She put the banner into his hands and gave him a gentle push.
"Hide it, I tell you, hide it, you dear old goose!" Without sneaking he turned the staff over and over in his hand, until the flag was closely wrapped around it, then stooping he lifted a puncheon and with it covered the gay roll from sight.
Alice caught him in her arms and kissed him vigorously on the cheek.
Her warm lips made the spot tingle.
"Don't you dare to let any person have it! It's the flag of George Washington." She gave him a strong squeeze.
He pushed her from him with both hands and hastily crossed himself; but his eyes were laughing.
"You ought to have seen me; I waved the flag at them--at the English--and one young officer took off his hat to me! Oh, Father Beret, it was like what is in a novel.

They'll get the fort, but not the banner! Not the banner! I've saved it, I've saved it!" Her enthusiasm gave a splendor to her countenance, heightening its riches of color and somehow adding to its natural girlish expression an audacious sweetness.

The triumphant success of her undertaking lent the dignity of conscious power to her look, a dignity which always sits well upon a young and somewhat immaturely beautiful face.
Father Beret could not resist her fervid eloquence, and he could not run away from her or stop up his ears while she went on.

So he had to laugh when she said: "Oh, if you had seen it all you would have enjoyed it.

There was Oncle Jazon squatting behind the little swivel, and there were Captain Helm and Lieutenant Beverley holding their burning sticks over the big cannon ready to shoot--all of them so intent that they didn't see me--and yonder came the English officer and his army against the three.
When they got close to the gate the officer called out: 'Surrender!' and then Captain Helm yelled back: 'Damned if I do! Come another step and I'll blow you all to hell in a second!' I was mightily in hopes that they'd come on; I wanted to see a cannon ball hit that English commander right in the face; he looked so arrogant." Father Beret shook his head and tried to look disapproving and solemn.
Meantime down at the fort Hamilton was demanding the flag.