“Well, we’re coming there to have a talk with you, and--”
“You will advance another step at your peril!” interrupted Mr. Williams.
“Eh?” in an amazed voice. “You don’t mean that you will show fight!”
“We certainly will show fight,” was the reply. “The best thing that you can do is to turn around and go back to the mainland.”
“Bosh. What can a little party of you farmers do against a force of the king’s soldiers?”
“We are almost as many as your force, we are all armed, and we know how to shoot.”
“Well, there are fifty in our party, so what show do you stand of fighting against us successfully.”
“I have information to the effect that there are only twenty in your party.”
This seemed to surprise the redcoats, and there was silence for a few moments, and then the leader said: “Who informed you to that effect, if I may ask?”
“Well, your informant was mistaken. There are fifty of us, and if you try to show fight, we will kill the whole gang of you.”
“You are only twenty, and we will fight you, and will easily drive you away, too, for the reason that the path is so narrow only a few of you can approach at a time. We can shoot you down as fast as you appear at the edge of the island.”
Again there was a brief period of silence, and then the leader walked back a few paces and held a low conversation with a number of the soldiers. Then he turned and advanced to within about twenty-five yards of the edge of the island, and called out sternly:
“No, you had better go back to the mainland and let us alone.”
“We are coming onto the island, and if you fire upon us, it will go hard with you.”
“We will certainly fire,” was the determined reply.
“Very well. Your blood be upon your own heads, then.”
Then the leader called to the soldiers, saying: “Follow me, men. And be ready to fire the instant I give the word.”
Perhaps he thought that this command would have the effect of frightening the patriot settlers into not firing, but if so, he was mistaken, for when the first of the party of soldiers was almost to the island, Mr. Williams cried sternly:
“Halt and turn back. If you don’t do so at once, we will fire.”
The soldiers continued to advance, and seeing they did not intend to stop, the patriot settler gave the command: