Revolutionary War on Wednesday - Mary Pope Osborne [3]
“This is as close as we should get,” he whispered.
“But we still can’t tell what they’re wearing,” said Annie.
She crept forward and hid behind a scraggly bush.
“No closer!” Jack whispered.
But Annie took off again. She crouched behind a rock. She was only about ten feet from the campfire.
Oh, brother, she’s way too close now, Jack thought.
But he took a deep breath and ran to the rock.
When he joined Annie, she looked at him and grinned.
“This is like hide-and-seek,” she whispered.
“It’s not a game, Annie,” Jack whispered back. “It’s war. Be serious.”
“I am serious!” said Annie, her voice rising.
“Shh!” said Jack.
But it was too late. One of the men stood up and looked around.
“What’s the matter, Captain?” another asked.
“I heard something,” said the captain. He held up his musket.
Jack stopped breathing.
“Who’s there?” the captain shouted.
Jack looked at Annie. She shrugged.
“We’re caught,” she whispered.
“Who’s there?” the captain shouted again.
“Just two kids,” Annie answered in a small voice.
“Come out and show yourselves!” the captain said.
Jack and Annie stood up from behind the rock. They both held up their hands.
“We come in peace,” said Annie.
In the shadowy twilight, the captain moved toward them.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“We’re Jack and Annie,” said Annie.
“Why were you spying on us?” he asked.
“We weren’t spying,” said Jack. “We just wanted to know if you were redcoats or patriots.”
“Which would you like us to be?” the shadowy figure asked.
“Patriots,” said Jack.
“We are patriots,” the captain said.
“Thank goodness!” said Annie.
The captain smiled.
“Where are you from?” he asked. His voice had softened.
“We’re visiting relatives nearby,” Jack said.
“Frog Creek, Pennsylvania,” said Annie at the same time.
“But that’s amazing!” the captain said. “My farm is in Frog Creek. Where is your farm?”
Jack didn’t know how to answer.
“It’s near the Frog Creek woods,” said Annie.
“All farms are near woods,” the man said with a laugh. “What—”
Just then, someone called from up the river. “It’s time, Captain!”
The captain turned to the other men near the campfire. “It’s time!” he repeated.
The soldiers quickly put out their fire. They stood with their muskets on their shoulders.
“Time for what, Captain?” Annie asked.
“Time to meet up with our commander-in-chief,” he said. “Return to your family now so your mother and father won’t worry about you.”
“Yes, sir,” said Jack.
“It is nice to see children,” the captain said. “I was just trying to write a letter to my own son and daughter. I didn’t know what to say.”
“Tell them that you miss them,” said Annie.
The man smiled.
“And I do, indeed,” he said softly.
Then he turned and headed up the riverbank. His ragged men followed behind. Soon they all disappeared into the cold mist.
Jack looked around. The wind was blowing harder. The snow was sticking to the ground.
“What now?” he asked.
More than anything, he wanted to go back home. With the soldiers gone, the riverbank felt lonely and scary.
“We still have to find something to send,” said Annie.
“I know,” said Jack.
“Maybe we should just follow the captain and his men,” said Annie. “They might lead us to something.”
Jack wasn’t sure that was a good idea. But he didn’t have a better one.
“Okay. But let’s try not to get caught this time,” he said.
He and Annie took off through the frozen twilight, following the snowy footprints of the American patriots.
Jack and Annie ran along the riverbank. The wind whooshed over the cold water. Wet snowflakes hissed in the dark.
But then Jack heard other sounds. He heard voices, lots of voices.
He and Annie soon came upon hundreds and hundreds of soldiers gathered near the dark river.
Many carried oil lanterns. The lanterns gave an eerie glow to the snowy twilight.
“The captain and his men must be here somewhere,” said Jack, looking around.
Boats like giant canoes were tied near the river. Men were leading horses and loading cannons onto the boats.
“What are they all doing?” said Annie.
Jack pulled out their Revolutionary War