The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-07-17
HOW TOM CHEsLEY HELPED STEAL A
GENERAL

grassy green green waters OF Jne llJJle
harbor of Warwick Neck, a part OF
Narragansett Bay, and the ripping
wavelets seemed to play at hide and
seek as they chased each up and down
and back against the wooden pier that
stretched down the haven from the small
green-ridged Rhode Island town. Severa
boats fastened to the wharf rocked lazily
on the tide. Sea-birds flew to and fro
Tapping their winds leisurely in the air
and now and then fish would jump vi
out of the water, making widening
circle of diamonds, as he fell back agaiI
with a splash. One would have known
it was July by the very atmosphere
still, hot and shimmering, as only mid
summer can be.
'"Tom! Tom Chesley! where are youP'
shouted a voice through the hushed still
ness of the sultry summer noon.
Tom was fishing from boat down by
the pier-that is, he was making believe
fishing, for he had not caught anything
for an hour; he had not even looked to
see if his hook was baited, very singu'
lar thing for boy of thirteen, who was
as fond of fishing as Of eating, to do.
But as | said, Tom hadn't even baited
his hook for an hour. Nor did he reply
to his fathers call. Again came the
stenorian voice of the fisherman, "Tom
Tom Chesleyl"
The boy answered this time, and
slowly wound up his line and jumped up
on the pier.
"It's dinner time" said his father,
when Tom reached the little, low cot
tage upon the green slope at the end of
the long village street, 'but where's youI
fish?n .....
Tom hung his head.
"You've been fishing?" haven't you?"
asked his father.
"Yes," answered Tom, hesitatingly, as
though there was a lump in his throat,
"I've been a-fishing, and" with queer
look, ''I've caught something, though /
haven't any fish,"
"a mud.turtle, perhaps" laughed the
elder Chesley,
Tom said nothing more, but he was
very thoughtful all through the dinner,
and hardly said word, which was some
thing very unusual for him.
In the afternoon, as he and his father
were out in the harbor fishing, Tom
looked up suddenly after long silence,
and asked: "Father, wouldn't it he a
great thing if we could get old General
Prescott that's down at Newport, after
he's carried on so, and done so mnch
mischief?"
Mr.. Chesley's bronzed face showed all
the surprise he felt Capture General
Precott, boy!" he explained. What on
earth are you thinking of! George
Washington and his whole army couldn't
do it."
Toms conntenance fell somewhat.
"But if they could do it wouldn't it be a
great thing for the causeP" he per-
sisted.
Undoubtedly" answered his father;
General Prescott is one of their big
guns. But he is quartered there with his
army on one side and the British fleet
on the other. Whew. l should rather
try to catch that dolphin yonder than to
attempt to seize the old general. 1t
would be crazy thing to attempt"
and, after long pause, "there's but one
man that know of who would think of
trying such feat"
"And who is that father?n
"That hair-brained Major Barton, who
captured the gunpowder on board the
British man-of-war, and brought it in
one night, well-nigh dozen barrels
of it; carried it away, too, right from
underline nose of the British Commodore
himself"
"What kind of looking man is this
Major BartonP" inquired Tom. Did
you ever see him?"
"Once or twice; he is short and thick,
black-eyed and very determined fellow.
He's strong as bull, they say, and
there's big negro that always goes with
him who's strong again as he is. Yes,
he might possibly do it, if anybody could
do it, but then nobody can. But what
put the thought in your mind?"
Tom did not hear the question, and
his father did not repeat it. He was
drawing mental picture of the man he
saw at the wharf that morning, and
the whispered consultation he had
heard as he lay in his fathers fishing
boat.
"Fll bet a pine-tree shilling" he
soliloquized, that was Major Barton;
those old whale-boats that he and those
fellows rowed over in the other day
amt for nothing. Didn't | hear him
say 'to-night's the time, and we mus
not fail; the old william sleeps in re
tired spot. Who else did they meaI
than General Prescott? and don't know
just where he's quartered, and wouldn't
| like to help capture the tyrant." AnC
so his thoughts went on till he quit,
forgot that fish was struggling on hi
hook, until the sharp voice of his father
exclaiming, 'Drat the boy! What's go
into him?" aroused him to conscious
ness of present things.
As the reader has very likely imagined
by this time, it was back in the darl
days of the Revolution, and the RhOd
Island boy was in the very midst of thi
agitated and troublesome time. A larg
British fleet was anchored off Newport
and detachments of the enemy wer
securing the country round. Genera
Prescott, the British commander, was
brutal and tyrannical man, and the out
RACES of his troops had embittered ever,
patriotic heart. His headquarters wer
a little out from Newport, in an oil
/ farmhouse, which may still be standing
! for all that know to the contrary. III
considered himself perfectly secure il
his quarters, and only very brave ma
J would be likely to have dreamed of sue
5 thing as attempting his seizure. Blu
: such plot was indeed in progress.
When Tom and his father landed q
, the pier of Warwick Neck that afternoo
they were greeted by a bluff, quicl
spoken man wearing the uniform of a
officer in the Continental service, VIII
asked very shortly if their boat could i
hired.
Mr.. Chesley doffed his ragged hat +,
spectfully as he answered: "My boat
!. at your service, provided its owner ca
go with it,"
Spoken like brave man and a pa
/ riot, returned the major :" lis well. On
of my boats was damaged by the stOrI
y yesterday, and I've been all day tryin
to repair it, but it is useless. It's
dangerous enterprise that we go on, M
!. Chesley," with a sharp glance at Il
fisherman.
81 have no doubt of il if Major Willia'
Barton leads" said the other. "At VIII
J. hour?"
''We start at nine o'clock sharp til
g evening. By the way" asked the majo
abruptly, do you know Of anyone wi
+ has been at the Pering house, and know
W its exact location and the arrangemei
re of the rooms?n
Before his father could answer, To
spoke up with all of young boys cage
n ness, 81 have been all over the house, s.
I. and / know every corner and rathOle
iS it. could find my way in it blindfOlde
z. Father, can't gO?"
We "What will your mother say, Tom?'
She will say, Go, and Godspeed ye,
in answered Tom. She's as strong a patri
as either of u.s."
IN "That's so, and she would go hers,
If there was need Of it. Yes, Maj
Barton, we are both at your service"
The major grasped both of their hant
''With such brave hearts we shall 4
fail, and II we succeed we shall be
heroes of a nation. Remember Z
hour-nine exactly"
n 1--WE will be there at a quarter before
' answered the fisherman.
Tom could hardly restrain himself
he rushed home. "Oh, mother"
-. cried 81 am going TO be soldier, a =,
5ss soldier. and shall want n sword" A
! 4 N..s.