nearly doing so as to frighten him into disclosing all he knew regarding Colonel Allen’s plans, there could be no question, and young Rice, trembling with fear though he was, had no other thought than as to how it might be possible for him to aid his comrade.
It did not seem probable the men were ignorant regarding the boy’s presence, and the only explanation which can be made as to why they failed to secure him is that he was so nearly a child as to appear of but little consequence. They evidently had no thought that he could in any way thwart their purpose, and, therefore, no heed was given to him.
It can readily be imagined that Isaac did not waste much time in speculations as to why he was allowed to remain at liberty.
Now was come the moment when he might repay some portion of the debt he believed he owed Corporal ’Lige, and the only anxiety in his mind was lest he should not do it in proper military fashion.
He could not even so much as guess what a genuine soldier would do under the same circumstances; but he had a very good idea as to how a boy might extricate himself from such a difficulty, and lost no time in beginning the work.
The three men were so busily engaged trying to frighten the corporal into telling them what he might know of Colonel Allen’s forces as not to heed the noise Isaac made when he rolled himself toward the bushes in that direction where the two muskets had been set up against a tree under the foliage in such manner that they might not be affected by the dew.
It was impossible for him to say exactly what these intruders were doing to Corporal ’Lige, but, from the noises, he judged they had first made a prisoner of the old man by seizing him around the throat, perhaps while he was yet asleep, and now there was every indication that they were making ready to carry out the threat of hanging.
“Give him another chance to tell what he knows,” one of the men cried, and immediately afterward the old soldier replied:
“String me up if you will, for there’s no need of waiting any longer with the idea that I’m goin’ to give you any information, even if I have it.”
“Then up with him!” the man who had first spoken shouted, and Isaac, without looking in that direction, heard the confused noises which told him the enemy were trying to raise the old man to his feet.
By this time the boy had his hand on one of the muskets, and his first impulse was to discharge it full at the intruders; but before he could act, the thought came that there were two shots at his disposal, and he ought to so plan as to make both of them count. He believed it was necessary to work with the utmost speed, lest these three Tories should have hung the corporal before he was ready to interfere, and yet a certain number of seconds were absolutely necessary before he could carry out that plan which had suddenly come into his mind.
With both muskets under his arm he crept cautiously a few paces onward until screened by the foliage, and then raising one of the weapons, took deliberate aim at the nearest enemy.
There was no thought in his mind that he was thus compassing the death of a human being. He only knew his comrade’s life was in danger, and that a well-directed shot might save him.
The three men had by this time gotten a rope around Corporal ’Lige’s neck, and, finding that it was difficult to raise the old man to his feet, were throwing the halter over the limb of the nearest tree as a method of saving labor.
One of the Tories, he who appeared to be the elder, and who was directing the movements of the others, stood a few paces from his comrades, and, taking deliberate aim at him, Isaac shouted:
“Throw down your weapons, and surrender, or you are dead men!”
The words had but just been spoken when he discharged the musket, and a scream of pain from the living target told that the bullet had sped true to its mark.
The two men who were as yet unarmed dropped the rope they were holding and sprang toward their weapons, which had been left on the ground near by; but before they could reach them, Isaac had emptied a second musket, and another cry of pain rang out.
“Throw down your weapons and surrender, or you are dead men!” he shouted again, and at this the third Tory, who must have believed there was more than one man in the thicket, took to his heels in alarm, while Corporal ’Lige, who had received no worse injury than a severe choking, seized upon the three muskets which were lying close beside him.
Even now, when two of the intruders were wounded and the third running for dear life, Isaac was doubtful as to whether he should show himself.
He remained in concealment, while the corporal gazed around him in surprise for a dozen seconds or more, and gave no token of his whereabouts until the old man shouted:
“Hello, friends! Show yourselves!”
“Is it all right?” Isaac asked timidly, and in a tone which was little better than a squeak. “Is it all right, corporal?”
“Come in here, Isaac Rice. Can it be it was you who fired those shots?”
The raw recruit came forward almost timidly, and Corporal ’Lige, shifting the three muskets he had taken possession of over on to his left arm, seized the boy by the hand.
“I’ve done a good bit of soldierin’ in my day, lad; seen surprises, an’ ambushes, an’ attacks of a similar kind without number; but never did I know of anything that was done with more neatness an’ dispatch than this same job of yours, which has saved my neck from bein’ stretched. I’m proud of you, lad!”
Isaac was overwhelmed by this praise, yet not to such an extent but that there was a great fear in his mind lest he had taken a human life, and he asked anxiously:
“Do you suppose I hurt either of them seriously, Corporal ’Lige?” and he pointed to where the wounded men lay.
“It is to be hoped you killed ’em both, so that we may be spared any further trouble with the vermin,” and not until then did the corporal condescend to give any attention to those enemies who had been so sadly worsted by a boy.
Just at this moment the wounded Tories suffered more in mind than in body, for they now understood who had made the attack upon them, and it can readily be fancied that both were ashamed at having been thus defeated in their purpose by one whom they had considered of so little importance that no effort was made to deprive him of his liberty when they surprised the encampment.
It was with the most intense relief that young Rice heard the corporal’s report, which was to the effect that he who had acted as leader of the party had a severe but apparently not exceedingly dangerous wound in the shoulder, while his comrade was suffering from a bullet-hole in the leg.
“They’re disabled, lad, but not killed, an’ the first bit of soldierin’ that you have been called on to do is like to give great credit with such as Colonel Allen and Colonel Easton. Tell me how you happened to think of overcoming them in this shape?”
“I didn’t think of it,” the boy replied. “It seemed to me you were like to be hanged and I only did what was in my power.”
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