From Kingdom to Colony
out your mind," said Jack, who had been wondering why Hugh looked at
Dorothy so oddly, and why she was so strangely silent.
When the early evening meal was over that night, the two young men took
their way into the town, where a meeting was to be held.
Old Leet rowed them down, they preferring this as being least likely to
attract notice; and avoiding the old wharf, they landed on the beach,
near the warehouses, thence taking their way cautiously through the
fish-flakes that filled the fields, until they reached the streets up
in the town. These were deserted, but filled with lurking shadows,
being dimly lit by a stray lamp fastened here and there to the
buildings.
They walked slowly toward the town hall, while they talked in low tones
of Jameson, making no doubt but that his attentions and hospitality to
the Britishers would be known and commented upon at the meeting.
When close to the hall a wild clamor broke out from somewhere ahead of
them; and they hurried forward to learn what it might mean.
It was a street fight between the redcoats and the townspeople; and
although no powder was being used, strong arms and hard fists were
doing almost as painful work.
The British frigate "Lively" had dropped anchor in the harbor at
sunset, and as soon as darkness came, a press-gang had been sent on
shore to capture such sturdy fishermen as might be abroad, and impress
them into the service of His Majesty's navy.
Several men had already been taken, and they were resisting most
lustily, while such of their friends as chanced to be in the streets
were coming to their rescue.
But these were few in number, as most of the citizens who were not at
their homes were now gathered in the town hall, awaiting the opening of
the meeting, which was to be of more than usual importance, as measures
were to be taken with respect to the new tyranny indicated by the
presence of soldiers quartered upon the Neck.
While the two young men paused on a street corner overlooking the
combatants, hesitating as to what might be the best thing for them to
do, the light from a house over the way shone down upon one figure, as
though singling it out from the others.
It was that of a swarthy, strongly built young fellow, taller than most
of those about him, and with a bright, resolute face. Hatless, and in
his shirt-sleeves, he was raining heavy blows upon such of the enemy as
sought to lay hands on him.
"'T is Jem Mugford!" exclaimed Hugh. "See, Jack, what a gallant fight
he is making for himself!"
Mugford was well known in the town, and was already, despite his youth,
the captain of a merchant vessel. He had been but recently married;
and Jack and Hugh recalled the sunny morning when they saw him, looking
so handsome and happy, alongside the pretty girl he had just taken for
his wife.
They both, moved by the same impulse, now made a dash toward him; but
the surging crowd--of friends and foes alike--came between in a way to
frustrate their intention. Then, while they were still struggling to
reach him, there went up a loud, angry shout bristling with vigorous
oaths: "They've got Jem! They've got him an' carried him off! Squael
'em, squael 'em!"[1]
[1] "Rock them!" i.e. "Throw rocks at them!"
The cries and tumult were deafening; and the dark mass rolled slowly
down the street, leaving the young men almost alone.
"'T is an outrage!" exclaimed Hugh Knollys, panting from his unavailing
exertions. "We need all of us to carry guns to guard against such
dastardly work. What will his poor wife do, and her father, now that
they'll not have Jem to look to for support and defence?"
"I take it she will not lack for good defenders," answered Jack, his
voice trembling with anger, "not so long as you and I live in the town,
to say naught of his other friends. With the enemy in our harbor, and
amongst us in the very town, the quicker we arm the better, say I. Let
us go first to see Mistress Mugford, and then we'll go to the hall."
But Hugh held back, for he had a wholesome dread of women's tears and
hysterics.
"There will be plenty to tell her the bad news, poor soul," he said;
"and women, too, who will know best how to console and comfort her."
Jack saw the force of this, and did not press the matter; so they took
their way to the town hall, which was already crowded, although its
tightly shuttered windows gave no sign of the life within. The door
was strongly barred, and only opened to the new-comers after they had
satisfied the sentinel on guard of their right to be admitted.
Gray heads and brown were there, the old and the young, representing
the best blood of the town. And there was a generous sprinkling of
weather-beaten and stout-hearted sailors and fishermen, who listened
silently, with grave faces and eager eyes, to all that was said.
The talk was for the most part a review of matters considered at former
meetings, to the effect that Parliament, being a body wherein no member
represented the colonies, had yet undertaken the making of laws
affecting not only the property, but the liberty and lives of His
Majesty's American subjects--it was argued that such right did not
exist, nor any authority to annul or in any manner alter the charter of
the Province, nor to interfere with its councillors, justices,
sheriffs, or jurors.
The matter of the British soldiers being quartered upon the Neck was
also taken up, and with it the outrage committed that very evening by
the press-gang; and in view of these attacks upon the peace of the town
it was deemed wise to push forward at once the measures already
agitated looking to protection and safety.
The fort was to be repaired, and put in condition for proper defence.
The militia consisted at this time of a regiment of seven companies of
active, well-disciplined men, but under the command of officers
commissioned by Governor Gage or his predecessors. It was deemed
expedient that these should no longer act, but that they should be
replaced by others chosen by vote of the town. And every citizen
should possess himself of a firearm and bayonet, both in good order,
and should be equipped with thirty rounds of cartridges and ball, as
well as a pouch and knapsack.
It was also resolved that effectual measures be taken for the
silencing, or expulsion from the community, of those "ministerial tools
and Jacobites," who persisted in opposing the action of the various
committees, or else held themselves aloof from taking part in the
measures needful to protect the rights of the Province and people.
These men who thus spoke and conferred with each other were an
impressive embodiment of the spirit which actuated the entire
community. Their looks and words were glowing with prayerful
earnestness, their manner full of dignity and solemnity.
The memory of these,--of their lofty ideality of aspiration, of the
purity of their principles and motives, their love of country and
integrity of purpose,--all this is a sacred treasure for the old town,
and one still potent with patriotic influence.
Theirs was not the courage that shows forth in bravado, and which
delights, from mere exuberance of spirit, in defying peril for its own
sake. Rather was it the true, deeper courage of devotion,--the courage
that sacrificed self for others, and which for principle and what was
deemed simple duty was ready to endure all things. It was the devotion
that would accept all results, would meet death, if needs be, or wear
life away in slow suffering.
Such courage was the solid material, not the flash and glitter that
pleases and bewilders, and then is as unremembered as is the pebble a
child tosses into the sea, and having watched the ripple it makes,
never thinks of again.
All this has become the priceless jewel of our national history for all
time, the salt that gives savor to our country's life. The keynote of
it was this,--these men truly loved their country, and were its loyal,
steadfast friends. And are we not told from the highest of all high
sources that "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends"?
CHAPTER XVIII
It was nearly midnight when the two young men took their way back
through the fields to their boat and its faithful guardian.
They were soon afloat, and none but Leet would have ventured to row so
steadily and rapidly down Great Bay in the fog that now shut in about
them like a wall of white wool, muffling all objects from sight.
The stillness was intense, save for the lapping of the water on the
near-by shore,--this seeming to quicken the old darkey's acute
knowledge of the course he was rowing.
The young men sat in either end of the boat, with Leet between them;
and not a word was spoken until the keel grated on the sand of
Riverhead Beach.
The old negro required no light to secure the craft in its accustomed
place; and as the others stood waiting for him to do this, a faint
sound of galloping horses came to their cars, apparently from down
Devereux Lane, which led from the Salem road directly to the beach, and
so on to the Neck.
They listened intently, while the sound came unmistakably nearer.
"Hist, Jack!" said Hugh, in a low voice; "that must be the redcoats
coming from Jameson's dinner."
"'T is sure to be, judging from the reckless fashion of their riding.
Leet, come with us,--'t is as well to step behind the boathouse until
they pass, for we want no challenging at this hour of the night." And
as John Devereux said this, he and his companions passed quickly behind
the small building.
A dull yellow gleam showed smearingly through the fog as the horsemen
clattered by, with here and there a lantern fastened to their saddles;
and their loud laughter and boisterous talk seemed to bespeak a free
indulgence in good wines and liquors.
As they struck the beach they fell into a more sober pace, and the last
two, riding side by side, were talking in tones that came distinctly to
the ears of those concealed behind the boathouse.
"'T is like that Southorn hopes to obtain more certain information by
accepting the old fellow's hospitality," said one of them; "for it
cannot be that the wine is the only attraction, to judge from the way
he passed it by to-night."
"Aye," was the reply. "He seemed not to care whether it were good
Christian fare we were having once more, or the dogs' food of the camp."
"Maybe he is sickened, like the rest of us, with this heathen land and
its folk, and rues the day he ever left the only country fit for a man
to live in, to be sent to this strip o' land, with never a petticoat or
bright eye to make the stupid time a little more bearable."
The other man laughed. "Perchance if we could but get speech with
Jameson's fair friend of whom he prated so much, we might be singing
another tune. What was it he called her--such a heathenish name it was
never my lot to hear before?"
"He called her 'Mistress Penine;' but she is no blushing maid, for he
said--"
Here the words, which had been growing less distinct, died away
altogether, and the glow of the lanterns was shut off by the fog, as
the clattering of hoofs became lost in the roar of the surf beating in
from the seaward side.
John Devereux had refrained from acquainting Hugh with his father's
discovery of Aunt Penine's treachery; but now, as they walked toward
the house, he told him the facts.
"Think you, Jack, that she has been holding any further communication
with Jameson?" Hugh asked.
"That would seem most unlikely, for she has been confined to her room
since last Monday night, and both my father and Dot have been watchful
of the servants, although I do not believe there is a traitor amongst
them. As to Pashar, he is too young to rightfully sense what he was