Free Son of the Revolution by June Venable Page A

you to act like a lady, and ladies don’t stick out their tongues.”
    Caleb saw that Elizabeth had the grace to look embarrassed. He gave the dejected girl a smile and followed his friend outdoors.
    When they reached the barn, Seth pulled Caleb inside and looked around to see if they were alone. No one was close enough to overhear his words. The men who worked for Mr. Larkin had already left for the fields, just as they had yesterday before the thieves arrived.
    Caleb lifted one eyebrow and looked at the older boy.
    “I’ve come up with a plan to help Major Hunt, Caleb. Since father’s illness, you and I will have to step forward. Elizabeth will help too.” He clearly didn’t relish this last decision. “She’s a pretty good rider.”
    Caleb thought this an understatement. He remembered the wild moonlit trip and readily agreed to her excellent skills as a horsewoman. “What do you have in mind, Seth? Your father told us the jail is almost impossible to breech. How could we get in, and what about the guards?”
    “That’s where Elizabeth comes in.”
    Caleb listened wide-eyed as Seth outlined his plan. Elizabeth did indeed have a part in the scheme. A very big part.
    “What do you think, Caleb? Will it work?”
    “Let’s give it a try. Major Hunt needs our help.” Caleb swallowed, not nearly as brave as his words sounded.
    After the noon meal, Mrs. Larkin went to sit at her husband’s side. Elizabeth quickly agreed when Seth asked her to take a walk through the orchard.
    Fifteen minutes later, her eyes grew as wide as Caleb’s had when he first heard Seth’s plan.
    “I can do it, Seth. I know I can.” Elizabeth said. “We’ll make father proud of us.”
    They chose the following night to carry out the scheme.
    Seth looked at the younger boy and girl standing before him and swallowed. “We need to have an ally in case we fail or…get captured,” he finished.
    Doctor Baines was enlisted and agreed to help. “Your father will no doubt take me to task when he recovers and learns of this, but I hope your plan succeeds. I wish you all Godspeed.”
    * * * *
     
    Charleston lay an hour’s ride away. If all went well, the three planned to leave about ten o’clock that evening and return before dawn. Seth hoped his father would sleep through the evening. The doctor helped with this part of the plan. He gave Seth a sleeping potion to administer to his father before they left. Seth sneaked a few drops into the hot drink his father requested that evening. After serving his father the herbal tea, he slipped the remaining liquid in the small glass vial into his pocket. The rest of the amber tonic was enough to put a grown man to sleep quickly and soundly for hours.
    “Goodnight, Father, I’ll see you in the morning.”
    James Larkin smiled weakly and settled in for the night.
    Mary Larkin bid her children goodnight, warning them not to stay up too late. “Nor you either, Caleb.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” Caleb smiled at the motherly admonition. He wished Caleb’s mother a good night in return, even as he felt guilty knowing that he and her children would have no sleep at all that night.
    When the house fell still, Elizabeth went to the kitchen and filled a basket with food. The rest of Charity’s apple cake went in as well as corn pudding and sliced turkey. She then took a bottle of elderberry wine her father had made.
    The young people let themselves out quietly. Elizabeth pulled a cloak over her Sunday dress. When they reached the magnolia tree, the journey began in earnest. They each sat astride a horse and led an extra one from the Larkin stable.
    Within the hour they reached Charleston. Remembering his last night there, Caleb looked at Elizabeth, but the cloak’s hood hid much of her face.
    Pausing to review the plan, Seth drew a deep breath. “God bless us all tonight.”
    They rode within a short distance of the waterfront, then tied the horses to trees and walked to the few buildings the Red Coats had