipeful of tobacco, and then rose andstretched as he said: "I'll go over to ther British encampment, now, an'have a talk with General Arnold an' fin' out about ther battle, DickFord. I won't be gone very long."

  "All right, Mr. Sprowl, and thank you for your kindness. I appreciateit, I assure you."

  "Thet's all right. I kinder wanter know about ther battle, myself."

  Then he left the house, and Dick, sitting there in the front room,congratulated himself on his good luck. He would now be able to secureinformation right from headquarters, and without having to venture nearthe British.

  Sprowl was soon at the house where Arnold and his officers had taken uptheir quarters, and when he had been ushered into the room where theofficers sat, talking, he explained his errand. He had already beenspoken of by the settlers in the settlement as being one of the leadingTories, so Arnold was willing to discuss with him subjects of interest.

  Sprowl, in the conversation, mentioned the fact that there was a youngstranger at his house who had asked him to find out when the battlewould likely take place, as if it would take place on the morrow, ornext day, he would remain and see the affair, and Arnold started, lookedthoughtfully at Sprowl for a few moments, and then said:

  "You say there is a young stranger at your house now, and that heexpressed a wish to know when the battle would likely take place?"

  "Yas, General Arnold," was the reply.

  "What is his name?" There was an eager light in Arnold's eyes.

  Sprowl looked somewhat surprised, but answered "He said his name wasDick Ford."

  Arnold started again, and smiled somewhat grimly. "Dick Ford, eh? Whatkind of looking young fellow is he? Describe him."

  Sprowl did so as best he could, and Arnold nodded, and said: "I'll wageranything that the young fellow in question is the rebel spy, Dick Dare."

  "Do you think so?" said one of the officers.

  "I'm almost sure of it. And I'm going to know for sure. Colonel Riggs,get about a dozen men and we will go to Mr. Sprawl's home with him,surround the house, so that the young fellow cannot escape, and then wewill enter and confront him. And if he is Dick Dare, as I feel confidentis the case, I shall be very glad. I owe him a debt for trying tocapture me up in New York City two or three months ago, and we both owehim something for trying to make prisoners of us last evening. Come, letus hasten, for he may take the alarm and take refuge in flight."

  They went out, and Colonel Riggs ordered a squad of the soldiers to gowith them to Sprowl's house, which they surrounded, and then Arnold andRiggs followed Sprowl into the house, where, sure enough, they saw DickDare sitting in the room, quietly awaiting the return of Sprowl.

  Arnold and the colonel confronted the youth, and the general said,sarcastically: "So you wanted Mr. Sprowl to secure some informationregarding my intentions, did you, Dick Dare? Very good. I have come togive you the information in person."