rolf in the woods-第66章

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opportunity；　the　hunter　has　the　advantage　over　the　farmer。　He　has

less　self…consciousness；　more　calm　poise。　He　is　not　troubled

about　what　to　do　with　his　feet　and　hands；　and　is　more　convinced

of　his　native　dignity　and　claims　to　respect。　In　the　drawin…room

Rolf　was　a　hunter：　the　leading　inhabitants　of　the　region　around

received　him　gladly　and　honoured　him。　He　was　guest　at　Judge

Hubbell's　in　Chazy；　in　September　of　1814。　Every　day　he　scouted　in

the　neighbourhood　and　at　night　returned　to　the　hospitable　home　of

the　judge。



On　the　12th　of　September；　from　the　top　of　a　tall　tree　on　a

distant　wooded　hill；　he　estimated　the　force　at　Champlain　to　be

10；000　to　15；000　men。　Already　their　bodyguard　was　advancing　on

Chazy。



Judge　Hubbell　and　anxious　neighbours　hastily　assembled　now；

discussed　with　Rolf　the　situation　and　above　all；　〃What　shall　we

do　with　our　families？〃　One　man　broke　into　a　storm　of　hate　and

vituperation　against　the　British。　〃Remember　the　burning　of

Washington　and　the　way　they　treated　the　women　at　Bladensburg。〃



〃All　of　which　about　the　women　was　utterly　disproved；　except　in

one　case；　and　in　that　the　criminal　was　shot　by　order　of　his　own

commander；〃　retorted　Hubbell。



At　Plattsburg　others　maintained　that　the　British　had　harmed　no

one。　Colonel　Murray　had　given　strict　orders　that　all　private

property　be　absolutely　respected。　Nothing　but　government　property

was　destroyed　and　only　that　which　could　be　construed　into　war

stores　and　buildings。　What　further　damage　was　done　was　the　result

of　accident　or　error。　Officers　were　indeed　quartered　on　the

inhabitants；　but　they　paid　for　what　they　got；　and　even　a　carpet

destroyed　by　accident　was　replaced　months　afterward　by　a　British

officer　who　had　not　the　means　at　the　time。



So　it　was　agreed　that　Hubbell　with　Rolf　and　the　village　fathers

and　brothers　should　join　their　country's　army；　leaving　wives　and

children　behind。



There　were　wet　bearded　cheeks　among　the　strong；　rugged　men　as

they　kissed　their　wives　and　little　ones　and　prepared　to　go；　then

stopped；　as　horrible　misgivings　rose　within。　〃This　was　war；　and

yet　again；　'We　have　had　proofs　that　the　British　harmed　no　woman

or　child'。〃　So　they　dashed　away　the　tears；　suppressed　the　choking

in　their　throats；　shouldered　their　guns；　and　marched　away　to　the

front；　commending　their　dear　ones　to　the　mercy　of　God　and　the

British　invaders。



None　had　any　cause　to　regret　this　trust。　Under　pain　of　death；　Sir

George　Prevost　enforced　his　order　that　the　persons　of　women　and

children　and　all　private　property　be　held　inviolate。　As　on　the

previous　raid；　no　damage　was　done　to　non…combatants；　and　the　only

hardships　endured　were　by　the　few　who；　knowing　nothing；　feared

much；　and　sought　the　precarious　safety　of　life　among　the　hills。



Sir　George　Prevost　and　his　staff　of　ten　officers　were　quartered

in　Judge　Hubbell's　house。　Mrs。　Hubbell　was　hard　put　to　furnish

them　with　meals；　but　they　treated　her　with　perfect　respect；　and

every　night；　not　knowing　how　long　they　might　stay；　they　left　on

the　table　the　price　of　their　board　and　lodging。



For　three　days　they　waited；　then　all　was　ready　for　the　advance。



〃Now　for　Plattsburg　this　week　and　Albany　next；　so　good…bye；

madam〃　they　said　politely；　and　turned　to　ride　away。　a　gay　and

splendid　group。



〃Good…bye；　sirs；　for　a　very　little　while；　but　I　know　you'll　soon

be　back　and　hanging　your　heads　as　you　come；〃　was　the　retort。



Sir　George　replied：　〃If　a　man　had　said　that；　I　would　call　him

out；　but　since　it　is　a　fair　lady　that　has　been　our　charming

hostess；　I　reply　that　when　your　prophecy　comes　true；　every

officer　here　shall　throw　his　purse　on　your　door　step　as　he

passes。〃



So　they　rode　away；　13；000　trained　men　with　nothing　between　them

and　Albany　but　2000　troops；　double　as　many　raw　militia；　and　

MacDonough　of　the　Lake。



Ten　times　did　Rolf　cover　that　highway　north　of　Plattsburg　in　the

week　that　followed；　and　each　day　his　tidings　were　the　same　　the

British　steadily　advance。







Chapter　79。　McGlassin's　Exploit



There　was　a　wonderful　spirit　on　everything　in　Plattsburg；　and　the

earthly　tabernacle　in　which　it　dwelt；　was　the　tall；　grave　young

man　who　had　protested　against　Hampton's　behaviour　at　Burlington

　Captain；　now　General　Macomb。　Nothing　was　neglected；　every

emergency　was　planned　for；　every　available　man　was　under　arms。

Personally　tireless；　he　was　ever　alert　and　seemed　to　know　every

man　in　his　command　and　every　man　of　it　had　implicit　confidence　in

the　leader。　We　have　heard　of　soldiers　escaping　from　a　besieged

fortress　by　night；　but　such　was　the　inspiring　power　of　this

commander　that　there　was　a　steady　leaking　in　of　men　from　the

hills；　undrilled　and　raw；　but　of　superb　physique　and　dead　shots

with　the　ride。



A　typical　case　was　that　of　a　sturdy　old　farmer　who　was　marching

through　the　woods　that　morning　to　take　his　place　with　those　who

manned　the　breastworks　and　was　overheard　to　address　his　visibly

trembling　legs：　〃Shake；　damn　you；　shake；　and　if　ye　knew　where　I

was　leading　you；　you'd　be　ten　times　worse。〃



His　mind　was　more　valiant　than　his　body；　and　his　mind　kept

control　　this　is　true　courage。



No　one　had　a　better　comprehension　of　all　this　than　Macomb。　He

knew　that　all　these　men　needed　was　a　little　training　to　make　of

them　the　best　soldiers　on　earth。　To　supply　that　training　he　mixed

them　with　veterans；　and　arranged　a　series　of　unimportant

skirmishes　as　coolly　and　easily　as　though　he　were　laying　out　a

programme　for　an　evening's　entertainment。



The　first　of　these　was　at　Culver's　Hill。　Here　a　barricade　was

thrown　up　along　the　highway；　a　gun　was　mounted；　and　several

hundred　riflemen　were　posted　under　leaders　skilled　in　the　arts　of

harrying　a　foe　and　giving　him　no　chance　to　strike　back。



Among　the　men　appointed　for　the　barricade's　defence　was　Rolf　and

near　him　Quonab。　The　latter　had　been　seasoned　in　the　Revolution；

but　it　was　the　former's　first　experience　at　the　battle　front；　and

he　felt　as　most　men　do　when　the　enemy　in　brave　array　comes

marching　up。　As　soon　as　they　were　within　long　range；　his　leader

gave　the　order　〃Fire！〃　The　rifles　rattled　and　the　return　fire

came　at　once。　Balls　pattered　on　the　barricade　or　whistled　above。

The　man　next　to　him　was　struck　and　dropped　with　a　groan；　another

fell　back　dead。　The　horror　and　roar　were　overmuch。　Rolf　was

nervous　enough　when　he　entered　the　fight。　Now　he　was　unstrung；

almost　stunned；　his　hands　and　knees　were　shaking；　he　was　nearly

panic…stricken　and　could　not　resist　the　temptation　to　duck；　as

the　balls　hissed　murder　over　his　head。　He　was　blazing　away；

without　aiming；　when　an　old　soldier；　noting　his　white　face　and

shaking　form；　laid　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　and；　in　kindly　tones；

said：　〃Steady；　boy；　steady；　yer　losing　yer　head；　see；　this　is

how；〃　and　he　calmly　took　aim；　then；　without　firing；　moved　the　gun

again　and　put　a　little　stick　to　raise　the　muzzle　and　make　a

better　rest；　then　fired　as　though　at　target　practice。　〃Now　rest

for　a　minute。　Look　at　Quonab　there；　you　can　see　he's　been　through

it　before。　He　is　making　a　hit　with　every　shot。〃



Rolf　did　as　he　was　told；　and　in　a　few　minutes　his　colour　came

back；　his　hand　was　steady；　and　thenceforth　he　began　to　forget　the

danger　and　thought　only　of　doing　his　work。



When　at　length　it　was　seen　that　the　British　were　preparing　to

charge；　the　Americans　withdrew　quickly　and　safely　to　Halsey's

Corner；　where　was　another　barricade　and　a　fresh　lot　of　recruits

awaiting　to　receive　their　baptism　of　fire。　And　the　scene　was

repeated。　Little　damage　was　done　to　the　foe　but　enormous　benefit

was　gained　by　the　Americans；　because　it　took　only　one　or　two　of

these　skirmishes　to　turn　a　lot　of　shaky…kneed　volunteers　into　a

band　of　steady　soldiers　　for　they　had　it　all　inside。　Thus　their

powder　terror　died。



That　night　the　British　occupied　the　part　of　the　town　that　was

north　of　the　Saranac；　and　began　a　desultory　bombardment　of　the

fortific