Show f 17 C 11 by irving bacheller Bache IIer copyright 1932 by irvins Bec hollor seri sen ice CHAPTER V continued 8 colln colin had been ordered to escort an engineer with ith a squad of his regiment to the neighborhood of dorchester heights amos farnsworth was a member of the squad they reached the lines of general ward on dorchester neck there was a big unfortified hill on the line colln colin and amos climbed to its top with the engineer and a young lieutenant from wards headquarters they surveyed with a spyglass spy glass the long stretch of shore no part of which was more than a mile away A ship had been beached by a recent storm and was lying with tilted masts in shallow water almost almos directly north of them that hill near the shore south of the ship phlp Is occupied by a british hattery battery berj said colln colin in the foreground three british marines were driving a small herd of tattle cattle toward nooks hill colln colin was quick to understand the situation the cattle were from the stranded ship they would be driven around nooks still near ahe the end of january the commander in chief sent for colin till lill and ferried over to boston neck they were not half a mile away and there was a good cover of scrub oaks for a part of the journey amos we can get those cattle la in a quick dash he said come on they ran down the hill and mounting their horses galloped to wards headquarters where to in these words colln colin announced his bis plan general a few marines are driving a herd of cattle across the peninsula not five minutes from here ill capture them with my squad if cover coer us ua coming back go ahead said the general in half a minute colin and ills his ten horsemen with amos in the lead on his fast roan gelding were speeding toward the british line the marines saw them coming and fled the raiding squad headed the cattle westward there was lively skirmishing ahead between the troops of ward and the redcoats the raiders were in among the trees when a british battery on the flats in the east began to fire at them the herd and the horsemen were near the limit of cannon range the balls crashed into the trees behind them and did no damage general ward had sent out two regiments to cover the return of the raiders A force approaching from boston neck was quickly put to light flight so the two captains came into the right wing of the army with eleven head of cattle in good condition CHAPTER VI which presents a historic love letter and gives an account of the moving of the guns of ticonderoga by ox train to dorchester heights until winter came the time and energy of many officers olli cers were largely spent in marching men to their homes and in bringing fresh companies to camp the process taxed cd the slender resources of the paymaster the new men were of better belter metal than those mho had left tle steere cre and his friends had bad hullt built a mill for the making of saltpeter sal and same line lucky captures had been made oft off the coast by american america n gunboats gun boats powder was in better supply the army at cambridge Catu bridge had now a residuum of devoted men trained for real service news of the defeat at quebec and the death of montgomery and the capture of the wounded arnold had not dampened their ardor stories of the incredible hardships endured by arnolds men in their long march through the wilderness of dog meat rations and mired horses and sick men and abandoned guns were told at every campfire cani ire the rider of the white horse had a solemn face as ho he went about the camp tie he passed when the two captains were in front of their regimental headquarters a squad of men rolling bullets that man Is worried colin said to amos ills days are shadowed with peril it flavors favors his big food some nights he sleeps bleeps in his bli breeches iab with a sword beside him and a saddle horse at the bloor this army Is like the young david and the british are goliath with a staff like a weavers blam beam you hear to me hoy boy oil 0 loll 1011 will stay may in his tent sat all amos why do you say that theres hills in his way an his legs Is tired what hills bunker hill an breeds hill by G d beggin beg gln his pardon it if a seen what I 1 seen an heared what 1 I lie cred the lord god knows yer talk allgus be so cam an proper which aint no decent christian words that fit the case none whatever ei or at all ye hear to me boy ive lived forty four year an one hell bell beller ln night that spills its deviltry into my sleep eier since an wakes me up a yellin wed fit the british all day an that night we wrestled led with death an satan over the spalt men which I 1 can smell blood when I 1 think on it IL some on em looked like a tree hit by lightning light nin heads broke an lopped over faces tore ragged bellies ripped open lungs leakin legs hacked backed every one strapped down surgeons sewen em up an oft off legs an arms some 0 the hurt men was numb an halt half dead which they make no more noise than a bush when ye cut off a sprout some jest clenched their teeth an grunted too proud to holler I 1 most on em yelled like a pig when ye shove the knife in him some prayed to god for fer help an mercy was two boys nigh me that sobbed like whipped youn guns some som e cursed an swore like they was mad to the hone bone bodami Go dami lital the suf dufferin ferin ln was enough to wither yer cars which sir an god cod be my witness was them that cheered it a mile away them boys was in the fix 0 a man chained to a hot griddle it was hell bell for fer us hut but it was liell hell an wildcats Ild cats for fer the british honest I 1 like I 1 was sp cp eakin to god was lead enough put in them poor lobsters to sink a ship ye hear to me boy they dont like our way when they think on it they git kind 0 sick to their micks they druther wait hopin well starve an break up these tortures in the hospital are apart a part of the wickedness of kin craft said colin 1 I have read of battles but never until now have I 1 realized what comes at the end of them 11 oh ive only told ye a part on it when the be begins ins to rot nn an turn blue ye got to go under the straps an be sawed an slashed agin which yer heart Is likely to give up like a sick ox an lay down an it kicks a little while an stops there ought to be some way to ease the pain said colln colin who had learned something of th the dawning science of chemistry all we poor devils can do Is give our bodies to be burned fer liberty as our fathers done mine aint much to give its baumly as an ol 01 log house which my hands Is rocks an my cords Is iron have ye the idee that god Is a helpin of us im afraid not well sir I 1 have to me its sure as sho shooting shoot otin ln what are your reasons athars four breeds hill an dunker bunker hill kep the british off our backs next the bible ye know jesus went on without no scrip in his purse which he to us to leave father an mother an wife an lands an money next nest washington the army would a broke up an gone hum long ago with any other man whatsoever which ill tell ye why the men ali all put him next nest to god alaback a back slid on the bible but he puts a brake on em we took look up to him like he be was our father iles hes got us conquered which aint a man here that die for fer him an ye know it as well as I 1 do id die fer him in a minute uh hull huh I 1 would one day they had a man tied up in our rig ament an was a doggin of him for fer desertion the man ilan on the white horse come along an stopped it an give the colonel hell bell Th arll be no more in this army says he well hang bang deserters if I 1 think its nes lessary sary but any officer who orders a flogging flog gln gin will be punished the men cheered an thrower up their caps which ye hear to me hes a big heman beman he be man a chose man reason number four Is the lady washington uh hul aint no doubt 0 that ashes a grand woman which aint no mistake ashes a mother to the army uh huh ay uhl uh she Is a re aar mother A noble woman colln colin exclaimed the personality of the chief has won the faith of every man in camp and she helps him to keep it there are no more desertions it if you read your bible learn that falth faith is a big thin thing which I 1 know it well an god be praised that autumn amos speculated in older elder and chestnuts and shared his cariln earnings s with certain men of the regiment whose families were in need of help it was an anxious time of training and preparation for troubles that did not come snow fell early in the new year while it covered the ground the virginia boys and those of massachusetts and rhode island engaged in a snowball battle the air was white with the lying flying missiles it began in gobil natured d rivalry but with damp snow such a contest was nas sure to result u lt in sundry casualties they aroused aro used a degree of feeling which had grown to outspoken emotional intensity when washington rode into the battle on his white horse tie ile dismounted and gave two virginians a shaking this ended the quarrel the men began to scatter those remaining on the field were severely rebuked and the colonels of 0 the regiments engaged were sent for and summoned to general headquarters there was no more sectional disturbance every day the army was ready for a spring at the enemy and why an attack was not made Is perhaps the greatest mystery of the whole campaign winter had come and the british army had enough to do to keep itself alive in the bitter winds it had bad wrecked many louises and pulled down the old north church for fuel rafters chich had supported the first roofs in boston doors and floors and sills which had felt the hands find and feet of the ow fathers were now the firewood of their enemies near the end of january the commander in chief sent bent for colin the young man got a hearty bearty welcome from the rider of the white horse when they were alone in the office general washington sat down at his desk saying captain of late we have seen too little of you my good wife complains of it and I 1 confess that I 1 have missed your pleasant face and your enlivening conversation at a suitable time which I 1 hope may come soon sonn I 1 shall r send end you on a mission until then I 1 trust you may find it agreeable to make my house your home and give m me e help with the growing correspondence I 1 have here a letter which I 1 am sure you will be glad to receive it came by the hand of revere this afternoon you may retire with it to the library where mrs washington will presently join you as eager for news of the young lady I 1 venture to say as you are yourself the last sentence was spoken with a good natured smiling amusement that was near to laughter colln colin went to the library and sat down alone with his letter it was from pat and this Is the letter my beloved one you tou are only four miles away but they are like the miles on jacobs ladder the war goes on and no passes are allowed I 1 am a selfish creature not as much in love with future generations as you are I 1 have nothing to say against them but I 1 hate to have them rob me with taxes worse than those of the king for mind you they take our happiness winter weather Is here and I 1 have only a memory to keep me warm love and none of its emoluments I 1 think of that you have work and its excitement I 1 have nothing to do but think nothing to eat but codfish nothing to hear but praise of the king and abuse of washington I 1 am a lonely island in a sea of trouble and I 1 feel in need of being discovered my mother tells me that I 1 do nothing but babble of love and you I 1 shall not fill this letter with it but I 1 am eager to know it if you have any plan for getting helen out of troy there Is a fat old woman with long iong gray hairs on her chin who sells apples in the british army she comes through the lines every day or two in my most romantic moments I 1 plan to dress myself like this woman and go through the lines and I 1 design to bribe her to help me so I 1 may come and try to sell you an apple sote some day if so I 1 hope you may be as obliging as adam was to eve did you ever read that book entitled home life in the american colonies it reads like a glowing account of paradise I 1 could write a hook book on home life that would amuse you there are days when we have nothing to eat but smoked fish and onions when I 1 to tell 11 my father that our sufferings suffering S are for the benefit of future generations he swears poor soul and declares that the rebels will ruin him mother weeps I 1 occupy the middle ground our last beef and mutton came from england father calls it musty and baser flattery I 1 have never heard often it squirms my father says that the british army Is in a bad way he describes its plan of financing as chaos with 0 overlapping ONer o er lapping powers mercenaries impressed men and high officers who are political favorites give this army a better liking tor for ease and comfort than tor for action ile he Is displeased 1 I found a word in the dictionary today that applies to us it Is peevish we are locked in here cloyed with codfish and swaggering army talk and never a sign of peace help I 1 my aunt betsy says that the comforting affections of the right man would make a woman of me have you any loom comforting affections in you if so BO I 1 would like to see how they look and feel at least let me read about them as soon as possible and do not fall to give my love to dear lady washington and the grand general now it if I 1 have not made you feel the hunger and thirst in me I 1 am a poor letter writer pat colln colin had finished a second reading of the letter when lady washington entered the room she kissed the SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS at boston in july 1775 collo colin cabot cabal ardent youny young lover of liberty bids goodby good by to h hi is sweetheart patience apat pot dau daughter bt r of 1 a loyalist but herself a rebel ho he joins tho the revolutionary army at cambridge and I 1 tj s mustered into inta the company of I 1 capt amos amo farnsworth colln colin impresses washington and he en makes allies him his informal secretary with tho the rank rack of c captain a plat n A letter from pat tells colin she he ia I 1 to visit friends outside the american lines and ask iliin him to meet re her he setout sets learning of a british plot to capture col colin farnsworth with a troop rides to the rescue A british patrol ld ird L d by harry hari y gage cage colica call n rival for or the hand of pat threatens the farnsworth Farna worth y young patriot and his troop cagne me up gage coe cb 11 nes colln colin to a d 1 they fit fiehl and d gate cogo 1 is wounded colln colin returns to C cambridge am washington having forbidden dueling reduces him to the ranks but mrs wash washington ng affectionately irown mown to the army ar Y as lady washington remains his stanch friend end restored to his rank for far meritorious service colin Is sent with col sim botts bolts a civilian sald soldier ler on an a recruiting recruit ina mission in tb the e meet meeta a typical pioneer woman mrs bowlby A b band n of d indians indiana Is outwitted by her brultz bravery and it sla with many r recruits collo call 90 coes back to cambridge Carn bidge man and sat down checking bw compliments with a serious look and the command stop dont say a word until you have told me all about rat pat she dropped her knitting on her lap while he read the letter aloud to her now and then she interrupted him laughing with amusement as she sha said read that sentence again when the reading ended she exclaimed 1 I want to know I 1 did you ever see the like of 0 that girl the wit snapper she writes as she talks its a kind of playing when one Is as young ns as pat and I 1 are love Is the great thing the wisdom of 0 god has made it so and that Is not to be overlooked how about your own heart are you getting more in love or less well she knew what the answer would |