They said good-by, and Tim set out through the woods in the direction of the patriot encampment, while Miller and Fritz made their way toward the home of the patriot, John Santon.
Miller and Fritz walked at a moderate pace, and when they drew near the Santon home, they heard the sound of pounding, as of somebody hammering against the door with a club. They hastened forward when they heard this, for they guessed that the Tories had again put in an appearance.
Such proved to be the case, for they heard a gruff voice calling to Santon to come and open the door or it would be broken down, and pistols in hand--Fritz having given one of his to Miller--they advanced till within about ten yards of the Tories, of whom there seemed to be five or six. Then pausing, they leveled their pistols and fired. Immediately afterward they dashed forward, yelling at the top of their voices.
The shots, followed by the yells of the two, coming so unexpectedly, startled the Tories greatly, and with exclamations of amazement and dismay they fled at the top of their speed, disappearing around the corner of the house very quickly.
The two patriots followed to the corner of the house, where they paused, shouting and yelling in the loudest and fiercest voice they could command. Then they listened and heard the brush crackling as the fugitives ran onward at the top of their speed.
“I don’t believe they will come back here again,” said Miller.
“I don’d vos think so, minesellufs,” responded Fritz.
Then they knocked on the door, and Miller called out: “Open the door, Mr. Santon. It is Miller and one of the patriot soldiers that was here a while ago.”
There was a sound of the bar being taken down within, and then the door was opened by Mr. Santon.
“Come in,” invited the patriot. “I’m glad you came just when you did, for those Tories were crying fierce threats, and would likely have handled me roughly, had they got hold of me.”
“Veil, uf dey don’d vos fall und break their necks runnin’ through der timber, id vill be funny,” said Fritz. “I don’d think dey vill be back to bother you again to-night.”
“I hope that you are right,” said the patriot, and then, when they had entered, he shut the door and put the bar in place again.