noon
He was prepared to go without food all day , if by so doing he would have a better chance of securing information regarding the enemy . He watched till the British soldiers got up and ate their breakfast , and then as he saw small groups moving about , some coming almost to the clump of trees , he decided that it would be best to climb up into a tree and conceal himself amid the leaves , and selecting a tree with very heavy foliage , he climbed well up into it . Here he took up as comfortable a position as possible , watching the enemy and awaiting developments . All was quiet till noon , and then as he saw the soldiers eating their dinners , he was assailed by a feeling of hunger . He resolutely dismissed the thought of food , however , and stuck to his position . He was determined to stay till evening , at any rate , and then if he had not secured any information , he would go to a farmhouse which he saw about a mile distant , to the eastward , and get something to eat , after which he would return to his post . He was determined to remain in the vicinity of the army till he learned something of value in the way of news regarding the intentions of the British , if it took him a week .