War comes to Willy Freeman

 Chapters 11 and 12

Winter came hard for everyone. I worked in the tavern and searched around town for Ma. I kept getting the vision on my head of walking down the street and seeing Ma. Meanwhile I made it up to Horace for turning out to be a girl. He wanted me to find another place to sleep; he said it was weird for a girl and boy that were nearly grown to sleep together. I said lots of men and women that aren't married do it. And anyway there aren't many places for people to stay with the war and everything. The cooks got hold of a dress for me. Usually I got up before Horace and got dressed. One morning I glance over at Horace and saw him peeking at me. So I started to hang my blanket up and he said what's that for Willy and I said I saw you peeking the other day. He blushed as red as an apple, and that gave me the idea that he had been peaking all along. He would still occasionally curse when he would drop a board on his foot or smash his finger, and then he would apologize. I just said its fine; you have done it all along. They were talking about ending the war in spring, and everyone was becoming excited. And I knew Horace liked me, I wasn't 13 anymore, I was 15 and I liked him too. Horace would give me orders and I’d say you aren't my boss. I like him but sometimes he makes me mad. I just wanted the British to be gone already. I wanted to know If ma was on a prison ship or not.  I could hardly remember what she looked like it had been 2 years. Mr. Fraunces gave Horace and I each a shilling a week for the work we did. All of the Loyalists were thinking about moving to England or Canada and starting over, because they betrayed the Americans, so now they must leave. And some people didn't care whether the Americans or British won, they just wanted it to be over. To have their homes all to themselves.  Mr. Fraunces told Willy that the prison ships had just came in and she should go look for her mom. She was there the whole day looking for her mom. She didn't find her. She kept asking if there were any women on the ships and they all said no. I began to cry then I stopped crying and walked back to the tavern. They could tell by the look on my face what happened so nobody said anything.  Mr. Goodrich came by and said I’m looking for Willy Freeman. He said I've seen your mother. She is very sick and at the Ivers house, I’m afraid it’s serious he said.

                If I went Mr. Ivers would clap me back into slavery, but ii had to take the chance. I wanted to save my mom.  He would claim I was his, and sell me. But I had to take the chance for my mom. So Mr. Goodrich said he knew of a ship leaving for black rock in 2 or 3 days and I could get a ride on their and walk the rest of the way to New field pretty easy. I was scared Ma would die before I could save her.  I said goodbye to Mr. Frances  he said I was welcome back anytime. Then I said goodbye, as I was walking towards the ship I saw Horace hauling water up the hill. He said Willy I’m mighty glad you turned out to be a girl. Then I kissed Horace for the first time, he said lots of girls wanted to kiss him, but he never let them, and he said he hopes I comeback. They made me polish brass on the boat. I had to give 12 coppers to the ferryman so he would take me across.  I found the house, I looked in the window, and saw the Arabus family eating stew, so I stuck my face against the window and knocked and they heard the noise and looked. Then they came and hugged me. They said Captain Ivers would put me into Slavery if he caught me here. They were trying to put jack back into slavery. I slipped into the kitchen and down into the cellar ma was down there it was cold and dark and damp. She looked so gray and sick I wouldn't have recognized her if they wouldn't have told me it was her. It’s me ma I said, she said willy? Is that you?  She said Mr. Ivers won’t give me medicine I’m best to die. The British kept ma on a prison ship for 2 years and made her wash laundry and she got really sick.  I stayed in the barn overnight till the Ivers left for a couple hours. I knew she’d got worse overnight.  I told jack I’m going to get me a doctor I have money. I ran to the doctor and waited for what seemed like hours by his office door, he gave me medicine. I ran home mixed it with rum and brought it to ma, she put it in her mouth, spit it out and died. The next thing I remember doing is pounding away at captain Ivers with my fists. I must have clawed him too, because he had big red scratches on his face, they were oozing blood. I heard a bang, and I was on the floor with him standing over me with his whip.  Then jack punched him in his mouth and then ran out the door, then Mr. Ivers busted out of the door with his shot gun. Captain Ivers is going to kill him for sure now.  I ran out into the woods and hid. After I saw Captain Ivers gallop away on his horse then I went back to the house and helped Aunt Betsy bury ma. Then after that I went to Mr. Goodrich’s house. I walked in the snow and finally when I got there I gave him uncle jack’s papers and he went out to the jail to get jack out. And I fell asleep all wet by his fireplace.