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possible¡¡give¡¡timely¡¡notice¡¡of¡¡raiders¡¡in¡¡force¡£



The¡¡Americans¡¡were¡¡averse¡¡to¡¡employing¡¡Indians¡¡in¡¡warfare£»¡¡the

British¡¡entertained¡¡no¡¡such¡¡scruples¡¡and¡¡had¡¡many¡¡red¡­skinned

allies¡£¡¡Quonab's¡¡case£»¡¡however£»¡¡was¡¡unusual£»¡¡since¡¡he¡¡was

guaranteed¡¡by¡¡his¡¡white¡¡partner£»¡¡and¡¡now¡¡he¡¡did¡¡good¡¡service£»¡¡for

he¡¡knew¡¡a¡¡little¡¡French¡¡and¡¡could¡¡prowl¡¡among¡¡the¡¡settlers

without¡¡anyone¡¡suspecting¡¡him¡¡of¡¡being¡¡an¡¡American¡¡scout¡£



Thus¡¡he¡¡went¡¡alone¡¡and¡¡travelled¡¡far¡£¡¡He¡¡knew¡¡the¡¡country¡¡nearly

to¡¡Montreal¡¡and¡¡late¡¡in¡¡July¡¡was¡¡lurking¡¡about¡¡Odletown£»¡¡when¡¡he

overheard¡¡scattered¡¡words¡¡of¡¡a¡¡conversation¡¡that¡¡made¡¡hin¡¡eager

for¡¡more¡£¡¡¡¨Colonel¡¡Murray¡¡¡­¡¡¡­¡¡twelve¡¡hundred¡¡men¡¡¡¡four¡¡hundred

men¡¡¡¨



Meanwhile¡¡Rolf¡¡was¡¡hiding¡¡in¡¡the¡¡woods¡¡about¡¡La¡¡Colle¡¡Mill¡£

Company¡¡after¡¡company¡¡of¡¡soldiers¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡enter£»¡¡until¡¡at¡¡least

five¡¡hundred¡¡were¡¡there¡£¡¡When¡¡night¡¡came¡¡down£»¡¡he¡¡decided¡¡to¡¡risk

a¡¡scarer¡¡approach¡£¡¡He¡¡left¡¡the¡¡woods¡¡and¡¡walked¡¡cautiously¡¡across

the¡¡open¡¡lands¡¡about¡£



The¡¡hay¡¡had¡¡been¡¡cut¡¡and¡¡most¡¡of¡¡it¡¡drawn¡¡in£»¡¡but¡¡there¡¡was¡¡in

the¡¡middle¡¡of¡¡the¡¡field¡¡a¡¡hay¡­cock¡£¡¡Rolf¡¡was¡¡near¡¡this¡¡when¡¡he

heard¡¡sounds¡¡of¡¡soldiers¡¡from¡¡the¡¡mill¡£¡¡Soon¡¡large¡¡numbers¡¡came

out£»¡¡carrying¡¡their¡¡blankets¡£¡¡Evidently¡¡there¡¡was¡¡not¡¡room¡¡for

them¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mill£»¡¡and¡¡they¡¡were¡¡to¡¡camp¡¡on¡¡the¡¡field¡£



The¡¡scout¡¡began¡¡to¡¡retreat¡¡when¡¡sounds¡¡behind¡¡showed¡¡that¡¡another

body¡¡of¡¡soldiers¡¡was¡¡approaching¡¡from¡¡that¡¡direction¡¡and¡¡he¡¡was

caught¡¡between¡¡the¡¡two¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡only¡¡one¡¡place¡¡to¡¡hide¡¡and¡¡that

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but¡¡it¡¡was¡¡full¡¡of¡¡thistles¡¡and¡¡brambles£»¡¡indeed£»¡¡that¡¡was¡¡why¡¡it

was¡¡left£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡had¡¡the¡¡benefit¡¡of¡¡all¡¡the¡¡spines¡¡about¡¡him¡£



His¡¡heart¡¡beat¡¡fast¡¡as¡¡he¡¡heard¡¡the¡¡clank¡¡of¡¡arms¡¡and¡¡the

trampling£»¡¡they¡¡came¡¡nearer£»¡¡then¡¡the¡¡voices¡¡became¡¡more

distinct¡£¡¡He¡¡heard¡¡unmistakable¡¡evidence¡¡too¡¡that¡¡both¡¡bodies

were¡¡camping¡¡for¡¡the¡¡night£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡nearly¡¡surrounded¡£

Not¡¡knowing¡¡what¡¡move¡¡was¡¡best¡¡he¡¡kept¡¡quiet¡£¡¡The¡¡men¡¡were

talking¡¡aloud£»¡¡then¡¡they¡¡began¡¡preparing¡¡their¡¡beds¡¡and¡¡he¡¡heard

some¡¡one¡¡say£»¡¡¡¨There's¡¡a¡¡hay¡­cock£»¡¡bring¡¡some¡¡of¡¡that¡£¡¨



A¡¡soldier¡¡approached¡¡to¡¡get¡¡an¡¡armful¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hay£»¡¡but¡¡sputtered

out¡¡a¡¡chapter¡¡of¡¡malediction¡¡as¡¡his¡¡bare¡¡hands¡¡touched¡¡the¡¡masses

of¡¡thistle¡¡and¡¡briers¡£¡¡His¡¡companions¡¡laughed¡¡at¡¡his¡¡mishap¡£¡¡He

went¡¡to¡¡the¡¡fire¡¡and¡¡vowed¡¡he'd¡¡stick¡¡a¡¡brand¡¡in¡¡it¡¡and¡¡back¡¡he

came¡¡with¡¡a¡¡burning¡¡stick¡£



Rolf¡¡was¡¡all¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡make¡¡a¡¡dash¡¡for¡¡his¡¡life¡¡as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡the

cover¡¡should¡¡take¡¡fire£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡peered¡¡up¡¡into¡¡the¡¡soldier's¡¡face

as¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡blew¡¡on¡¡the¡¡brand£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡flame¡¡had¡¡died£»¡¡the

thistles¡¡were¡¡not¡¡dry£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡fire¡¡was¡¡a¡¡failure£»¡¡so£»¡¡growling

again£»¡¡the¡¡soldier¡¡threw¡¡down¡¡the¡¡smoking¡¡stick¡¡and¡¡went¡¡away¡£¡¡As

soon¡¡as¡¡he¡¡was¡¡safely¡¡afar£»¡¡Rolf¡¡gathered¡¡a¡¡handful¡¡of¡¡soil¡¡and

covered¡¡the¡¡red¡¡embers¡£



It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡critical¡¡moment¡¡and¡¡his¡¡waiting¡¡alone¡¡had¡¡saved¡¡him¡£



Two¡¡soldiers¡¡came¡¡with¡¡their¡¡blankets¡¡and¡¡spread¡¡them¡¡near¡£¡¡For¡¡a

time¡¡they¡¡smoked¡¡and¡¡talked¡£¡¡One¡¡of¡¡them¡¡was¡¡short¡¡of¡¡tobacco£»

the¡¡other¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨Never¡¡mind£»¡¡we'll¡¡get¡¡plenty¡¡in¡¡Plattsburg£»¡¨¡¡and

they¡¡guffawed¡£



Then¡¡he¡¡heard£»¡¡¡¨As¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡the¡¡colonel¡¨¡¡and¡¡other¡¡broken¡¡phrases¡£



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thistles¡¡in¡¡his¡¡face¡¡and¡¡down¡¡his¡¡neck£»¡¡he¡¡dared¡¡not¡¡change¡¡his

position£»¡¡and¡¡how¡¡long¡¡he¡¡must¡¡stay¡¡was¡¡a¡¡problem¡£¡¡He¡¡would¡¡try

to¡¡escape¡¡when¡¡all¡¡was¡¡still¡£



The¡¡nearer¡¡soldiers¡¡settled¡¡to¡¡rest¡¡now¡£¡¡All¡¡was¡¡very¡¡quiet¡¡when

Rolf¡¡cautiously¡¡peeped¡¡forth¡¡to¡¡see¡¡two¡¡dreadful¡¡things£º¡¡first£»¡¡a

couple¡¡of¡¡sentries¡¡pacing¡¡up¡¡and¡¡down¡¡the¡¡edges¡¡of¡¡the¡¡camp£»

second£»¡¡a¡¡broad£»¡¡brilliant£»¡¡rising¡¡moon¡£¡¡How¡¡horrible¡¡that¡¡lovely

orb¡¡could¡¡be¡¡Rolf¡¡never¡¡before¡¡knew¡£



Now£»¡¡what¡¡next£¿¡¡He¡¡was¡¡trapped¡¡in¡¡the¡¡middle¡¡of¡¡a¡¡military¡¡camp

and¡¡undoubtedly¡¡La¡¡Colle¡¡Mill¡¡was¡¡the¡¡rendezvous¡¡for¡¡some

important¡¡expedition¡£



He¡¡had¡¡ample¡¡time¡¡to¡¡think¡¡it¡¡all¡¡over¡£¡¡Unless¡¡he¡¡could¡¡get¡¡away

before¡¡day¡¡he¡¡would¡¡surely¡¡be¡¡discovered¡£¡¡His¡¡uniform¡¡might¡¡save

his¡¡life£»¡¡but¡¡soldiers¡¡have¡¡an¡¡awkward£»¡¡hasty¡¡way¡¡of¡¡dealing

summarily¡¡with¡¡a¡¡spy¡¡¡¡then¡¡discovering¡¡too¡¡late¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡in

uniform¡£



From¡¡time¡¡to¡¡time¡¡he¡¡peered¡¡forth£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡scene¡¡was¡¡unchanged¡¡

the¡¡sleeping¡¡regiment£»¡¡the¡¡pacing¡¡sentries£»¡¡the¡¡ever¡­brightening

moon¡£¡¡Then¡¡the¡¡guard¡¡was¡¡changed£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡sentries¡¡relieved

selected¡¡of¡¡all¡¡places¡¡for¡¡their¡¡beds£»¡¡the¡¡bank¡¡beside¡¡the

hay¡­cock¡£¡¡Again¡¡one¡¡of¡¡them¡¡went¡¡to¡¡help¡¡himself¡¡to¡¡some¡¡hay¡¡for

a¡¡couch£»¡¡and¡¡again¡¡the¡¡comic¡¡anger¡¡as¡¡he¡¡discovered¡¡it¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a

bed¡¡of¡¡thorns¡£¡¡How¡¡thankful¡¡Rolf¡¡was¡¡for¡¡those¡¡annoying¡¡things

that¡¡pricked¡¡his¡¡face¡¡and¡¡neck¡£



He¡¡was¡¡now¡¡hemmed¡¡in¡¡on¡¡every¡¡side¡¡and£»¡¡not¡¡knowing¡¡what¡¡to¡¡do£»

did¡¡nothing¡£¡¡For¡¡a¡¡couple¡¡of¡¡hours¡¡he¡¡lay¡¡still£»¡¡then¡¡actually

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and¡¡peered¡¡forth¡¡to¡¡see¡¡a¡¡couple¡¡of¡¡field¡¡mice¡¡playing¡¡about¡£



The¡¡moon¡¡was¡¡very¡¡bright¡¡now£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡movements¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mice¡¡were

plain£»¡¡they¡¡were¡¡feeding¡¡on¡¡the¡¡seeds¡¡of¡¡plants¡¡in¡¡the¡¡hay¡­cock£»

and¡¡from¡¡time¡¡to¡¡time¡¡dashed¡¡under¡¡¡­¡¡the¡¡hay¡£¡¡Then¡¡they¡¡gambolled

farther¡¡off¡¡and¡¡were¡¡making¡¡merry¡¡over¡¡a¡¡pod¡¡of¡¡wild¡¡peas¡¡when¡¡a

light¡¡form¡¡came¡¡skimming¡¡noiselessly¡¡over¡¡the¡¡field¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡a

flash£»¡¡a¡¡hurried¡¡rush£»¡¡a¡¡clutch£»¡¡a¡¡faint¡¡squeak£»¡¡and¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the

mice¡¡was¡¡borne¡¡away¡¡in¡¡the¡¡claws¡¡of¡¡its¡¡feathered¡¡foe¡£¡¡The

survivor¡¡scrambled¡¡under¡¡the¡¡hay¡¡over¡¡Rolf's¡¡face¡¡and¡¡somewhere

into¡¡hiding¡£



The¡¡night¡¡passed¡¡in¡¡many¡¡short¡¡naps¡£¡¡The¡¡bugle¡¡sounded¡¡at

daybreak¡¡and¡¡the¡¡soldiers¡¡arose¡¡to¡¡make¡¡breakfast¡£¡¡Again¡¡one

approached¡¡to¡¡use¡¡a¡¡handful¡¡of¡¡hay¡¡for¡¡fire¡­kindler£»¡¡and¡¡again

the¡¡friendly¡¡thistles¡¡did¡¡their¡¡part¡£¡¡More¡¡and¡¡more¡¡now¡¡his¡¡ear

caught¡¡suggestive¡¡words¡¡and¡¡sounds¡¡¡¡¡¨Plattsburg¡¨¡¡¡¡¡¨the

colonel¡¨¡¡¡¡etc¡£



The¡¡breakfast¡¡smelt¡¡wonderfully¡¡captivating¡¡¡¡poor¡¡Rolf¡¡was

famished¡£¡¡The¡¡alluring¡¡aroma¡¡of¡¡coffee¡¡permeated¡¡the¡¡hay¡­cock¡£¡¡He

had¡¡his¡¡dried¡¡meat£»¡¡but¡¡his¡¡need¡¡was¡¡water£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡tormented¡¡with

thirst£»¡¡and¡¡stiff¡¡and¡¡tortured£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡making¡¡the¡¡hardest¡¡fight

of¡¡his¡¡life¡£¡¡It¡¡seemed¡¡long£»¡¡though¡¡doubtless¡¡it¡¡was¡¡less¡¡than

half¡¡an¡¡hour¡¡before¡¡the¡¡meal¡¡was¡¡finished£»¡¡and¡¡to¡¡Rolf's¡¡relief

there¡¡were¡¡sounds¡¡of¡¡marching¡¡and¡¡the¡¡noises¡¡were¡¡drowned¡¡in¡¡the

distance¡£



By¡¡keeping¡¡his¡¡head¡¡covered¡¡with¡¡hay¡¡and¡¡slowly¡¡raising¡¡it£»¡¡he

was¡¡safe¡¡to¡¡take¡¡a¡¡look¡¡around¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡bright£»¡¡sunny¡¡morning¡£

The¡¡hay¡­cock£»¡¡or¡¡thistle¡­cock£»¡¡was¡¡one¡¡of¡¡several¡¡that¡¡had¡¡been

rejected¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡quarter¡­mile¡¡from¡¡cover£»¡¡the¡¡soldiers¡¡were¡¡at

work¡¡cutting¡¡timber¡¡and¡¡building¡¡a¡¡stockade¡¡around¡¡the¡¡mill£»¡¡and£»

most¡¡dreadful¡¡to¡¡relate£»¡¡a¡¡small¡¡dog¡¡was¡¡prowling¡¡about£»¡¡looking

for¡¡scraps¡¡on¡¡the¡¡scene¡¡of¡¡the¡¡soldiers'¡¡breakfast¡£¡¡If¡¡that¡¡dog

came¡¡near¡¡his¡¡hiding¡­place£»¡¡he¡¡knew¡¡the¡¡game¡¡was¡¡up¡£¡¡At¡¡such

close¡¡quarters£»¡¡you¡¡can¡¡fool¡¡a¡¡man¡¡but¡¡not¡¡a¡¡dog¡£



Fortunately¡¡the¡¡breakfast¡¡tailings¡¡proved¡¡abundant£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡dog

went¡¡off¡¡to¡¡assist¡¡a¡¡friend¡¡of¡¡his¡¡in¡¡making¡¡sundry¡¡interesting

smell¡¡analyses¡¡along¡¡the¡¡gate¡¡posts¡¡of¡¡the¡¡stockade¡£







Chapter¡¡76¡£¡¡The¡¡Duel



This¡¡was¡¡temporary¡¡relief£»¡¡but¡¡left¡¡no¡¡suggestion¡¡of¡¡complete

escape¡£¡¡He¡¡lay¡¡there¡¡till¡¡nearly¡¡noon¡¡suffering¡¡more¡¡and¡¡more

from¡¡the¡¡cramped¡¡position¡¡and¡¡thirst£»¡¡and¡¡utterly¡¡puzzled¡¡as¡¡to

the¡¡next¡¡move¡£



¡¨When¡¡ye¡¡don't¡¡like¡¡whar¡¡ye¡¡air£»¡¡git¡¡up¡¡without¡¡any¡¡fuss£»¡¡and¡¡go

whar¡¡ye¡¡want¡¡to¡¡be£»¡¨¡¡was¡¡what¡¡Sylvanne¡¡once¡¡said¡¡to¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡it

came¡¡to¡¡Rolf¡¡with¡¡something¡¡like¡¡a¡¡comic¡¡shock¡£¡¡The¡¡soldiers¡¡were

busy¡¡in¡¡the¡¡woods¡¡and¡¡around¡¡the¡¡forges¡£¡¡In¡¡half¡¡an¡¡hour¡¡it¡¡would

be¡¡noon¡¡and¡¡they¡¡might¡¡come¡¡back¡¡to¡¡eat¡£



Rolf¡¡rose¡¡without¡¡attempting¡¡any¡¡further¡¡concealment£»¡¡then

stopped£»¡¡made¡¡a¡¡bundle¡¡of¡¡the¡¡stuff¡¡that¡¡had¡¡sheltered¡¡him¡¡and£»

carrying¡¡this¡¡on¡¡his¡¡shoulder£»¡¡strode¡¡boldly¡¡across¡¡the¡¡field

toward¡¡the¡¡woods¡£



His¡¡scout¡¡uniform¡¡was¡¡inconspicuous£»¡¡the¡¡scouts¡¡on¡¡duty¡¡at¡¡the

mill¡¡saw¡¡only¡¡one¡¡of¡¡themselves¡¡taking¡¡a¡¡bundle¡¡of¡¡hay¡¡round¡¡to

the¡¡stables¡£



He¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡woods¡¡absolutely¡¡unchallenged¡£¡¡After¡¡a¡¡few¡¡yards

in¡¡its¡¡friendly¡¡shade£»¡¡he¡¡dropped¡¡the¡¡thorny¡¡bu

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