Another cannon-shot, and then a roaring of them--a constant ripple and crash of sound. Heads appeared at the windows of the frame house, a few figures ran out. [Illustration: "CHARGE!" ORDERED THE CAPTAIN OF THE LITTLE PARTY.] "Charge!" ordered the Captain of the little party. So sudden was the attack that not a shot was fired. Then and there twenty English soldiers and a score of teamsters surrendered to ten bold Americans. They were disarmed, and penned in the frame house again. "Don't let us burn the wagons; let us take them in," suggested George. "Wait and see how it goes over there," said the guide. "Here! Hurry! Harness up! If they retreat, it will be along the highway. I know a wood road we can drive them into." In a few minutes the heavy wagons had been pulled up the hill and far into the pines. The prisoners were placed underneath and guarded. "Here comes a man on horseback," said some one from the edge of the thicket. A dragoon, helmetless and without a coat, tore by on the road below, lashing his horse. "Hush! Don't cheer," said Carter, sternly. "Here comes another; we have won the day." Breathlessly the little party watched the fugitives make up the road towards Princeton, and when the last had gone, light-hearted they took their prizes up the road towards Trenton. "There flies our flag," said Carter, as the houses came in sight. "Three cheers now, men, and with a will!" Once more did George Frothingham shake hands with Washington. Five days flew by, and recruits swarmed in. But the British were not idle. George was posting the guards outside of Washington's headquarters on New-Year's night, when the Commander-in-chief accompanied by his staff came walking by. The relief saluted, and the young Lieutenant caught the words, "Retreat is now impossible." The next day the British advanced on Trenton. They did not force a battle, for it was thought that the Americans would surrender; but the latter retreated to the further side of a little creek called the Assumpinck, and here again commenced the dreary work of digging into the frozen earth, and, strange to say, the order was, "Make all the noise you can." As soon as the darkness had settled down at night the watch-fires along the line blazed brightly in the woods. Quickly word was passed for the army, now swelled to five thousand men, to form into line. Washington again was about to astonish military eyes. Under cover of the darkness he slipped across the creek, and marched silently northward by a road unguarded by the British. The men, looking over their shoulders, could see their own camp-fires still burning brightly behind them, for a force of men had been left there to keep them going, and pick and shovel were ringing busily.