The Liberty Boys Running the Blockade | Page 5

put in Ben
dryly.
At that moment a jolly-looking Irish boy up and said, giving a comical
salute:
"Captain dear, supper do be ready an' the young leddies have come to
camp, an' will ye ate thim foirst--Oi mane mate thim foirst an' ate
supper afther, or phwativer?"

There was a laugh, and then two young very pretty young ladies rode
up to the fire and were helped to dismount by Dick and Bob. The girls
were their sisters and their sweethearts also, the sister of each being the
sweetheart of the other, and were as constant companions as the boys
themselves. They lived in Westchester county and had come to visit
friends in New York, stopping on the way to see the boys.
"Well, Alice," said Dick to his sweetheart, "so you have come to the
city, have you? Things are in a rather turbulent state, but I fancy we can
get you out of it in case there is any immediate trouble. You will stay to
supper, of course. Patsy has just announced that it is ready, so we will
lose no time in sitting down."
The girls were well known to all the Liberty Boys and when they sat
down they received a general salute, every boy there being glad to see
them. After supper the boys who had brought in the spy took him to the
general's quarters, and shortly after this Dick and Bob set out with the
girls to see them to the house of their friends in the city. Dick and Bob
took their horses, the captain riding a magnificent black Arabian and
Bob a fine bay, and all set out together, laughing and talking in lively
fashion. They struck across the Common to the road running to the
west of it, and would then make their way into the city past the new
church and Broadway to Maiden Lane.
As they were going on at an easy jog, expecting to leave the Common,
four or five dark forms suddenly sprang up in front of them and seize
their bridles, while as many ran up behind and prevented their wheeling.
Then some one flashed the light of a lantern in their faces, and a voice
was heard saying:
"H'm! women! We don't want them. All want is the rebels!"
The girls' horses were at once set free, and the girls themselves lost no
time in wheeling and dashing back toward the camp, Alice taking the
lead.
"Hi! what are you doing?" growled one of men, who were all
evil-looking fellows, as Dick could see. "The gals will bring the rest of

the rebels."
Dick was dragged from the back of Major, his black Arabian, and one
of the men attempted to mount the animal to go in chase of the two
girls but was immediately thrown.
"Back to camp, Major!" said Dick.
In an instant the intelligent animal was flying after the girls, who
quickly recognized his hoof-beats. Meanwhile the men who had
captured Dick and Bob knew the danger they would run remaining on
the ground, and they hurried away with the two boys, letting Bob's bay
go free. They went on so rapidly that Dick was unable to see much of
the way, but he knew the direction they took almost by instinct, and
could have returned without trouble if he had been liberated. The men
kept the two boys in the middle of the party and held on to them tightly.
"We got the rebels an' we'll get the reward," said one.
"Yes, the gals an' the other rebels won't be able to find the house, and
they can hunt all they like."
It was a sharp decline to the river, down the lane, and one of the men
stumbled and rolled several yards, picking himself up with a grunt and
a groan and a lot of bad language, and then hurrying after the rest. Dick
heard the swash of the water on the gravel bank, and then saw the river
itself dimly, but in another moment some dark object loomed up before
him, and then he and Bob were taken into a house, the front of which
was much lower than the back on account of the steepness of the hank.
The boys were taken to the front and then down a flight of steps to a
room in the rear, where they were left in the dark, the door being
locked and barred on the outside.
"Who are these fellows, do you suppose, Dick?" asked Bob, when they
were left alone.
"I don't know. Tories, no doubt, or just men who want the reward
offered for my capture."

"But there is none offered for me," with a laugh. "Why should they take
me with them?"
"To keep you from giving the