“Sounds like a violin,” said Tom. “Likely they are having a party there.”
The youths were soon close to the house in question, and saw that there were a number of young people, young men and girls, in the front room, dancing to the music from a violin.
“A dance!” exclaimed Tom. “Let’s go in, boys, and enjoy ourselves a while.”
The other two willingly agreed. It was not often that they had found opportunity for amusement, so advancing to the door, Dick knocked.
The door was opened, presently, and a woman of middle age stood on the threshold.
“Good evening, ma’am,” said Dick, bowing. “Myself and comrades would like to get something to eat, if you have any food to spare. We will pay for the food.”
“Come right in,” was the cordial reply. “There is plenty of food in the house and you will be welcome to all you can eat. Come in.”
The youths entered, and the woman led the way to the kitchen, along a hall, past the room in which the young people were dancing. Here she invited the youths to be seated, and began placing food on a table.
“You don’t belong in these parts, do you?” she asked, looking with some show of curiosity at the youths.
“No, ma’am,” replied Dick. And then he asked, somewhat hesitatingly: “Is this--are the people around here, loyal to the king, or are they inclined to be patriotic?”
The woman looked at Dick rather sharply, and then after hesitating slightly, she said: “Well, I don’t know just what to say, young man. You see, General Arnold has an army of British soldiers about twenty miles from here, and some of his soldiers have even come this far and done some plunderin’ of patriot settlers, and--well, mebby it wouldn’t be best to say whether we are patriots or Tories. I don’t know whether you are patriots or not, either,” with another searching glance.
Dick shrewdly guessed, from her words and actions, that she was a patriot, and so he said: “We are patriots, ma’am, so you needn’t be afraid to say you are a patriot.”
“I’m glad of that,” with a relieved air. “What are your names, and where do you live?”
Dick told her their names, and said that they were soldiers, belonging with a regiment of patriot soldiers that was in that part of the country, having come there recently from the North.