The Dare Boys of 1776 | Page 8

without us, you know."

"Yes, but that won't take long. Most of the work for the summer is done,
and all there will be to do on the farm is to wait for the crops to ripen."
"True. Well, we'll go in a few days, now, likely."
"Don't be in too big a hurry to go, sons," said Mrs. Dare sadly, when
they were discussing the matter, that evening at supper. "Think how
lonesome Mary and I will be when you are gone."
"Mrs. Foster and the girls will come over often," said Dick. "They will
keep you cheered up."
"It will help," was the reply. "But we will be lonely, just the same."
"You might try to be cheerful, mother," said Tom. "Dick and I won't
want to think of you as being lonely."
"Oh, I will get along all right, sons," said the brave woman, forcing a
smile. She wanted to have the boys go away feeling that she was in
good spirits.
They had just finished eating supper, when Ben Foster came in. There
was an eager, excited look on his face, and he said earnestly:
"There's a plot on foot against Dick and Tom, and I came right over to
let you know about it."
"A plot!" exclaimed Mrs. Dare, her face paling and her voice trembling.
"By whom!"
"The Tories."
"Ah!" breathed the woman, a look of anxiety on her face. "This is
terrible!"
"Don't worry, mother," said Dick. "We know of it, now, and can
prepare for them. It will not be as if we were to be taken by surprise."
"No, don't be afraid, Mrs. Dare," said Ben. "We'll make the Tories wish

they had attended to their own business."
"How did you learn about it, Ben?" asked Tom.
"Father found it out this afternoon. You know, he's a king's man, and
they weren't as careful as they might have been, and he heard them
talking about it."
"What are their plans?" asked Dick.
"They are going to come here to-night at about midnight and break in,
take you and Tom out and tie you to trees and whip you-at least, that is
their intention. They won't succeed, though, you may be sure."
"Indeed they will not!" smiled Dick. "There will be some sadder and
wiser Tories before the night is ended."
"Oh, I am sore afraid, son!" said Mrs. Dare. "There will be a dozen or
more of the Tories, and what can you and Tom do against so many?"
"I'll come over and help Dick and Tom, Mrs. Dare," said Ben. "As soon
as father told me about the plan, I made up my mind that I would come
here to-night and help fight the Tories."
"Say, you are all right, Ben!" said Tom, slapping his friend on the
shoulder.
"That is good of you, old fellow," said Dick, seizing Ben's hand and
shaking it heartily. "We thank you."
"Yes, indeed!" said Mary, who saw that Ben's eyes were on her, as if he
wished to hear what she thought about it. "It is indeed good of you, Ben,
to volunteer to do that."
"Oh, that's all right," said Ben, a pleased look in his eyes. "I tell you we
will make it lively for those Tories when they come sneaking around
here."
"We'll do our best to give them a warm reception, at any rate," said

Dick.
"I'll be over in an hour or so," said Ben, "and I'll bring a musket and a
pistol along. But how about Mrs. Dare and Mary? Hadn't they better
come over to our house until after the attack has been made? The folks
told me to ask you to come, Mrs. Dare and Mary."
"Perhaps it would be best," agreed Mrs. Dare. "But still, I hate to go
away and leave you boys here. You might be reckless, when if I were
to stay you would be more careful."
"Don't think that, mother," said Dick. "We are going to go to war soon,
and you can't be with us then, and if you and Mary stayed here, you
might get hit with a stray bullet. There is no use of your taking the risk.
We'll be as careful with you away as if you were here; and we will be
in a position to fight with more freedom and effect if you are not here."
"Very well, then, Dick. If that is the case, we will go over to Mr.
Foster's. But we will return after the attack has been made, for we
wouldn't want any of the neighbors to see us coming away from there
in the morning, as that would cause them to suspect that Mr. Foster had
warned us, and might cause him trouble."
"True, mother. That will be all right. You and