The Dare Boys in Virginia

  THE DARE BOYS IN VIRGINIA

  by

  STEPHEN ANGUS COX

  Illustrations by R. Mencl

  New YorkHurst & Co., Inc.Publishers

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  THE DARE BOYS By STEPHEN ANGUS COX

  The author of the Dare Boys is specially equipped through long study and research to write upon the life and adventures of the revolutionary period. Every item of historical reference is absolutely correct. The trials and inherent bravery of the sturdy warriors of this epoch are always subjects worth while, but here the dash and bravery of the two Dare boys adds immeasurably to the interest.

  1. The Dare Boys of 1776 2. The Dare Boys on the Hudson 3. The Dare Boys in Trenton 4. The Dare Boys on the Brandywine 5. The Dare Boys in the Red City 6. The Dare Boys After Benedict Arnold 7. The Dare Boys in Virginia 8. The Dare Boys With General Greene 9. The Dare Boys With Lafayette 10. The Dare Boys and the "Swamp Fox" 11. The Dare Boys at Vincennes 12. The Dare Boys in the North West

  Illustrated, 12mo, Cloth Price per Volume, 40 Cents

  Copyright, 1910, by The Platt & Peck Co.

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  Table of Contents

  I--In Virginia II--Roughly Handled III--Lizzie Santon IV--Warning the Settlers V--The Redcoats Foiled VI--Dick VII--In the Tories VIII--Tim And Fritz At Work IX--Tim and Fritz X--To the Rescue XI--The Tories Again XII--The Pathfinders XIII--In the Swamp XIV--Routed XV--At the Dance XVI--The Bottle of Cider XVII--Arnold XVIII--A Daring Attempt XIX--The Armies Close Together XX--Dick And Hank Sprowl XXI--Tom Reconnoiters XXII--The Battle XXIII--Dick And Arnold XXIV--The Rescue XXV--Beating Arnold

  THE DARE BOYS IN VIRGINIA

  CHAPTER I--In Virginia

  "Well, here we are in Virginia," said Tom Dare. "It is fine, don't youfellows think? When we left New York, it was cold, with heavy snow onthe ground, while here, instead of snow, there are patches of greengrass and the weather is warm and nice."

  "It certainly is lots more pleasant here than in New York at this timeof the year," agreed Ben Foster.

  "Yes, camp life is much more agreeable in a warm climate than in aregion where there is snow and cold weather," acquiesced Dick Dare.

  It was now the middle of the month of December of the year 1780, and thepatriot regiment under the command of Colonel Morris had been sent downfrom the vicinity of New York, by General Washington, to try to hold incheck the army of General Arnold, the traitor, who, having tried todeliver his country into the hands of the British, for gold, and failed,had been sent to Virginia, to have charge of the British campaign inthat State.

  One of the reasons for sending Arnold down there was to get him farenough away from General Washington, so that there would not be muchdanger of his being captured, an attempt to capture him while he was inNew York having been made, but without success.

  In Colonel Morris' regiment, and among the members of the companycommanded by Captain Morgan, were three youths of about twenty years,who had done good work for the patriot cause during the years they hadbeen in the patriot army. These youths were Dick and Tom Dare, brothers,and Ben Foster, a neighbor boy--the Dares and Fosters living closetogether, in New Jersey, a few miles east of Philadelphia--and now thatthey were here in Virginia, they looked forward to a lively campaign,for the warm, pleasant weather, so different from what they had left upNorth, would make it possible to move swiftly about the country.

  The regiment had gone into camp on the bank of a little stream in theheavy woods, perhaps ten miles from the James River. Colonel Morris didnot know the whereabouts of Arnold and his army, but liking this sitefor an encampment, he had decided to stay till he gained the necessaryinformation.

  When we introduce the Dare Boys and Ben Foster to the reader's notice,it is evening, and the soldiers are engaged in cooking their suppersbeside the campfires. It was a lively, picturesque and interesting sceneindeed, or would have so looked to anyone viewing such a scene for thefirst time. But to the soldiers, who had been campaigning four years, nothought of their appearance came to them. Their minds were on the thenvery essential matter of cooking their supper.

  This important task finished finally, the soldiers ate heartily, andthen, as was their wont, settled down to enjoy themselves. Those whosmoked lighted their pipes, while others sat about in groups and talkedof the coming campaign, in which they hoped to be able to make it hotfor the traitor, Arnold, and his army of British soldiers and Tories.

  Dick, Tom and Ben, and some of the other soldiers, among whom were TimMurphy and Fritz Schmockenburg, sat in a little group and talkedearnestly of their expected encounters with Arnold and his little army,and all were pleased with the outlook. They liked what they had seen ofVirginia, and were glad they had come to the South, where suffering fromthe cold was not a necessary concomitant of camp life.

  "I like id down here," said Fritz, nodding decidedly. "I hobe dot vesday down here till der war is ended alretty."

  "Sure an' thot would suit me, too," said Tim. "Oi'm t'inkin' thotVirginia is good enough for me."

  "I wonder where Arnold's army is," said Tom.

  "That is what everybody is wondering, I guess," said Ben.

  "Yes," said Dick. "We know that Arnold is somewhere in this part ofVirginia, but he may be a hundred miles from this spot."

  "Well, when we find out where he is, we'll make it hot for him," saidTom.

  "Yah, dot is vot ve vill do," said Fritz.

  They continued to talk quite a while, and finally got out theirblankets, lay down and were soon sound asleep. They slept splendidlytill morning, and then cooked and ate their breakfast, after which forexercise they walked about for a while; of course within the bounds ofthe camp, after which they again sat down to talk.

  While thus engaged, an orderly from Colonel Morris' tent appeared, andsaid to Dick Dare:

  "You are wanted at the headquarters tent, Dick Dare."

  "All right," the youth replied. "I'll go along with you." He got up andaccompanied the orderly, and was soon standing in the tent, in thepresence of Colonel Morris.

  "Dick Dare," said the colonel, looking at the youth earnestly, "we aredesirous of learning the whereabouts of Arnold's army, and so I havesummoned you to tell you that I want you to go in search of Arnold'sencampment."

  Dick's face lighted up. This was just the kind of work he liked. He haddone much of scouting and spying for General Washington, and he wasalways glad to be sent on work of this kind.

  "I shall be glad to go and search for Arnold's encampment, sir," hesaid. "When shall I start?"

  "As soon as you can get ready. I am eager to get Arnold located. Then Ican begin my campaign against him."

  "I will start at once, sir. Have you any instructions to give?"

  "None, except to say, find Arnold."

  "Very well, sir. If there is nothing else you wish to
say, I will go."

  "That is all, Dick. Find Arnold, and then report to me as quickly aspossible."

  "I will do my best, sir." Then Dick saluted and withdrew, and hastenedback to the point where his comrades were. The moment they caught sightof his glowing face, they uttered exclamations.

  "You are going in search of Arnold's army, I'll wager!" exclaimed Tom.

  "Yah, dot is vot he is goin' to do," nodded Fritz.

  "Av coorse," said Tim. "He's the bye thot can foind Arnold, av innywancan."

  "Yes, I'm going in search of Arnold's army," said Dick.

  "Say, I'm going with you," said Tom, decidedly.

  "And so am I," said Ben.

  "The three of us can spread out and cover a lot more ground than oneperson can," said Tom. "We're going with you, Dick."

  Dick looked at them thoughtfully. "I guess you are right about that," hesaid, presently. "Yes, I'll take you two chaps along."

  "Say, why not take Dootchy an' mesilf wid ye, Dick?" exclaimed Tim, whowould have liked immensely to have gone with the three youths.

  "That would be too many, Tim," was the reply. "No, just Tom, Ben andmyself will go."

  Dick went and reported to Captain Morgan, and was granted permission totake Tom and Ben with him, and a few minutes later the three left theencampment, followed by wishes for good luck from their comrades. Theyset out in the direction that they thought might lead toward theencampment of Arnold.

  They walked at a moderate pace, and kept a sharp lookout around them,for they did not know but they might happen upon redcoats anywhere. Andthere might be parties of Tories in that part of the country.

  They kept onward till noon, however, and had not seen any redcoats. Theyhad seen only three houses in that time, and although they madeinquiries at the houses, they did not learn of the presence anywhere inthat part of the country of the British.

  They ate a cold bite for luncheon, and then rested a while, anddiscussed the matter that had brought them into the wilderness, tryingto figure out which direction was most likely to lead them to Arnold,and finally they got up and set out again.

  They kept on going till about the middle of the afternoon, and then theycame to the top of a ridge. It was covered with trees--in fact, they hadbeen traveling through the timber pretty much ever since leavingcamp--and here they paused, looking down the slope at the other side ofthe ridge.

  At first, they saw nothing unusual, then suddenly an exclamation escapedthe lips of Dick, and pointing his finger, he said in a low voice: "Seeyonder, boys."

  Tom and Ben looked in the direction indicated, and Tom said, excitedly:"Sure as living, a party of redcoats!"

  "Yes," said Dick. "Be careful, boys, and don't let them see you. Getslowly behind trees."

  They took up their stations as suggested, and after a few minutes Dicksaid: "I'm going to slip down there, get within hearing distance ofthose fellows, if I can, and learn what they are doing here."

  "Look out that they don't see and capture you, Dick," cautioned Tom.

  "I'll be careful," was the reply. Then, telling the two to remain there,Dick set out on his perilous expedition.

  He was careful to keep trees between himself and the redcoats, and as hewas skilled at this kind of work, he managed to reach a point withinhearing distance of the redcoats as they sat talking, then stationedbehind a tree, Dick stood there, listening intently.

  As it turned out, he was well repaid for the danger he had run in comingthere, for he heard the British soldiers talking of how they were goingto visit a settlement made up mostly of patriots, as soon as it wasdark, plunder the homes of the settlers, and then burn the houses down.

  It was a cold-blooded plan, and Dick shuddered as he listened, but atthe same time he made up his mind to hasten to the settlement, warn thesettlers, and thus enable them to either prepare to defend themselves,or take their leave before the redcoats put in an appearance.

  Dick was on the point of slipping away, when he saw a couple of redcoatsleave the group and come slowly toward the very tree behind which he wasstanding.

  His blood suddenly seemed to congeal, for he realized that he was ingreat danger of discovery and capture.