Page:The Partisan (revised).djvu/233

, and what was hoped for. The additional news that the approaching continentals were to be commanded by Gates, whose renown was in the ascendant—so far in the ascendant, indeed, that the star of Washington almost sank before it—went far to give hope a positive body and a form. Doubt succeeded to bold prediction, and the conspirators were now prepared—those reluctant before—to begin properly the organization of their section, as had been the advice of Marion.

Still, they were not altogether ready for the field. Property was to be secured, families carried beyond reach of that retribution which the enemy usually inflicted upon the feeble in return for the audacity and defiance of the strong; arms were to be procured, and, until the time of Sir Henry Clinton's indulgence—the twenty days—had expired, they determined to forbear all open demonstration. To these, Humphries had already designated their leader, in the person of Colonel Walton, whom they all knew and esteemed. His coming out they were satisfied would, of itself, bring an active and goodly troop into the field. Popular as he was, both in St. Paul's and St. George's, it was confidently believed that he would bring both the parishes out handsomely, and his skill as a leader had been already tried and was highly estimated. The spirits of the little knot of conspirators grew with every enumeration of their prospects and resources, and they looked up, as daylight approached, full of hope and mutual assurances. Two of the party agreed to come out to Humphries, in the contiguous wood, by the first ringing of the bell for sabbath service—for the day was Sunday—and there, at a given spot, the lieutenant was to await them.

Before the daylight he took his departure, and leading his horse into the close swamp thicket on the river, where his first conference with Singleton had taken place, he fastened him carefully, took his seat at the foot of a tree which overhung the river, and there mused, half dozing, for the brief hour that came between the time and the dawning. But soon the light came winding brightly and more brightly around him; the mists curled up from the river, and the breeze rising up from the ocean, with the dawn, refreshed and animated him. He sat watching the mysterious separation of those twin agents of nature, night and day, as the one rolled away in fog