Chapter 6
The sky was still shrouded in dark fog and the sun wouldn't rise for another few hours. Rebecca and Abigail agreed to take their father's place in the lighthouse tower so he could lead the town militia out for early morning game hunting in the woods. Their younger brother Jonathan demanded to go up to the tower with them. Abigail dozed in the corner with a half finished needlepoint design hanging off her lap. Jonathan practiced his reading on a quilt in the center of the floor and Rebecca stared out the windows drowsily. She let out a yawn and a long stretch. As she opened her eyes she saw a fearsome sight in the distance. It was a huge ship bearing a British flag.
"I knew it! I knew they'd come back!" She quickly shook her sister. "Abby! Wake up! Wake up! Look out there, the British are heading for our ports, this time they will not spare us or the light house!"
Abigail's needlepoint flew up in the air as she jumped from her seat. Jonathan scampered to the window and pointed. "Look, Becca! They are sending down the small boats to come to shore!"
Abigail was halfway down the spiral staircase and called up. "I'm going to get the muskets the soldiers left in our storage room! They won't take us without a fight!"
"Abigail! We may be able to hold off one or two, but we can't take down an entire army! They'll fire back on our village! They'll blow us up!" Rebecca shouted.
"We have to try, Becky!"
Rebecca hurried to the window again and bit her lip fretfully. She began to forge a desperate plan.
~Oo~
Jeffrey heard a flurry of anxious voices grow louder and louder, then a lot of commotion and running up and down the stairwell. He opened his door and saw Phineas standing outside his room. He was tucking his shirt in and tightening his belt. He looked well rested and ready for action.
"Jeff what's going on? I hear the girls."
"I don't know…wait, here comes Abigail."
Abigail stopped short before the Voyagers with a look of dread in her eyes. "Phineas! Jeffrey! I'm glad you're awake. We need help!"
"Abby, what's wrong? Is it Rebecca?" Phineas asked, gazing up anxiously.
"The British are headed for our shores! I'm going to get some muskets to hold them off."
"Where are all the soldiers?" Jeffrey asked worried.
While Abigail explained, Phineas turned and checked the omni. The light was still green. He felt deeply concerned. What in the world was supposed to happen here?
"God, please don't let this bring harm to the family…not Rebecca." He whispered fervently. He envisioned the courageous young woman charging down the shores and firing her musket directly at the British army.
Jonathan raced down. "I think they're rowing in, I can make it to the woods and find Father and the militia!"
Jeffrey grabbed his arm "I'm coming with you, Jonathan!"
"Jeff! I don't want you going out there alone. It's pitch black without the lighthouse on." Phineas stopped him.
"I won't be alone, Jonathan and I will be together. He knows his way in this area."
"Phineas, let them. They'll be safer the further away they are from here." Abigail said.
"Please, Bogg, come on. I can do this! We have to round up the troops." Jeffrey insisted.
"Yes, Phineas, they couldn't have gotten too far in as yet. We can catch up to them. We have horses. Jeffrey can ride with me." Jonathan said.
Phineas ran a hand through his hair, his nerves jostled. "Alright, but you two be careful, be as quick as you can!" Phineas patted Jeffrey's back and sent them out.
"Abigail, where's Becky? Is she alright?"
Rebecca hurried down the stairs two at a time and stumbled. She shrieked and Phineas caught her. She stared up at him grateful. He soothingly pushed her tousled hair from her eyes.
"Are you hurt, Becky?"
"No, I'm fine, Thank you." She steadied herself, keeping her face pressed against his bicep and marveling inwardly how strong and firm bodied he was. "Oh Phineas, this is horrible!"
"Rebecca, no romance while the redcoats are approaching!" Abigail scolded. Phineas bit his lip to hold down laughter. Now he knew exactly whom Abigail reminded him of.
Rebecca straightened herself up and cleared her throat. She grasped Phineas' hands. "I know what ship that is, it's the La Hogue! They must have been denied entrance to Boston Harbor and we are the nearest port. They'll be trying to take all our supplies again. O' Lord! They'll burn our barges just as before!"
"Did you extinguish the tower light? They must be following it." Phineas asked.
"Yes, but it's too late for that. They know exactly where we are. I have an idea! Let's all go to the storage closet!"
"Oh sure, we can hide in there until they find us." Abigail grumbled.
"No, ninny! I have a plan!"
The trio rushed to the closet and Rebecca pulled out a marching drum and fife. She handed Abigail the drum and then tossed a musket to Phineas.
"Hurry. Let's go out. We have to hide."
Abigail and Phineas shared confused glances, but they followed Rebecca's stern orders. Phineas clutched the weapon tight and stayed in front of the girls as they all carefully hid behind a cluster of cedar trees. He hoped he would have no need to open fire on anyone.
"Rebecca, have you lost your senses? You were the one who said a fife and drum are useless against the British." Abigail whispered. "What are you planning?"
Rebecca kept her focus on the shore. The rowboat was heading closer to their hiding spot. There were three soldiers inside. Phineas grinned and Abigail frowned at him.
"Phineas Bogg, this is no laughing matter."
"I know what she's trying to do, Abby. Let's go for it. Becky, you got a strong East wind blowing, trust me, it will echo." He winked at her.
Rebecca blushed and then looked at Abigail. "I want you to play those drums as loud as you can. We're going to play 'Yankee Doodle.' Get ready!"
Abigail was anguished, but she started up a steady tapping and nodded to her sister. Phineas aimed the musket high and fired a shot.
Rebecca put her lips to the fife and began to play. The music rang out loud and clear across the harbor. Phineas called out in a fierce, commanding voice.
"READY! AIM! FIRE! THE REDCOATS ARE COMING!"
He sent two more warning shots in to the air.
Rebecca tugged his arm. "Do you know the song? Sing with me!"
Phineas actually knew multiple versions of the song. He waited for her to start then joined in on the chorus while Abigail pounded away.
Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a pony,
Stuck a feather in his cap
And called it macaroni'.
Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy….
Phineas kept attempting to change octaves and the sound of his voice with each stanza. His deep bass melded harmoniously with Rebecca's rich, vibrant soprano and eventually he petered off to just let her sing her heart out. He took to calling out sporadic shouts and commands to invisible soldiers. Rebecca and Abigail switched instruments and Rebecca hammered down on the drum. She peeked out with Phineas. The British men in the rowboats were resting on their oars and listening apprehensively.
"Look at em! They think we're massing for an attack." Phineas noted ecstatically. "This was a great idea, Becky. I think it's working!"
Abigail started up another tune. Rebecca broke into a new song.
Why, soldiers, why,
Should we be melancholy, boys?
Why, soldiers, why?
Whose business 'tis to die!
What, sighing? Fie!
Damn fear, drink on, be jolly boys!
'Tis he, you or I,
Cold, hot, wet or dry,
We're always bound to follow, boys,
And scorn to fly.
'Tis but in vain,
(I mean not to upbraid you, boys),
'Tis but in vain
For soldiers to complain.
Should next campaign
Send us to Him who made us, boys,
We're free from pain.
But should we remain,
A bottle and kind landlady
Cures all again.
"FALL IN PLACE MEN! THE BRITISH ARE HERE!" Phineas shouted again. "HUP, HUP, HUP! MARCH! MARCH!"
He peered out and saw a hilarious sight. The rowboats chopped water back to the ship so fast that one of the soldiers fell overboard. His companions grasped the back of his neck and tossed him onto the boat in a panic. The girls returned to playing Yankee Doodle faster and faster, until the rowboat made it to the ship and it pulled out. The La Hogue fired a warning shot at the lighthouse, but it was too far away to make impact. The British troops had made a frightened get away and the village of Scituate was saved.
The trio came out of hiding and dropped the instruments and musket. They ran into the shore laughing. Phineas hugged Abigail, and then in a swift motion swept Rebecca off her feet and spun her around. He kissed her as he lowered her down and she cupped his cheeks.
"You had to get that one in, didn't you?" She grinned.
Phineas shrugged with a big smile. "Yeah, I did, but we're celebrating."
She hugged him close. "Thank you. Thank you for helping us and believing in me."
"Somehow I get the feeling you would have succeeded even if I wasn't here."
"But it was a huge relief to have a manly voice such as yours backing us up."
"It wasn't much. In fact, if you don't mind, would you and Abigail leave out my part in all this?" He asked suddenly.
She stared at him confused. "But why? We couldn't have warded them off without…"
Phineas shushed her. He thought of how the omni light had been green the entire time he and Jeffrey were in this time zone. "No, I think you definitely could have. Trust me. I know it sounds crazy, but it's best that this event goes down as a…a lighthouse army of two."
Rebecca's eyes welled up and she sputtered. "Phineas! You and all your talk of history! You…you're an odd duck!"
Phineas stood back quietly and stared at his boots, and then his clear, direct gaze met hers. "Even so, you're still my beautiful swan."
Rebecca sighed and pulled him near again for a warm embrace. She stole a final, deep kiss. "In all my days, I'll never meet a man as fine as you are, Phineas Bogg." She whispered.
They moved apart and Phineas smiled gently at her. "You are an amazing woman, Rebecca Bates, don't ever forget that. Today, you will go down in history."
~Oo~
Jeffrey and Jonathan rode in fast with a group of Militia-men behind them, armed and ready to do battle. He slid off the horse and ran down the sand hills to Phineas.
"Bogg! What happened? Where's the ship?" He couldn't see anything without the light from the tower.
Abigail and Rebecca raced to their father. "Father! We did it! We did it! The British have turned their tails! We have a victory!"
The soldiers dismounted and looked on mystified. Phineas and Jeffrey laughed as the sisters described their feat of trickery.
Jeffrey playfully punched Bogg's arm. "Well, looks like I missed all the fun, but Jonathan rides that horse great, he was weaving in and out those trees like nobody's business. We had to wake them all up. They weren't too happy about that, but when they heard it was a call to arms, they got their act together fast."
"Well it was that or be killed by the British. So, does any of this ring a bell to you yet, Jeff?"
Jeffrey nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, it does. I remember taking the tour of the lighthouses with my parents. The guide told us this story."
Phineas stared at Rebecca with a soft longing that did not go unnoticed by Jeffrey. "I'm gonna miss these two. So, what happens to the girls?"
"Rebecca and Abigail stay in Scituate for the rest of their lives. They never marry, and both of them become popular and talented seamstresses. Even though Abigail likes to poke fun and criticize her sister sometimes, you can see how much she admires her. She followed in her footsteps."
"Hmm…just like someone else I know."
Jeffrey grinned. "You mean, me, huh? She does have my scathing wit."
"She sure does! Ya know, Rebecca may have had a natural longing for marriage, but I saw her heart was really not there, at least not now at twenty. I thought for sure that she would have later…" Phineas trailed off.
Jeffrey stared at him curiously. "You think because we were here it pushed her decision along? Or changed it or something?"
Phineas recalled Rebecca's words about never meeting a finer man. Whatever happened in her life along the way, she may have treasured their brief moments together and was content with her memories. He didn't want to voice this conceit to Jeffrey, so he just nodded quietly. Jeffrey, knowing his partner's mood, didn't press the issue. He mentally crossed off another potential woman for his partner.
They walked further down the shoreline without looking back. Phineas did not want to linger. His heart weighed him down the more time he spent with Rebecca. As he recovered in the lighthouse, he had plenty of time to reflect on his past and the passionate memories of time spent with his first love, AnneMarie. He convinced himself that she was indeed the woman he saw wandering the halls of Voyagers Headquarters during the trial. One day, when the timing was right, he hoped to find her again.
Jeffrey broke Phineas' reveries. "So, we're just gonna disappear, Bogg? That's kinda sad. I'll miss them too."
"Yes. But don't worry, I wrote a letter to the family and left it on the nightstand in the room. They'll understand. We're sailors and we have to move on." Phineas had also left a special letter of encouragement for Rebecca and put it where she was sure to find it within her sewing basket.
Jeffrey tossed up his arms. "You're the boss! I'm glad you're not sick anymore, Bogg. Its kinda scary to see you out of commission."
Phineas nodded. "It's scary for me too, but I have Jeffrey Nightingale to help aide me back to perfect health." He winked.
Jeffrey stared at him dourly. "Bogg, you're ridiculous sometimes."
"Yep, I have my moments. So, can you tell me anything else about the girls?"
Jeffrey scratched his head. "Umm…oh yeah! They become very famous for this act of bravery and as an old woman Rebecca sells autographs and tells the story for ten cents."
"Brave and an entrepreneur. My kind of gal." Bogg laughed.
"Hey, maybe when you're old and gray you can get a corn cob pipe and join her on the porch telling outrageous voyagers stories. I bet you'll make a killing."
"Very funny, kid."
"Or you could sweep up the New York streets with Isaac Wolfstein. But I'd say go with Rebecca. She's a legend in her own way and you can marry her then. And I'm sure you won't be tempted to strangle her."
"Now who's ridiculous?" Phineas chuckled.
Jeffrey faced his partner. "So, Abby outlived Rebecca, and she always confirmed the event to the future skeptics. There's even a plaque on the lighthouse in the future that tells the story. I guess we'll be the only ones who really know the truth."
"Isn't that the way it is? Voyagers are always there to make things right. Discreetly."
Jeffrey latched onto Phineas' arm. "Yeah, and then the world keeps on turning."
Phineas hit the button and they flashed through the cosmos, ready for their next adventure.
The End.
