rolf in the woods-第58章

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all　times。　They　were　trotting　and　walking　in　spells；　going　five

miles　an　hour；　Quonab　was　suffering；　but　Rolf　was　young　and　eager

to　finish。　They　rounded　another　reach；　they　were　now　on　the　last

big　bend；　they　were　reeling　off　the　miles；　only　ten　more；　and

Rolf　was　so　stirred　that；　instead　of　dropping　to　the　usual　walk

on　signal　at　the　next　one　hundred　yards　spell；　he　added　to　his

trot。　Quonab；　taken　unawares；　slipped　and　lost　his　hold　of　the

trace。　Rolf　shot　ahead　and　a　moment　later　there　was　the　crash　of

a　breaking　air…hole；　and　Rolf　went　through　the　ice；　clutched　at

the　broken　edge　and　disappeared；　while　the　toboggan　was　dragged

to　the　hole。



Quonab　sprung　to　his　feet；　and　then　to　the　lower　side　of　the

hole。　The　toboggan　had　swung　to　the　same　place　and　the　long　trace

was　tight；　without　a　moment's　delay　the　Indian　hauled　at　it

steadily；　heavily；　and　in　a　few　seconds　the　head　of　his　companion

reappeared；　still　clutching　that　long　trace　he　was　safely　dragged

from　the　ice…cold　flood；　blowing　and　gasping；　shivering　and

sopping；　but　otherwise　unhurt。



Now　here　a　new　danger　presented　itself。　The　zero　wind　would　soon

turn　his　clothes　to　boards。　They　stiffened　in　a　few　minutes；　and

the　Indian　knew　that　frozen　hands　and　feet　were　all　too　easy　in

frozen　clothes。



He　made　at　once　for　the　shore；　and；　seeking　the　heart　of　a　spruce

thicket；　lost　no　time　in　building　two　roaring　fires　between　which

Rolf　stood　while　the　Indian　made　the　bed；　in　which；　as　soon　as　he

could　be　stripped；　the　lad　was　glad　to　hide。　Warm　tea　and　warm

blankets　made　him　warm；　but　it　would　take　an　hour　or　two　to　dry

his　clothes。　There　is　nothing　more　damaging　than　drying　them　too

quickly。　Quonab　made　racks　of　poles　and　spent　the　next　two　hours

in　regulating　the　fire；　watching　the　clothes；　and　working　the

moccasins。



It　was　midnight　when　they　were　ready　and　any　question　of　going　on

at　once　was　settled　by　Quonab。　〃Ogdensburg　is　under　arms；〃　he

said。　〃It　is　not　wise　to　approach　by　night。〃



At　six　in　the　morning　they　were　once　more　going；　stiff　with

travel；　sore…footed；　face…frozen；　and　chafed　by　delay；　but；　swift

and　keen；　trotting　and　walking；　they　went。　They　passed　several

settlements；　but　avoided　them。　At　seven…thirty　they　had　a　distant

glimpse　of　Ogdensburg　and　heard　the　inspiring　roll　of　drums；　and

a　few　minutes　later　from　the　top　of　a　hill　they　had　a　complete

view　of　the　heroic　little　town　to　see　　yes！　plainly　enough　

that　the　British　flag　was　flying　from　the　flag　pole。







Chapter　70。　Saving　the　Despatches



Oh；　the　sickening　shock　of　it！　Rolf　did　not　know　till　now　how

tired　he　was；　how　eager　to　deliver　the　heartening　message；　and　to

relax　a　little　from　the　strain。　He　felt　weak　through　and　through。

There　could　be　no　doubt　that　a　disaster　had　befallen　his

country's　arms。



His　first　care　was　to　get　out　of　sight　with　his　sled　and　those

precious　despatches。



Now　what　should　he　do？　Nothing　till　he　had　fuller　information。　He

sent　Quonab　back　with　the　sled；　instructing　him　to　go　to　a

certain　place　two　miles　off；　there　camp　out　of　sight　and　wait。



Then　he　went　in　alone。　Again　and　again　he　was　stung　by　the

thought；　〃If　I　had　come　sooner　they　might　have　held　out。〃



A　number　of　teams　gathered　at　the　largest　of　a　group　of　houses　on

the　bank　suggested　a　tavern。　He　went　in　and　found　many　men

sitting　down　to　breakfast。　He　had　no　need　to　ask　questions。　It

was　the　talk　of　the　table。　Ogdensburg　had　been　captured　the　day

before。　The　story　is　well　known。　Colonel　MacDonnell　with　his

Glengarry　Highlanders　at　Prescott　went　to　drill　daily　on　the　ice

of　the　St。　Lawrence　opposite　Ogdensburg。　Sometimes　they　marched

past　just　out　of　range；　sometimes　they　charged　and　wheeled　before

coming　too　near。　The　few　Americans　that　held　the　place　watched

these　harmless　exercises　and　often　cheered　some　clever　manceuvre。

They　felt　quite　safe　behind　their　fortification。　By　an　unwritten

agreement　both　parties　refrained　from　firing　random　shots　at　each

other。　There　was　little　to　suggest　enemies　entrenched；　indeed；

many　men　in　each　party　had　friends　in　the　other；　and　the　British

had　several　times　trotted　past　within　easy　range；　without

provoking　a　shot。



On　February　22d；　the　day　when　Rolf　and　Quonab　struck　the

Oswegatchie；　the　British　colonel　directed　his　men　as　usual；

swinging　them　ever　nearer　the　American　fort；　and　then；　at　the

nearest　point；　executed　a　very　pretty　charge。　The　Americans

watched　it　as　it　neared；　but　instead　of　wheeling　at　the　brink　the

little　army　scrambled　up　with　merry　shouts；　and　before　the

garrison　could　realize　that　this　was　war；　they　were　overpowered

and　Ogdensburg　was　taken。



The　American　commander　was　captured。　Captain　Forsyth；　the　second

in　command；　had　been　off　on　a　snowshoe　trip；　so　had　escaped。　All

the　rest　were　prisoners；　and　what　to　do　with　the　despatches　or

how　to　get　official　instructions　was　now　a　deep　problem。　〃When

you　don't　know　a　thing　to　do；　don't　do　a　thing；〃　was　one　of　Si

Sylvanne's　axioms；　also；　〃In　case　of　doubt　lay　low　and　say

nothing。〃　Rolf　hung　around　the　town　all　day　waiting　for　light。

About　noon　a　tall；　straight；　alert　man　in　a　buffalo　coat　drove　up

with　a　cutter。　He　had　a　hasty　meal　in　an　inside　room。　Rolf　sized

him　up　for　an　American　officer；　but　there　was　a　possibility　of

his　being　a　Canadian。　Rolf　tried　in　vain　to　get　light　on　him　but


the　inner　door　was　kept　closed；　the　landlord　was　evidently　in　the

secret。　When　he　came　out　he　was　again　swaddled　in　the　buffalo

coat。　Rolf　brushed　past　him　　here　was　something　hard　and　long

in　the　right　pocket　of　the　big　coat。



The　landlord；　the　guest；　and　the　driver　had　a　whispered

conference。　Rolf　went　as　near　as　he　dared；　but　got　only　a

searching　look。　The　driver　spoke　to　another　driver　and　Rolf　heard

the　words　〃Black　Lake。〃　Yes；　that　was　what　he　suspected。　Black

Lake　was　on　the　inland　sleigh　route　to　Alexandria　Bay　and

Sackett's　Harbour。



The　driver；　a　fresh　young　fellow；　was　evidently　interested　in　the

landlord's　daughter；　the　stranger　was　talking　with　the　landlord。

As　soon　as　they　had　parted；　Rolf　went　to　the　latter　and　remarked

quietly：　〃The　captain　is　in　a　hurry。〃　The　only　reply　was　a　cold

look　and：　〃Guess　that's　his　business。〃　So　it　was　the　captain。　The

driver's　mitts　were　on　the　line　back　of　the　stove。　Rolf　shook

them　so　that　they　fell　in　a　dark　corner。　The　driver　missed　his

mitts；　and　glad　of　a　chance　went　back　in；　leaving　the　officer

alone。　〃Captain　Forsyth；〃　whispered　Rolf；　〃don't　go　till　I　have

talked　with　you。　I'll　meet　you　a　mile　down　the　road。〃



〃Who　are　you　and　what　do　you　want？〃　was　the　curt　and　hostile

reply；　evidently　admitting　the　identification　correct　however。



Rolf　opened　his　coat　and　showed　his　scout　badge。



〃Why　not　talk　now　if　you　have　any　news　　come　in　side。〃　So　the

two　went　to　the　inner　room。　〃Who　is　this？〃　asked　Rolf　cautiously

as　the　landlord　came　in。



〃He's　all　right。　This　is　Titus　Flack；　the　landlord。〃



〃How　am　I　to　know　that？〃



〃Haven't　you　heard　him　called　by　name　all　day？〃　said　the　captain。



Flack　smiled；　went　out　and　returned　with　his　license　to　sell

liquor；　and　his　commission　as　a　magistrate　of　New　York　State。　The

latter　bore　his　own　signature。　He　took　a　pen　and　reproduced　it。

Now　the　captain　threw　back　his　overcoat　and　stood　in　the　full

uniform　of　an　army　officer。　He　opened　his　satchel　and　took　out　a

paper；　but　Rolf　caught　sight　of　another　packet　addressed　to

General　Hampton。　The　small　one　was　merely　a　map。　〃I　think　that

packet　in　there　is　meant　for　me；〃　remarked　Rolf。



〃We　haven't　seen　your　credentials　yet；〃　said　the　officer。　〃I　have

them　two　miles　back　there；〃　and　Rolf　pointed　to　the　woods。



〃Let's　go；〃　said　the　captain　and　they　arose。　Kittering　had　a　way

of　inspiring　confidence；　but　in　the　short；　silent　ride　of　two

miles　the　captain　began　to　have　his　doubts。　The　scout　badge　might

have　been　stolen；　Canadians　often　pass　for　Amer