Then youre out of this battle, cause Washington hadnt a thing to do with the tea party, returned Martha.
You ought to be a Lord Somebody who sailed with the captain on the Dartmouth when that tea was brought over from England, said Jack.
Guess I will. Jim can tow the raft over to the bank, and those of you who are colonists must hurry across the bridge to the other side. We British will stay here and pile up the cargo of tea and sail the raft across the creek.
When we sail into Boston harbor you must try to keep us out, and that is the way the fight will begin. Whichever side wins can take the raft, and cargo and sail it wherever they like, explained George.
It had not been Jacks plan to have George take the first ride on the raft, nor, indeed, command the warship, but having said it he could not very well change the order, so the next best plan was to sail with Lord Somebody, with Jim the captain.
The captain, so proud of his title and position, forgot about his muddy appearance, and eagerly hauled the cumbersome raft to the bank.
Sposin you girls and John be the colonists on the other bank. You must use the guns and anything you can to keep us from landing the tea, said Jack.
As neither Anne nor Martha wished to risk their dry clothes on the tipsy-looking raft, this suggestion met with their fullest approval; but John grew sulky, as he wanted to try the raft.
Its made of my fathers boards, too! grumbled John.
Whats that? shouted Jack, now engaged in loading the ship with chests.
Nothing much! I dont see any fun in this fight, thats all, complained John.
Oh, but there will be! Just wait till we get in that row in Boston harbor! Hurry across and be ready for us, cried George, who half-suspected John of jealousy, and, at the same time, felt he was guilty of selfishness himself.
The tea was stacked in its boxes on the ship Dartmouth , and the three, Captain Jim and the English baronets, as passengers, set sail for Boston harbor.
On the American side, Martha had found an old apple tree near the bridge, the fruit of which had lain so long on the damp ground that the apples were rotted within and soft as pulp, the skins being the only sound part of the fruit.
Wouldnt they make fine cannon-balls? exulted Martha.
Oo-oh, lets! cried Anne, and John, coming up just then, felt a secret joy in planning how he would fire those cannon-balls at the men on the ship.
So, without a hint of the ammunition being quickly transferred from the apple tree to the site of Boston, the three brave and eager colonists awaited the coming of the tea cargo.
CHAPTER VI THE BATTLE OF BOSTON
And every time I push the water comes up over my shoes, said George, looking dolefully at his soaked shoes and stockings.
Lets pull them off and fling them over on the bank, suggested Jack.
George, forgetting he was not on dry ground, instantly followed Jacks idea and sat down on the raft to remove his shoes. At the same time, Jim tried to climb aboard from the creek where he had been pushing, and the result was that the water swept over the top surface of the raft and submerged everything under six inches of water.
Ah, say! See what you did to me! cried George, now soaking wet to the waistline.
Quick! Never mind the wet there go our tea chests! yelled Jack, trying to save the drum as it floated away from the raft.
Jim and George, over-anxious to save their cargo, suddenly leaned out to catch the bobbing cartons and boxes, when the unbalanced raft tilted treacherously over with the weight of the three boys and shot them all into the stream.
The screams and shouts of dismay brought the three Americans running to the Boston port, and as they stood laughing unfeelingly at the scene in the water, the British declared theyd get even when they landed in Boston.
Better get here first! called Anne.
Well salute you with guns all right! added John grimly.
Soll we! Well go back to London and find some guns and shot, too, promised George, looking at the Americans and then at Jack, who was wallowing through the mud to gain the bank again.
Jim, haul up your ship for us to load with ammunition, ordered George, as soon as Jims head appeared from under the raft,
where he had rolled when the warship keeled over.
But the clever Yanks kept all news of their ammunition from the eyes and ears of the British. Then, having found some long sticks that would answer for guns, the three mariners set sail again on their dangerous journey across the sea a distance of thirty feet from bank to bank.
This time the raft was kept balanced, while the three stood hugging each other in the center of the boards. Their shoes and coats had been left on the woodpile, so they were not hampered with overmuch clothing.
Now, John had bided his time very patiently, and, feeling that he had been supplanted in the fun and affections of George by his cousin Jack, he determined not to wait till the ship came into port, when the boys could jump from the vessel, to land and find the pyramid of bad apples ready to fire.