Page:Dorothy's spy; a story of the first "fovrth of Jvly" celebration, New York, 1776.djvu/49

38 timid, and there were many of their elders in New York at that hour who were not one whit braver. Those who understood the situation, knew that the adoption of the Declaration would excite the king's officers to renewed exertions in their task of putting down the rebellion, therefore it was possible that the clash of arms might resound on the streets at any moment.

The children, however, were not disturbed by such forebodings. They were only aware that there had been much to alarm them since the day began, and now, after escaping from a crush of people that had seemed almost menacing, so great had it been, all the stories of supernatural happenings which they had heard from the Negro servants came vividly to mind.

For the first time were they alone in the old house where were many corners and angles which looked suspicious in the darkness, if one's mind was in the proper frame to manufacture terrors, and Scipio was a long distance away.

The examination of the rumpled costumes ended, the girls sat at one side of the fireplace, perhaps because that was the most frequented portion of the room, silent and motionless, listening intently for the lightest unusual noise, and then Sarah said with difficulty, as if her tongue was parched by fear:

"Don't you think, Dorothy, that it would be