"Does thee?" cried Peggy much pleased. "Why, I thought thee didn"t like Philadelphia?"
"I do like the city. The streets are so broad and regular, and these footways are like those we have in London. "Tis the people that are not to my liking." The girl sighed.
For a moment Peggy could not answer for indignation; then, choking back a crushing retort, she replied sagely:
"The people are well enough, Harriet. "Tis thy feeling which is not right. Thee certainly has the megrims to-day."
"Is not that Mr. Morris"s house?" asked Harriet as they reached the southeast corner of High and Front Streets.
"Yes," replied Peggy gazing mournfully at the mansion indicated. ""Twas there also that General Arnold lived when he had charge of the city. I went there to one of his teas, Harriet. The city rang with his prowess at that time. Next to General Washington I liked him best of any of our generals, though I like not to speak of him now. Thy general, Sir William Howe, lived there when thy people held Philadelphia."
"Ah!" said Harriet surveying the residence more intently. "So that is where he lived, is it? "Tis a fine dwelling."
"Mr. Morris hath made many improvements since he bought it, though it hath always been considered one of the best in the city," Peggy informed her.
"He is very rich, isn"t he, Peggy?"
"He is said to be, Harriet, and is, I doubt not. He hath such great skill in financial matters that "tis no wonder. The Congress hath put him in charge of the nation"s finances, I hear, and many hope that he will put our money upon a firm basis. He hath already been of great service to the patriots in advancing money, and he hath advised many of our people concerning investments. "Tis owing to him that mother hath prospered of late," concluded the girl warmly. "See the vessels, Harriet."
They had turned now into Front Street, and stopped to look at the broad river filled with ice-floes. Out of the long length of the street upward of two hundred quays opened, forming so many views terminated by vessels of different sizes. There were three hundred at the time in the harbor disputing possession with the huge cakes of floating ice.
"And when the British left in "78 they left us not one bark," went on Peggy after they had stood for a moment in silence.
"I wonder," spoke Harriet musingly, "I wonder why England doth not send a great fleet over here to ravage this entire seaboard? If all these large towns could be so attacked at one time the revolted colonies would be conquered at once, and an end put to the rebellion."
"It would not conquer us," declared Peggy stoutly. "I have heard some say that with General Washington at their head they would retire beyond the mountains, and fight from there. Thee can never conquer us, Harriet."
Harriet made no reply, and they resumed the walk toward Poole"s Bridge.
A throng of promenaders, skaters and sliders filled the banks and glided over the smooth ice of Pegg"s Run, as the extensive marsh which lay beyond the high table-land north of Callowhill Street was called.
This high waste ground had some occasional slopes down which some hundreds of boys were coasting. The whole area was a great ice pond on which it seemed as though all the skating population of Philadelphia had congregated. The city had long been preeminent in the sport. At this time her skaters were considered the most expert and graceful in the world, and the girls soon became absorbed in watching them as they mingled together and darted about, here and there.
"Are there none but boys and men?" questioned Harriet presently.
""Tis not esteemed delicate for females to skate," Peggy informed her.
"Though," she added lowering her voice instinctively, "we girls of the Social Select Circle used to slip off where none could see, and practice it. Sally Evans got so skilled that she excelled in the "High Dutch,"
and I could cut my name on the ice, but alas for Betty Williams. She could hardly stand on her skates, and we were always having to help her up from a tumble."
"Is thee talking about me, Peggy?" demanded a voice, and Peggy gave a little cry of welcome as she turned to find Betty Williams standing behind her. "Hasn"t thee anything better to do than to tell of thy friends" failings? And what is this I hear? That the express from the Cowpens is staying at thy house? Is he friend of thine? What luck thee has, Peggy."
"Thou shalt come and meet him for thyself, Betty. Yes; he is an old friend, Lieutenant John Drayton. Surely thee remembers hearing me speak of him?"
"A lieutenant? Charmante! I dote on army men," cried Betty rapturously.
"I remember now about him. Does thee know him also, Harriet?"
"Yes," answered Harriet curling her lip. "He is a pretty fellow enough, and will never swing for the lack of a tongue. Lieutenant Drayton is no favorite of mine, though Peggy and her mother are fond of him."
"Yes; mother and I are fond of him," spoke Peggy with some sharpness, quick to resent a slur against one of her friends. "Perhaps he is deficient in the court manners to which my cousin hath been accustomed, but he treats even an enemy with courtesy, and thee has had no cause to complain of him, Harriet. Would that he could say as much for thee."
"Where was his courtesy when I asked him to return that shirt?" demanded Harriet. "A true courtier would not have kept it after I had expressed a wish for its return."
"Thee should not have presented it if thee did not wish him to keep it."
"What ever are you girls talking about?" demanded Betty with eager inquisitiveness. "Tell me all anent the matter. What shirt? Tell me this minute else I will perish with curiosity. That is, if "tis no secret.
"Oh!" she cried merrily as with some laughter and many details both Harriet and Peggy unfolded the matter of the shirt. "Oh, Harriet! what a rout! I blame thee not for not liking him. How he discomfited thee! I"m so anxious to meet him. Does thee know Robert Dale, Harriet? We girls have always esteemed him the very nicest boy in the world. By the way, Peggy, father wrote that Robert hath been put in General Lafayette"s division. The Select Corps "tis called. "Tis monstrous distinction."
"How?" asked Harriet. "I know him not though it seems as though I should, I have heard so much anent him. How is the Select Corps distinctive?"
"As though thee did not know," cried Betty incredulously. "Had I spent as much time with both armies as thee and Peggy have there would be naught about anything military that I did not know. But, for fear that the Select Corps is the one thing lacking in thy knowledge of camp, I will tell thee that its members are taken from the whole army for the active part of a campaign. The Select Corps is always in advance of the main army, and has the right to make the first attack on the enemy. "Tis of vast distinction to be of it, and Robert must have proved himself valorous else he would not have been honored by being placed in it."
"But "tis a position of danger as well as honor, Betty," remarked Peggy.
"If Mr. Washington does no more fighting than he hath done for the past few years your Robert Dale will be in no danger," observed Harriet, who was certainly in a bad mood for the day.
"Oh, as to that," retorted Betty airily, "we manage to get in a victory often enough to keep up our spirits. Really, Harriet, I do wish thee could meet Robert."
"And I wish that you both could meet my brother, Clifford," cried Harriet. "Why, none of the youths in the rebel camp at Middlebrook could compare with him in looks. He is so handsome, and n.o.ble, and brave. Oh, I do wish that I could see him!" she ended, a pathetic quaver coming into her voice.
"Thee has not seen him since thee came to America, has thee?" asked Betty. Peggy, whose gentle heart was touched by the feeling her cousin exhibited, forgot how trying she had been, and pressed her hand tenderly.
"No, Betty. He left home soon after father came to join General Gage in Boston. When we were in New York City father had Sir Henry Clinton to go over the rosters of the different regiments to see if we could locate him, but we could find no trace of him. I did not mind so much until since I have been ill, but now I want to see him so much."
"Does he look like Cousin William, Harriet?" asked Peggy.
"No; he is more like your father than mine. Father says that Cousin David is like my grandfather, and Clifford is the living representative of the picture of grandfather."
"If he is like father he must be all that thee claims for him," spoke Peggy warmly. "I should dearly like to see him, Harriet, and perhaps thee will hear of him soon. If he is in this country anywhere with the British army thee will surely hear of him in time. Don"t grieve."
"If thee does find him I hope that he will come to Philadelphia,"
laughed Betty, who had put up her hair and adopted young lady airs. "I like nice boys, be they English or American."
"Or French," put in Peggy slyly. "I"ve heard that thee takes a lesson each morning from one of the aides of Monsieur de la Luzerne, the French minister. Thee needs to be dealt with, Betty."
"Peggy Owen, Sally hath been telling thee tales out of school," cried Betty, her face flushing. "When did thee see her?"
"A hit! A hit!" laughed Peggy. "How thee mantles, Betty. Know then that I stayed with Sallie last night, and thereby increased my knowledge as to several matters. She said--"
"I must be going," uttered Betty hastily. "Good-bye, girls. Come and see me, Harriet, but leave thy cousin at home."
She darted away before Peggy could call out the merry retort that rose to her lips. Then the maiden turned to Harriet.
"And "twould be wise for us to go too, Harriet," she said. "The air begins to grow chill, and thee must not take cold. See! many of the skaters and promenaders are leaving, and soon there will be none left. I did not know that "twas so late. Is thee tired?"
"No; I believe that the walk hath done me good," answered Harriet, who did look better. "Still I feel a little cold. Let us walk fast, Peggy."
Recrossing the bridge they left the gay throng and started briskly down the narrow footway of Front Street. Suddenly the clatter of hoofs was heard, and the maidens turned to see a party of American horse approaching from the direction of Frankford. They were riding at speed, and the girls drew close to the curb of the walk to see them pa.s.s. As the dragoons drew near they saw that they were escorting a number of British prisoners.