rolf in the woods-第68章

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at　Burlington。　The　howl　of　a　lost　dog　caught　his　ear；　and　when　he

traced　the　sound；　there；　on　the　outmost　plank；　with　his　nose　to

the　skies；　was　the　familiar　form　of　Skookum；　wailing　and　sadly

alone。



What　a　change　he　showed　when　Rolf　landed；　he　barked；　leaped；

growled；　tail…wagged；　head…wagged；　feet…wagged；　body…wagged；

wig…wagged　and　zigzagged　for　joy；　he　raced　in　circles；　looking

for　a　sacrificial　hen；　and　finally　uttered　a　long　and

conversational　whine　that　doubtless　was　full　of　information　for

those　who　could　get　it　out。



Rolf　delivered　his　budget　at　once。　It　was　good　news；　but　not

conclusive。　Everything　depended　now　on　MacDonough。　In　the　morning

all　available　troops　should　hurry　to　the　defence　of　Plattsburg；

not　less　than　fifteen　hundred　men　were　ready　to　embark　at　daylight。



That　night　Rolf　slept　with　Skookum　in　the　barracks。　At　daybreak；

much　to　the　latter's　disgust；　he　was　locked　up　in　a　cellar；　and

the　troops　embarked　for　the　front。



It　was　a　brisk　north　wind　they　had　to　face　in　crossing　and

passing　down　the　lake。　There　were　many　sturdy　oarsmen　at　the

sweeps；　but　they　could　not　hope　to　reach　their　goal　in　less　than

five　hours。



When　they　were　half　way　over；　they　heard　the　cannon　roar；　the

booming　became　incessant；　without　question；　a　great　naval　battle

was　on；　for　this　north　wind　was　what　the　British　had　been

awaiting。　　The　rowers　bent　to　their　task　and　added　to　the　speed。

Their　brothers　were　hard　pressed；　they　knew　it；　they　must　make

haste。　The　long　boats　flew。　In　an　hour　they　could　see　the　masts；

the　sails；　the　smoke　of　the　battle；　but　nothing　gather　of　the

portentous　result。　Albany　and　New　York；　as　well　as　Plattsburg；

were　in　the　balance；　and　the　oarsmen　rowed　and　rowed　and　rowed。



The　cannon　roared　louder　and　louder；　though　less　continuously；　as

another　hour　passed。　Now　they　could　see　the　vessels　only　four

miles　away。　The　jets　of　smoke　were　intermittent　from　the　guns；

masts　went　down。　They　could　see　it　plainly。　The　rowers　only　set

their　lips　and　rowed　and　rowed　and　rowed。



Sir　George　had　reckoned　on　but　one　obstacle　in　his　march　to

Albany；　an　obstruction　named　MacDonough；　but　he　now　found　there

was　another　called　Macomb。



It　was　obviously　a　waste　of　men　to　take　Plattsburg　by　front

assault；　when　he　could　easily　force　a　passage　of　the　river　higher

up　and　take　it　on　the　rear；　and　it　was　equally　clear　that　when

his　fleet　arrived　and　crushed　the　American　fleet；　it　would　be　a

simple　matter　for　the　war　vessels　to　blow　the　town　to　pieces；

without　risking　a　man。



Already　a　favouring　wind　had　made　it　possible　for　Downie　to　leave

Isle　au　Noix　and　sail　down　the　lake　with　his　gallant　crew；　under

gallant　canvas　clouds。



Tried　men　and　true　in　control　of　every　ship；　out…　numbering

MacDonough；　outweighing　him；　outpointing　him　in　everything　but

seamanship；　they　came　on；　sure　of　success。



Three　chief　moves　were　in　MacDonough's　strategy。　He　anchored　to

the　northward　of　the　bay；　so　that　any　fleet　coming　down　the　lake

would　have　to　beat　up　against　the　wind　to　reach　him；　so　close　to

land　that　any　fleet　trying　to　flank　him　would　come　within　range

of　the　forts；　and　left　only　one　apparent　gap　that　a　foe　might　try

to　use；　a　gap　in　front　of　which　was　a　dangerous　sunken　reef。　This

was　indeed　a　baited　trap。　Finally　he　put　out　cables；　kedges；

anchors；　and　springs；　so　that　with　the　capstan　he　could　turn　his

vessels　and　bring　either　side　to　bear　on　the　foe。



All　was　ready；　that　morning　of　September　the　11th　as　the　British

fleet；　ably　handled；　swung　around　the　Cumberland　Head。



The　young　commander　of　the　Yankee　fleet　now　kneeled　bareheaded

with　his　crew　and　prayed　to　the　God　of　Battles　as　only　those

going　into　battle　pray。　The　gallant　foe　came　on；　and　who　that

knows　him　doubts　that　he；　too；　raised　his　heart　in　reverent

prayer？　The　first　broadside　from　the　British　broke　open　a　chicken

coop　on　the　Saratoga　from　which　a　game…cock　flew；　and；　perching

on　a　gun；　flapped　his　wings　and　crowed；　so　all　the　seamen　cheered

at　such　a　happy　omen。



Then　followed　the　fighting；　with　its　bravery　and　its　horrors　

its　brutish　wickedness　broke　loose。



Early　in　the　action；　the　British　sloop；　Finch；　fell　into

MacDonough's　trap　and　grounded　on　the　reef。



The　British　commander　was　killed；　with　many　of　his　officers。

Still；　the　heavy　fire　of　the　guns　would　have　given　them　the

victory；　but　for　MacDonough's　foresight　in　providing　for　swinging

his　ships。　When　one　broadside　was　entirely　out　of　action；　he　used

his　cables；　kedges　and　springs；　and　brought　the　other　batteries

to　bear。



It　was　one　of　the　most　desperate　naval　fights　the　world　has　ever

seen。　Of　the　three　hundred　men　on　the　British　flag…　ship　not　more

than　five；　we　are　told；　escaped　uninjured；　and　at　the　close　there

was　not　left　on　any　one　of　the　eight　vessels　a　mast　that　could

carry　sail；　or　a　sail　that　could　render　service。　In　less　than　two

hours　and　a　half　the　fight　was　won；　and　the　British　fleet

destroyed。



To　the　God　of　Battles　each　had　committed　his　cause：　and　the　God

of　Battles　had　spoken。



Far　away　to　the　southward　in　the　boats　were　the　Vermont　troops

with　their　general　and　Rolf　in　the　foremost。　Every　sign　of　the

fight　they　had　watched　as　men　whose　country's　fate　is　being　tried。



It　was　a　quarter　after　eleven　when　the　thunder　died　away；　and　the

Vermonters　were　headed　on　shore；　for　a　hasty　landing；　if　need　be；

when　down　from　the　peak　of　the　British　flag…ship　went　the　Union

Jack；　and　the　Stars　and　Stripes　was　hauled　to　take　its　place。



〃Thank　God！〃　a　soft；　murmuring　sigh　ran　through　all　the　boats　and

many　a　bronzed　and　bearded　cheek　was　wet　with　tears。　Each　man

clasped　hands　with　his　neighbour；　all　were　deeply　moved；　and　even

as　an　audience　melted　renders　no　applause；　so　none　felt　any　wish

to　vent　his　deep　emotion　in　a　cheer。







Chapter　82。　Scouting　for　Macomb



General　Macomb　knew　that　Sir　George　Prevost　was　a　cautious　and

experienced　commander。　The　loss　of　his　fleet　would　certainly　make

a　radical　change　in　his　plans；　but　what　change？　Would　he　make　a

flank　move　and　dash　on　to　Albany；　or　retreat　to　Canada；　or

entrench　himself　to　await　reinforcements　at　Plattsburg；　or　try　to

retrieve　his　laurels　by　an　overwhelming　assault　on　the　town？



Whatever　his　plan；　he　would　set　about　it　quickly；　and　Macomb

studied　the　enemy's　camp　with　a　keen；　discerning　eye；　but　nothing

suggesting　a　change　was　visible　when　the　sun　sank　in　the　rainy　west。



It　was　vital　that　he　know　it　at　once　when　an　important　move　was

begun；　and　as　soon　as　the　night　came　down；　a　score　of　the

swiftest　scouts　were　called　for。　All　were　young　men；　most　of　them

had　been　in　McGlassin's　band。　Rolf　was　conspicuous　among　them　for

his　tall　figure；　but　there　was　a　Vermont　boy　named　Seymour；　who

had　the　reputation　of　being　the　swiftest　runner　of　them　all。



They　had　two　duties　laid　before　them：　first；　to　find　whether

Prevost's　army　was　really　retreating；　second；　what　of　the

regiment　he　sent　up　the　Saranac　to　perform　the　flank　movement。



Each　was　given　the　country　he　knew　best。　Some　went　westerly；　some

followed　up　the　river。　Rolf；　Seymour；　and　Fiske；　another

Vermonter；　skimmed　out　of　Plattsburg　harbour　in　the　dusk；　rounded

Cumberland　Bend；　and　at　nine　o'clock　landed　at　Point　au　Roche；　at

the　north　side　of　Treadwell's　Bay。



Here　they　hid　the　canoe　and　agreeing　to　meet　again　at　midnight；

set　off　in　three　different　westerly　directions　to　strike　the

highway　at　different　points。　Seymour；　as　the　fast　racer；　was

given　the　northmost　route；　Rolf　took　the　middle。　Their　signals

were　arranged　　in　the　woods　the　barred…owl　cry；　by　the　water

the　loon；　and　they　parted。



The　woods　seemed　very　solemn　to　Rolf　that　historic　September

night；　as　he　strode　along　at　speed；　stopping　now　and　again　when

he　thought　he　heard　some　signal；　and　opened　wide　his　mouth　to

relieve　his　ear…drums　of　the　heart…beat　or　to　still　the　r