The Young Continentals at Bunker Hill Part 21

Then there came a clatter of hoofs that broke the silence of Sun Court.

They paused under the window, and the rider was heard dismounting. An instant later the heavy knocker at the door of Seth Prentiss' house gave its thunderous rat-tat-tat.

"Something very urgent, it would seem," said Pennington.

The man servant hurriedly brought into the governor's presence a much bespattered and all but breathless young officer of dragoons.

"Well, sir?" inquired Gage, sharply.

"News from Boston Neck, sir," and the young officer saluted hurriedly.

"The attack was made, but the Americans were in large force and we were repulsed. Then they attacked in turn and drove us back. The George tavern has been burned by them and we have suffered some loss."

"Very well!" The general's voice was now sharp and angry. "If there is any further action, let a report be sent me at once."

The dragoon saluted and disappeared. Gage turned to Ezra.

"It may be that this upsetting of my plans has been caused by you," he said. "And then again, perhaps Abdallah's information may have been erroneous. However, I shall soon come at the real facts; and you shall remain in Boston until I do."

CHAPTER XI

TELLS HOW EZRA AND SCARLETT THRIVED IN BOSTON, AND HOW THEY LEFT IT IN THE NIGHT

Ezra Prentiss and Gilbert Scarlett left the house of the former's grandfather in the dark of that April morning. And as they crossed the threshold, Gage's voice sounded in their ears.

"Mind you what I say, and be careful to follow it out. Make your quarters at the 'Jolly Rover' Inn, in s.h.i.+p Street; and report to Major Buckstone at headquarters between ten o'clock and noon each day."

"And never let me hear of you or see you again," said old Seth Prentiss to Ezra, "until you have cleared yourself of all suspicion in this matter. As you stand now, George Prentiss, you are labeled in my mind as a traitor, as your brother Ezra is."

Ezra said nothing; he merely bent his head in a mute good-bye; and with Scarlett set off through the dark court. A sergeant of grenadiers bore them company; it was his duty to see that they went to the "Jolly Rover"

as directed, and also that they were not molested by the guards that patrolled the streets.

They pa.s.sed from Sun Court into Fleet Street, and from thence into s.h.i.+p Street. This was on the harbor front and was badly kept and worse lighted. At one end was what was known as the North Battery; the wharves of merchants and dockyards of s.h.i.+pbuilders lined the water side of it; while upon the other were gloomy-fronted warehouses and the offices of s.h.i.+pmen of various degrees.

Midway, at White Bread Alley, they came to the "Jolly Rover." It was tightly closed; not a light was to be seen.

"We are all hard put to it because of the closing of the inns," said the sergeant of grenadiers. "There is no place to spend a comfortable hour when off duty of a night."

He beat loudly upon the door. For a long time there was no result save the sharp summons of a guard who rounded the corner of Foster Lane.

"What's this?" demanded the guard. "Have you no homes to go to that you are abroad at such an hour? And will nothing do but that you must make noise enough to wake the dead?"

"Use your eyes and your lanthorn, soldier," spoke the sergeant gruffly.

"If we are abroad it is because we must be. And as for the noise, it is made but to carry out the governor's orders."

The guard held up his light. Then, recognizing the sergeant, he saluted.

"Our orders call for the apprehension of all found abroad after hours,"

apologized he.

A nightcapped head, lighted up by a sputtering candle, appeared at one of the upper windows of the inn.

"What now?" demanded a rough voice. "Plague take you, neighbors, to go battering at an honorable man's door."

"Come down and draw your bolts," said the sergeant of grenadiers.

"Not I, indeed," answered the man in the nightcap, and with a promptness that caused both Ezra and Scarlett to laugh. "I obey the law, gentlemen; no man in the town of Boston minds it better. And the law says that all places of public entertainment must out with their lights and up with their shutters at sundown."

"If you don't want your door in splinters, you'll come down and open it," said the sergeant. "I bring you two persons whom you are to harbor, at command of General Gage."

"That," replied the nightcapped one, in an altered tone, "sets a different face upon the matter. Why did you not say so at once? I will be down instantly."

The candle vanished; a little later, after a great deal of clatter and clinking of bars and chains, the door opened; the man in the nightcap was shown to be a squat, broad-shouldered personage with gold rings in his ears and the aspect of a seafarer.

"Now, open your ears," spoke the British sergeant, briefly. "And give heed to what I'm going to tell you."

"Ay, ay," replied the host of the "Jolly Rover."

"These two are to lodge here and pay for their own entertainment. You are to report at headquarters at once if they are absent for more than a half day at a time."

The landlord regarded the newcomers with no great favor.

"I'll see to it," he growled.

"Mind that you do. And, when I am gone, out with the lights and on with the bolts at once."

So saying the British sergeant turned and stepped out into s.h.i.+p Street once more. The door closed behind him; the bars and chains went up, and again the man with the rings in his ears looked at his guests.

"I will not say that I am pleased to have you," he told them with great frankness, "for the custom of such as you brings little but trouble to an inn. I'll have soldiers about the place constantly; and, if you are gentlemen of any consequence, spies will be as thick as flies in August."

"We are sorry to give you any trouble," said Ezra. "But we were directed to come here and could not well refuse."

The man grinned.

"I suppose not," said he. "Well, if it be any comfort for you to know it, you are not the only gentlemen in Boston who are in the black books of the King's officers. The town is full of suspected men. General Gage is a governor who acts mighty quickly in such matters, even if he won't," here the grin grew broader, "do the same in weightier things."

The flickering candle lit up the place but dimly; the ceiling was low, the walls were paneled; in furnis.h.i.+ng and equipment the room resembled the cabin of a s.h.i.+p.

Scarlett, who had been observing the landlord, here remarked:

"You are a man who has followed the sea in your day."

The other nodded.

"For a full forty year," he said. "Man and boy I've spliced, knotted, hauled and reefed in every kind of craft that's sailed from here to the Horn, and from there to the China Seas."

"A tarry, healthy profession," commented Scarlett. "I have known many s.h.i.+pmen in my day, and they have been mostly sound fellows and honest."