General Washington came down from the Heights with two brigades of patriot soldiers, with the purpose of holding the British in check long enough for General Putnam to evacuate the lower part of the city with the four thousand soldiers under him at that point. This was accomplished, and when Putnam and his men were safe on the Heights, the two brigades retired to the Heights also. The British then took possession of New York City, and so the two armies lay, the Continental on the Heights and the British in the city, confronting each other, on Manhattan Island. It was an interesting situation, and especially so to Dick and Tom Dare and Ben Foster, who were now just beginning to feel that they were soldiers in the patriot army. One evening, a few days after the British took possession of New York and the patriots took up their station on Harlem Heights, the commander-in-chief of the patriot army made the soldiers a stirring speech, as they were assembled at the center of the encampment, saying that he expected each and every soldier to do his full duty, and support the cause of Liberty with his life if need be. The speech made a great impression on Dick, Tom and Ben, and when they went to their quarters, they were enthusiastic about it. "I'll tell you what, boys," said Tom Dare, "it was wonderful, the way General Washington talked, wasn't it?" "Yes, Tom," agreed Dick, "and we'll come up to his expectations, too, or know the reason why." And in enthusiastic unison Tom and Ben exclaimed: "Yes, yes! That we will, Dick!" And when the time came, they kept their word. End of Project Gutenberg's The Dare Boys of 1776, by Stephen Angus Cox