nd powder, the Sons of Liberty
seized those held by the royal troops in New York. There was quite a
quantity in a storehouse at Turtle Bay, a quiet little cove three miles
above the town, that curved into a wild and rocky part of the East River
shore. Nowadays the city extends for miles and miles above it. If you go
to Forty-ninth Street and the East River you will see all that remains
of it. Although the houses are built thick about it, there is still an
air of seclusion. Everywhere else along the shore are piers and
bath-houses and wharves and ships and shipping.

So at this Turtle Bay, far from the town, the royal troops had a
storehouse for their arms. A small band of the Sons of Liberty, one dark
night, floated down the river, guided their vessel into the bay,
overpowered the guards before they were fairly aroused, and loaded their
boat with the enemy's powder and guns. Then they made off, and before
the morning dawned had placed the stores safe in the hands of the
patriots.

Then the War of the Revolution broke in full fury.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE WAR of the REVOLUTION

In this month of June, in the year 1775, there were quite a number of
British soldiers in the city, and many of the patriots believed that
they should be made prisoners. But the Provisional Assembly decreed that
the orders of the Second Continental Congress must be obeyed. And these
orders were not to molest the soldiers as long as they did not try to
build fortifications or remove powder and guns from the city.

But early in this month of June it was learned that the soldiers were
about to go to Boston. More than that, it was known that there was a
secret order under which they were to take guns and powder with them.

The Sons of Liberty were hastily called to a meeting. One of them,
Marinus Willett, was hurrying through Broad Street toward the
Coffee-House where the meeting was to be held, when he came upon the
soldiers moving silently along with five carts loaded with chests of
arms. Alone, and without an instant's hesitation, Willett clutched at
the bridle of the first horse. The company stopped. There was an angry
parley, the officers claiming the right to leave the city with the arms,
and making an effort to do so without raising a general alarm. But
friends of Willett came to his assistance. The five carts were driven
away by the patriots and the soldiers went on but without the arms. Long
years afterward a bronze tablet was plac