Show W th M master of chan wo taink CHAPTER II 11 continued S august fifteenth when colln colin was to meet put pat at roxbury came caine warm anil and cloudless in good time tle to t make his objective before sundown tun down colln colin set bet out to meet his sweetheart with a squad of cavalry to escort him half an hour or so later amos and three of his best men were spurring their horses to over overtake talce him it if possible and save ave him from threatening peril revere had arrived at headquarters toon soon after colins departure with disturbing news lie ile reported that harry gage and patience Fayer weathers brother were in a plot to capture colln colin at roxbury that night if they get him bani I 1 give a copper penny for his bis life said revere the commander in chief had sent an oral order by the young roan man to amos farnsworth lie ile was to set out immediately with a squad in pursuit of colln colin and overtake him if possible lF falling allIng in that he fie was to look for him at the dorset house bouse and give him warning and aid it if necessary it was uie the kind of errand that amos enjoyed ills his arm was no ion longer ger in a sling mounted on his tough roan horse he led the others at top speed over the narrow winding road to Itoi roxbury bury ile he yelled like a panther at cattle teams or pedestrians ahead searing scaring women into hysterics and leaving a wake of wonder and alarm in the receding countryside colln colin and his squad had also ridden rapidly they arrived nt the dorset mansion when tile sun was low A young man in a chaise was at the door Is that colln colin cabot cabool he asked yes sir 1 I am philip dorset and I 1 bid you welcome perhaps you will like to go with me inc to meet miss thank you sir I 1 shall he glad to go and will follow you in the saddle colln colin dismissed his escort lie ile gave the boys money tor for refreshments and they rode on to find the inn at the village ge captain cabot followed the chaise they proceeded a mile or so toward the neck and came into a stretch of thick timber at a trail going down through the wooded land toward the neck used by pedestrians young dorset halted it la Is possible that she will come up this trail he said raid 1 I suggest that you wait here while I 1 go to see if she Is on the road 11 lert left alone colln colin dismounted and tied his horse to a small pine the sun was down it was growing dusk ills mare was restless yet her owner had no suspicion of the very innocent looking trap into which the young loyalist had bid led him dorset had picked up miss Fayer a quarter of a mile down the road and gone around through the village to his home saying nothing of the arrival of colin cahot cabot the eyes of unseen men were at that moment fixed upon the young captain CHAPTER III A duel tint thit led to unexpected difficulties the venerable general ward in command of the right wing at roxbury had lately met his fortner former friend general gage on the neck tor for a conference regarding a proposed exchange of prisoners there he be had issued passes good tor for twenty four hours to young harry gage and three of his friends to come through the lines on the day of the dorset wedding the rash young man had abused the privilege thus accorded him with the connivance of philip dorset three sturdy young loyalists in roxbury were hired to aid him in the wild adventure lie he had planned impatiently colln colin waited the dusk was turning into darkness he filled his bis pipe and opened tits his box of flint and tinder while striking the flint bint suspicion fell into his idle mind it was like a pebble dropping on the still surface of a pond suddenly the quiet water was stirring why this delay the suspicion was founded on no report of his eyes or ears cars although he bad heard a loud yell far hack back in the road like that of some drunken reveler still in that wild cry his ear had caught a note that alarmed him lie he checked his effort to light the pipe lie he put it and the box in his hl pocket again that ong long ringing cry ile he recognized the piercing triumphant yell of amos farnsworth l ile he had heard beard it at the end of the wrestling bouts what was the meaning of it was amos in trouble colln colin answered with a long shout that slashed through the silence like a trumpet blast re he decided to mount his mare and hasten to the borsets Dor sets ile he went to her side the saddle girth was hanging loose it t had been cut A man stepped toward him sword in hand saying baying you are my prisoner it I 1 was the voice of harry gage there was between them no idle exchange of polite civilities colin drew his sword and pistol backing against the tide side of his mare stand he shouted take take another step and I 1 will kill you tie he saw then that he was surround ed in the thickening binom he fie could see the men around him one of them had pressed upon him arid and baen cut hy by colins sword now they stood still in a breath he knew why the in of his concentration had so narrowed tits his consciousness that be h had bad not heard the galloping hoofs in IB the lie near road were ap Dro preaching aching rapidly hostilities had ha been checked by th sound to stop the colio shout gh nut 11 by irving as bacheller Bac na helles cheller copyright 1932 by br tr in inc 13 scheller service mr gasc gage I 1 ani am not yet your prisoner 11 hot by a d d sight the words rang out in the voice of amos farnsworth ile ie and his mon men had ridden down the slope in a jiffy they were oft off their horses that had enough to do to stan still and breathe amos and his men with drawn sabers piled into the squabble the conspirators were prepared only for the overpowering of 0 colin cabot they had not expected to meet a number of fighting men prepared for or deadly combat only three of tarm were 1 k v the principals advanced and the fight began armed it was no difficult matter to upset their plans within a minute peace was declared and only one Br had to be nicked and he got it plenty when he tried to grab my saber the am bushers surrendered and were disarmed one of amos riders was sent to wards camp for a wagon to convey the wounded men to the right wing hospital colln colin said turning to harry gage 1 I understand you now dow you wish to get me out of your way 1 I sought only an adjustment of our personal affairs sir young gage answered you would have been well treated sir then why do you try to capture me by violence in the darkness it Is a dirty plot the kind of thing to be expected from a man who annoys a lady with unwelcome attentions you insult me and I 1 resent it said gage if you must know my reason I 1 intended to prevent the dearest girl in the world from throwing herself away on a worthless fellow you were to be married tonight and I 1 had to act promptly my purpose has the approval of her best friends if you are a man you will tight fight me ile he flung his glove in colins face the answer of the young american was la these calmly spoken words your blood Is hot and you speak with out thinking I 1 asli ask you to consider what may happen to you and these foolish friends of yours you are in the country 1 I care not what may happen the young answered unless you are a coward you will tight me it Is enough said colln colin you shall have your imbt amos build a good tire fire in the road and have hae these men guarded I 1 reckon all want to the see the show well tight with our swords the old pioneer quickly gathered a heap of twigs and dry sticks and soon there was nn an island of light flaring upward and outward colin drew his blade it had been the grand in a long tournament choose your second sir and lets get through with this mine will he captain farnsworth and mine will be david said gage in the gloom colln colin had not recognized the brother of his sweetheart the men gathered in a line with the contestants between them and the ire fire colln colin and harry gage took tonic olt off their coats and rolled up their right sleeves to the elbow our wager will be the girl said gage the girl should be consulted but it if you beat me I 1 win will agree to becom mend you colln colin answered 1 I would be unworthy of cpr amos had a pistol in each hand ile he was in a bad temper ile he gave gare this impolite warning to the prisoners from now on you lobsters have got to behave you grab hold 0 one nother an hang on if ye git me ve vexed ved any more yell he sorry the advice of amos was given with slight regard for privacy it was brief and 1 I want t to see ape ye ram a hole in that thai skunks kitten as soon noon as its convenient an proper the principals conferred with their seconds tile the word was given the principals advanced and the tight began amos Farn account of the bloody adventure Is given give below it made him famous in the army they hopped around hetten hett ln blade agin ag in blade ter for a minute which that 1 englishman was as spry as a cat ills eyes swore an my own any too proper which its sure ns as shoot ln satan had his hand on my rh shoulder my ily boy was as pert an good natured as a new in minister inister there nas a lot 0 babkin up an jumping forwards for ards lards like lie a n hoss hosa stumps stump I 1 see that he be knowel how to handle himself perfect ye hear to me he was a sight with ills his left hand up in tle the air rn big ahli right one as busy as the bill of 0 a wook liecker limber I 1 god 0 moses that straight broad shouldered cuss swayed an stepped so fast it tired my eyes it was a thins thing to see by 0 d it wasl waal which there aint no mistake ile he kep that youngster busy st abbin ln the air till his lungs was say did ye ever soe see a man moe when a hornet Is a ride on his neck ile he sits gits tile the spur an lie dont dally daily ye hear benr me son it aint no spryer than colln colin cahot cabot alien be sprung his bow an shoved tits his blade through the right arm 0 that an got away bing 1 I ban bang 1 I went the Britis hers sword on the ground which his shirt an breeches were curnin red ile he looked nt at ills his arm an tumbled over sly my boy jumped ferard an corded the husted busted arm with his neck raga rag I 1 had a atile pot 0 pitch an some clean bandages in my saddlebag saddle bag g in a few minutes we got him patched up snug an reg lar athars a lot more but I 1 wont tell it cause it puts my soul in danger when athars a dead cat in the wil its a good idee to stop us usan n the water seems so I 1 can never spin a good yarn without the help 0 the lord an when I 1 git through I 1 need it moren ever thus at the edge of dangerous footing he was wont to stop suddenly with due allowance for personal prejudice it was in the main a correct account of the battle it was colins generosity that rolled him amos wanted to take the whole bunch of lobsters to the guard house for the punishment they deserved colin said to his bis defeated foe 1 I will take you back to the line and let you go home young david stepped forward and offered colin his hand band saying you are a gentleman sir I 1 have seen no better swordsman and I 1 am sure there was never a more generous victor I 1 can no ion longer ge r oppose your wish to marry my sister colln colin did not thank him ile he was in no friendly mooil mood lie ile wiped the perspiration from his brow saying you have treated me rather badly I 1 can forget it you I 1 ou know me here Is your chance to make amends please go now to the borsets Dor sets and glie ghe your sister my love bring her out on the road to cambridge in the morning I 1 will meet you near the roxbury turn at nine I 1 must see her but in view of what has happened I 1 cannot go to the borsets Dor sets when does your pass expire ily pass Is good until tomorrow at sundown david promised this favor and set out afoot for the dorset house the wagon had come for the two wounded men both of whom were young loyalists who lived in roxbury and were in a sorry state of mind what are we to say one of the them m asked colin flung his words at them you sneaks you crow keepers you lousy tick eaten dogs that lick the dirty feet of a king I 1 be true to the land you live in and give us a chance to think better of you one of the mercenary youths an we are minded to join the american army sir we live came here only to earn two pounds apiece we are poor we needed the money sir well youre a heap of rubbish but WWII well do our best with you tell them you got into a skirmish between the british and some massachusetts men and that you are patriots the wagon drone droe away with the wounded boys and their lint uninjured injured comrade colin and amos escorted harry gage arid and ills his friend to the line and having menfred the cut saddle girth set out for camp riding close together they began to discuss the events of tile the evening amos told of the command from general headquarters that he ride down the road to roxbury with three armed men and overtake captain cabot it if possible POR po sible and falling in that to look for him film at the Dor borsets sets and bring him hack back to cambridge these were his words 1 I that news 0 danger nad come in we rode fast tout bout a mile up the road I 1 let a yell out 0 me enough to wake like the dead which I 1 cheered nn an answer down near the neck an I 1 knowel it was you in two minutes they would have had me helpless said colln colin theres no telling ant what would have happened I 1 should probably he a prisoner on th the BrI british tItz somerset which UPS lies in tile the hir bar br bor near the IN neck leek I 1 suppose that harry gage and dave had bed organized a raid across i the une line to start on a signal they have influence enough to do it without the knowledge of 0 general gage your coming ns as you did broke the pretty plan we got them and we had to get then them off our hands bands harry gage would have been an embarrassing embarrass ln piece of property why lg is opposed to duels and if gage had gone to the guardhouse I 1 should have been up before the commander in chief for a breach of discipline and the whole tittle little episode would he be the talk of the army now nobody need know that there was a duel unless your men go to blabbing keep them quiet I 1 did roy my best to saip him but that pig brained fool had to be slashed lie ile hankered ter fer it an I 1 was glad to see you put a leak in his hide which v h I 1 c hill ill haie hae to lie ile like a child 0 q satan atrain in that report talat taint the fust time I 1 guess we its what the lord I ord would expect 0 me ive got so many sins to be paid for it might as well be thrower anthe heap well I 1 guess the lord likes peace and mercy about as well as he be likes truth im not crazy to be a hero and get some follow fellow hung or writhing under the cato cat o etah lets call it a little row with some drunken loyalists whom we met on the road id lie he any day to save the honor of a lady or to prevent a lot of unnecessary suffering buffering came a few moments of silence broken only by the creak of saddle leather and the plodding hoofs of their horses amos was first to speak it if god hears us I 1 wonder if lie he was wail laughin a beetle the ren arli arl cleared the air and both captains began to laugh amos was rarely in a merry mood when it came it was like a thunder storm after a drought drou glit with rio no sign of restraint it in well anyhow I 1 guess hell be in no mood to send us to h I 1 said colln colin if ile he Is I 1 reckon there wont be folks enough in heaven to keep each other from bein lonesome which I 1 like company an plenty of it evry day I 1 pray to have the flint took out 0 me an I 1 pray ter fer my neighbors an the hull town cause it if the lord god lets me in I 1 dont don want to he be lonesome like ive been on that or ol farm 1 I dont think youve any cause to worry I 1 dont think that an honest man has any need to tremble and be afraid you tackled those raiders like a man |