The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-04-04
BEDTIME
FOR LITTLE
FOLKS
BENNY BROWNS BATTLE.

! BENNY Brown sat on the bank OF the
river down in Georgia fishing. Benny
was sleepy. for the SIN shown warmly
/ on the water. but the howl OF animals
hack in the forest kept him awake
for il was more than 100 years ago
that Benny lived and Inc was lad
right in the midst of the excitement
of the Revolutionary war.
So as his cork bobbed, his mead
nodded. Then suddenly he sat up and
gazed in wonder, for around the bend
in the river came four stately ships of
war. On board he could see big guns
peeping over the side and men III blue
with swords dangling about their
knees.
"The British sloops,' ne cried in as
constituent. going up the river and
all the American troops away. Father
will be back at dawn from the army
but what good will that do?" And
poor Benny set up shout that was
soon answered by three other Ameri-
can bows who had been fishing farther
down the stream.
There are no men at home now"
explained Benny, when his comrades
had gathered about. But some are
due tomorrow, for my father gets
home early in the day. 1t is up to us
bows to keep that fleet-can we do it,
There was Bob, Fred and Harold,
besides himself. making four in all.
SO Ben sat still with his head in his
hands. while the other boys watched
the ships sailing towards them. Pres
emily the little fleet dropped anchor
and came to rest about quarter of
a mile off shore.
Il have it," exclaimed Benny, start
ing to his feet. I'VE can fool those
English and capture their ships all by
ourselves if you fellows will just fol
low me-" Then he explained what they
, were to do. Harold knew all the army
bugle calls and had an instrument
with which he could send the netes
trembling far out over the river, sc
he ran home for it, while Benny eX
planned the plan to the others. Fred
was an expert at drumming and hap
pened to have brought his best one
: along.
MY plan is this" said Benny. eve
must make the British believe that the
| American troops have just arrived
but the best plan will be not to do the
work until after sunset. Then we can
| manage it easily. Now all of us get
to work and build big bonfires on al
Of the eight hills in sight. That viii
, KEEP us busy until supper, and after
. you fellows have had supper, come
, here as quickly as you can. The cap
tain will think we have 10000 troops
here and father can make him sur
render"
SO all the hot afternoon the four
boys worked like beavers dragging
brush and dead planks to the top oil
the hills till each one was crowned
with a huge pile of brush. The Eng
lish ships lay still in the bend of the
5 river and did not notice anything un
usual going on around them.
But as soon as the darkness crept
5 over the land big bonfres began to poT
t out First one then another blazed
| forth till every hill was beacon
| light Then Benny had Harold walk
[ along the meadow sounding his bugle
l as if calling troops to camp. while Free
l on another lowland beat his drum
loudly as if he also were carrying or
ders to soldiers.
All night there were to be heard
] the shrill calls of a bugle and the
I stately roll of a drum echoing from
. the hills. When dawn drew near
I Benny ran home to greet his father
| who had just arrived. In a few ex
+ cited words he told his story
Write note to the British cap