" 'Come, children,' called out Aunt Polly cheerily, 'you're all
here now, and we'll start right off. I'll go ahead, an' all you
little ones had best keep close to me; the bigger ones can come
along behind.'
"Obedient to her order we started, following her steps across the
road by the beeches, and up by the grocery store where a crowd of
excited men were congregated, talking loudly with wild
gesticulations, while farther down, toward the shore, we could
catch glimpses, through the thick morning fog, of the blue
uniforms of our militia company that had been summoned in hot
haste to defend the town. As we filed past, I remember I heard
one of the men on the grocery steps speak:
" 'I tell you they won't leave one stone on another if they get
possession of the town, and they'll impress all the able-bodied
men and all the big boys into the King's service besides.'
"A cold shiver ran over me and I caught so hard at little Sally's
hand that the child cried out with pain, and Aunt Polly said
anxiously:
" 'Hurry up, dears! 'Tain't much more'n a mile out to Gubtil's,
and you'll have a good nice chance to rest after we get there.'
"Just then the martial music of a fife and drum announced the
landing of the enemy's troops, and I tell you it quickened the
lagging footsteps of even the youngest child into a run, and we
just flew, helter-skelter, over the rough, little-used road that
led to the Gubtil farm. Aunt Polly's gentle tones were unheeded.
All she could do was to carry the weakest in her arms over all
the worst places, with a word of cheer, now and then, to some
child who was not too much frightened to heed it.
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