"Don"t you wish you were there?" asked James, with a grin.
"Yes, I do," said Caleb, promptly. "But I would have been on the side of the minute-men."
"That may be a Britisher"s way of doing business, to tell on all those who were in the fight, but it is not our way," said Enoch, quietly.
"This thing has gone too far to admit of hanging. You will need an army to take them."
"Well, have we not got one, I would like to know?" asked James. "There will be more men here in a little while, and then you fellows will want to keep dark. What were those fellows talking about that were gathered on the corner so long? We wanted to go over there but did not dare."
"It is just as well that you did not go over," said Caleb. "You would not have heard anything anyway."
"We heard somebody howling "Hear, hear!" at the top of his voice," said Emerson. "I guess we would have heard something from him."
"No, we would not," said James. "Don"t you know that they do not talk when Tories are around? They are afraid we will tell of them."
"And it is a mighty fine reputation for you to have," said Enoch, in disgust. "If I could not keep still in regard to what my neighbors do, I would go out and hang myself."
"Oh, you will hang easy enough," said James, with a laugh. "Don"t you worry about that. I will be one of the first to grab the rope and pull you up."
Just how it happened Enoch could not have told to save his life. The place whereon James was standing became suddenly vacant and the spot where his face was occupied by his heels. He fell like a tree struck by a whirlwind, and his head came in violent contact with the ground. He lay there for a second or two as if he did not have his wits about him, and Caleb stood over him ready to receive him when he got up. Seeing no move on his part, he turned to face Emerson.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Caleb stood over him ready to receive him when he got up.]
"Let us hear one word out of your head and I will put you down, too,"
said he.
"Go away," said Emerson, tremblingly. "I have not done anything to you, and I want you to let me alone. There is a magistrate in this town----"
"Go on," said Caleb. "You can get to the magistrate as soon as you please and tell him for me----"
By this time Enoch began to recover himself. He unlatched the gate, and seizing Caleb around the waist fairly lifted him from the ground and carried him inside. Then he shut the gate and looked over at Emerson.
"You had better go on your way," said he. "Pick up your comrade and go about your business."
"But I would like first to hear him say that he would like to haul Enoch up with a rope," said Caleb, trying hard to get on his feet. "I will knock him down as often as he can say it."
These words Caleb was obliged to shout over his shoulder, for Enoch, still retaining his hold upon him, was carrying him along the walk toward the entrance of the kitchen. He pushed him into the house, and then closed the door behind him.
Having seen his enemy disposed of Emerson bent over James Howard to see if he was still alive. To his joy the prostrate boy opened his eyes and stared about him in a vacant manner.
"That cowardly provincial is gone now," said Emerson. "Enoch took him into the house with him."
"I never will put up with such a blow from a boy who is down on the king," said James, sitting up on the ground. "The young rebel strikes an awful whack, does he not? We will go and see the magistrate about it at once. I am all dirt, I suppose?"
"No, but your queue is full of it," said Emerson, brushing it off as well as he could. "I wish we dared lick him."
"So do I, but we can"t touch him now. Wait until those reinforcements come up here that father was talking about last night, and I will have revenge for all that boy"s actions. Help me up. Now we will go and see father about it the first thing we do. These rebels are coming to a high pitch when they can strike a gentleman for something he has said."
The young Tories had started out for a walk but they did not take it.
They turned about and went back the same way they came, and in a few minutes drew up at Mr. Howard"s gate. The old gentleman was at home, sitting in his easy-chair, but he was not taking life pleasantly. There was a scowl on his forehead, for he was thinking about the battle of Lexington. There was one thing about it he said to his wife: Those rebels had got to be whipped into submission, or he and his family must go back to England. How he wished he possessed the power to wipe all those who were in rebellion from the face of the earth! Would not he make a scattering among them before the sun set? While he was thinking about it the boys came up to the gate. If such a thing were possible his son James" face presented a worse appearance than his own. In addition to the scowl which it wore, there was a lump under his eye which now began to grow black. Mr. Howard knew well enough what was the matter.
CHAPTER V.
A REBELLION IN THE COURT-ROOM.
"Father, look at my face," said James, who was the first to begin the conversation. "Just look at it."
"Yes, I see it," said the old gentleman, angrily. "You have been having an argument with some of those young rebels and you have got the knock-down end of it. I will wager that Caleb Young and Enoch Crosby know something about it."
"They were both there," said James, seating himself on the steps, "but Caleb was the only one who struck me. Now, father, what am I going to do about it? I can"t go around with my face this way."
"Do you mean to say that you gave up to Caleb and that he struck you only once?" exclaimed Mr. Howard. "You would make a pretty fight, you would."
"But, father, you don"t know anything about the strength in that fellow"s arms," whined James. "I would just as soon have a horse kick me. I want to see the magistrate about this."
"Let us go up there at once," said Mr. Howard, putting on his hat. "We don"t want to let the gra.s.s grow under our feet until this thing is settled. These young rebels are getting altogether too brash. They want to be shut up for a while. I wish I had them in England. When they were there, they would find themselves among gentlemen, and they could not talk as they pleased."
"Do you believe you can put him under lock and key for hitting me?" said James. He began to be all excitement now. To see Caleb Young put in jail for what he had done would be ample recompense for him.
"I a.s.sure you that I am going to try it. How did the argument begin in the first place?"
James hesitated when his father propounded this question. When he came to think the matter over he found that he had given Caleb good reason for knocking him down. He might have to make the complaint under oath when he came before the magistrate, and he concluded that it was best to tell the truth while he was about it.
"I said that all those who were in that ma.s.sacre would be hung some day," began James.
"Good enough. You told him the truth."
"And I told him that if he were there I would be one of the first to grab the rope and haul him up," continued James. "Caleb or Enoch, I have forgotten which one, replied that if he went and talked that way about his neighbors, he ought to be hanged."
"And he knocked you down for that?" exclaimed Mr. Howard. "You did perfectly right in saying what you did, and if I were magistrate I would shut him up for two or three days at least."
These last words were spoken as they were pa.s.sing along the streets toward the magistrate"s office. There were many people loitering about, for the news of the battle of Lexington had not been thoroughly discussed, and the inhabitants of Machias could not get over it. Every one knew what was the matter with James without any telling. The provincials smiled and nodded their heads in a way that showed young Howard that he was served just right, while the Tories grew angrier than ever, and insisted on hearing all about it. Before reaching the magistrate"s office James began to think that he was something of a hero in town, and fully expected to see Caleb shut up for a long time.
When they arrived at their journey"s end they found the magistrate there as well as two constables, who were hanging around for a chance to serve some papers which were slowly being made out for them. The magistrate was surprised when he saw such a company of men coming into his office, for be it known that a good many people, both Tories and provincials, had turned about and gone with them. They wanted to see what was going to be done in regard to it.
"Bless us!" he exclaimed, when he saw James" battered face. "What have you been doing?"
"I have not been doing anything," said James, in an injured tone. "A young rebel got mad at me for something I had said and knocked me down."
"Aha! A young rebel!" said the magistrate, the scowl deepening upon his forehead; for he was one of those "aggressive" Tories who believed in making war upon all those people who did not hold to his own opinions.
"Do you want to make out a complaint against him? I will fine him a pound at least. These rebels have got to be kept within bounds. I will make out the papers right away. Here are two constables ready to serve them," he added, speaking in a low tone to Mr. Howard. "You had better have two go with them, for there are some rebels around here and maybe they will stand by to protect him."
The magistrate made a great flourish and prepared to go on with his warrant, while James and his father took time to look about upon the crowd that had followed them in. There were more rebels than Tories in the party, and that was easy enough to be seen. Some of the former exchanged a few words in whispered consultation and then went out, but the Tories stood their ground.
"There!" said the magistrate, who at last turned about with the completed doc.u.ment in his hand. "Kelly, take this, go up to Young"s house and arrest Caleb in the name of the king. I need not add that if he does not come you will call upon any man present to help you."