"Oh, you'll both be brave soldiers, no doubt," said Tom. "But, you won't be any ahead of Dick, Ben and myself. We intend to do some fighting, too, when the time comes." "Oi'm bettin' thot yez presint a bold face to the inimy," nodded Tom, who liked the youths immensely. "An' sure, it's meself is wishin' thot we get a chance at the ridcoats before very long." "I hope so, Tim," said Dick. Soon after supper, that evening, Dick made his preparations for going on the expedition. Tom cautioned him again and again to be careful, and not take too great risks. "I won't be there to help you, and you will have to depend on yourself," he said. "I shall be careful," said Dick. "But I'm going to find out when the British intend to make an attack, that is, if such a thing is possible." "I hope that you may succeed, Dick," encouraged Ben. "I'll do my best," and then saying good-bye to his friends, Dick left the works and set out down the slope, heading in the direction of the encampment of the British. He walked at a moderate pace, for there was no occasion for haste. He had the whole night before him. He walked onward an hour or more, and then stopped in the same little clump of timber which had before sheltered him. Climbing a tree, he looked toward the south, and saw, not very far distant, the campfires of the British. The enemy were still occupying their old quarters. Dick did not of course dare venture into the British encampment, for the reason that he would be recognized and placed under arrest as a spy at once, for having pretended to join the force in question only a few weeks before, and the redcoats would be only too glad to get their hands on him now. "I guess the best thing I can do is to remain here till morning," was Dick's thought. "Then I can get a good view of the encampment, and possibly some soldiers may come here to the timber during the day, as they did before, to loll in the shade, and I may again be able to hear something of interest." Dick climbed down out of the tree and lay down under some bushes and was soon sound asleep. That was one thing that made Dick a good person for work of this kind. He did not get excited, and could lie down and sleep soundly almost anywhere, and even with the redcoats in close proximity to him. He was up with the sun, next morning, and after eating a portion of the food he had brought along with him, he felt refreshed, and turned his attention again toward the British encampment. By climbing the tree, he was enabled to get a good view of the camp, and could see the British soldiers at work cooking their breakfast over the campfires. Away in the distance, toward the bay, Dick could make out another encampment, and knew that this was the main force, under General Howe in person. There was no clump of trees near that encampment, however, which made it difficult of approach for spying purposes, which was the reason he had come to this division of the army instead.