heir march into
Boston from all the fortifications of the Americans; and in return
from Boston, flying north and south and west, came shot and shells.

Undaunted and excited by the mere possibility of being hit, Jeremy
went onward. When he arrived in Roxbury he found everybody and
everything astir. His cart was seized, filled with bundles of
"screwed" hay, and, ere he knew it, he was in line with two hundred
and ninety-nine other carts, marching forward to fortify Dorchester
Heights. Before him went twelve hundred troops, under the command of
General Thomas; before the troops trundled an unknown number of carts,
filled with intrenching tools; before the tools were eight hundred
men. Not a word was spoken. In silence and with utmost care they trod
the way. At eight of the clock the covering party of eight hundred
reached the Height and divided--one-half going toward the point
nearest Boston, the other to the point nearest Castle William, on
Castle Island, held by the British.

Then the working party began their labor with enthusiasm unbounded,
wondering what the British general would think when he should behold
their work in the morning. They toiled in silence by the light of the
moon and the home music of 144 shot and 13 shell going into Boston,
and unnumbered shot and shell coming out of Boston. Gridley, whose
quick night work at Breed's Hill on the sixteenth of June had startled
the world, headed the intrenching party as engineer.

Poor Jeremy was not allowed to go farther than Dorchester Neck with
his first load. The bundles of hay were tumbled out and laid in line,
to protect the supplying party, in case the work going on on the hill
beyond should be found out.

The next time, to his extreme delight, he found that fascines were to
go in his cart. When he reached Dorchester Height quick work was made
of unloading his freight, and, without a word spoken, he was ordered
back with a move of the hand.

Four times the lad and the oxen went up Dorchester Hill that night.
The fourth time, as no order was given to return, Jeremy thought he
might as well stay and see the battle that would begin with the dawn.

He left the oxen behind an embankment with a big bundle of hay to the
front of them; and after five minutes devoted to gingerbread he went
to work. Morning would come long before they were ready to have it
unveil the growing forts to the eyes of Admiral Shuldham, with his
ships of war lying in the harbor; or to t