The Dare Boys of 1776 | Page 3

their arms around each other in a bearlike hug.
"Oh, Dick, I'm so glad!" cried Tom. "I never was so happy in my life."
"Nor I, Tom. This is the most joyous hour of my life! How delighted father will be when we go home and tell him that it is settled, that the Declaration of Independence is a real and determined fact!"
"It will please him more than anything else in the world, Dick."
"Yes, yes indeed."
Then lifting up his voice the patriot youth cried out loudly, his voice ringing clear as the notes of a bugle:
"Down with the king! Long live Liberty! Long live Washington!"
The excitement was even greater after that, and instantly the cry was taken up on every hand. Thousands shouted aloud, in a thrilling, triumphant roar: "Down with the king! Long live Liberty! Long live Washington!"
People leaped and danced, and shouted till they were hoarse. They were like crazy people, but with them it was pure joy because of the thought that they were to be free, to be their own masters, independent of a tyrannical king. They had reason to be joyous and happy.
It was certainly a great day for the American people-without doubt the greatest in the history of the greatest country on the face of the Globe.
After awhile, when the people had calmed down to a considerable extent and were beginning to disperse to their homes, Dick and Tom Dare set their faces homeward. They were soon at the river, and crossing on the ferry, walked swiftly along the road. They were eager to get back and tell their father the glad, the glorious news.
Part of the way the road led through a heavy growth of timber, and as Dick and Tom were making their way past this point, talking enthusiastically of what they had seen in the city, and never thinking that danger might lurk near, they were suddenly set upon by four youths of about their own age-no others, in fact, than Zeke Boggs, Lem Hicks and two other Tory sympathisers of the neighborhood.
"We told ye we'd git even with ye!" hissed Zeke Boggs, as they hurled themselves upon Dick and Tom. "Ye thought ye was mighty smart, there in Phillydelphy, with ever'buddy on yer side an' ag'in us, but heer its different an' we'll beat ye till ye'll wish ye had never been born! Go fur 'em, fellers!" this last to his companions.
The two patriot youths, although taken by surprise, and outnumbered two to one, were yet not dismayed, for they were brave lads, and they fought the Tory youths with all their might, so fiercely, in fact, that they held their own remarkably well. They knocked down each of the four young Tories, and gave them a thumping that they would likely remember for some time. Of course, they got hit a number of times by the youths, but they did not mind it, the smart of the blows only serving to make them settle down to their work with increased vim and determination, and the result was that the Tory ruffians presently got enough of it, and suddenly ceasing the attack and dashing in among the trees at the roadside, disappeared from view, leaving Dick and Tom Dare masters of the situation.
"Phew, that was warm work, Dick!" said Tom, wiping his perspiring face with his handkerchief.
"Yes, so it was, Tom," replied his brother. "But I believe that we made it warmer for Zeke and his gang than they did for us."
"Yes, I think we did," with a chuckle. "Say, Dick, they are better runners than fighters, aren't they!"
"I think they are, Tom. They did some lively sprinting, just now, at any rate."
"I guess they won't be likely to attack us again, soon."
"Hardly."
Dick and Tom now resumed their journey homeward, and reached there about half an hour later. It was still light enough to see their father at work in the backyard, as they entered the front gate. They ran around the house at the top of their speed, to halt a few moments later in front of their father.
"They did it, father!" exclaimed Tom, pantingly. "They adopted and signed the Declaration of Independence."
"Say you so, my son?" exclaimed Mr. Dare joyously. "Well, heaven be praised! I am glad, my sons; yes, very, very glad! It means much to everybody, and to young people like yourselves more than to older ones, for you have practically the whole of your lives before you, while we older people have already lived the greater portion of the time allotted to us."
"It was wonderful, the interest and excitement shown by the people in Philadelphia, father!" said Dick. "They were wild with delight."
"I have no doubt of it, my son. And they had reason to be delighted. It is a great thing to feel free and independent.