A Hero of Ticonderoga
Page 13
CHAPTER XIII--FOREBODINGS OF STORM
After many days of fair promises tardily fulfilled, spring had come. Thesoft air was full of its sounds and odors, the medley of harsh andliquid notes of the myriad blackbirds that swarmed in the trees alongthe creek, the crackling croak of the frogs, the whimpering call of themuskrats, the booming of bitterns, the splashing and quacking of wildducks, and the murmur of running waters. There were the spicy fragranceof pine and hemlock, and the fresh smell of warming mould and burstingbuds, while the perfume of wild flowers added a moiety to the springtime odor. The shad trees shone like snowdrifts in the gray woods, andthe yellow catkins were alive with humming bees.
Amid the pleasant sights of nature's progress, Nathan and his friend satnear the door, taking off and stretching on pliant bows the skins of thelast catch of muskrats.
"It's about time to quit trappin' for this year," said Job, as heslipped a skin onto the bow that he held between his knees. "They'regettin' a leetle off prime, though better'n they be in the fall an' nokits as there is then," and he fastened the skin in place, with a cutnear its edge, into each horn of the bow. "Good land! What's Gabehullabalooin' at now, I wonder?"
Nathan peered cautiously around the corner and whispered:
"It's neighbor Newton. I'll go up loft." Accordingly he climbed theladder and crept softly to the side of the loft above the door. Throughthe wide cracks of the loose flooring he could see a patch of the chipstrewn, sunlit earth outside, with Job's long legs stretching across itand his hands idle a moment as he called in the hound, who presentlyappeared, and behind him the stout stockinged legs of neighbor Newton.
"Job, have you heard the news?" Newton asked excitedly.
"News? What news?" Job's knife stopped half-way in the slit it wasmaking along a muskrat's throat.
"There's ben a fight down in the Bay Colony 'twixt our folks and theking's troops and our folks whipped 'em."
"Our folks a fightin' the king's troops?" said Job incredulously.
The other hastily related such particulars of the momentous conflict ashe had learned. Nathan, whose heart was beating fast at the stirringnews, saw the muskrat drop to the ground.
"I al'ys said them reg'lars, shootin' breast high at nothin', couldn'tstan' agin our bushfighters, aimin' to kill," Job said exultantly; "butwhat next, Dan'l?"
"War--it means war. The country's all a-risin'. Every man's got tochoose the side he'll take. Which side is yourn, Job?"
There was a silence, and the answer came with slow deliberation. "Ihoped to end my days in peace. I've had enough o' fightin', the Lordknows. When I've fit it was for the land I was born in--if it was underthe British flag--an' I shan't never fight for no other."
"Every man in these clearin's is all right, so far as we know, exceptin'that aire sour-faced Toombs. He hain't no good will towards our side. ATory in Seth's shoes, and him red-hot for liberty. He's got a Canucka-workin' for him, and I'd livser trust a wolf'n one o' thempea-soupers. I hain't no patience wi' Ruth for marryin' that critter.Where do you s'pose her boy is?" There being no reply the speaker wenton: "I b'lieve that devil has made way with him. He acts turriblecur'us, scared and startin' at every sound," and the two walked offtowards the creek.
Half an hour later when Job returned, he asked Nathan: "Well, what doyou think o' the news, my boy?"
"Oh, is it true about the fight? How I wish I could go and help ourfolks. Father'd go quick."
"Well, well, stay where ye be. If it goes on, it's sure to strike theol' war-path," and the old ranger swept his arm towards the lake."There'll be work for us here. The sign o' that fresh water mairmaid iscomin' true agin."
They passed a week in restless, impatient waiting, when, unheralded bythe hound, Newton again entered the cabin and chanced to come face toface with the boy.
"Well, here you be," he said, without surprise and smilinggood-humoredly; "I s'pected as much t'other day when I see the extryknife an' pile o' mushrats. Say, Job, how is't? Can I speak out aforehim consarnin' the business we was talkin' on?"
"To be sure. He's close-mouthed an' he's achin' to go an' jine our folksdown in the ol' Bay Colony."
"Good; he's the same stuff as his father." He laid his friendly hand onNathan's shoulder and continued in a low, earnest voice: "There's a planall fixed to take Ti and Crown P'int. It seems a Connecticut fellernamed Brown started the thing a-goin' some weeks ago. There's nigh ontutwo hunderd and fifty men in the Grants engaged to do the job. EthanAllen commands. We muster at Beeman's Crik, day after to-morrow night.You'll be there?" Job stretched forth his hand to his friend, who warmlyclasped it.
"Me, too; let me go, too." Nathan's heart swelled with pride, and hefelt himself suddenly leaping to manhood and a place among men.
"He's a stout lad an' he handles a gun like a man. Let him come," saidJob. "But how be we goin' to git across the lake? There hain't boatsenough hereabouts to take more'n thirty men to oncet."
"Colonel Skeene's is goin' to be borrowed, an' there's a plan to gitsome more without askin' at Crown P'int; with them an' what we can pickup we'll make enough. How many'll your birch carry?"
"Six men that's used to such craft, but not one lummax."
"Well, bring it along. Everything of the boat kind'll be needed. Toombstroubles me most. He's on the fence, which means he ain't to be trusted.He'll see our men a musterin' an' s'pect what's up, an' let the garrisonknow some way. He and his Canuck has got to be watched."
"Easy done! We can tie 'em, neck an' heels, an' leave 'em to take keero' theirselves."
"Well, I'll send a guard an' see to that," Newton said as he hurriedaway to warn other settlers of the projected enterprise.
Those left began to clean their weapons carefully and prepare to mouldsome bullets. Job rehearsed his long disused manual of arms, in which hefound Nathan familiar through his close observation of the soldiers'drill at the Fort.
"You don't want to aim that way," the old man said, when, at thecommand, Nathan held his piece ready to fire with the butt end under hiselbow. "Lord, how I've heard Major Rogers swear to see the reg'larswastin' lead, shootin' int' the tree tops wi' the enemy fair afore 'em!Fightin' hain't no foolin'. Aim to kill, jes' as ye would at apa'tridge. There--that's the talk," when Nathan, following hisinstructions, laid his cheek to the stock and flashed the priming at thebreast of an imaginary foe.