The Minute Boys of Boston

"A fine set of lads are you to call yourselves Minute Boys, who haven't learned that a soldier's first and last duty is to obey! Because of seeing some chance to play a trick on a scurvy Tory, you would straightway throw all orders to the wind, leaving me to return to Cambridge to make report that the Minute Boys of Boston refuse to follow where duty calls. Do you not realize that if Seth Jepson brought the lobster backs here, and failed to find you, he would give to whatsoever officer accompanied him the name of each and every one, to the end that 'twixt now and morning you might be ferreted out and lodged in prison? There's like to be two ends to such a trick as you would play, and I'm thinking he would come out best in the end."

"But by staying we are like to be taken into custody, if so be your vessels or boats fail to come on time," one of the company suggested, and Hiram replied in ringing words:

"Ay, and then would you have no reason for shame, since to be captured while performing a duty is often the fate of a soldier, and does not work to his discredit; but suppose you refuse to obey the orders which I have brought, and then are taken, like rats in their nests, false to the Cause, false to your friends, and false to yourselves? How about it then?"

It was as if he had lashed them with a whip. The lads shrank back into the further corner of the lean-to as if unable to stand against his anger and scorn, and I noted well that those who talked the loudest of the pleasure of playing the trick on Seth, were showing the greatest fear of Hiram.

It was all very well, however, to speak of doing our duty; but not so pleasant to remain there with no means of escape, knowing beyond a peradventure that within a couple of hours at the longest the lobster backs would be upon us. While there was no thought in my mind of sneaking away, I was frightened by the prospect before me, and all the more so because Hiram appeared so disturbed. He went from the building to the edge of the water twenty times in as many minutes, striving to pierce the gloom with his eyes, hoping to see the boats which, according to his arrangements, should have been there before then.

Finally, when he had remained on the shore gazing seaward longer than usual, I went to him and asked in a whisper:

"Is there any chance they may have mistaken your plans, and will fail to come to-night?"

"None whatever, lad, unless some accident has befallen them, for everything was mapped out as plainly as could be done by words. It was on Hog island we were to do our first work; one of the sloops was to go there, while the other, towing all our small boats, should have been off this point an hour ago."

"What is to be done?" I asked helplessly.

"Nothing save stand here and take our medicine like men. We won't give over hope until the last minute, for even when the red-coats are in sight, there may be a chance for us to slip off in the darkness if so be the boats are at hand."

Then came a weary time of waiting which seemed long because of our anxiety. I could well fancy there was in the mind of every lad, as in mine, a picture of the prison into which we would speedily be thrust, and thus an end be put to all our dreams of glory that was to come while working for the Cause.

As the minutes passed and we failed to hear any sound from out over the waters betokening the coming of those who were to meet us, it was only with difficulty I refrained from crying aloud in my impatience and fear, and when one of the boys moved suddenly, breaking the silence, I started in alarm, believing the lobster backs were close at hand.

When two full hours had passed, and we knew beyond a peradventure that Seth had played the traitor, it seemed as if our time of trial was close at hand. Hiram paced to and fro along the shore, ceasing either to return to the building, or make reply when I attempted to speak with him. All his mind was fixed upon that vague space in the darkness from out of which he was striving to see that which we so sorely needed, and then when it did come he was like unto one who has received a cruel blow. Staggering as if drunken, he said hoarsely to me who chanced to be standing by his side:

"They are coming, and just in time to save our necks, for I question whether the red-coats would give us much more of a breathing spell!"

The lads who had been crouching in the lean-to, most like trembling with fear, now rushed out to where Hiram and I stood knee-deep in the water as if the enemy was so near that a few more inches of distance might save us, and there we remained, alternatingly turning landward expecting to hear the tread of armed men, and straining our eyes into the gloom to see more clearly the approaching boats.

The first craft which came ashore brought Archie Hemming, and no sooner did her bow grate upon the shingle than he leaped over, clasping me in his arms as if I had only recently escaped from the grave, but to my mind there was no time to indulge in any show of affection, and almost thrusting him from me, I whispered:

"It is plain Seth Jepson has played the traitor, by going after the lobster backs to take us into custody while we remain here. There is no time to be lost; we must embark on the instant."

There was little need for me to urge that the moments were precious.

As three boats, one after another, came up to the shore, our company of Minute Boys leaped into them until each had its full cargo, and I believe not more than four minutes passed from the time Archie had clasped me in his arms before we pushed off and were heading out into the darkness toward where the sloop lay.

And we had left that shore none too soon, for our little fleet could hardly have been swallowed up by the gloom before we heard the tramp of men, and a few seconds later came the sound of angry voices, telling of the Britishers' disappointment in failing to trap us.

We had turned a neater trick on Seth Jepson than would have been possible had we gone back to our homes when the matter was first suggested, for now he might indeed give our names to the king's officers; but they would fail to find us in Boston town, and who could say when we had left?

CHAPTER VIII

HOG ISLAND

We were safe on board the sloop, which lay about half a mile from the shore, and once there I ceased to speculate overmuch as to what might be the result of Seth Jepson's treachery. That he had proven himself a traitor there was no longer the slightest chance for doubt, and I was resolved that if my life was spared the day should come when he would pay a heavy penalty for his dastardly crime.

Now, however, he had no part in our lives, nor would it be in his power to work us a wrong unless we might make an attempt to enter Boston town while the Britishers held possession.

For the time being it was enough that our company was at last fully embarked upon some service which had to do with the Cause, and while it would have pleased me beyond the power of words to express, if we had been called for some service with more of danger and more befitting soldiers than that of the transportation of grain, I was in a certain degree content, even if for no other reason than that our people at Cambridge had remembered there was such a company as the Minute Boys of Boston.

No time was lost in getting under way for the short voyage to Hog island. It seemed to me that Hiram Griffin believed every moment precious, for he urged the crew of the sloop to their utmost, and once we were on our course, he questioned the helmsman if he was steering in as nearly a straight line as might be possible.

As may be supposed, Archie, Silas and I came together immediately we gained the deck of the sloop, for there was much we had to say to each other, although the lads so lately from Cambridge could not tell me more concerning the doings of our people than Hiram had already done.

Archie would have spent the time giving words to his gratitude because of what Harvey, Hiram and I had done toward effecting his release; but I was not minded thus to waste the precious moments when he might, instead, be telling me what he had seen while with our army.

We three were talking fast and earnestly, having ample food for conversation; but I took heed to the efforts which Hiram was making toward a speedy arrival at our destination, and my curiosity became so great I could not refrain from asking if he feared pursuit.

"I do not fear it lad; but according to my way of thinking the chances are more than even we shall be followed speedily, for those lobster backs whom Seth Jepson led to the rope walk will be thick-headed indeed if they fail to understand that we left Boston town by water. It is possible they may charge him with having led them on a wild goose chase; but I'm not figuring that such will be the case."

"And you believe they may come in pursuit?"

"Well, it will amount to much the same thing, though I allow that their chief purpose won't be to take us into custody."

"Why then should they give chase?" I asked in surprise, and Hiram replied in a low tone, as if he feared lest the other lads might overhear him:

"You must know that our people in Cambridge are not the only ones who need to be fed. The king's men are famous meat-eaters, and General Gage is not such a simple but that he has understood some time since that two birds might be killed with one stone if he acted promptly. To prevent us from getting supplies in the country back of Boston town would be impossible; but he can take steps to stop us from picking up what may be found on the islands, and in so doing not only deprive the Americans of such an amount of food, but take possession of it for his own troops."

I grew so surprised as he went on with his explanations that it had been impossible to interrupt him. While he had told to me in Boston what our people would have the Minute Boys do, I fancied it was the simplest of tasks, being all labor and no danger. Now, however, I was coming to understand that while acting as drovers we might find employment as soldiers, and when he ceased speaking I said in a whisper:

"Would you resist in case the king's men came upon us while we were taking a cargo on board?"

"Ay, that I would, if so be they had no larger force than two to our one."

"Have you then soldiers on board the other sloops?" I asked, not yet understanding his purpose.

"Indeed I have not; where would be the need of others when here are all the Minute Boys of Boston?" he said laughingly.

"But while the Minute Boys may be ready to resist the king's men, they could not make much of a fist at it without weapons, and we have nothing of the kind."

"In that you are making a mistake. There are on board the other sloop muskets and ammunition enough to serve us through quite a battle, if so be you lads have what is needed in the way of backbone."

"Then there is a chance we may have to fight with the lobster backs?" I cried, forgetting that in event of an encounter more than one, perhaps, of our company might be killed, so eager was I that the Minute Boys should have an opportunity of showing what they could do.

"I count it more than a chance, lad. It is an even thing, according to my way of thinking, now that your precious Tory has given notice to the Britishers of our intention. Unless all hands of them are asleep, one or more vessels will be sent out to-morrow morning to overhaul us, therefore it is I am eager to begin the work of taking on cargo as speedily as may be, so that if they come upon us with too large a force we shall be ready for flight, and not go away empty-handed."

I was near to blessing Seth Jepson because of having played the traitor, since it might result in our winning a name for the Minute Boys, and without delay I went back to my comrades, hurriedly giving them to understand that at last our company was to be armed as befitted soldiers, even though we were lads, and, what was to me the more gratifying, it was possible that we would be called upon to measure strength with the lobster backs.

From this moment all was excitement among our lads. I question if there was one of them who did not, like myself, fail to count the danger, because of his eager desire to prove that we might be trusted to do the work of men.

The sloop was a dull sailor, or so it seemed to us lads who were burning with impatience to come up with the other vessel that we might get the weapons in our hands, for only then would it appear as if we were real soldiers of the American army.

We could not quicken the movements of the sluggish craft fret as we might, and when, as balm to my impatience, I would have talked with Hiram concerning the possibilities of the future, he showed no further inclination to converse on the matter, thus proving, as I believed, that he was more anxious concerning the outcome of the venture than he would permit us to see, all of which was most gratifying because it accorded well with my desires.

Despite the apparently slow progress of the sloop, we were come to anchor between Noddle and Hog islands before there were any signs of coming day, and it can well be fancied that we Minute Boys lost no time in taking possession of the weapons.

These, together with the ammunition, had been stored in the cuddy of the sloop, and after each of us lads had selected a musket I saw there were no less than a dozen remaining, while of powder and balls it seemed to me the amount was so great that we could not use it all even though we loaded and discharged our muskets with reasonable rapidity during an entire day.

While we were thus engaged in what might seem to some like a childish fashion, Hiram had seen to it that the two sloops were warped in as close to the shore as was possible without danger of their going aground. The holds of the vessels had been cleared, the hatches removed, tackles for hoisting gotten into place, and, in fact, everything made ready for the taking on of a cargo.

By this time day was come, although the sun had not yet risen, and Hiram began the work in hand by asking me to call the names of three lads who should be left on board the sloops as sentinels, and when I had done as was desired, he said to them, speaking gravely and with the air of one who sees in the future more of danger than he is willing to admit:

"You lads are to keep sharp watch. Do not let your attention be drawn to the shore, for nothing threatens from that quarter; but remain constantly on the alert for approaching vessels. Don't fail to give an alarm the instant you make out a craft bearing to the eastward after passing Morton's point. It may be that the lives of all of us who go ashore will depend on your faithful discharge of duty, therefore act as soldiers should. When you have made certain that any vessel, or boat with a considerable number of men on board, is coming in this direction, discharge one of the muskets, after which make ready to help us on board with whatsoever we may bring."

Then Hiram, together with the remainder of us Minute Boys and the men he had brought with him to work the sloops, went on shore, and at the first farmer's dwelling we came upon I understood that our visit was not unexpected.

Fifty or more sheep were penned in a small enclosure, and John Weston, the owner of the land, together with his son, were busily engaged putting grain into bags that it might the more readily be transported.

We began our work by stacking arms and setting to at the task of carrying the sheep to the shore, bundling them into the small boats, and then pulling out to the sloops.

Where there were so many laborers the task was soon completed, and then came the more fatiguing portion of the business, meaning the transportation of the grain.

However, we set to it with a will for there was one more farm on Hog island which should be visited, and Hiram, fearing lest we might be interrupted, urged us to our utmost.

The day was warm; the bags of grain far too heavy for easy handling, and in a short time I was so weary that but for Hiram's shouts of encouragement or reproaches, I should have ceased work for a short time of rest.

It was just at the moment when I had made up my mind to declare I could not continue the labor until after having a breathing spell, that the report of a musket rang out on the still air so startlingly that each fellow who had a burden dropped it to look hastily about, and those who were empty-handed, including Hiram, ran with all speed to the shore.

I was among the foremost, and having reached a bend where it was possible to get a fairly good view to the westward, an exclamation of dismay burst involuntarily from my lips as I saw a schooner-rigged craft coming around the westerly end of Noddle island.

"It's bound to be the Britishers!" some one near me exclaimed, and I replied, speaking somewhat petulantly because of my fears:

"Who else could it be, coming from that quarter? Our people would not despatch a craft of that size after having sent two sloops, and therefore it may be we'll have use for that ammunition 'twixt now and noon."

Hiram had arrived at the shore almost on my heels, and having taken a good look at the oncoming craft cried:

"Now is the time when you must work lively, lads, in order to get all the grain aboard if it be possible! We have a good hour before us, according to the way yonder craft is sailing, and should be able to clean up all that John Weston has made ready for us."

Then, as we lads started on a run for the farm-house, he shouted to the watchers on deck:

"Don't lose sight of that vessel for an instant, and give the signal when she is come up to yonder small fir tree on Noddle island!"

Having said this he turned about to work as desperately as ever man could, crying out against him who lagged ever so little, and encouraging by words and example those who were putting forth every effort.

I dare venture to say that Farmer Weston's grain was never handled more quickly than on this occasion, and we had all of it aboard, with the exception of mayhap ten bags, when a cry from the shore warned us that the enemy had approached to within the distance set by our leader.

Now it must be borne in mind that all these goods had been put aboard one of the sloops, leaving the other clean, so far as concerned a cargo, and I was not a little surprised when Hiram gave the word for the four men to go on board the laden vessel to make ready for getting under way. Then we lads were sent into the empty craft, in which was stored the ammunition, and word was given to "up anchor and hoist the canvas."

"Is it a case of running away?" I asked sharply of the leader, who, with half a dozen of the lads, was swaying down on the mainsail, and he replied, speaking with difficulty because of his heavy breathing:

"One of the sloops will try to run away; but it won't be ours."

I now understood full well what was his plan. We were to engage the enemy in a regular battle so that the other sloop, laden with provisions, might succeed in going free. I am willing to confess that despite all my previous longings to show myself worthy of being a soldier, the cold chill of fear began to run up and down my spine, as I realized that the time was come when we must strive to kill while others were doing their best to shed our blood.

I question much, now that I have taken part in other conflicts, whether any one, man or lad, ever looks forward to an action at arms without a certain degree of uneasiness, even of fear. If there had been on board the laden sloop a party of our people whom we were struggling to save, then there would have been something heroic in thus engaging in an unequal struggle to the end that better lives than ours might not be taken. As it was, however, we would be fighting for a lot of sheep and a certain amount of grain, which seemed to me worthless in comparison with the life of any one member of the company.

I failed to take heed of the fact that by getting the cargo past the Britishers, thus preserving it for the use of our people, we might be sparing those who had devoted themselves to the Cause much of suffering by way of hunger, and this would be a good and sufficient reason why we should shed our blood.

All this which I have set down passed through my mind as does a flash of lightning across a darkened sky, and meantime we were forging toward the schooner, while the second sloop was being got under way more leisurely, swinging around in such position that we remained between her and the Britishers.

By this time it was possible to see clearly those who stood on the schooner's deck, and, as nearly as I could judge, that mass of red which showed amid-ships was made up of no less than twenty soldiers, all fully armed, and with the sunlight glistening upon bayonet and buckle until it seemed as if each piece of metal was throwing off a tiny jet of flame.

Nearer and nearer did we draw to this danger, while the other sloop was creeping around to northward, ready to take advantage of the southerly breeze when we had put ourselves into position to prevent pursuit on the part of the Britishers, and in the meanwhile Silas, Harvey and Hiram were bringing ammunition into the cabin, distributing among the Minute Boys a generous supply of powder and balls.

I believe that no more than two hundred yards separated our sloop from the schooner when Hiram said in a low tone, but one which thrilled me to the marrow:

"If we would aid the Cause, lads, now has come the time when each must stand to his musket without sign of fear, whatever may be in his heart. There is no chance a fight can be avoided, unless so be you are willing to show the white feather by turning tail. Remember that not every British bullet finds its billet, for the king's men are known to be mighty poor marksmen, however soldierly their appearance. When the scrimmage opens, set about the work of shooting down those who have come to oppress us yet more bitterly, as if you were firing at squirrels. Don't waste your shot; but take careful aim. Now let each lad conceal himself as best he may under the rail so that no more than his head and arms be exposed to view."

This little speech heartened me wonderfully, as I know it did many of the other lads, because their faces brightened and they clutched their muskets with a certain show of determination which told that they would do their best to obey the command.

We made our preparations as Hiram had suggested, and were none too soon in gaining the protection of the rail, for before he who was our leader had made any move toward screening himself, a volley of bullets came whistling over our heads.

The aim of the Britishers was poor, for not a missile came within ten feet of the deck, but the jib and mainsail looked like a sieve.

Then I shouted to Hiram that he should obey his own command and get behind the rail.

"Some one must steer the sloop lest we fail of putting her in such a position that our consort may go free. Get to your work since the lobster backs have opened the game, and let them see what kind of marksmen are the Minute Boys of Boston. Now then, lads, fire as you please so that you take steady aim!"

I believe it was Harvey Pearson who first discharged his musket, and I saw a red-coat reel back, his arm, which had been raised to charge his musket, falling heavily at his side.

Then came our answer to the opening fire, the sharp crackle of musketry seemingly running the whole length of the port rail, and on the instant the compact mass of red was shrunken, with here and there gaps which told that more than one had been stretched upon the deck.

After having emptied my gun, and while recharging it, I turned ever so slightly to look at our consort, which was now edging away to the westward, we having come so far up on the enemy's quarter that he could not have turned in pursuit without running afoul of us.

Now as to what was done in particular during the next ten minutes or more I cannot rightly set down, because so great was my excitement and so intense the fever which had come upon me after the first volley, while the acrid odor of burning powder assailed my nostrils, that I hardly know what I myself did.

I was like unto one in the delirium of fever; it seemed as if there was a red veil before my eyes; I loaded and discharged my musket, taking aim as best I could, rapidly until the barrel of the weapon was so hot that I threw it on the deck, running into the cabin to get from the spare weapons a cool one.