Commodore Barney's Young Spies Part 29

"At you, Amos! You haven't made a bloomin' success of it whenever you've tried to put on airs over Darius; somehow he always contrives to get the best of you. If you hadn't pulled him up with a sharp turn, we'd be below havin' a good snooze with the other fellows; but now we're ashamed to go, consequently we'll camp on deck."

I was angry, and yet I knew he had spoken only the truth. However, it seemed too late to mend matters, and without making any reply I laid down under the rail, fully determined to be more of a gentleman in the future.

There had been in my mind a promise not to close my eyes in slumber that night; but no sooner was I at full length on the deck than I crossed over into dreamland, and knew nothing until the report of a cannon, seemingly near at hand, brought me to my feet very suddenly.

"What's happening?" I cried loudly, and from the after rail Jim Freeman replied:

"The enemy are comin' into position. They began to show up nearly half an hour ago; but I thought there was no need to waken you till the work was begun."

Those who had turned in, as sensible fellows should have done, were awake and on the alert in due season, while I who believed the safety of the schooner devolved upon myself, slept until the Britishers were ready to begin operations.

The day had dawned, although it was a full half-hour before the sun would show himself. Down the stream, within long range of our fleet, were eight or ten barges, each carrying a cannon, drawn across the river in such manner as to make the flotilla a good target, and the gun which had aroused me was evidently fired for the purpose of testing the position.

I ran aft to where Jim and his friends stood, asking eagerly:

"What are our people going to do?"

"The word has just been given to start the blaze, and the lieutenant believes that we can hold the Britishers in check until the vessels are well afire. We're to form on the sh.o.r.e, and oppose the force which you see yonder."

Gazing in the direction of Jim's outstretched finger, I could make out a line of red-coated men on the southerly sh.o.r.e some distance below the barges, and it was not difficult to guess that they intended to move up, once an action was begun, to where they could fire at us from the bank.

The British commander evidently believed we would fight to prevent the fleet from being destroyed, and, therefore, was forcing his men to perform a great deal of unnecessary work.

Looking around at the boats and vessels of our fleet I could see that the work of destruction had already begun. From the hatch of the Avenger, which craft was lying thirty or forty yards further up stream than the Scorpion, a thin thread of blue smoke was ascending lazily on the clear air, and on five or six other pungies the same ominous token of approaching ruin could be seen.

Then it was that I saw little knots of our men pulling for the northerly sh.o.r.e, and, on gaining the bank, stave in the hulls of their canoes to such purpose that the little craft could not again be made serviceable.

I understood then that each squad was under orders to land immediately the task a.s.signed them had been performed, and wondered if the schooner was to be reserved until the last.

"Does the lieutenant count on saving the Scorpion to hold the Britishers in check?" I asked of Jim, and for reply he pointed toward the main hatch, from out of which Darius was just emerging.

"Have your canoe ready!" the old man cried, addressing Dody Wardwell, who was holding the painter of a small craft which lay under the stern. "I allow that we'll need to leave here in mighty quick time, for when the fire starts it'll run from stem to stern like a flash."

[Ill.u.s.tration: As we pulled away I glanced back at our fleet and saw that the vessels were well on fire.]

Even as Darius spoke I saw a curl of flame from the forward hatch, and then a long, glowing tongue leaped up toward the cordage.

While I stood watching it, fascinated by the eager lapping of the destroying element, the enemy opened fire from the barges, sending solid shot amid the fleet which had already been deserted. At almost the same moment that line of red, which had been motionless, could be seen flas.h.i.+ng here and there amid the foliage, telling that the advance of the land force had begun.

Glancing back at our fleet after making certain that the Britishers were coming toward us, I saw that the vessels were well on fire, although unquestionably many of them might have been saved had efforts been made immediately to that end.

"In five minutes more salt won't save 'em," Darius said in a tone of satisfaction. "Them bloomin' red-coats started a little too late. Come on, lads! It looks as if we were the last to leave the fleet, an'

there isn't overly much time on our hands. Into the canoe with you!"

We obeyed the order without delay, more particularly since the flames were already coming out of the Scorpion's after companion-way, and while paddling for the sh.o.r.e I saw that our people were drawn up in line ready to meet the enemy in case it became necessary to prevent them from interfering with the work of destruction.

"Are we the only ones to go unarmed?" I asked, noting that all of those ash.o.r.e appeared to have weapons in their hands.

"I reckon we'll find what may be needed when we join our people,"

Darius replied. "The guns an' ammunition were taken out of the vessels last night, for powder ain't a nice thing to have around when you're foolin' with fire."

It must be borne in mind that while we were thus speaking the cannon on the barges were being served with spirit, and more than one solid shot had gone cras.h.i.+ng through a burning vessel; but none had come near enough to us to cause any particular alarm.

When we were ash.o.r.e I saw that there would be no scarcity of weapons among us, and, in fact, several of the men were forced to carry two muskets because of the supply which had been left behind by those who marched away under the immediate command of Commodore Barney.

We lads succeeded in getting a good outfit, with quite as much ammunition as could be carried comfortably, and by the time we had taken our places in the line, the enemy's shots were beginning to come dangerously near some of us.

A cannon ball cut down a sapling within four feet of where Lieutenant Frazier was standing, and another crashed among the splintered canoes on the bank, while from the distance came those sounds which told of bullets striking amid the foliage.

The soldiers were almost within effective range, and the shot from the barges was by no means comforting, while we could accomplish nothing by remaining idle.

I wondered why the retreat was not begun, if we were to make one, and felt as if I had a personal grievance against the lieutenant because he failed to give that order which would permit of our getting away from such a disagreeable situation.

"Growin' uneasy, lad?" Darius asked with a grin, as I involuntarily ducked my head when a solid shot pa.s.sed over us.

"It strikes me that we can't do any great amount of good by standing here," I replied irritably.

"The lieutenant is a reg'lar little man who believes in obeyin'

orders, no matter what happens. Joshua Barney left word that we were not to move from here till all the vessels were well afire, an' here I reckon we'll stay quite a spell longer."

"But they are all burning," I said, turning to look at the fleet, each craft of which appeared to be enveloped in flames.

"Yes, they've started well; but if I was the one who had been left to decide when there was no longer a chance of savin' 'em, I'd hold here a spell longer, as the lieutenant is doin'."

"Do you believe it possible that we could save the schooner now?" and I pointed toward the Scorpion, along whose spars the flames were creeping rapidly.

"Two or three hundred men might do it if they set to work this minute, though it would be a tough job," the old man said as he gazed at the flames which were already sending forth heat enough to render our position too warm for comfort, and at that instant a musket ball came humming past the end of his nose, causing him to spring backward very suddenly.

"Growing uneasy, Darius?" I asked, and the old man laughed good-naturedly as I thus pa.s.sed him some of his own coin.

"It's gettin' warm all around; but I reckon we've come mighty nigh to the limit set by the commander."

Then it was that the man next beside me cried aloud as he held up his right hand from which the blood was beginning to flow from a bullet wound.

I was too angry to be frightened just then, for it seemed as if Lieutenant Frazier was remaining too long under fire, and a moment later came the welcome command.

I dare venture to say that, with the exception of Lieutenant Frazier and Darius, every man moved more readily and quickly than he ever did before, until we were a good mile from the scene of destruction, striking directly across the country for Upper Marlboro.

Now and then it was possible to catch glimpses of the flames, which towered above the tops of the nearby trees; but we heard nothing of the enemy, which seemed to me strange until I mentioned the fact to Darius when he came up, after loitering in the rear with the lieutenant as if to show his contempt for the Britishers.

"I allow there's plenty of sense in their stayin' where the fleet is burnin'," the old man said quietly. "They saw only a few men leave when it had been said that Joshua Barney had five hundred with him.

Now what more natural for them to suppose that we are tryin' to lead 'em into an ambush--for the Britishers still believe we fight in Injun fas.h.i.+on? Then again, it ain't likely the foot soldiers are carryin'

rations, havin' the boats with 'em, an' it would be poor judgment to send a lot of men into the woods empty-handed, so to speak."

"Then you do not believe we shall be pursued?"

"If we are it'll be a fool trick," the old man replied, and then he fell back to the rear in response to a signal from the lieutenant.

After he had thus given his opinion, which I believe to be shared by Lieutenant Frazier, it was in my mind that we would tramp leisurely across the country until coming up with Commodore Barney's force; but immediately we appeared to be out of danger word was given to quicken the pace.