American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-07-31
approaching foct,tops, wruns her hand anc

fathers house, armed with musket, and mount
ed on Il sturdy horse. His destination was the
American camp, then far to tho northward; but
as the intervening country was filled with the
enemy, he knew there would be considerable
address required TO effect his purpose. Be
fore i.is departure, he saw a few Of his old
paymates, who promised to follow him as soon
as possible.
Night found him near lonely farmhouse,
to which he proceeded boldly in pursuit Of
loGgng. At first the occupant received him
coldy, but chance Of expression convincing
David that his host was tory, he affected the
same political creed and was Immediately
warmly welcomed The oyalist produced his
cider after supper, and insisted that David
should join him in his potations: this the young
man did, taking care, however, not to indulge
too freely, while the farmer, overioyed TO find
what he supposed new recruit for his party,
drank without stint and became more and more
communicative. TO his horror, David soon
learned that party of loyalists, led by a Major
Wilson, celebrated for his toryism and ruthless
ness, were 10 start early the ensuing day, on
an expedition to seize and hang the two Bunk
ers, who had made themselves particularly OBJ
noXious to the royalist leaders. David knew
enough Of this partzan warfare to be assured
LUut 80 IleiCt WOulO DS sliO"iI HIS IL tcllNS; C
also knew enough of the character of the major
TO suspect that some strong personal motive
had led to the planning Of so distant an expe-
ditoH, when there were Others as inviting near
er home He accordingly set himself to discov-
or from his half inebriated companion the truth
MOI was il long before success crowned his
adroit cross-eXamlnation.
WHY, you see" said his host, II believe
there's little revenge for slight received from
these fellows sister, mixed up with the ma S
desire to catch the Bunkers. The girl is very
pretty, they say, and the major, when she was
down here on visit last year-before the war
got to he so blood y-wantcd to marry her, but
she would have nothing to say to him. Ever
since, he has vowed to make her rue the day.
You may depend on it he viii! have her on his
own terms now-thank heaven. there's no law
any longer to prevent an honest royalist from
doing as he pleases to those rascally rebels
But yorder is the ma or now suddenly said
his host, starting up, "I'll introduce you to
him a, once-a merry fellow; you'll find him
Lord love you he's as brave as a lion"
David, though Mortified at the diabolica plot
he had heard, saw the necessity of assembling
in order to learn further of the tories plans,
and find means, if possible, to circumvent them,
He arose, therefore, and shook the ma jor's
hand warmly: pledged him Immediately i'll a
brimmer; and soon contrived to make the roya-
list believe that he was anxious to Join troop
and take part against the rebels, This Undue
ed the ma or TO be unusually civil, for he wished
to secure so athletic a recruit himself 1t was
not long before bargain had been concluded
between the two. David refused, however, TO
sign the agreement that night: he pretended
that several others of his friends were disaffec-
ted and DESTROYS Of joining the loyalists; and his
object he said, was TO secure a commission for
himself by inducing them to join. This tempt
ing bait took: the major promised him COM
mand in his troop in case ofsuccess, and David
signifed his intention Of setting forth, after he
had taken few hours rest, in order to lose no
time in gathering together his recruits.
The dread of discovery had been constantly
before our hero during the management of this
negotiation, for his person was well known to
many of the ma ior's troop, and if any Of them
had come up, his feigned name would not have
protected him from detection. He wished to
get off that night, as he had proposed; but to
this neither his host nor the ina jor would hear,
and he was forced to remain Till morning.
What was his anguish to hear, on rising, that
the major had been gone some hours and was
already on his way to the Bunkers, with his
troops. Descending his anxiety, David par
took of a hasty breakfast, and mounting his
| horse rode slowly away. But when out of
sight Of the house, he struck into fierce gal
lop, which he continued ill he came i'll sight
Of cross-road, where was q tavern. Here he
stopped and learning that the royslists had
taken the high road, he turned aside into a
narrow and more circuitous one.
! at is my only chance TO avoid Them" he
said, again dashing into a gallop. "Pray God,
may reach the settlement in time to collect a
/ few of our lads aud march to Bankers. There
is no other hope now left"
Night had fallen, as they expected, before
the tories were able to reach the vicinity OF
the house they were in search of. At lehgth,
however, after a silent march through the
woods it broke upon their view. light was
burning in one of the windows, and when they
arrived close to the premises the lively notes OF
a violin reached their ears proving that the
brothers were not aware of their presence, but
enjoying themselves in imagined security.
CHOW men," whispered the leader OF the
tories, "when give the word, fire a volley at
the house by way Of introducing ourselves; we
will then surround the place and enter IT,
At that instant the deep bay Of dog rang in
their ears, and large rnastif sprang from I'M
der the house and rushed at the major.
"Fire' he cried.
Twenty guns broke upon the stiffness of the
.ight-the dog fell dead-every pane of glas:
in the front of the house was shivered, and the
tories yelled like savages. In an instant the
light in the house was extnguished as
quickly ceased, and noise was heard at the
door The tories Immediately made rush al
it, But it was already barred, and being made
ofstout oak plank, resisted all their efforts. A
rf1a cracked from the unner Windows and one
of the tsries fell desperately wounded. An.
other report succeeded, and another tory fell
and Major Wilson was now fully aware tina,
both Bunkers were at home and wide awake
A shed turned the rain from the front of the
house, and underneath this, the tories shielding
themselves from the fire of the Bunkers, went
to work at The door Susnectinn such resist.