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Show 2/ MY Silly, the Patriot were standing around complaining about being out of work, -ffe** Few of them have money to buy what little food there is in ttoe stalls. Our ships stand rotting in their berths, yet British transports land so many soldiers, almost every other person on the streets is a redcoat. With so many of them around I get frightened when I'm alone." Billy is so lanky and has such big fists, few people have any idea how gentle he can be. Sitting down in our one rocker, he pulled me on his lap. "I'm well aware of how bad things are, Love, and * hate to leave you so much,but messages have to be taken to the militia in other towns and I've got to keep making friends with the lobsterbacks of the Fifty-ninth. They're the regiment that guards the town gates and I must always be able to get out of Boston and back in again." I buried my face on his shoulder as tears started. "But Billy, if they find out you're spying you'll be hung on the gallows out there at the town gates." Billy patted my back. "Now, Mrs. Dawes, you worry too much. Those soldiers think I'm a town rowdy who likes to clown with them. Of course I make myself useful by repairing their boots and doing a bit of carpentry in the barracks. I only pretend to drink with them but at times when some of them get drunk I join in their horseplay and that's when I find out most about British plans. Lots of redcoats don't like it here one bi«t better than we like having them. Pay is small and they get rough treatment. Everyday there's a deserter or two. Some of them will fight with us when war starts." I gasped. "Do you really think it will come to war? |
