The Return of the Freedom Thief Read online

  “I reckon I best think on this some. Grammy didn’t tell me anything about you, or why she wanted me to come here. I promise I will give it some thought, but right now, I need to be off to find General McDowell.”

  Mistress Fenaway smiled at him. “All right, Ben. I think we’ll be talking again. However, we do need to continue this conversation about the General right now. There is no way you are going to get to Manassas before this attack takes place. It’s over five hundred miles from here. Are you aware of that?”

  Ben flushed. “Uh, no ma’am, I didn’t realize it was that far from Lexington. I reckon I didn’t study on the map as much as I should have.”

  “No, I guess you didn’t. This is what you will do. There is an encampment in Liberty, West Virginia. I happen to know the Commandant there. You will ride to Liberty, I believe it is about one hundred and twenty-some miles from here. You will give your message to Colonel MacNair. He will see to it that the information gets to General McDowell in time.”

  She paused for a moment. “This information…do you have it written down? If you were stopped and searched, could they find it?”

  “I just wrote it down in notes. It’s here in my pocket, so it’s not like it was a document or something.”

  She frowned. “No, that’s not a good enough hiding place. Wait here.”

  She left the room, returning a few minutes later with a floppy kind of hat. “Here, this will work. Put your notes under this inside hat band. Even if you were stopped and searched for some reason, they would never look inside the hat. A military cap would be different, but many men wear this kind of hat now, to keep the sun out of their eyes. No one, not even the soldiers, think anything of it.”

  Ben pulled the note out of his pocket, stuck it under the hatband which closed up again, and put the hat on.

  “This works good, thank you! Now I reckon it’s time to get Traveler, and be on my way.”

  “No, we’re sending Traveler back to the plantation, since he’s your grandmother’s horse. We don’t want your pa or anyone to be asking questions. We already have your knapsack on the back of another horse, ready for you to leave. Come, he’s waiting for you.”

  A surprised Ben followed Mistress Fenaway outside, where a tall, black Thoroughbred, with a white blaze and four white stockings, stood quietly. He was saddled and ready to go.

  She went to the horse and patted his nose. “His name is ‘The Black Knight’, but we call him ‘Socks’ because of his long white stockings. He’s five years old, in prime health, and he’ll take good care of you. I expect, in return, for you to take good care of him. Your knapsack is fastened on the right side, so you are both ready to go.”

  “Wait a minute. Mistress Fenaway, you are giving this horse to me? I can’t pay for him.”

  She laughed. “No, Ben, your grandmother sent payment for me to select a good mount for you. Elizabeth wanted Traveler back; she has raised him from a colt, and is very attached to him. So she sent the money with her servant last night. Socks will take you anywhere you want to go. He’s very stable, doesn’t shy at strange noises, including gun shots, so I’m sure you’ll have no trouble with him. Now, get up there and be on your way. Oh, one more thing. Do you have a compass?”

  “No, I don’t. I don’t know what happened to the one I had. When I got home, it just disappeared.”

  “That’s all right, I have one I’ll give you.” She left the porch, and returned a moment later with a brass compass, which she handed to Ben. “This compass is very accurate. You stay on the roadways in a straight North-Easterly direction. You should not run into any problems on these roads. There will be a heavy stream on your left about two hours on the road. The stream will be with you for the rest of the way, so you can get a drink or give the horse one whenever you want. Oh, Socks has been trained as a long-distance horse. He is trained to canter or gallop long distances for hours at a time. He won’t let you down, and he will get you anywhere you want to go. I think you are ready, now.

  Ben swung himself into the saddle. He looked over at this very gracious lady, and smiled. “Thank you, Mistress Fenaway. And please thank Grammy for me, also. I’ll be on my way now, but I’ll stop by when I’m finished with this errand.”

  Ben tipped his hat, mindful of the precious message under the brim, and put his boot gently against the big horse’s side. Socks moved strongly away from the house, and without another signal from Ben, began a smooth trot down the road. Another gentle nudge with the boot, and the trot turned into a fast canter. He was on his way to the second phase in this new life he had chosen. Once again, he wondered where it would take him.

  Chapter Seven

  The Deception Begins

  The July sun beat down on Ben, and his clothes were soon swathed in sweat. Socks moved smoothly and swiftly, seemingly unbothered by the heat. He was in a gallop now, but he had not yet broken a sweat. They had long since passed the last house on this road, and now all evidence of human habitation was gone. In the distance, everything shimmered from the heat, until the very road itself seemed to hang in some kind of awkward balance.

  Ben pulled Socks to a walk, and then stopped him. A faint sound came from the side of the road. He looked around, and realized that the vegetation had once again become forest-like, with tall trees and heavy brush surrounding him. The road had become nothing more than a wide path through the forestation. This is crazy. I surely haven’t been paying attention. This way out of Lexington is like going through the forests when I was helping Joshua and his parents escape. Only now I’ve got a real road to follow.

  He checked the compass to make sure he was still going north-east. The compass needle hadn’t moved. As he picked up the reins to continue on, the noise on the side of the road came again, this time a little louder. Ben hesitated a moment too long. From out of the brush sprang two Confederate soldiers, with long-barreled muskets pointed at him.

  “Don’t move! Drop those reins, and get down on the ground. Do it now!” The harsh voice screamed at him, as the soldier brandished his weapon.

  Ben was frightened. For the first time in a very long time, he felt like a kid. He dropped the reins, and slid out of the saddle. The first soldier knocked his hat off with the end of his musket. Both men backed away from him, but kept their muskets leveled. The two soldiers stared at Ben, and Ben stared back. Soldiers? These guys can’t be much older than me.

  The soldier who had knocked his hat off said, “He’s just a boy. Say, boy, what are you doin’ on this road, anyway? Where you goin’, and what’s yer business?”

  Ben swallowed his uneasiness. “I’m heading out to West Virginia. I’m going to join up with you guys, but I can’t do it here. My family won’t let me, so I’m running away. Why? What’s wrong with my being on this road?”

  “How old are you, boy?”

  “I’m fifteen. And I’m going to join the Army, so why don’t you let me be on my way?”

  “Fifteen, huh. Well, I’ve got news for you. When you get to West Virginia, you’d best lie a bit and tell ‘em you’re older. They might not believe you, but if you want to get into this fight and be a real soldier, instead of a drummer boy, make ‘em believe you’re at least seventeen.”

  “Why do I have to lie about how old I am? Why can’t I be a soldier even if I’m young? I know how to fire a gun, and marching around can’t be so hard, so what is it?

  The two young soldiers lowered their muskets, looked at each other, and laughed. One of them said to the other, “Boy here don’t know from nothin’, does he? He’s in for a big surprise.” He turned to Ben. “Well, you’ll find out if you let on your real age. Here,” he picked up Ben’s hat, dusted it off, and handed it to him.

  “Here’s your hat, so mount up and be on your way. Good luck, and all that.”

  They saluted him smartly, and returned to the brush they had been hiding in.

  Ben swung into the saddle, and even before he had settled himself, Socks moved out in a canter, but Ben urged him into
a full out gallop. I reckon I’d better pay more attention to what’s going on around me. We’re not even two hours out of Lexington. I wonder why those guys were hiding in the brush, and why they stopped me. And what would they have done if they hadn’t believed me.

  After a few more minutes of hard riding, he picked up on the reins and slowed Socks to a walk.

  Now he listened for the sounds of the stream Mistress Fenaway had told him about. He was hot, tired, and thirsty, and he knew Socks needed a drink, also. Before long, he heard the sound of running water. He urged the big horse through the high brush and tough weeds until they came to the stream.

  As Ben dismounted, something distracted him from the gurgling water. He looked around carefully, but couldn’t see anything in the trees. He shushed Socks by placing his hand over the horse’s nose. There was nothing to hear. Yet, Ben felt uneasy. There didn’t seem to be any movement in the forest, no birds singing, no small creatures snuffling about. His months in the forests when he and the slaves were on the run taught him that silence usually meant danger of some kind.

  Still, nothing moved. He let Socks put his head down into the cold water for a well-deserved drink, and finally, knelt down to drink his fill. As he moved to stand up, he felt the cold muzzle of a pistol touch the back of his head. A low voice said quietly, “Don’t stand up. Don’t move. Who are you, and why are you here?”

  Fear coursed through Ben, as cold as the water he had just drank. When he spoke, his voice was unsteady. “I’m just a boy on his way to join the army. I mean no one any harm. Can I get up now?”

  “Stand up and turn around. Slowly. One wrong move, and you’re dead.”

  Ben stood up slowly, turned to face the person behind the voice, and caught his breath in shock and surprise. The person facing him, holding the pistol securely in her hand, was a young woman. Not really a grown woman, but a girl about his age, dressed in high boots, ragged pants, and a long-sleeved cotton shirt almost covered by a dusty blue Union jacket with one sleeve torn at the shoulder. Her hair appeared chopped short, and was mostly hidden under a Union cap. What little escaped from under the cap was blond. Her face was covered with dirt, streaked with sweat, and her deep blue eyes showed her own fear, even though her gun hand remained steady with the pistol pointed directly at his face.

  He smiled, but her expression remained the same. “I said, who are you and what are you doing here?”

  “I’m Ben McKenna, and I’m on my way to Liberty, West Virginia. Now, why don’t you tell me who you are, what you are doing here? And by the way, you don’t need the gun, I’m unarmed.”

  She stared at him for a moment then slowly stuck the pistol in her belt. She sighed deeply and sank down on the ground. “All right, I guess you can sit down again. Right now, I’m too tuckered out to fight you, anyway.”

  Ben sat down and leaned back against a tree. Socks had moved closer to him during this exchange, so he reached over and took one rein loosely in his hand.

  “Look, tell me who you are. I’m not going to fight you, no matter what. I’m on my way to West Virginia, and we just stopped here for a drink of water. The stream is cold and tastes good, if you’re thirsty.”

  She shook her head, but didn’t speak.

  He watched her as she lay stretched out on the ground. He couldn’t tell if she was a part of the Union Army, in some way, or if the torn jacket and cap were stolen. Whoever she was, she was obviously completely exhausted.

  After a few minutes, he said, “All right, I’ve told you who I am, and where I’m going. If you don’t want to tell me the same, that’s fine, but I have to be going. So I’m going to leave now.”

  He stood up, but at that moment, she spoke. “Please, don’t go yet. My name is Penelope, but I’m called Puck. I’m headed to West Virginia, too, but I need to get up to Manassas. Some of my family is there, and I need to get to them.”

  Ben sat back down. “I can stay a few more minutes, I reckon. Manassas is a long ways away, over five hundred miles.” He looked her over again, taking a good look at the worn and dirty clothes she had on. “You look as though you’ve been traveling a long time. Where are you coming from? And, uh, are you part of the Union Army?”

  She laughed, without humor. “Hah, that’s a good one. No, I’m running from a couple of Union jackasses. They caught me a few days ago when I was on the road. They were mean drunks, real mean. They finished off a jug of liquor they had stashed in their tent, and made the mistake of falling asleep at the same time. They were really out. So I tied them up, got one of their horses, tied them both to the saddle, slapped the horse on his rump and sent him on his way. I hope he’s still running. I stole one of their guns, took a jacket and hat, got the other horse, and here I am.”

  Ben looked around. He had not seen nor heard another horse, and Socks hadn’t nickered, either. “Where’s your horse? I don’t see him anywhere.”

  She rolled over, yawned, and sat up. “No, he’s tied up across the stream. You can’t see him from here.”

  Ben stood again. “I’m sorry for your troubles, Puck, and I’m really glad you got away. But I’ve got to get going. I need to get to Liberty as soon as I can.”

  The girl stood, also. “Please, can I ride along with you? I won’t be any bother, I promise. I don’t know where Liberty is, but if it’s in West Virginia, that’s all that matters. I can get to Manassas from there, probably.”

  Ben was torn. He was reluctant to have anyone riding with him. At the same time, he hated to see this girl, after her ordeal, be left alone. Finally, he said, “All right, but you best keep up. I ride hard and fast. Get your horse, and let’s get out of here.”

  Puck came out of the woods and crossed the stream on the stolen Union horse. Ben was glad to see that the horse seemed well-fed, and in good shape. Maybe she would be able to keep up with Socks, after all.

  He steadied Socks, as the big horse began to show restlessness when the other one appeared. He tightened the cinch, and swung up into the saddle. Socks started off before Ben had the reins securely in his hand, so he pulled back not so gently. “Whoa! You big oaf, you don’t move until I tell you to.” Immediately, the horse quieted, and stood still.

  Ben smiled. “Well, at least you listen to me. That’s a good sign.” He deliberately kept the gelding still until Puck pulled up beside him.

  “What’s this horse’s name?”

  “Hell, I don’t know. Don’t care, either. If it’s important to you, you give him a name.” She twitched in the saddle, which was at least one size too big for here.

  “Puck, couldn’t you have found a smaller saddle? I don’t want you falling off when we start running full out.”

  “Look, McKenna, you watch out for yourself, and I’ll take care of me. Been doing that for quite a while now, so it’s nothing new. I can stick this saddle as well as any other, so let’s just forget the chat, and get out of here.”

  Ben laughed. He didn’t look at her, not wanting to hurt her feelings, but she was at least a foot shorter than he and small boned. The idea of such a small person being able to stay in this large McClellan saddle at a gallop was pretty funny, but he guessed they would both find out if she could.

  “All right, I’m anxious to get back on the road. Just keep up, okay?” With those words, Ben put his heel into Sock’s side, and they were off at a gallop. A short while later, he heard hoof beats coming up fast behind him, and soon Puck was riding at his side. She didn’t say anything, just shot a sidewise glance at him. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, and noted that as small as she was, she still managed to sit the saddle well. She swayed a little more than usual, to stay in rhythm with the horse’s movement, and to maintain her balance, but other than that, her posture was in keeping with an experienced rider.

  The heat from the sun and the dry, dusty road scorched both horses and riders. Ben and Puck alternated between galloping, cantering, and trotting, in order to keep the horses from tiring too much. Finally, Ben reined Socks slowly dow
n from the gallop to a walk. When Puck realized what he was doing, she did the same. While Socks was just beginning to show a sweat, her horse was already lathered up.

  A few minutes later, he said, “Puck, I need some water, and so do these horses. I’m going off the road to find that stream again. You coming with me?”

  “Yeah, sure. This nag’s covered in foam. Sure don’t need him dying on me.”

  A few minutes later, the horses were tethered close enough to the stream to be able to drink easily. Ben and Puck had already had their fill of the cold water, and were seated on the ground nearby. Ben shared some of the corn bread and sliced ham that Mistress Fenaway had put into his knapsack before he left.

  “Tell me about yourself, Puck. Where were you coming from, and why are you so anxious to get to Manassas? You’re awfully young to be traveling alone.”

  The girl chewed on her cornbread. She looked everywhere but at Ben. She swallowed, burped loudly, and said without apology, “It’s really none of your business. You don’t ask questions ‘cause I don’t give answers. And I’m fourteen, quite old enough to be traveling. Alone or otherwise. So don’t rile me up with useless jabber.”

  Ben bent over from the waist, in a mock bow. “Yes, Mistress Puck, I reckon I won’t ask another question.” He leaned back against the tree, laughing quietly to himself. Fourteen? Guess I can’t say anything about that, seeing that I was only thirteen when I helped Joshua escape. But she’s just a girl, and…He stopped, remembering what she had said about the Union soldiers. Well, she’s tough, all right. She proved that when she tied those men to a horse and saddle, and sent the horse on his way. I reckon she’ll do okay, traveling with me. But…

  His thoughts were interrupted abruptly. Puck was standing up against the tree, and when he looked at her, she put her finger to her lips. He listened, and heard what she heard—horses’ hooves thundering down the road. He knew they couldn’t be seen from the road, but if their horses whinnied, those riding so hard might hear the sounds, and come looking for them.