Longacre that things began to look serious for him. The old gentleman replied, that he hoped soldiers had too much honor to lay hands on a young girl who had been lost on the road. Some began to laugh; others whispered that it was a good joke; now and then, one leaned over his horse's head, and peeped into the wagon. They told her, in shocking language, that she should go with me, while they would gallant us to Boston. One of them was making preparations to seat her before her on his horse; but another officer, that I had not seen before, rode up, and asked what the fuss was about. When he found out, he asked them if they weren't ashamed of themselves; swearing at the same time, that he'd shoot the first man who laid a finger on her. One of them began some shines; but the other, drawing a pistol, jammed it against his breast, and told him to be quiet. He was the only honorable officer that ever I saw with a red coat on; and I believe he was sent there by Heaven that night, for poor Caddy's sake. But when Mr. Longacre asked that I should be released, he wouldn't comment; and so I was sent back to town.?

"But what happened of her!" enquired Hanna.

"You'll hear enough, boys. When we parted, I pressed her hand in mine, but I couldn't speak. 'O! I'll go with you now,' she whispered'; but Mr. Longacre told her we'd meet again in better times.

"You'll not forget me, Henry!" she said, still holding my hand. I had just said "Never" when the spiteful red-coat started his horse, so that I came near falling backward. I turned round; but could only see Caddy's hand waving good-bye. Before morning I was safe enough in Boston."

"Not in limbo?" enquired Rollin.

"Yes," was the answer. "At ten o'clock, I was brought before the 'Court of Inquiry,' I believe they called it; and who should be there but Browne and his son! They couldn't prove anything; for I had no property about me, and was no spy; but I got a sentence of six weeks."

"I'd like to have hold of the judge!" exclaimed one of the hearers.

"And I, of the gaoler," added another.

"Well, boys," said Wilson, half musing; "how much we have suffered for freedom, when one only comes to look at it! It's a glorious thing, that Declaration!"

While this and similar expressions were uttered by all, each drew out his canteen and indulged in a hearty draught, preparatory to listening to the remainder of the young soldier's story. All was attention when he re-commenced: ---

"I was 'pardoned,' as they call it, in about four weeks; and went home with strict orders never to attempt an escape again, if I valued my neck. I was a hard thing to be kept in prison by red-coats; but I learned a good deal about them while I was there. Sometimes they moved me from one place to another; when I kept both eyes open to see all that could be seen. Often, too, I heard the sentinels, or some of the soldiers, talking together about their affairs. They said they were tired of fighting with Britons like themselves, and wished King George would make better laws, so as not to make people pay taxes when they didn't want to. They were so short of provisions, that it was said they had to eat horse flesh; and they had no wood to burn, except what they got by tearing down frame buildings, or stealing pews and pulpits from churches! All the lumber belonging to our people that they could lay hands on, was seized. Some ships were also sent out to get provisions from the southern colonies; but I never heard what became of them. The soldiers were busy building forts, which they made strong enough; but they were afraid to venture out of the town, because they thought that General Washington, with his great army, would cut them to pieces. When their provisions were nearly out, and most of them were on the shortest allowances, a supply arrived from England.

You ought to have seen the courageous red-coats, down at the harbor, when the vessels arrived. Such kicking and stamping, and hurraing, --- all because they had got something to eat! Then they marched pigs, sheep, oxen, and cows, up to head-quarters; the officers going before with drawn swords, to kill the first rebel that touched one of their cattle; and a company of soldiers behind , with long guns and bayonets, smacking their lips and grinning clear across their knees. One flock after another was marched along, and then came wagon-loads of pork, ham, and vegetables. We hadn't a chance to get any, though we tried hard enough; but John Baylis and Charley Clifford lamed a good many sheep, by throwing stones at them from behind houses."

"They are better at eating than at fighting," Wilson muttered.

"Some time before this, continued Smith, "General Howe had been sent over to take command. He was a good deal better liked than ever Gage was; but he called us 'rebels' and that was what we couldn't stand.

"At last, winter set in, in earnest; and I never want to see another like it. So many people had been turned out of doors by the soldiers, that three or four families lived in one house. Some had no wood, and had to chop up old benches, chairs, and such things to keep themselves warm. Every morning, little children ran along the wharves with baskets, looking for chips of bark and chips. When snow was on the ground, they would dig it up with their hands. They who had money, gave all they could spare to the poor; but it was such hard work to get provisions that some of us didn't taste anything but barley-water for two or three days. When we managed to get flour, we boiled a little of it in water, with small bits of meat, to make it last longer. But many a one went hungry all day, or had to be satisfied with a few raw turnips, or a crust of bread. All this time, the Tories laughed at us fools and rebels, and fattened themselves on the best that the British camp could afford.

"But this wasn't all we suffered. One day, I saw Dr. Nott talking to some man very seriously, and knew something was the matter; for, of all men, the Doctor is the merriest. Thinks I, 'More red-coats have come over;' but I was mistaken. In a few days, it was rumored that the small-pox was in town. Then it was that people began to look pale, and to crowd to General Howe for permits to leave town. Sometimes they ran in crowds, to hear what the doctor said; and sometimes a man would hardly speak to his own brother, in the street, lest he might catch the pestilence. When any one was taken sick, his friends said, right away, that he had the small-pox; and began to wring their hands and cry out. And so, when it had begin to rage, the people were so frightened, that one could hardly help another. The poor wretches who caught the disease, were huddled together in close rooms, without any fire, and sometimes without food. At night, when the streets were still, we could hear them screaming for water, till their voices grew hoarse. When one died, he was dragged down the stairs, put into a wooden box and hurried to the burial-pits. Often the body fell to pieces, being but a crust of rottenness and corruption. People deserted the houses in the neighborhood that was first attacked, and moved two or three miles away; but they couldn't escape. Others washed their houses, and burned lime day and night --- all to no purpose. It broke out a mile from the first place; and next day was in the middle of the town. Some persons fell in the street with fear and weakness; but no one would touch them, and they died alone. When one in a family was attacked at night, the others fled out through snow or rain, leaving the poor fellow to shift for himself. But it was a sight, lads, that made many a heart ache, to see little barefooted children sitting on door-steps, shivering with cold, and crying for their dead mothers. I don't know what got into the people; but it seemed to me that their hearts were hardened, as Caddy used to say about sinners. Many a time I thanked Heaven that she wasn't there."

"It's a horrible disease!" exclaimed Pierce.

"You should have seen it in Boston," Smith replied. "The mere bane if small-pox sometimes makes me shudder."

"Was it among the red-coats?" enquired Hanna.

"A good many thought so; but the British kept matters to themselves. Still, I believe some of them died with the disease. Had our people had plenty of wholesome victuals, and warm fires, and airy accommodations, as Howe's men had, I don't think the pestilence would have spread among them, either. The British officers might have sent some of their doctors to help the sick; but they hadn't feeling enough to do that. And, while I think of it, boys, I'll tell you how they enjoyed themselves, while innocent people were dying all around them. Every other night or so, there was a ball, where the red-coats were dressed, and starched, and powdered, like monkeys; and they'd bow, grin, and scrape, and caper, before half-a-dozen ugly, try women, enough to sicken a horse. Next day, they'd be too drunk to know whether their own soldiers were rebels or not; and we'd see them sometimes dozing, with their red faces and dirty beards, beside the barrack windows. They got up a theatre, too, where they showed things to ridicule our army; and some of them had the impudence to ask Nancy Pierson, and some of her young friends, to attend. Nancy sent them off with a flea in their ear; and so did the other girls. One night in February, they were going to bring out a great thing, which they called 'The Blockade of Boston;' which meant the same as Washington besieging Boston. If you gave a shilling, you might get in. A paper was put up at the corners about it; and some red-coat wrote underneath, with a pencil, that rebels and beggars, who were too poor or too mean to give a shilling, might get in for ten pence."