Even as he wondered, he emerged from a copse into a field,
and received the usual challenge--spoken this time in so quick,
machine-like a manner, and accompanied by so prompt and precise a
levelling of the musket, that he knew 'twas a British regular he had
to deal with.
He made a pretence of raising a pistol to shoot down the sentry. This
brought the sentry's fire, which--as it too was of a British regular
of those days--Philip felt safe in risking. But though the shot went
far wide, he gave a cry as if he had been hit, and staggered back into
the woods. He was no sooner within its cover, than he ran swiftly
Eastward with all possible silence. He had noted that the sentry had
been pacing in that direction; hence the first of the sentry's
comrades to run up would be the one approaching therefrom. This would
leave a break in the line, at that part of it East of the scene of the
alarm. Philip stopped presently; peered forth from the woods, saw the
second sentry hasten with long steps Westward; and then made a dash
across the latter's tracks, bending low his body as he went. He thus
reached a cover of thicket, through which he forced his way in time to
emerge toward the town ere any results of the alarming gun-shot were
manifest.
Unless he were willing to attempt crossing what British defences he
knew not, or other impediments that might bar passage to the town
elsewhere than at the Bowery lane entrance, he must now pass the guard
there, which served for the town itself as the outer barriers at
Kingsbridge served for the whole island of Manhattan.
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