Brace Alwood laughed harshly. “We ought to be a match for an old man and a boy, I reckon--though Lon, here, tells me Had Morris is pretty sharp.” “He made me and Black Sam pole him across the river one night when he was carrying dispatches to the army,” Lon admitted. “An’ he pretty near broke my arm just before he left these parts last, too.” “What army was he carrying dispatches to?” demanded the first speaker. “Washington’s, of course.” “But the old man is for the king, you say--worse luck!” “That doesn’t say the boy is,” Brace remarked. “He’s a perky lad, I reckon.” “He may do us harm, then--in slipping away and rousin’ the farmers, I mean.” “He’s with the army now,” said Lon. “And there’s nobody with the old man?” “Not a soul.” “Well, we’ll likely have an easy time of it. If he’s got as much as they say hid away in the house, this night’s work will pay us fine.” “And settle some old scores, too,” added Brace. “Colonel Knowles will be revenged on the old scoundrel, I reckon.” “Ah! I remember what you told us,” said the first man, thoughtfully. “His Honor is too loyal a man to appear in this matter, though, I take it?” Brace laughed shortly. “No doubt--no doubt. He comes here to get something out of Miser Morris; but the old fox gives nothing away--not him!” Hadley had heard enough to assure him that the Tories were actually going to attack his uncle, Royalist though he was. With silent tread he crept away from the place, crossed the pasture to the road, and getting on Black Molly’s back, sent her flying toward the inn. He was fearful for Uncle Ephraim’s safety, but it was useless for him to ride and warn the old man. He must arouse the farmers--or such of them as were at home--and bring a band to oppose the men with Brace Alwood. There would be some lack of enthusiasm, however, when it was learned that the Tory renegades were attacking one of their own kind; it was a case of “dog eat dog,” and most of the neighbors would scarce care if the old man was robbed. But Hadley rode swiftly toward the Three Oaks Inn, determined to raise a rescuing party at all hazard. It was evening and the men usually centered there to hear the news and talk over the war and kindred topics, and the boy was quite confident of getting some help. Besides, what he had heard while lying hidden in the grove made him believe that Colonel Creston Knowles was partly the cause of this cowardly attack by the Tories upon Uncle Ephraim, and if the British officer was still at the inn the boy determined that he should not go unpunished for instigating the crime.