INTRODUCTION

“The Young Continentals at Bunker Hill” tells of four boys who were with the American Army in the siege of Boston. It shows how Gage and the British Army were hemmed in by the colonial troops, tells of the stirring events in and about the beleaguered city, and finally of the heroic stand upon Breed’s Hill by Putnam, Prescott and the little patriot army. There is something also of the fights upon islands in the bay, of the coming of Washington to assume command, and the hoisting of the first American Union flag.

The same boys figured in an earlier volume, “The Young Continentals at Lexington.” Their adventures are equally stirring here, and the blows struck for liberty equally shrewd. This time Ezra Prentiss of the four boys has the leading rôle; once suspected of being an enemy to the colonies, he now proves that none can be more faithful than he.

Ezra and his friends appear again in a volume called “The Young Continentals at Trenton.” It tells something of the struggles about New York, and finally of the brilliant successes at Trenton and Princeton, in all of which the boys play their little parts bravely and well.

 CHAPTER I—HOW EZRA PRENTISS HEARD OF A STRANGER

The tall bay horse and the little roan mare went at a hard gallop down the long, gentle descent of a hill. Both were flecked with foam, for the going was hard, despite the brisk April weather.

“How is the mare taking it?” asked Ezra Prentiss, after a time, drawing in the bay and patting his arched neck encouragingly.

The roan snorted and shook her head as though trying to answer for herself.

“It’s rather hard on her, I’m afraid,” returned Ben Cooper. “But she’s good for a great deal more of it.”

Part way down the slope both boys checked their mounts completely as though by mutual consent. Ezra sat silently in his saddle and swept the countryside with his steady gaze.

It was mid-afternoon and the sun was dropping fast toward the horizon in the west. Acres and acres of brown furrowed fields lay before them upon every side; afar off, men and horses were toiling with the plows; little clumps of houses were to be seen here and there, and tall columns of smoke ascended from the wide-mouthed chimneys into the clear air.

“We are going to have plenty to do from here to Chelmsford,” spoke Ezra at length. 

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