CHAPTER I. ASSIGNED TO DUTY.

In the cool, darkened room of the improvised Patriot Hospital in Charleston, a young man in the uniform of a Continental, read aloud to his much-bandaged friend. The subject of their attention was a long-delayed letter from the invalid's sister, in which she dwelt lightly on the hardships at home, and came forth strongly in praise of her brother's hardy deeds.

"If it wasn't for Dick," said the wounded boy, faintly, but with a smile, "you would imagine I was the Patriot army all by myself."

"It's because you were such a good part of it that you're on your back now," returned Tom Dare with enthusiasm.

In an important engagement near Charleston, Ben Foster had been severely wounded, and for two weeks the Dare Boys, Dick and Tom, feared for their friend's life. That morning, however, the surgeons had relieved their anxiety by [Pg 10]promising Ben's recovery, provided he received careful nursing. This good news greatly cheered the two brothers' hearts, for after having passed through so many thrilling occasions in safety, they dreaded the thought of returning to their homes near Philadelphia without their boon companion.

Although the city at this date was in control of the Patriot Army, the British were everywhere about and actively watchful. To go to or communicate with any point beyond the lines was a task fraught with difficulty, and letters were rare events indeed.

Dick Dare, whose latest triumphs under the "Swamp Fox" the reader well remembers, returned at this moment from the commander's quarters and noticed the letter in his comrade's hand.

"News from home?" he inquired, eagerly. "Oh! from your sister, Ben?"

"No," rejoined Tom, bent on arousing his curiosity, for Dick's regard for Ben's sister was well known. "No," he jokingly said, "it's a letter from Fritz Schmockenburg, inviting us to attend an affair at his country estate."

"I'll attend to Fritz's affair later on," Dick [Pg 11]began. Then his face grew serious and he added, "When Ben Has gone to sleep, Tom, and you are not wanted here, I want you to run over to the barracks for a few minutes."

"Anything wrong?" inquired Ben.

"Only that I'm off for a little trip, Ben, and I want to give a few final instructions to this good-for-nothing nurse of yours," Dick returned, quietly pushing his brother from the stool on which he was sitting.

"Is that all the general wanted you for?" asked the aggrieved Tom, from his location on the floor. "I was in hopes that he would send you away for a month or two."

"Well, it's very likely to amount to that before I get through." Dick bent close to the bed. "I'm bound for Vincennes, boys, but we are to keep that secret to ourselves."

"Vincennes!" they chorused.

"Why that's way over near the Mississippi river, isn't it?" asked Ben.

"Thereabouts," replied Dick. "I'm sorry I have to go before you are up and around, Ben, but the general has honored me with this commission and I must start at once."

[Pg 12]

"How about me, cannot I go too?" queried Tom.

"You are to stay here and be good to Ben for a few days and then you are to follow me," answered Dick, dropping his voice to a whisper. "This message that I'm going to carry has got to get through and to insure its delivery a similar message is to be sent and you are to carry it. If one fails the other should succeed. You can follow me as soon as possible, and we may be able to make the last stages of the trip together."

"Sorry I'm out of this," said Ben, "but you can't stop bullets and carry messages at the same time very successfully."

Dick bade him a quiet, but none the less sincere farewell, and hurried over to his quarters to get ready for his trip.

His preparations consisted mainly in a careful examination of the arms he was to carry and his coffee-pot.

He then called to Fritz—the blundering but well-meaning Fritz—with whom the boys had had so many larks, and by a few words startled that individual into incoherent phrases and hurried action. Tom joined him soon afterward and offered his assistance in making ready.

[Pg 13]

"Hate to hurry you away like this, old man," said Tom, mockingly.

"I am not going to hurry after I start, anyhow," Dick replied. "I'm going to take along an anchor in the form of that ever-slow German, Fritz."

"Fritz," shouted Tom. "Why under the sun is he going with you?"

"To conceal my haste," Dick answered. "If I start out with that symbol of Mercury riding along side of me, no one will suspect that I'm going through an enemy's country, and through unbeaten forests into the heart of the west on an important trip. They will surely think I've gone to that 'affair' on Fritz's estate you were speaking of a short time ago."

"Maybe you're right, Dick," Tom said musingly, "but I suspect that with Fritz along, you will have to travel pretty slowly."

"Nonsense," asserted his brother. "Fritz will go as fast as his horse carries him and won't handicap me in any way."

The boys were soon joined by Fritz with his equipment in his hands. He was bursting with curiosity as to what was in store for him. Dick had merely told him to get ready for a long [Pg 14]journey and with the German, Dick's words were law, for he had frequently been saved from dangerous positions by Dick Dare's aid, and held him in the highest esteem.

The three young adventurers gathered about a table at one end of the Dare boys' room and settled themselves to the careful study of a much worn map of the country through which they would have to travel.

"Fritz and I," began Dick, "start tomorrow at daybreak, so as to avoid any more notice than possible, and we are to ride hard after we are outside the British lines, till it gets hot. Then we'll just jog along, either stopping at a farm for our meals or cooking them ourselves, making whatever distance the country permits, and spending the nights, when possible, with Patriot farmers or in the open. One week from today you, Tom, will start for the same point. You are to take Tim Murphy with you. Tim is quick-witted and you ought to be able to follow us rapidly enough to arrive at Fort Pitt about the time we do, for Fritz and I have to blaze the way."

"That sounds like a pleasure excursion, with the British, Tories, and Indians thrown in to add to the interest and keep us from falling asleep."

[Pg 15]

"Yes, that's the way it sounds," responded Dick, "but remember, young man, that we have to deliver that message exactly one month from today!"

"Never," cried Tom. "Why, Dick, that's impossible. A thousand miles with all those difficulties in front of you! I don't think that even you can do it, Dick."

"It has to be done," said Dick, quietly, "and you've got to try it too, Tom."

"Well, if you can, I can, Dick," answered Tom, spiritedly.

"So it will be a race," cried Dick.

"And may we both win," rejoined his brother, holding out his hand.

"Ver do I come in?" inquired Fritz, for the first time sufficiently collected to speak. "Now dot I am made ready, for once, vy iss it I am going to,—from,—for,—

"You're not," said Tom, severely.

"No," added Dick.

"No!" chimed Fritz.

Then Dick, to help his confused comrade out of his difficulties, explained their proposed journey as clearly as possible to the delight of the soldier, who welcomed an opportunity to [Pg 16]distinguish himself in so important a mission, and who was, moreover, greatly pleased at the prospect of a trip with Dick Dare.

While the three young fellows were engrossed in the discussion of their plans, there came to their ears the sound of horses in motion. They were passing under their window and drew the boys' attention outside.

"Our mounts," shouted Dick.

"Our mounds ver?" asked Fritz in a puzzled tone.

"You wait here Fritz and I'll bring them up," said Dick, laughing as he and Tom hurried from the room.

They met the cavalry troopers leading two horses. At the entrance to the barn they made a careful examination of the animals by lamplight.

"A fine pair of horses," said Dick.

"Seem pretty wiry," ventured Tom, and then looking about he added: "Wonder what happened to Fritz?"

"We'll see about that," replied Dick, giving his new possession a final and parting pat. They retraced their steps and reaching the front of the house collided with Fritz. He had just ventured[Pg 17] forth in an effort to find out what the others were doing.

"Your horse doesn't care to go up to see you tonight, Fritz," said Dick in an apologetic tone.

"Horse?" echoed Fritz.

"Certainly," replied Tom, having difficulty in restraining his mirth.

"I do't you said it 'mound' vas," protested Fritz.

"That's a 'grave' mistake on your part," answered Tom, as pursued by the laughing Dick and the perplexed Fritz, he fled into the barracks.

"Time to turn in, I guess, as long as Fritz and I have to be up so early in the morning," Dick yawned.

So the three youths upon whom during the next few weeks so much was to depend, rolled themselves up in their blankets and with a muffled "Good night," closed their eyes for the last time together for many a night.

[Pg 18]

CHAPTER II. AN INCIDENT.

"Getting warm, isn't it" commented Dare about eleven o'clock the morning of their first day on the road.

"Dot's right, py jimminy," panted Fritz, mopping the perspiration from his red face. "But we fooled those Red-goats that time, eh Dick?"

"I'm not so sure," Dick replied gravely. "I'm very much afraid they knew that everything wasn't as it should be, and that they will suspect our mission. And if they do, we are going to have trouble before we arrive at Vincennes."

Dick was referring to the incident of their passing the British lines early that morning. One of the guards was inclined to be suspicious. Dick's seeming frank explanation but more particularly Fritz's innocent and guileless manner, however, had temporarily, at least, won the day.

"Dot's an unbolite feller up the road, Dick," muttered the German boy, pointing ahead. "See[Pg 19] him vaving his arms and hands at a young frauline like he vas her jailor."

Dick shaded his eyes with his hand and surveyed the couple to whom Fritz had called his attention. The man was unquestionably threatening his companion with violence, and the girl, although she made no effort to escape, glanced back frequently as if looking about her for assistance.

"Come on, let's investigate," cried Dick, putting spurs to his horse. Fritz followed closely, and the pair soon overtook the two pedestrians whom they had observed. As they rode up, the man, who was evidently a young southerner, seized his companion by the wrist, at which she cried out.

"That strikes me as very poor courtesy," shouted Dick, reining up, "and is most surprising to see in a man of this state!"

"State," snapped the other, still retaining his hold on the girl, who looked as if she might be his sister, as the boys soon discovered she was. "To all but rebels this is a loyal colony of His Majesty, King George."

"Rebels is a hard word," replied Dick, "and, moreover, my friend and I shall be indebted to you if you will immediately release the lady, who[Pg 20] doesn't appear to be greatly flattered with your attentions."

"Yah," chorused Fritz. "So are we."

"You don't seem to lack admirers," drawled the southerner, turning to his sister. Then, his rage overcoming him, "You little rebel spy!" he hissed.

The girl paled, and at this added insult Dick leaped to the ground and advanced on the troublesome one. Grasping him by the collar and giving him a vigorous push in the proper direction, Dick sent the young Loyalist sprawling in a ditch.

"Ha, ha!" shouted Fritz, "my turn next."

"It will be both of your turns next," yelled their new acquaintance, who had promptly recovered his feet, and was retiring down the road in discomfort, evidently feeling sure that retreat was the safest in the face of such odds.

"Oh," cried the girl, "now I've drawn you into trouble, haven't I?"

"Not that I can notice," replied Dick, with quiet indifference. "I trust that we have been of service to you and haven't interfered where we shouldn't have."

"I can't thank you enough for getting rid of him just at this moment," she replied. "As he[Pg 21] said, I'm a Patriot, and he was trying to force some important information from me regarding the forces in Charleston."

"My name is Dare, miss, and this is Fritz Schmockenburg, both of Capt. Morgan's company."

The girl nodded brightly at Fritz, who was overwhelmed by the suddenness with which he was thrown into a lady's company. "My brother is very influential in the King's army," she said, "and now I'd advise you to hurry along if you expect to avoid any further trouble with him."

At that moment Dick thought he distinguished the dull sound of hoof-beats coming from the direction in which the young Tory had retreated.

"Guess you're right," replied Dick, "but if we go on, what will happen to you?"

"My house is around the bend in the road," the girl answered quickly, "I'll cut through these woods and be safe in two minutes. But you must hurry, for he won't come back alone."

"Good-bye and good luck," cried Dick as he watched her spring lightly over the stone wall at the side of the road. "All aboard, Fritz, I reckon they're after us," and suiting action to the[Pg 22] word, Dick vaulted into his saddle and started away at a gallop.

The pursuing Redcoats could be seen plainly now, urging their horses on in the hopes of overtaking the young patriots before they had gathered speed. The two groups fairly flew along the dusty highway, and Dick, bending low over his saddle, saw the pursuers drawing their pistols.

"Bend down, Fritz," he shouted, "but don't try to return their fire."

Even as he spoke there was the sound of discharged firearms.

"Ach, I'm a dead one alreaty," hollered Fritz, and before Dick could reply or offer aid, the German boy clutched madly at his horse's mane and then rolled in a heap in the dust of the road. His fall was greeted with yells from the soldiers, who quickly approaching soon surrounded his prostrate form and abandoned any further pursuit of Dick.

"Just what Tom said," muttered Dick, as after a hard gallop he slowed down his panting horse and wiped the dust from his eyes. "Here, on the first day out, Fritz is captured and probably wounded seriously, and I can't go on my mission till I find out how he is and what I can do for him."

[Pg 23]

Dick rode slowly onward for half a mile more, and then turned off in the bed of a stream which crossed the road at this point. The brook rapidly narrowed to a rushing little fall, and here, completely away from sight or sound of travellers along the road, he jumped from his tired horse, permitted him a refreshing drink at the brook, and, after hobbling him securely, turned his attention toward preparing a meal for one.

Dick moistened a handful of flour with water, kneaded it with his fingers into a clinging dough, and set it aside while he built his fire. He was particular to pick out dry pieces of moss and hard twigs, for smoke was a thing to be avoided, and the hard woods burn freest.

Having gradually increased the size of his fuel and consequently the blaze, until he judged it hot enough, Dick drew his hunting knife, cut two pieces of bacon from his precious store, and laid them in the pan on the coals. The dough he now rolled into flat round cakes and placed in the pan with the bacon to fry. Carefully turning the cakes and bacon from time to time with the flat of his knife, he prepared a meal fit for a king, but destined to be eaten by an enemy of all kings.

Dick fretted and fumed all that afternoon, and[Pg 24] toward dusk ventured out from his retreat and rode slowly back in the direction of the British camps, whose exact whereabouts he had to determine. At the top of a slight rise he saw in the distance the glow of the soldiers' camp-fire, and making his horse fast to a tree, some distance from the road, he proceeded carefully on foot toward the sentinel lines and the British encampment.

Half way up to the camp he dropped flat on the ground and waited for the nearest outpost to come to the end of his stretch, exchange a word with his neighbor, and turn back. Then Dick crawled between the two while their backs were turned, and was safely inside the lines. But where was Fritz? And how badly was he wounded? Could he have been killed?

Dick, after considerable reconnoitering, located a stout log house in front of which a sentry strolling was talking to his nearby companions around a fire. Dick was near enough to hear plainly all that was said.

"The old Dutchman snores," laughed the sentinel.

"Hurray," thought Dick, "that means Fritz and then he can't be very seriously wounded."

[Pg 25]

Dick crept up behind the hut, which was built of stout logs, and discovered with joy that there was a small barred window. Through this he lightly threw a small stone to attract the prisoner's attention.

"Get oud," yelled Fritz, who was surprised from his sleep by the missle.

"Wait till I come in," said his guard, from the other side of the house. "Quit your Dutch dreams and prepare to go on to the next world, cause you're due to take that trip tomorrow, sure."

"Not if I know it," thought Dick.

Then when things had quieted down again, he called to Fritz softly through the window. The German boy got up from the couch on which he was lying and looked out cautiously. He almost shouted when he distinguished his friend in the semi-darkness.

"Are you badly hurt, Fritz?" asked Dick anxiously.

"Nein," was the answer, "dot fool saddle slipped the horse off and me and mine horse went mit it the dust into."

"Good," ejaculated Dick, "I'm glad it's no worse. Now how about getting out?"

"Dere iss a chimney big enough," said Fritz,[Pg 26] "and the door is only barred on the other side, but there is a soldier there."

"The chimney, then," said Dick, "for we can't get past the guard at the door. Why haven't you escaped before this?"

"Vell, I fell asleep ven they put me in here, and you voke me up just now," confessed Fritz, sheepishly.

"Up the chimney now, quick," ordered Dick, "and be quiet, too."

Fritz disappeared, and after quite an interval Dick saw his stout comrade laboriously climbing over the top of the structure. But Dick wasn't alone in this strange sight. One of the soldiers saw him too, and, yelling out the alarm, sprang for his gun just as Fritz jumped to the ground. Dick leading, both started running through the woods.

The two fugitives made a detour through the underbrush, tearing their clothes and making noise enough to guide the pursuing Red-coats. Dick and Fritz turned sharply to the left, stepping quietly for a few paces, and found themselves in the opening, before the very prison Fritz had so recently deserted, while the chase streamed by in the [Pg 27]darkened woods, and the cries of the soldiers roused the neighboring fire-groups to action.

"Into the hut," whispered Dick. "It's our only chance. The woods are alive with troops and we'd be caught in no time."

"But I just got oud," objected Fritz. "And I don't——"

"In you go," said Dick, giving him a push, and following the hurried and astonished boy, he closed the door after them and stepped to the window.

"They have got us safe enough, if they only knew it," thought Dick. He turned to Fritz. "They'll come back here soon to see how you climbed out. We've got to hide somewhere. Quick, they're coming now! Under that straw in the corner, Fritz. I'll take care of myself. Way under, now!"

[Pg 28]

CHAPTER III. A SURPRISE.

Two days before the week succeeding the departure of Dick and his comrade had elapsed, Tom and Tim made their preparations to start after them. Ben had progressed nicely and was able to sit up and take an interest in life once more. After a long consultation with the commander the boys had arranged to make the first part of the trip by water. This in order to avoid the suspicion that they were following Dick and thus prevent the real importance of their mission from being discovered.