The Rider of the Black Horse/Chapter 7
CHAPTER VII
A DEFENSELESS HOUSEHOLD
In silence the little party approached the place in the road where Robert had left his horse. The glimmering light of the lantern was an added source of anxiety to the young soldier, for he was by no means positive that he had not been followed, and that his present predicament was not known to some of the members of the band of which Claudius Brown was the leader. However, the women had been so quick in their decision to accompany him, and their fearlessness was so apparent, that he had not repeated his protest, and in a brief time they arrived at the place they were seeking.
As Robert stepped forth into the road he saw that Nero was still lying where he had left him, and at once taking the prostrate beast by the head, he said soothingly, "Get up, Nero! That's right, old fellow!"
The horse struggled to his feet, and it became at once evident that no bones were broken. With a sigh of relief, Robert turned to his companions and said,—
"He's all right now. I'm grateful to you for your kindness."
"Did you say you were running from the Thirteen?" demanded the younger woman.
"I did."
"Where are they now?"
"I don't know. I trust they are back in the woods where I left them."
"Was Claud Brown there?"
He was."
"The villain!" exclaimed the young wo-man warmly. "I hope they 'll hang him! They will, too, if they can once get their hands on him."
"Who?"
"The men of the country. He's kept up his wickedness till there's hardly a home in all the valley that he has n't robbed. I can stand a redcoat, but such a scoundrel as he is ought not to be left alive in such times as these!"
"There, Hannah!" said the older woman quietly. "Never mind Claud Brown now."
"Where are you going?" demanded the young woman of Robert.
"There are several places I must go to before I go back."
"Back where?"
"Where I came from," replied Robert, laughing lightly. The assertiveness of his questioner amused him, and yet he was pleased with her friendliness, and her outspoken sympathy for the cause of the colonies found a warm response in his own heart.
"You need n't be so careful," said the girl. "We know which side you are on, and as long as it is our side, too, you need n't be afraid of us."
"How far is it to Fort Montgomery?" inquired Robert.
"It's too long a ride for you to think of taking to-night," said the older woman.
"I must."
"No, you must not. Your horse could never make it. Bring him with you and stay with us to-night. It will be safer for you to go on in the daytime anyway, and you 'll do better if your horse is rested."
"But I don't like to trouble you."
"It will be time enough to avoid that when you do trouble us. Come now, and Hannah and I will look after your horse, and you can get some rest yourself. If you 've been with the Thirteen, you 'll need that as much as your horse does."
For a moment Robert hesitated, and then decided to accept the offer of hospitality which was so cordially given. It was evident that the women were to be trusted, and his own weariness, as well as the exhaustion of his horse, provided more than an excuse for accepting what had been so warmly offered.
"That's right," said the elder woman heartily, as Robert prepared to follow; and in a brief time all three arrived in front of the little house.
"I 'll take care of your horse for you," said the girl quickly, as they halted for a moment.
"Thank you," replied Robert, with a laugh. "I'm not accustomed to such attentions from the ladies. If you will show me where to put him, I 'll take him there."
"We 'll show you;" and both women led the way toward the little barn which could be seen on the border of the clearing. Robert followed without a word, but as they approached the place he was surprised when he was led directly past the barn into the woods beyond.
"It's safer," explained the girl quietly. "We haven't a horse left on the place—thanks to the Thirteen, or some other equally good men. If we put your horse out in the woods, it may be that he won't be found, if we chance to have any other visitors to-night."
Robert made no protest, for the scheme was a wise one, as he quickly acknowledged; and after a few minutes had elapsed Nero was tied to a sapling and left for the night. The women then returned with Robert to the house and all three at once entered. A candle was burning on the rude table in the kitchen, and in its light Robert glanced keenly at the women. The elder was a woman in middle life, but the younger was only a girl, apparently not so old as he himself was. Her vigorous body and firm step at once revealed both physical and mental strength, and her face, animated and attractive, speedily confirmed Robert's favorable impressions.
"Oh, you need n't be afraid of us," laughed the girl.
"I beg your pardon," stammered Robert. "I was not, that is—I am"—
"Exactly. Your statement is very plain."
"Hannah," said the woman, who, Robert was convinced, must be the girl's mother, "you'd better get our friend something to eat."
"I would not put you to that trouble," began Robert. "I"—
"Oh, you need not try to be too polite. Mother knows that every man is always hungry, and the first thing to do is to feed him. And I agree with her, for I have n't lived with four brothers, to say nothing of father, all these years without finding out that she's right," laughed Hannah.
"Yes, I have four sons," said the woman quietly, as if in reply to the unspoken question of Robert. "They went with their father."
"Yes, they 're in Fort Montgomery, and very likely you 'll see them there; that is, if you are able to get in," said Hannah.
"Did they leave you here alone?" inquired Robert.
"No, they did n't leave me alone," retorted the girl sharply. "I have mother and the dog."
"I should think you would be afraid."
"Of what?"
"Of the Thirteen," replied Robert, recalling the anger with which they had referred to his own recent captors.
"We 're not any more afraid without our men than we would be if they were at home," said the woman quietly. "Indeed, I don't know that we are so much, for there's less likelihood of trouble if the boys are not here."
Food had now been placed upon the table, and in response to the warm invitation which was given him Robert seated himself, and at once began to do ample justice to the viands. He was hungry and the food was tempting.
When he arose the first streaks of the morning light were beginning to appear; and then, in response to the suggestion of the mother, he made his way up to the loft or upper room in the house, and was soon soundly sleeping.
Three hours had elapsed before he was awake again, and in some confusion he descended to the room below, where he found both women busied in their household tasks. The elder woman greeted him with a smile that warmed his heart; but Hannah, who, in the light of the morning, he now saw was certainly a most attractive girl, looked at him and laughed.
"Well, Sir Lazy Bones, I hope you are well this fine day."
"Hannah!" said her mother reprovingly, as she perceived that Robert was confused by the unexpected salutation. "You must not mind her," she added. "She has been spoiled by her father and brothers. She is the only girl in the family."
"I think I 'll go out and see how my horse is," said Robert.
"I have already fed and watered your horse," said Hannah.
"You have? I did not expect you to do that."
"I could n't bear to see the poor beast wait any longer."
"I am grateful to you for your kindness," said Robert seriously. "Is there not something that I can do to repay it?"
"Yes, sir, there is," responded Hannah promptly.
"Please tell me what it is."
"You are to take this letter and give it to my brother Joseph," and as she spoke she held forth a missive which was directed to Joseph Nott. "I don't suppose there is much good in giving it into your keeping, for probably Claud Brown will get it, and he 'll read it himself. Much good may it do him, too, for I've expressed my opinion of him in my epistle in a way that he will understand."
"I 'll try and see that Claud Brown does not get it this time, though he did get a letter from me yesterday, and one that I'd give much to get back, too."
Briefly Robert related the story of his encounter with the band, but he made no reference to the letter which Brown had given him by mistake—the one which at the very moment was concealed in his bosom.
"If you see my father, you may tell him that we are all well," added Hannah. "You 'll know him when you see him, for he is said to look very much like me. He is a little short man, and the best daddy there is on either side of the Hudson, I don't care where you go! I'd like to send him something, for he had his tenth birthday not long ago," she added demurely. "I always like to remember him then."
"His tenth birthday?" inquired Robert in surprise.
"Yes, that's what I said," retorted Hannah sharply.
Robert's face evidently betrayed the confusion in his mind, for even Mrs. Nott smiled, as she said quickly, "Tell him how it is, child."
"I have told him," retorted Hannah. "What more can I do?"
"My husband's birthday was on the twenty-ninth of last February," explained Mrs. Nott. "He is forty-four years old, but he has had only ten birthdays, and that is what Hannah means."
"I see," laughed Robert. "I thought he must be a young soldier."
"There are other 'young' soldiers, too," remarked Hannah dryly.
"We 'll do our best to get over that."
"You 'll need to! Now that you know all about our family, perhaps it will not be out of place to tell us who you are."
"My name is Robert Dorlon; I'd almost forgotten to tell you," said Robert, laughing. "I'm a Jersey man"—
"You're a good ways from home," interrupted Hannah.
"Yes, and if all goes well, I 'll be farther still before I go back."
"Have you ever seen General Washington?"
"Oh, yes, a number of times. I 've talked with him, too. I 've got a"— Robert stopped abruptly, for he had almost told what he knew was for no one but General Clinton himself.
"Did you tell him how to beat the red-coats?" inquired Hannah.
"He did not ask my advice, nor did he need it."
"What is he doing at present?"
"That I cannot say now. But when I last saw him—that was only a few days ago—he was doing his best to keep the regulars where they were, over in Jersey, and he was succeeding, too. Cornwallis was at Brimswick, and doing all he could to get our men to come down from the hills and fight him. But General Washington was too much of a fox for that. He knew his men were no match for the regulars; and if he can keep the redcoats where they are, or in New York, they won't be able to come up the river to help Burgoyne."
"Some of them have come," said Hannah.
"They have? When? Where? What did they do?" demanded Robert quickly.
"Oh, they came up as far as Peekskill and did some damage there."
"Yes, I know all about that, but they went back to New York again. They 've been trying in all sorts of ways to fool us. First they pretend they 're going to sail up the sound and attack Boston, and then they start across Jersey, or pretend to sail down the coast to Philadelphia. They have tried every way to keep Washington from going up to join the forces of General Philip Schuyler. But he has his eyes open. They have n't fooled him yet."
"I don't think they'd go very far up the Hudson."
"Why not?"
"Well, there's Fort Putnam and Fort Independence and Fort Constitution and Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery, to say nothing about the chains that have been stretched across the river. I rather think the redcoats won't sail past them right away."
"Hannah," said her mother warningly, "you are talking too much."
"I know it. That's what my mother always says to me when I go to see any of the neighbors," she explained to Robert, as Mrs. Nott left the house for a moment. "‘Don't tell all you know, Hannah,' is the last word I hear."
"You have n't told me any news. I know already"—
Robert stopped abruptly as Mrs. Nott re-entered the house, her manner at once betraying great excitement.
"What is it, mother?" inquired Hannah hastily.
"There are four men on horseback in the road and they 're going to stop here."
"Do you know who they are?"
"I think it's Claud Brown and some of his gang."
For a moment there was consternation depicted on every face, but Hannah was the first to recover, as she hastily bade Robert follow her and at once rushed from the room.