Altsheler, Joseph - [Novel 05]

by A Herald Of The West (lit)

  " Good night, Captain Dubosc," I said; " and please remember, until you are out of it, that this is a neutral country, and we do not approve of murder here."

  He was sitting upon one of the slides, all his strength returned, but he did not reply.

  The spy and I stood side by side on the bank, watch ing the departing boat. The sailor was doing all the rowing, and the captain was sitting on a slide with his face toward us. The ship had swung toward the shore to meet him. I saw Dubosc say something to the sailor, and the boat began to curve around the ship, as if he would board her on the far side.

  The little spy suddenly threw himself upon me with all 'his weight, seizing me by the shoulders and dragging me down. His action was so quick that I had no time to resist, and we fell in a heap. I heard the report of a pistol, and a bullet whistled through the air where my

  ON A FRENCH DECK. 103

  "head had been five seconds before. Dubosc was standing up in the boat, his empty pistol, still smoking at the muzzle, in his hand.

  I sprang to my feet and snatched out my own pistol, but the boat had passed around the curve of La Eochelle's prow and Dubosc was hidden from me.

  " I think we'd better step back a little," said the spy; " a treacherous shot from the ship would reach us."

  We walked farther away, but La Eochelle changed her course again, and bore out toward the middle of the stream. I saw a short thick figure appear upon her deck, and I knew it was that of Captain Dubosc.

  The spy and I stood where we were and watched La Eochelle fade away into the darkness, until only the gray river and the dim shores were left.

  We stood there at least a minute staring at the bank of darkness into which the French sloop had disappeared. Then I turned to the spy.

  " What is your name? " I asked.

  "Henry Ketcham."

  " Then I want to say, Mr. Henry Ketcham, that you pulled me down just in time."

  " And I want to say, Mr. What's-your-name, that you cut the rope that tied my arms just in time."

  " Which makes us even."

  " Which makes us even."

  I looked at him. His red whiskers, notched at the edge like a saw, stood out defiantly, but I liked the little scamp.

  " What were you doing prowling around there watch ing that boat? " I asked.

  " Saving my country. What were you doing prowl ing around there watching me? "

  " Saving my country."

  " Again we are even."

  " Again we are even."

  I liked him more and more.

  104: A HERALD OF THE WEST.

  " Eemember, Mr. Henry Ketcham, of England," I said, " that you are my prisoner."

  " All right, Mr. What's-your-name, I don't forget."

  " Then pass me that pistol of yours."

  He handed it to me.

  " Any other weapon about you? " I asked.

  " None."

  " On your honour? "

  " On my honour."

  I thrust his pistol in my pocket to keep company with my own.

  " I am responsible for your safety until about noon to-morrow," I said; " come."

  He tramped along obediently by my side. Far away I saw a single dim ray, and I knew that it was one of the many lights of Philadelphia. Toward that light we trudged industriously.

  I was in fine spirits.

  We passed two or three watchmen, who looked in quiringly at the big man and the little man stalking solemnly side by side, Ketcham almost hid in my shadow, but they said nothing. At last we reached the tavern, and I notified the landlord that my friend, Mr. Ketcham, was to sleep in one of the beds in my room that night, and he said all right. The rooms in our American taverns often contain as many as four, five, or six beds, and the more tenants a landlord can find for them, the better for him.

  We went up to my room and I lighted a candle.

  " See that bed," I said to Ketcham, pointing to one in the corner. " You sleep there, and don't for get that you are my prisoner; don't go away in the night."

  Then I tumbled into my own bed and slept well, being aided therein by a sound conscience and a satis fied mind.

  I awoke late, and found that Ketcham was dressing.

  ON A FRENCH DECK. 105

  " I was just going to waken you," he said; " I was afraid you'd sleep all day."

  I thanked him and took him to breakfast. There I inquired about the French sloop of war La Rochelle. The night had been dark, had she taken advantage of it and slipped down the river? Yes, she had, and it was said that the English consul was in a great flurry about it, as he knew nothing of her departure until this morn ing, and he was afraid she would escape the English fleets on the coast. These were inquiries that I could make without arousing suspicion of anything more than a mere general interest, for naturally everybody was curious about the French sloop and her chances of es cape.

  Ketcham ate a very hearty breakfast. It is strange what a prodigious appetite little men often have.

  As the English consul now knew of La Ilochelle's de parture it might seem that I had no further use for Ketcham; but not so. He might have some system of communication far surpassing that of the consul's, and I was bound to give La Rochelle a good start, Cap tain Dubosc or no Captain Dubosc. No; I would hold Ketcham for most of the day, thus making sure of him, and I determined, while I was about it, to enlight en him also, in order that there might be no waste of time.

  "Are you through, Ketcham?" I asked, when I saw him wiping his lips with his handkerchief.

  " Yes," he said, giving one longing look at the table, upon which nothing was left save the dishes.

  " Then come with me."

  "We took our hats and walked out into the street. After a night of trouble or peril, the daylight is glorious, whether it comes with sunshine, or rain, or snow. This morning it came with sunshine, bright, shimmering, and pervading. It gilded the red bricks of Philadelphia, and crept into the darkest corners, covering dirt and soot

  8

  106 A HERALD OF THE WEST.

  with leaf gold thinner, finer, and more lustrous than ever goldbeater beat.

  I looked up at the sparkling heavens, and down at the gleaming city.

  " Ketcham," I said, " it is better to be here than down yonder at the bottom of the river, tied hand and foot."

  " Better, far better," he said in tones of deep con viction.

  " Ketcham," I continued, " I am now going to take you on a little tour of the city for your own benefit."

  " I shall be pleased to go with you," he replied.

  I led him through the busy streets to Carpenters' Hall.

  " Come in, Ketcham," I said. " There are some things in here that I want to show to an Englishman."

  He followed me obediently into the building. I took him to the room in which the first Continental Congress had met.

  " Ketcham," I said, " the first American Congress met here to devise plans to protect the thirteen colonies from the arrogance and tyranny of Great Britain and her ruler, George the Third. Take a good look at it, impress it on your memory."

  He looked all around the room.

  " You have seen it ? " I asked.

  " I have seen it."

  " See that chair over there! I've no doubt that John Adams sat in it, and John Adams was a great and a wise man."

  " I see it."

  "And that other chair over there, perhaps Patrick Henry sat in it; Patrick Henry was a great and wise man too, and he made some good speeches about the arro gance and tyranny of kings."

  " I see it."

  " And who can say that the immortal George Wash-

  ON A FRENCH DECK. 107

  ington himself has no't looked through that window? You have heard of George Washington. He gave a great check to the pride of kings."

  " I see the window. I have heard of him."

  We walked solemnly out of Carpenters' Hall, and I took him to Independence Hall.

  " Be sure to take off your hat when you enter here, Mr. K
etcham," I said.

  " My hat is off," he replied.

  He was holding it in his hand.

  I led him to the room in which the Declaration of Independence was written and signed.

  " Do you see this ro'om, Mr. Ketcham ? " I asked.

  " I see it."

  " Then remember it, for here was drawn up an im mortal document, called the American Declaration of In dependence, which will serve as a warning for all time to all monarchs and tyrants, especially those of Great Britain."

  " I will remember it."

  " See that chair over there; maybe in that very chair sat the great and glorious Thomas Jefferson, still living, thank Heaven; the man who wrote, * All men are born free and with equal rights.' ' :

  " I see it."

  " And over there in that chair perhaps sat Benja min Franklin, who was most potent in stirring the thir teen colonies to rightful rebellion against the tyranny of their English rulers."

  " I see it."

  "And that window over there perhaps the famous Alexander Hamilton himself, the framer of our blessed Constitution, looked through it."

  " I see it."

  Hamilton wasn't there, but I didn't mind that.

  We returned to the streets, and on our way to the tav ern I said to Ketcham:

  108 A HERALD OF THE WEST.

  " See these streets, Mr. Ketcham; perhaps through this very street the discomfited Howe marched when he and the British army fled forever from Philadelphia."

  " I see them."

  "We walked on. I felt pride and satisfaction; I had taught one Englishman a lesson. Little Ketcham trotted meekly by my side. Presently he pulled gently at my arm, and I stopped.

  He pointed to a small building, over which floated the British flag.

  " Ah, yes, I see," I said; " it is the home of the Brit ish consul."

  " See that flag that the wind hlows out from the staff ahove?" he said; "it is the flag that flew over the English ships in Aboukir Bay when they destroyed the great fleet that had brought Napoleon and his army to Egypt."

  " I see it."

  " Stand nearer the corner here, you can get a better view of it; that is the flag that streamed in the wind over the immortal Nelson and his men when they crushed the naval power of combined France and Spain on the bloody day of Trafalgar."

  "I see it."

  " Come to the edge of the sidewalk here and you can get a better view of the red in it; that's the flag that Marlborough carried at Blenheim, when the English won against odds one of the decisive battles of the world; it's the same flag that waved at Eamillies and Malplaquet, and it waved to the same purpose."

  " I see it."

  " Look how the wind sports around it, as if it liked it; that is the flag that Olive carried at Plassey, when England won a new world in Asia. Notice the flag well and remember it."

  " I remember it."

  " Come over here and you can get still another view

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  of it; that's the flag that waved over the fleet of Effing- ham when it turned back the Spanish Armada and saved the world from enslavement. Do you see it? "

  " I see it."

  We walked side by side, but in silence, to the tavern. There I anounced to him that his term of imprisonment was over and he could go.

  " But before you leave, Mr. Ketcham," I said, " I want to tell you that I like you."

  " And I like you, Mr. Ten Broeck."

  " Shake hands."

  We shook, and he left.

  I want to say again that he was a brave man, true grit, worthy to be a Kentuckian.

  CHAPTER X.

  ANOTHER SIDE OF A PURITAN.

  IT was my intention to leave the next morning for New York. Philadelphia had its attractions for me, but I had stayed long enough on the northward journey, and then New York would most likely offer pleasures, too, and I would have another chance at Philadelphia on the return trip.

  I presented one of my letters to Hezekiah Broadhent, a rich merchant of the Quaker persuasion, by whom I was entertained most hospitably, though he seemed to think that the Western people were rough and wanting in a due respect for the richer and older East, and after a pleasant evening I strolled back to the tavern, where I found both Mercer and Courtenay waiting for me, much to my surprise and my equal pleasure. Mercer explained that legal business in Washington being so dull he had decided to take a northern journey, and Courtenay, who was doing nothing, readily agreed to come with him. They had arrived at the tavern in the evening stage coach, and, hearing that I was there too, concluded to travel with me. Of course I was glad to have them, and asked them the news of Washington, was everybody well? and thus asking after each I came to Marian Pen- dleton.

  " She is still the handsomest woman in Washington," said Mercer.

  " Did she send any word to me? " I asked.

  " No/' he replied, a trifle shortly. 110

  ANOTHER SIDE OP A PURITAN.

  I took no offence, for a moment's reflection showed me that if she intended any message to me she would be likely to choose some other messenger.

  I was delighted at the arrival of Mercer and Courte- nay. I would now have comrades in seeing the world, and if the right of choice had been left to me I would have chosen these very two. Before going to breakfast in the morning I made an announcement.

  " Boys," I said, " I have seen enough already to know that the tour of the North and the East in this good year 1811 is not without danger; remember that, what ever happens, we are to stick by each other."

  " We three together! " we said, and, having pledged our faith as comrades in all sincerity, we took break fast.

  Major Northeote, who seemed to have become my shadow, or I his, was standing beside the stagecoach when we arrived there.

  " You see you can not shake me off," he said jest ingly.

  He nodded to Mercer and Courtenay, whom he knew, and we took our places, as the driver cracked his whip for the start.

  Now that we were on the high road between the lar gest two cities of the country we noticed that the travel was growing heavier, and we met people in their own coaches and others on horseback. Some of our passen gers seemed to be men of note, substantial merchants of New York and Philadelphia travelling on business, and their talk was all of the prospective war and its effects upon trade. There were no women or children in the coach.

  We made the acquaintance of these men very easily, and, at their suggestion, joined in the conversation with them. In the West we seldom looked beyond our own continent, and that had once been my own outlook, but I soon noticed that these Eastern merchants took a wider

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  view, and included all the lands and seas in their cal culations.

  I paid special attention to one of the merchants, a man of fifty or more, very staid and sober of coun tenance, and clothed in sombre garb, like a Quaker or Puritan. He asked me many sharp questions about the West, and I noticed that he used scriptural texts very freely. I set him down as a pious man from Boston or Salem. He seemed to be horrified at the thought of war.

  " A war with Great Britain will be fatal to our sea board towns/' he said.

  I did not think we should sacrifice everything for the sake of the seaboard towns, and said so, but he was aghast at the suggestion, thus giving me a good idea of the timidity with which wealth views all political dis turbances.

  Finding that we were from "Washington, and that I had been in the Government service, they put us to as searching a cross-examination as a lawyer ever inflicts upon a witness. But we were in nowise loath, and an swered all their questions about the disposition of the Government, and the pressure put upon it by others, as directly and promptly as we could. The puritanical looking man was the shrewdest of our questioners, and I soon discovered that he was really a merchant of Boston, and that his name was Jonathan Starbuck.

  Thus talking, we became well acquainted with each other, all except Major Northcote, whose silence the others
respected, for they saw at once that he was not an American, and we three did not even say that we knew him.

  I did not notice until we were far on the road to New York that the fair weather with which we had started was not to accompany us all the way. In fact, the warmth had been a little too great for that time of the year. The atmosphere soon became close, and the wind ceased. One breathed then with difficulty, as if the heavi-

  ANOTHER SIDE OF A PUEITAN. H3

  ness of the air clogged the lungs. The conversation be gan to lag, for it was an effort to talk. In the southeast a little cloud appeared, just peeping over the rim of the earth.

  The driver whipped his horses, and they broke into a trot. As they were a fresh relay, and we had a good bit of road before us, the coach spun along at a fine gait. It rattled much, and hub complained loudly to axle, but the increased speed created a breeze for us which cooled our faces, and to some extent the air came purer to our lungs.

  On the heavy coach swept, and Felix called my atten tion to the cloud in the southwest. It was not now a baby cloud hugging the earth, but in the vigour of grow ing and increasing youth was creeping up the circle of the southwestern heavens, large enough to fling a gray shadow over that part of the earth.

  When we stopped at a little brook to water the horses, the air became breathless again. Trees, twigs, blades of grass were as stiff as if they were made of immovable stone. The heat seemed to increase, and the air became denser and heavier.

  The southwest began to groan, and the darkness spread from that quarter to all the heavens. The air was gray and misty. All of us were silent, watching the storm as it came. The western clouds turned from gray into a black, through which a dark blue tint shone. Suddenly they parted, as if beneath the stroke of a sword, and a long streak of fire, extending from the cen tre of the heavens to the western earth, cut the sky. Most of us started in our seats.