With the Swamp Fox

re heavy is not a desirable boon, and s

for ourselves, each after his own liking, was that we could enjoy this respite from

othing of especial moment with which to occupy our attent

w long we might be able to hold the field against the numberless men which the king was sending in

small detachment who would not gladly have faced a foe of five times our number, in order t

s, and the absence of our uncle was to Percy and I like a great calamity. We looked upon him not only as the head of the family; but as a true friend and companion-in-arms upon whom we could rely under every circumstance, and although no

d, it seemed absolutely necessary we have some employment, and the old

s camp, and such duty is necessary because it stands to reason that th

it to us since the general calls upon others to act as scouts, forgetting that we rea

iction. "You shall go this morning to General Marion and offer the services of us

ses to detail u

when, perchance, every man in the command would have hesitated. By

ittle less than an attempt to bully the general into acceding to our desires; but the longer I considered the matter the more reas

possible fortune would so favor us that we could render some signal assistance, eve

great surprise the general not only willingly gave his consent, but s

all the country and its inhabitants," he said in conclusion. "Therefore, so that you return to camp and report once in every four and twenty hours,

that we did not linger l

wing day, and carrying an ample amount of ammunition, set out with no idea whatsoever as to where chance migh

ding in advance, and we, having good cause to trust him impli

ur minds that a single en

d run across one or more Tories seeking to find the

certain amount of caution, alt

camaw River, our faces turned toward Williamsburg, and then Percy

ce whether we halt here, or five miles further on. Having remained so long in c

re in much the same condition, and therefore it was that our scout came to an

le against fortune on this our f

it was only necessary to lie down among the bushes, where for

n I awakened and found my companions lyin

atisfied the de

r, I know not; but so we did, strangely enough, and because of our unwitti

ek better concealment, when we saw through the foliage a party of seven armed men coming up the bank of the stream from

e enemies, and well we might, considering the fact that nowhere between here

e we had no means of determining who they were, save that all wore portions of a Brit

id either of us speak, and then it was Percy who s

searching for Genera

lad, and now what may be our d

he information back to camp," my brother said heedlessly,

g to take the chances, I venture to predict we will carry yonder gentlemen b

o attack seven?" Percy asked, an

it was a case of twenty against one, and yet you hesita

as to the courage of one of our family. "So that it is in your mind, Gavin W

by carrying out that which is in my mind. We will follow so far in the rear that there is no danger of being discovered un

believing something of good might come, even though we failed in the purpose. It was seldom we who held true to the colonies had an opportunity of st

, did not consider it necessary to

would favor any plan, and there was little need for Gavin Wit

quietly, "and if the strangers are friends, we can atone for any

ars, was all that passed between us regarding the vent

Percy and I performed time and time again until it seemed to us like a simple task. Theref

that we might by any possibility be seen, the three of us followed this little company who might be friends, but were

ficult task to perform patiently; yet every lad who has hunted wild turkeys is well schoole

here might be enemies in the vicinity, for they forbore building a camp-fire, and t

earer, until it was possible to hear the conversation carried on in an ordinar

declare whether these seven men were friends or enemies, and in this I

course of the ordinary conversation co

els during the next two or three days' march, for as

d to give us a clue to the character of t

General Marion's encampment, and from that instant, answering for Percy as well as Gavin

elves upon the ground and the last word was spoken betwee

ef that my life had better be made the price, rather than either of the othe

uch work, and again, on the plea that I can best be spared to the C

he words, still must it be set down that I tried t

ck, and it seemed impossible to advance without

him take the lead; but Percy

he small cleared place on the bank of the stream which the men had selected as an encampment, w

d a certain sort of shelter which s

ance of fully three yards from where they lay, and, as a matter

s, Percy and I called upon the

nd when he raised himself beside the weapons, we two, Percy and

e these seven after we had drawn them up in line, when they un

ries go, inasmuch as no one spoke a word, all r

without delay, although they as well as ourselves were fatigued, most l

oned them, for their presence showed that Tarleton was hot after us, knowing somewhat of our whereabouts, and the time was come when we must r

n we set free the one hundred and fifty Continentals who refus

istrict of Williamsburg, desolating a path fifteen miles in breadth after such mercil

ames; the people were plundered of their possessions; such property as the troops could not

by fire, and they, even to the women and children, were held forci

l, and when their loved ones pleaded for

yet we came to know that all these acts of barbarous cruelty were necessary to

arous

rwise would have waited quietly by until the colonies

t, the hour was come when we should return, and among those on the banks of the Waccamaw who held stead

ght and day until we had seen the sun rise and set three times while we yet remain

ind until the signal should be given, with the addition of more than two hundred new recruits-men who ha

earied with chasing the Swamp Fox, and a body of six hundred well-armed Tories were encamped near

triot and ardent soldier that he was, General Marion g

et we were exchanging greetings with those who had parted from us so many day

could whip them in the open field. We are told that recruits are flocking from every quarter of this portion of the colony to join us, and by waiting we may double our strength; yet at the same time it is possible that the enemy will take the alarm and flee. I propose that

cipated, was the answer to this speech, a

ties, who had already made themselves familiar with the approaches to the enemy's camp, and Major Jam

predict that it will not cease, until the last adherent to the Cause has yielded up

lightly in the rear, spurred his horse f

k Mingo are these scurv

ry on the south si

ge on planks, if I mistake no

e right

umber may not be able to do t

ave warning of our approach, or not, from the mome

from being long in the saddle without proper hours of rest, relapsed into

in our favor, so far as taking the enemy by surprise was concern

alarm gun was heard fr

en we two lads were to take part in a co

clasping my hand as we spurred our horses

hall rise again; but it shall never be said that we failed