Dick and Tom went to work, digging, and in fifteen or twenty minutes had made a hole through which Ben managed to crawl, with their assistance. They cut the rope binding his arms, and then the three climbed up the bank, to the level ground, where they sat down to rest a few minutes, and Ben told his adventure in detail, and Tom and Dick each told of their experiences. A little later, all mightily happy, they were on their way again in the direction of the patriot encampment.
“I wonder how the battle went?” said Dick, as they walked onward at a swift pace.
“We drove them away,” said Ben. “I was there till the battle was over, and then, missing Tom, set out to find him.”
“Oh, you didn’t leave the encampment till after the battle, then.”
“No. We got rather the better of the redcoats, I am certain. They lost a greater number killed, and a larger number were wounded, than of our men. And we forced them to retreat.”
“I wish I had been there to help fight the redcoats,” said Tom.
“So do I,” said Dick. And as the readers of the Dare Boys books will readily believe, this was true. But that they were to take part in many exciting battles before the end of the war will be seen, as the reader may if he wishes discover in the next volume of the series, which will be entitled, “The Dare Boys With General Greene.”
“Was Tim or Fritz wounded?” asked Tom, anxiously.
Presently they reached the encampment, and were given a cordial welcome by their comrades, Tim, Fritz and Herbert Miller being delighted.
Dick went to the house occupied by Colonel Morris and the other officers and made a report, telling what he knew of the strength of the British force, and then went back and rejoined his comrades, and they sat around and talked of the battle for a while, after which they lay down and were soon asleep.
This first battle was the beginning of an exciting and vigorous campaign between Arnold’s force of redcoats and Tories, and the patriot force under Colonel Morris.
Each force kept close watch on the other, and attempts were made to surprise each other and thus gain a victory, but in the three or four engagements that took place within the next few days neither side scored a victory, and the losses of men, killed and wounded, was about the same.