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THE DARE BOYS IN VIRGINIA

CHAPTER I—In Virginia

“Well, here we are in Virginia,” said Tom Dare. “It is fine, don’t you fellows think? When we left New York, it was cold, with heavy snow on the ground, while here, instead of snow, there are patches of green grass and the weather is warm and nice.”

“It certainly is lots more pleasant here than in New York at this time of the year,” agreed Ben Foster.

“Yes, camp life is much more agreeable in a warm climate than in a region where there is snow and cold weather,” acquiesced Dick Dare.

It was now the middle of the month of December of the year 1780, and the patriot regiment under the command of Colonel Morris had been sent down from the vicinity of New York, by General Washington, to try to hold in check the army of General Arnold, the traitor, who, having tried to deliver his country into the hands of the British, for gold, and failed, had been sent to Virginia, to have charge of the British campaign in that State.

One of the reasons for sending Arnold down there was to get him far enough away from General Washington, so that there would not be much danger of his being captured, an attempt to capture him while he was in New York having been made, but without success.

In Colonel Morris’ regiment, and among the members of the company commanded by Captain Morgan, were three youths of about twenty years, who had done good work for the patriot cause during the years they had been in the patriot army. These youths were Dick and Tom Dare, brothers, and Ben Foster, a neighbor boy--the Dares and Fosters living close together, in New Jersey, a few miles east of Philadelphia--and now that they were here in Virginia, they looked forward to a lively campaign, for the warm, pleasant weather, so different from what they had left up North, would make it possible to move swiftly about the country.

The regiment had gone into camp on the bank of a little stream in the heavy woods, perhaps ten miles from the James River. Colonel Morris did not know the whereabouts of Arnold and his army, but liking this site for an encampment, he had decided to stay till he gained the necessary information.

When we introduce the Dare Boys and Ben Foster to the reader’s notice, it is evening, and the soldiers are engaged in cooking their suppers beside the campfires. It was a lively, picturesque and interesting scene indeed, or would have so looked to anyone viewing such a scene for the first time. But to the soldiers, who had been campaigning four years, no thought of their appearance came to them. Their minds were on the then very essential matter of cooking their supper.

This important task finished finally, the soldiers ate heartily, and then, as was their wont, settled down to enjoy themselves. Those who smoked lighted their pipes, while others sat about in groups and talked of the coming campaign, in which they hoped to be able to make it hot for the traitor, Arnold, and his army of British soldiers and Tories.

Dick, Tom and Ben, and some of the other soldiers, among whom were Tim Murphy and Fritz Schmockenburg, sat in a little group and talked earnestly of their expected encounters with Arnold and his little army, and all were pleased with the outlook. They liked what they had seen of Virginia, and were glad they had come to the South, where suffering from the cold was not a necessary concomitant of camp life.

“I like id down here,” said Fritz, nodding decidedly. “I hobe dot ve sday down here till der war is ended alretty.”

“Sure an’ thot would suit me, too,” said Tim. “Oi’m t’inkin’ thot Virginia is good enough for me.”

“I wonder where Arnold’s army is,” said Tom.

“That is what everybody is wondering, I guess,” said Ben.

“Yes,” said Dick. “We know that Arnold is somewhere in this part of Virginia, but he may be a hundred miles from this spot.”

“Well, when we find out where he is, we’ll make it hot for him,” said Tom.

“Yah, dot is vot ve vill do,” said Fritz.

They continued to talk quite a while, and finally got out their blankets, lay down and were soon sound asleep. They slept splendidly till morning, and then cooked and ate their breakfast, after which for exercise they walked about for a while; of course within the bounds of the camp, after which they again sat down to talk.

While thus engaged, an orderly from Colonel Morris’ tent appeared, and said to Dick Dare:

“You are wanted at the headquarters tent, Dick Dare.”

“All right,” the youth replied. “I’ll go along with you.” He got up and accompanied the orderly, and was soon standing in the tent, in the presence of Colonel Morris.

“Dick Dare,” said the colonel, looking at the youth earnestly, “we are desirous of learning the whereabouts of Arnold’s army, and so I have summoned you to tell you that I want you to go in search of Arnold’s encampment.”

Dick’s face lighted up. This was just the kind of work he liked. He had done much of scouting and spying for General Washington, and he was always glad to be sent on work of this kind.

“I shall be glad to go and search for Arnold’s encampment, sir,” he said. “When shall I start?”

“As soon as you can get ready. I am eager to get Arnold located. Then I can begin my campaign against him.”

“I will start at once, sir. Have you any instructions to give?”

“None, except to say, find Arnold.”

“Very well, sir. If there is nothing else you wish to say, I will go.”

“That is all, Dick. Find Arnold, and then report to me as quickly as possible.”

“I will do my best, sir.” Then Dick saluted and withdrew, and hastened back to the point where his comrades were. The moment they caught sight of his glowing face, they uttered exclamations.

“You are going in search of Arnold’s army, I’ll wager!” exclaimed Tom.

“Yah, dot is vot he is goin’ to do,” nodded Fritz.

“Av coorse,” said Tim. “He’s the bye thot can foind Arnold, av innywan can.”

“Yes, I’m going in search of Arnold’s army,” said Dick.

“Say, I’m going with you,” said Tom, decidedly.

“And so am I,” said Ben.

“The three of us can spread out and cover a lot more ground than one person can,” said Tom. “We’re going with you, Dick.”

Dick looked at them thoughtfully. “I guess you are right about that,” he said, presently. “Yes, I’ll take you two chaps along.”

“Say, why not take Dootchy an’ mesilf wid ye, Dick?” exclaimed Tim, who would have liked immensely to have gone with the three youths.

“That would be too many, Tim,” was the reply. “No, just Tom, Ben and myself will go.”

Dick went and reported to Captain Morgan, and was granted permission to take Tom and Ben with him, and a few minutes later the three left the encampment, followed by wishes for good luck from their comrades. They set out in the direction that they thought might lead toward the encampment of Arnold.

They walked at a moderate pace, and kept a sharp lookout around them, for they did not know but they might happen upon redcoats anywhere. And there might be parties of Tories in that part of the country.

They kept onward till noon, however, and had not seen any redcoats. They had seen only three houses in that time, and although they made inquiries at the houses, they did not learn of the presence anywhere in that part of the country of the British.

They ate a cold bite for luncheon, and then rested a while, and discussed the matter that had brought them into the wilderness, trying to figure out which direction was most likely to lead them to Arnold, and finally they got up and set out again.

They kept on going till about the middle of the afternoon, and then they came to the top of a ridge. It was covered with trees--in fact, they had been