at the American troops were harnessing their horses, and that it was
evident some movement was at hand.

"Oh! Perhaps I shall never see Lafayette again, and I did not help him
after all," she thought.

And now another and more startling sound came to Ruth's ears. Along the
Ridge road she could hear the sound of horses' feet and the rattle of
musketry.

"Perhaps it is more American soldiers coming," thought the little girl.
But she felt vaguely troubled, as she went slowly on. She had just
entered the little woodland path which led to Farmer Withely's when she
saw a glimmer of a red coat in the underbrush.

Ruth stopped, and crouched low behind a small tree. She heard low
voices, and in a moment a laughing voice said:

"We have the fine Frenchman just where we want him. He is preparing his
men to receive Howe's soldiers on the Ridge road, but he does not dream
that General Grant with seven thousand troops is coming up in his rear.
General Howe has invited a dinner party to meet Lafayette to-night in
Philadelphia."

"'Tis a fine thing to get the Frenchman," came the low response; "we'd
better move farther up the hill now."

For a moment Ruth hesitated, hardly realizing the importance of what she
had overheard. Then she turned and ran toward the American encampment,
where she could see troops of soldiers already moving forward toward
the Ridge road.

"Oh I suppose I do not get there in time to tell him that there is an
English army coming behind him," she thought.

Once she stumbled and fell over an unseen root; but at last breathless
and tired she found herself facing a number of American soldiers, one of
whom called out:

"Run home, child; you are in danger here."

"Lafayette! Lafayette!" she called wildly. "Tell him there are thousands
of English soldiers coming up the road behind his army. The road from
Swedes Ford," called Ruth.

Almost before Ruth finished speaking one of the soldiers had turned his
horse and galloped away to find his commander, and tell him of this
unexpected enemy. Ruth turned and hurried home. She had entirely
forgotten about her errand to Farmer Withely's.

CHAPTER XXI

AT HOME

Lafayette had received the startling news and acted upon it without a
question. He marched his men rapidly toward Matson's Ford, on the lower
road, and when the British generals came up to Barren Hill they were
astonished to find that they had only each other to fight. They decided
not to cros