Chapter 4

Despite the fact that there was not a single building visible on that pitch-black section of New Jersey road, Allison was content to be outside of that cursed carriage.He was desperate to eat something and get a good night's sleep. However, despite the fact that he had been informed that everything would be arranged, despite the tasty and filling food, there were still no available rooms. The landlady offered to ask one of her guests to sleep in the common room that night and expressed her sincere regret for the oversight. But the gentlemanly aspects of Allison's character wouldn't let him hear about it, so he said he would do it himself, tired as he was.

However, Allison decided to take a break from the cold on the veranda before retiring for the night. He was still experiencing some restlessness as a result of the day's far-reaching events.To think that just a few hours earlier, he was sitting in the wardroom of a line ship, confident about his future! Everything had apparently vanished in a flash at this point. He was uneasy and unable to sleep at that moment, which was understandable. In addition, the journey thus far had left him with a severe ache in his hindquarters, and he was unable to stand still without first attempting to release some of the tension in his hips and legs.

He took a deep breath of the cool night air as he stepped out into the light with his cloak around his shoulders, closed the door behind him, and looked into the lamplight. He remained in that position for a brief time, taking in the sounds of crickets in the underbrush and the breeze from the trees. This was a rare treat for him after spending so much time at sea and being taken for granted by many. In his youth and adolescence, he had experienced the wilds of the colonial frontier, but those days were long ago and he had seen far more salt air, canvas, and oak planks since the beginning of harvest season.

All of a sudden, he saw one more figure on the veranda which moved in the half-shadows past the brilliant lamplight.As his coachman walked into the light with a corncob pipe in his teeth, he heard the sound of heavy boots hitting the wooden porch. As he took the pipe out of his mouth, the man greeted him with a slow nod.

Before cupping his hands together and blowing into them, Allison said politely, "Good evening, sir." He had left his gloves in his sea chest, which no one had the opportunity to take out of the coach. Since he was eager to simply stay the night and move on, Allison had not really cared.

As he pulled a small metal flask out of his coat, his previously reserved driver grinned toothily. He offered it to Allison while holding it out.

"For the chilly." He spoke jokingly. He moved closer and spoke again in a more insistent tone when Allison did not immediately move to accept it. You will be traveling a lot. It will help you sleep and calm down.

Allison gave in and took the flask because she thought the man's argument had some merit. As the whiskey warmed his insides, he took a big breath in and felt the intense but pleasant burn. With a heartfelt "Thank You," he gave it back to the man.

"Good night, my friend." As he put the flask back in his pocket, the man said,You will be there soon, I promise. The coachman then tipped his hat and walked into the dark down the porch steps, probably to sleep on the hay in the barn near where his horses were kept.

After he left, Allison continued to stand there and stare at the night sky. He briefly considered his former companion, the somewhat reserved individual who was accompanying him on this trip. He had the advantage of being able to confirm that there were numerous differences among his fellow colonists, primarily but not exclusively through his travels in the Royal Navy. Allison, who was born and raised in Pennsylvania, was curious about the coachman's background and the circumstances that led to his employment. He pondered the origins of the man's family's arrival in the New World in comparison to his own family's history. He thought about it for a long time before finally pondering the origins of that peculiar train of thought.He wasn't sure if it was the man's appearance or the distinctive tone in his voice, or if it was just his own exhaustion taking over. Nevertheless, our differences are a strength.As a result, we provide the Empire with that strength. We are one despite being numerous.

Allison noticed that he was so worn out that he couldn't even keep his head from falling on his chest, as if on cue.He returned inside and shuffled exhaustedly to his cot in the corner, concluding that his brief excursion outside had achieved its intended effect. While still wearing his uniform and wearing a hat that was pulled over his face, he removed his cloak, nearly collapsed onto the cot, and fell asleep almost immediately.

He fell into complete oblivion as his sleep was dead and devoid of any dreams until he opened his eyes and saw the first signs of dawn coming through the windows.As he sat up on the cot, Allison could feel the pain in his hips and legs from the exhausting ride over the back roads yesterday. He suddenly remembered a significant obligation as he was beginning to lament the fact that he would have to go back out there and do it all over again.

He chained his cloak around his shoulders so as not to wake any of the other half-dozen tired travelers who had come in last night and paid the minimum to sleep in the common room. He then walked over to the hearth, where a pitiful, half-starved fire still managed to crackle away at a low intensity. Allison, a little shivering, discovered some smaller pieces of wood and some kindling nearby. After adding them to the fire and stirring it with a poker, he got it burning a little brighter and hotter. He then dropped his orders and their envelope into the flames after a final glance over his shoulder to ensure that no one was watching. He observed as the curious document and the envelope, both of which had their red wax Admiralty seals consumed by the heat, disintegrated into a blackened ball of ash, leaving no trace of the message or its enigmatic sender.

It was only a matter of time before Allison could eat breakfast and be on his way once more with his obligation fulfilled in that manner.He saw the coachman already seated, whip in hand, and his four team members ready as he stepped outside, his breath visible in the chilly morning air. He signaled his readiness to the driver by rising to his seat and nodding in response. This time, Allison was pleased that he was able to properly sit down before the carriage suddenly moved forward. He pondered, "Let us be thankful for small favors."Despite warnings to the contrary, he knew he couldn't stop thinking about his future. He tried hard not to think about how his bottom would feel after yet another day of overland travel.

In the gloom, five bells rang out.

Even though he had only spent a few minutes of real sleep so far that night, Allison was still groggy in his hammock with his eyes half closed. He followed the ship's gentle roll as he swam beneath the rafters and gazed up at the cabin ceiling amid the middle watch's relative silence.As the watch went about its business, timbers would occasionally squeak or footsteps would be heard on the decks above, but everything else seemed to be quiet.

Allison rolled to his right to descend from his hammock, concluding that he just couldn't sleep at all. With a thud, he fell straight to the deck.

Despite not being hurt, Allison swore out loud because he couldn't help but imagine what the incident would have looked like to any of the officers or crew members who were present to witness it. He fumbled around for some flint and tinder to light a few of the overhead lanterns after he was satisfied that neither Alex nor the marine sentry had heard the noise. Allison was sufficiently swayed by the sickly pale light they gave off to take the hammock down and store it away. After that, he took some clothes out of his sea chest and started putting on his uniform.

He was the only man on the ship who had his own cabin, but it was too small to accommodate a bed or a cot—not that he had either at the time. Therefore, Allison hung a hammock from the rafters every night, just like the other crew members did. Despite this, the cabin was still sparsely furnished, despite its small size. His sea chest, five chairs surrounding it, his small table, which he used to eat at and hold brief meetings when necessary, the desk with another chair in front of it, and that horrible locked drawer were all there.

Allison finished putting on his uniform and used the small looking glass he had to make sure he looked presentable. He was determined to forget about that for the time being. He went on deck while donning his cloak.

While Allison moved toward the dim light of the binnacle, a thick mist remained in the cool air despite the fact that some stars had begun to become visible as the sky slowly cleared. As he approached from behind, the helmsman's shadow and the distinctive silhouette of Philadelphia's grizzled sailing master, Edward Isaac , became apparent. While Isaac reprimanded one of the midshipmen for failing to carry out his responsibilities, Allison came to a stop and made the decision to pause for a while.