the men of the house, and the women did not know where the men were.

Greatly worried now, but hoping they would find their father at home
when they got there, Dick and Tom hastened back, and as they
approached the house, they caught sight of something white on the
door. When they reached the door, they found it was a piece of paper,
and on taking this into the house discovered it was a rudely scrawled
note, signed by Abe Boggs and six of his Tory neighbors. The note read
as follows:

"To Mrs. Dare and rebel sons, Dick and Tom:

"We hev took Henry Dare prisner. He
is a rebel, an we are goin ter turn him over
to Captain Wilson an his compny uv
British sojers, who hev ben heer fur a
week past, an are goin to jine the main
army on Long Island to-night. Ye kaint
do nothin to git him back, so ye needn try.
An ye two boys, Dick an Tom, had better be
keerful er we'll serve ye worsen whut we
hev yer father. We don't aim ter hev
any rebels in our neighborhood. So, Dick
and Tom Dare, hev a care!"

"Oh, husband is a prisoner in the hands of the British!" wailed Mrs.
Dare. "Oh, this is terrible, boys! What shall we do? Oh, what shall we
do!"

"Don't be frightened, mother," said Dick, soothingly. "I don't think