Thanks to all who reviewed, especially leafysummers for getting the challenge right. The answer is Felicty Merriman! : ). Thanks to my anon reviewers too—since I can't message you, I'll say thanks for reviewing here.
Chapter Three
"Here's your paper, sir." James said to Mr. Baxter, a storekeeper, as he handed him the Pennsylvania Gazette's February 1st edition.
"That's alright, lad. Keep your paper." Mr. Baxter glanced around nervously, forcing a smile.
"But you ordered the paper for this month." James said, still holding it up.
"I ordered in January." said Mr. Baxter quietly, continuing to push the paper away. "That was before more Redcoats started moving into Philadelphia. They'll be repercussions if we're caught reading a Patriot paper."
"What?" asked James, looking at him. Mr. Baxter nodded through the window to a poster across the street. James couldn't make out the type from there, so Mr. Baxter explained.
"It's a poster saying that if anyone is caught reading propaganda they'll face sedition punishments from the British soldiers."
James' face went white. "You mean people will stop wanting the Gazette?"
Mr. Baxter patted James' shoulder kindly. "You're a good journalist, lad, and the Gazette is a fine paper. But I ain't reading anything that could get me thrown in jail!" he reached into a barrel by the desk of his store and pulled out a piece of candy, giving it to James, and handed him the edition of the Gazette. "I'll pay you for the month, but I don't want the paper."
When James trudged back to the print shop later that day, the same fate had befallen Moses and Henri who had set out to deliver the papers as well.
"Well," said Moses, "You really can't blame them. Reading the paper is now against the law. I'm surprised that so many people did take their copy."
"What are you talking about? They're patriots! It's their responsibility." James frowned and handed his candy to Henri, who took it and immediately devoured it.
"Perhaps not everyone is as eager to be arrested as you are, James." Sarah observed from her letter. James frowned.
"Will we keep printing the paper?" he asked. Moses nodded.
"As long as the British let us stay in the print shop, we'll print the truth to anyone who will read."
James had stayed up late in his room and was just falling asleep when he heard it. A sharp bang, mixing with the sounds of shattering glass. Bolting upright, he threw on his coat in anticipation of escape and headed for Henri's room. After ascertaining that the younger boy was alright, they both headed for Sarah's room.
Sarah had been awakened by the noise as well and was standing in the hall. "What was that?" she whispered. James nervously shrugged and Henri shrank against Sarah.
The children crept downstairs and into the shadows, but then saw that there was no immediate danger. Moses stood outside, looking up and down the street, while a rock rested around pieces of glass just in front of the hole through their window.
"My goodness." whispered Sarah. Moses walked back into the house.
"It could have been anyone." he said grimly. "The bad news is that we'll have to board up that window until I can get some more glass. Come on everyone, back to bed." Sarah, becoming aware of her current state of undress, was already half-way up the stairs when Moses remembered the item he had behind the wood box.
He picked the item up, then looked at James and Henri's retreating forms. James was fourteen—almost a man, but he still had growing up to do, and Henri was even younger.
At the same time, he had to worry about their safety in the practically-occupied city of Philadelphia. Giving a sigh, he wedged the musket back behind the woodbox and went back to bed.
It was at breakfast when Moses decided to announce the day's activity. "James, Henri, I want to take you outside the city and show you two how to use a gun."
There was silence around the table, then Sarah announced, "I would like to go as well, Moses. I don't want to be here alone."
"No! Moses, girls don't use guns." James complained, "And I don't want to, either."
"Neither do I!" Henri crossed his arms.
"I know, boys. Sarah, you should come with us. I don't want to leave anyone in the house by themselves." Moses looked serious. Sarah looked satisfied, but her expression soon changed to worry.
"Will we need a gun, Moses?"
"I don't know, Sarah." said Moses honestly.
"I hope not." said James, remembering the soldiers and the broken window.
"I will defend ze house!" announced Henri, jumping up and marching around the table with a stick from the woodbox as his weapon. Unable to see past his illusions of grandeur, he laughed at his own display. Moses frowned. He wanted to teach these children how to protect themselves, but he didn't want to make them unsafe.
But he was teaching them to fire the musket for their own protection, too.
He rose and picked up the musket, which dissolved Henri's pantomime and made all three children shrink back slightly at the very real sign of their changing world.
"Now, James," said Moses, next to him as he aimed the gun towards a tree, "Hold it like this. Good. Be careful—now put your fingers here..."
Eventually, a shot rang out through the woods, making Sarah and Henri jump. It was not, however, James who had fired. "I'm sorry, Moses." he apologized as he watched the older man demonstrate again.
Moses frowned as he held the weapon safely. "It's alright, James. This is just a precaution anyway."
There had not been much luck with the musket that day. James and Henri could barely fire the gun, much less on target.
Another shot rang out. James glanced at the gun in Moses' hand.
The gun that had not fired.
Which meant there was another gun somewhere in the forest, and it was going off.
"Hurry. Down here." said Moses, quickly hiding himself and the children in the scrub. Try didn't have long to wait before a small group of British soldiers, probably scouts, tramped past them. Moses had a hand on Sarah's arm and another on James' to keep both children from saying anything to inadvertently alert the British to their position.
After the British had long been gone, Moses quickly ushered his charges out of the forest and back to the print shop.
At the print shop, the mail had arrived. A letter from Sarah's mother, a few contacts with information, a few letters for Dr. Franklin, and one addressed to Moses, which he immediately read, then set down.
"James, Henri, Sarah." he called them. "Come here."
"What is it, Moses?" asked James, excited. "Has someone given us a lead?"
"No." he said. "I want to talk to you all about what happened today."
"We hid in the forest from the soldiers." recalled Henri, looking confused. "I don't understand."
"Neither do I," said Sarah. "Is something wrong?"
"I'm sure you've all seen the sedition posters." said Moses sternly. "And the added amount of British soldiers in the city."
All the children nodded.
"By printing the paper, we are breaking the British law." Sarah seemed displeased at this but said nothing, letting Moses go on, "I have written to the wife of a prominent Son of Liberty and a friend of Dr. Franklin—John Adams' wife, Mrs. Abigail Adams. I have asked her to give you shelter for a few weeks, until the British withdraw. I have heard they're just waiting for orders but their commanders have no support for advancing further North, into the countryside."
"I'm not going anywhere!" shouted James, crossing his arms and turning away. Henri mimicked the action.
"Neither am I!"
"I'm sorry, Moses, but I cannot go either." said Sarah. "I will not be the only one to leave."
"You don't even believe in our cause!" protested James. "Besides, you'll just get into trouble."
"With whom?" Sarah demanded. "I am British, after all. It's not as if I wish to go around, inciting rebellion."
Moses interrupted the brewing argument by stepping between the feuding children. "Are you all sure you won't go?" he asked tiredly. All three children glanced at each other, then voiced their agreement.
"Then hurry yourselves," said Moses as he moved towards the press quickly. "It's one and we've already spent part of the day." the children followed him. With the blotter, type, and written copy of the Gazette, Henri, James, and Sarah directed themselves to different tasks in an effort to get the paper out before evening that day.