rolf in the woods-第62章

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Hitherto　the　scouts　had　worn　no　uniform；　but　the　execution　of　one

of　their　number；　who　was　captured　by　the　British　and　treated　as　a

spy；　resulted　in　orders　that　all　be　formally　enlisted　and　put　in

uniform。



Not　a　few　withdrew　from　the　service；　some；　like　Quonab；

reluctantly　consented；　but　Rolf　was　developing　the　fighting

spirit；　and　was　proud　to　wear　the　colours。



The　drill　was　tedious　enough；　but　it　was　of　short　duration　for

him。　Despatches　were　to　go　to　Albany。　The　general；　partly　to

honour　Rolf；　selected　him。



〃Are　you　ready　for　another　run；　Kittering？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃Then　prepare　to　start　as　soon　as　possible　for　Fort　George　and

Albany。　Do　you　want　a　mate？〃



〃I　should　like　a　paddler　as　far　as　Fort　George。〃



〃Well；　pick　your　man。〃



〃Quonab。〃



And　when　they　set　out；　for　the　first　time　Rolf　was　in　the　stern；

the　post　of　guidance　and　command。　So　once　more　the　two　were

travelling　again　with　Skookum　in　the　bow。　It　was　afternoon　when

they　started　and　the　four…mile　passage　of　the　creek　was　slow；　but

down　the　long；　glorious　vista　of　the　noble　George　they　went　at

full　canoe…flight；　five　miles　an　hour；　and　twenty…five　miles　of

the　great　fair…way　were　reeled　and　past　when　they　lighted　their

nightly　fire。



At　dawn…cry　of　the　hawk　they　sped　away；　and　in　spite　of　a　rising

wind　they　made　six　miles　in　two　hours。



As　they　approached　the　familiar　landing　of　Van　Trumper's　farm；

Skookum　began　to　show　a　most　zestful　interest　that　recalled　the

blackened　pages　of　his　past。　〃Quonab；　better　use　that；〃　and　Rolf

handed　a　line　with　which　Skookum　was　secured　and　thus　led　to　make

a　new　record；　for　this　was　the　first　time　in　his　life　that　he

landed　at　Van　Trumper's　without　sacrificing　a　chicken　in　honour

of　the　joyful　occasion。



They　entered　the　house　as　the　family　were　sitting　down　to

breakfast。



〃Mein　Hemel！　mein　Hemel！　It　is　Rolf　and　Quonab；　and　vere　is　dot

tam　dog？　Marta；　vere　is　de　chickens？　Vy；　Rolf；　you　bin　now　a

giant；　yah。　Mein　Gott；　it　is　I　am　glad！　I　did　tink　der　cannibals

you　had　eat；　is　it　dem　Canadian　or　cannibal？　I　tink　it　all　one

the　same；　yah！〃



Marta　was　actually　crying；　the　little　ones　were　climbing　over

Rolf's　knee；　and　Annette；　tall　and　sixteen　now；　stood　shyly　by；

awaiting　a　chance　to　shake　hands。　　Home　is　the　abiding　place　of

those　we　love；　it　may　be　a　castle　or　a　cave；　a　shanty　or　a

chateau；　a　moving　van；　a　tepee；　or　a　canal　boat；　a　fortress　or

the　shady　side　of　a　bush；　but　it　is　home；　if　there　indeed　we　meet

the　faces　that　are　ever　in　the　heart；　and　find　the　hands　whose

touch　conveys　the　friendly　glow。　Was　there　any　other　spot　on

earth　where　he　could　sit　by　the　fire　and　feel　that　〃hereabout　are

mine　own；　the　people　I　love？〃　Rolf　knew　it　now　　Van　Trumper's

was　his　home。



Talks　of　the　war；　of　disasters　by　land；　and　of　glorious　victories

on　the　sea；　where　England；　long　the　unquestioned　mistress　of　the

waves；　had　been　humbled　again　and　again　by　the　dauntless　seamen

of　her　Western　blood；　talks　of　big　doings　by　the　nation；　and；　yet

more　interesting；　small　doings　by　the　travellers；　and　the

breakfast　passed　all　too　soon。　The　young　scout　rose；　for　he　was

on…duty；　but　the　long　rollers　on　the　lake　forbade　the　going

forth。　Van's　was　a　pleasant　place　to　wait；　but　he　chafed　at　the

delay；　his　pride　would　have　him　make　a　record　on　every　journey。

But　wait　he　must。　Skookum　tied　safely　to　his　purgatorial　post

whined　indignantly　　and　with　head　cocked　on　one　side；　picked

out　the　very　hen　he　would　like　to　utilize　　as　soon　as　released

from　his　temporary　embarrassment。　Quonab　went　out　on　a　rock　to

bum　some　tobacco　and　pray　for　calm；　and　Rolf；　ever　active；

followed　Van　to　look　over　the　stock　and　buildings；　and　hear　of

minor　troubles。　The　chimney　was　unaccountably　given　to　smoking

this　year。　Rolf　took　an　axe　and　with　two　blows　cut　down　a

vigorous　growth　shrubbery　that　stood　above　the　chimney　on　the

west；　and　the　smoking　ceased。　Buck　ox　had　a　lame　foot　and　would

allow　no　one　even　to　examine　it。　But　a　skilful　ox…　handler　easily

hobbles　an　ox；　throws　him　near　some　small　tree；　and　then；　by

binding　the　lame　foot　to　the　tree；　can　have　a　free　hand。　It

proved　a　simple　matter；　a　deep…sunk；　rusty　nail。　And　when　the

nail　was　drawn　and　the　place　washed　clean　with　hot　brine；　kind

nature　was　left　in　confidence　to　do　the　rest。　They　drifted　back

to　the　house　now。　Tomas　met　them　shouting　out　a　mixture　of　Dutch

and　English　and　holding　by　the　cover　Annette's　book　of　the　〃Good

Girl。〃　But　its　rightful　owner　rescued　the　precious　volume　and　put

it　on　the　shelf。



〃Have　you　read　it　through；　Annette？〃



〃Yes；〃　was　the　reply；　for　she　had　learned　to　read　before　they

left　Schuylerville。



〃How　do　you　like　it？〃



〃Didn't　like　it　a　bit；　I　like　'Robinson　Crusoe'；〃　was　the　candid

reply。



The　noon　hour　came；　still　the　white　rollers　were　pounding　the

shore。



〃If　it　does　not　calm　by　one　o'clock　I'll　go　on　afoot。〃



So　off　he　went　with　the　packet；　leaving　Quonab　to　follow　and

await　his　return　at　Fort　George。　In　Schuyler　settlement　he　spent

the　night　and　at　noon　next　day　was　in　Albany。



How　it　stirred　his　soul　to　see　the　busy　interest；　the　marching　of

men；　the　sailing　of　vessels；　and　above　all　to　hear　of　more

victories　on　the　high　seas。　What　mattered　a　few　frontier　defeats

in　the　north；　when　the　arrogant　foe　that　had　spurned　and　insulted

them　before　the　world　had　now　been　humbled　again　and　again。



Young　Van　Cortlandt　was　away；　but　the　governor's　reception　of　him

reflected　the　electric　atmosphere　　the　country's　pride　in　her　sons。



Rolf　had　a　matter　of　his　own　to　settle。　At　the　bookseller's　he

asked　for　and　actually　secured　a　copy　of　the　great　book　

〃Robinson　Crusoe。〃　It　was　with　a　thrilling　feeling　of　triumph

that　he　wrote　Annette's　name　in　it　and　stowed　it　in　his　bag。



He　left　Albany　next　day　in　the　gray　dawn。　Thanks　to　his　uniform；

he　got　a　twenty…five　mile　lift　with　a　traveller　who　drove　a　fast

team；　and　the　blue　water　was　glinting　back　the　stars　when　he

joined　Quonab　at　Fort　George；　some　sixty　miles　away。



In　the　calm　betwixt　star…peep　and　sun…up　they　were　afloat。　It　was

a　great　temptation　to　stop　at　Hendrik's　for　a　spell；　but

breakfast　was　over；　the　water　was　calm；　and　duty　called　him。　He

hallooed；　then　they　drew　near　enough　to　hand　the　book　ashore。

Skookum　growled；　probably　at　the　hens；　and　the　family　waved　their

aprons　as　he　sped　on。　Thirty　miles　of　lake　and　four　miles　of

Ticonderoga　Creek　they　passed　and　the　packet　was　delivered　in

four　days　and　three　hours　since　leaving。



The　general　smiled　and　his　short　but　amply　sufficient　praise　was

merely；　〃You're　a　good　'un。〃







Chapter　75。　Scouting　in　Canada



〃Thar　is　two　things；〃　said　Si　Sylvanne　to　the　senate；　〃that　every

national　crisis　is　bound　to　show　up：　first；　a　lot　o'　dum　fools　in

command；　second　a　lot　o　great　commanders　in　the　ranks。　An'

fortunately　before　the　crisis　is　over　the　hull　thing　is　sure　set

right；　and　the　men　is　where　they　oughter　be。〃



How　true　this　was　the　nation　was　just　beginning　to　learn。　The

fools　in　command　were　already　demonstrated；　and　the　summer　of

1813　was　replete　with　additional　evidence。　May；　June；　and　July

passed　with　many　journeyings　for　Rolf　and　many　times　with　sad

news。　The　disasters　at　Stony　Creek；　Beaver　Dam；　and　Niagara　were

severe　blows　to　the　army　on　the　western　frontier。　In　June　on　Lake

Champlain　the　brave　but　reckless　Lieutenant　Sidney　Smith　had　run

his　two　sloops　into　a　trap。　Thus　the　Growler　and　the　Eagle　were

lost　to　the　Americans；　and　strengthened　by　that　much　the　British

navy　on　the　lake。



Encouraged　by　these　successes；　the　British　north　of　Lake

Champlain　made　raid　after　raid　into　American　territory；

destroying　what　they　could　not　carry　off。



Rolf　and　Quonab　were　sent　to　scout　in　that　country　and　if

possible　give　timely　notice　of　raiders　in　force。



The　Americans　were　averse　to　employing　In