Page:Dorothy's spy; a story of the first "fovrth of Jvly" celebration, New York, 1776.djvu/88

 CHAPTER V

THE SEARCH

peremptory summons alarmed the girls almost as much as had the sight of Lieutenant Oakman in the best room, and involuntarily they clasped each other by the neck; but without making any movement toward the door.

The knocking was repeated yet more loudly, and Sarah whispered tearfully:

"If those wicked men come in while your father is away, they will be certain to find that poor spy!"

"And when we tell father that the officer is in the attic, I'm afraid there may be the worst kind of trouble. It was only this afternoon that he said, when speaking of the spy which was chased through the square, 'Such a man may do more injury than an hundred who stand up with muskets to shoot us down.'"

"Are you beginning to be sorry we hid him?"

"Indeed I am not! I can't help thinking, however, now it has been done, that father may be very angry, and will, perhaps, give him up immediately to those wicked men." 77