rolf in the woods-第70章

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At　the　lowest　part　of　the　roof　was　a　tiny　door　to　a　lumber

closet。　In　this　Rolf　spread　his　blankets；　stretched　his　weary

limbs；　and　soon　was　sound　asleep。



At　dawn　the　bugles　blew；　the　camp　was　astir。　The　officer　in　the

house　arose　and　took　his　post　on　the　porch。　He　was　there　on　guard

to　protect　the　house。　His　brother　officers　joined　him。　Mrs。

Hubbell　prepared　breakfast。　It　was　eaten　silently；　so　far　as　Rolf

could　learn。　They　paid　for　it　and；　heading　their　regiment；　went

away　northward；　leaving　the　officer　still　on　the　porch。



Presently　Rolf　heard　a　stealthy　step　in　his　garret；　the　closed

door　was　pushed　open；　and　Mrs。　Hubbell's　calm；　handsome　face

appeared；　as；　with　a　reassuring　nod；　she　set　down　a　mug　of

coffee；　some　bread；　and　a　bowl　of　mush　and　milk。　And　only　those

who　have　travelled　and　fasted　for　twelve　hours　when　they　were

nineteen　know　how　good　it　tasted。



From　a　tiny　window　ventilator　Rolf　had　a　view　of　the　road　in

front。　A　growing　din　of　men　prepared　him　for　more　troops；　but

still　he　was　surprised　to　see　ten　regiments　march　past　with　all

their　stores　　a　brave　army；　but　no　one　could　mistake　their

looks；　they　wore　the　despondent　air　of　an　army　in　full　retreat。







Chapter　83。　The　Last　of　Sir　George　Prevost



The　battle　was　over　at　Plattsburg　town；　though　it　had　not　been

fought；　for　the　spirit　of　MacDonough　was　on　land　and　water；　and

it　was　felt　by　the　British　general；　as　well　as　the　Yankee

riflemen；　as　soon　as　the　Union　Jack　had　been　hauled　from　the　mast

of　the　Confiance。



Now　Sir　George　Prevost　had　to　face　a　momentous　decision：　He　could

force　the　passage　of　the　Saranac　and　march　on　to　Albany；　but　his

communications　would　be　cut；　and　he　must　rely　on　a　hostile

country　for　supplies。　Every　day　drew　fresh　bands　of　riflemen　from

the　hills。　Before　he　could　get　to　Albany　their　number　might

exceed　his；　and　then　what？　Unless　Great　Britain　could　send　a　new

army　or　a　fleet　to　support　him；　he　must　meet　the　fate　of

Burgoyne。　Prevost　proposed　to　take　no　such　chances　and　the　night

of　the　11th　eight　hours　after　MacDonough's　victory；　he　gave　the

order　〃Retire　to　Canada。〃



To　hide　the　move　as　long　as　possible；　no　change　was　made　till

after　sundown；　no　hint　was　given　to　the　beleaguered　town；　they

must　have　no　opportunity　to　reap　the　enormous　advantages；　moral

and　material；　of　harrying　a　retreating　foe。　They　must　arise　in

the　morning　to　find　the　enemy　safely　over　the　border。　The　plan

was　perfect；　and　would　have　been　literally　carried　out；　had　not

he　had　to　deal　with　a　foe　as　clever　as　himself。



How　eagerly　Rolf　took　in　the　scene　on　Chazy　Road；　how　much　it

meant！　how　he　longed　to　fly　at　his　fastest　famous　speed　with　the

stirring　news。　In　two　hours　and　a　half　he　could　surely　let　his

leader　know。　And　he　gazed　with　a　sort　of　superior　pride　at　the

martial　pomp　and　bravery　of　the　invaders　driven　forth。



Near　the　last　was　a　gallant　array　of　gentlemen　in　gorgeous

uniforms　of　scarlet　and　gold；　how　warlike　they　looked；　how

splendid　beside　the　ill…clad　riflemen　of　Vermont　and　the　rude

hunters　of　the　Adirondacks。　How　much　more　beautiful　is　an　iron

sword　with　jewels；　than　a　sword　of　plain　gray　steel。



Dame　Hubbell　stood　in　her　door　as　they　went　by。　Each　and　all

saluted　politely；　her　guard　was　ordered　to　join　his　regiment。　The

lady　waved　her　sun…bonnet　in　response　to　their　courteous

good…bye；　and　could　not　refrain　from　calling　out：



〃How　about　my　prophecy；　Sir　George；　and　those　purses？〃



Rolf　could　not　see　his　hostess；　but　he　heard　her　voice；　and　he

saw　the　astonishing　effect：



The　British　general　reined　in　his　horse。　〃A　gentleman's　word　is

his　bond；　madam；〃　he　said。　〃Let　every　officer　now　throw　his　purse

at　the　lady's　feet；〃　and　he　set　the　example。　A　dozen　rattling

thuds　were　heard　and　a　dozen　officers　saluting；　purseless；　rode

away。



A　round　thousand　dollars　in　gold　the　lady　gathered　on　her　porch

that　morning；　and　to　this　day　her　grand…kin　tell　the　tale。







Chapter　84。　Rolf　Unmasks　the　Ambush



Rolf's　information　was　complete　now；　and　all　that　remained　was　to

report　at　Plattsburg。　Ten　regiments　he　had　counted　from　his　peep

hole。　The　rear　guard　passed　at　ten　o'clock。　At　eleven　Mrs。

Hubbell　did　a　little　scouting　and　reported　that　all　was　quiet　as

far　as　she　could　see　both　ways；　and　no　enemy　in　sight　anywhere。



With　a　grateful　hand　shake　he　left　the　house　to　cover　the

fourteen　miles　that　lay　between　Chazy　and　Plattsburg。



Refreshed　and　fed；　young　and　strong；　the　representative　of　a　just

and　victorious　cause；　how　he　exulted　in　that　run；　rejoicing　in

his　youth；　his　country；　his　strength；　his　legs；　his　fame　as　a

runner。　Starting　at　a　stride　he　soon　was　trotting；　then；　when　the

noon　hour　came；　he　had　covered　a　good　six　miles。　Now　he　heard

faint；　far　shots；　and　going　more　slowly　was　soon　conscious　that　a

running　fight　was　on　between　his　own　people　and　the　body　of

British　sent　westward　to　hold　the　upper　Saranac。



True　to　the　instinct　of　the　scout；　his　first　business　was　to　find

out　exactly　what　and　where　they　were。　From　a　thick　tree　top　he

saw　the　red…coats　spotting　an　opening　of　the　distant　country。

Then　they　were　lost　sight　of　in　the　woods。　The　desultory　firing

became　volley　firing；　once　or　twice。　Then　there　was　an　interval

of　silence。　At　length　a　mass　of　red…coats　appeared　on　the　highway

within　half　a　mile。　They　were　travelling　very　fast；　in　full

retreat；　and　were　coming　his　way。　On　the　crest　of　the　hill　over

which　the　road　ran；　Rolf　saw　them　suddenly　drop　to　the　ground　and

take　up　position　to　form　a　most　dangerous　ambuscade；　and　half　a

mile　away；　straggling　through　the　woods；　running　or　striding；

were　the　men　in　the　colours　he　loved。　They　had　swept　the　enemy

before　them；　so　far；　but　trained　troops　speedily　recover　from　a

panic；　if　they　have　a　leader　of　nerve；　and　seeing　a　noble　chance

in　the　angle　of　this　deep…sunk　road；　the　British　fugitives　turned

like　boars　at　bay。　Not　a　sign　of　them　was　visible　to　the

Americans。　The　latter　were　suffering　from　too　much　success。　Their

usual　caution　seemed　to　have　deserted　them；　and　trotting　in　a

body　they　came　along　the　narrow　road；　hemmed　in　by　a　forest　and

soon　to　be　hedged　with　cliffs　of　clay。　They　were　heading　for　a

death…trap。　At　any　price　he　must　warn　them。　He　slid　down　the

tree；　and　keeping　cover　ran　as　fast　as　possible　toward　the

ambush。　It　was　the　only　hill　near　　Beekman's　Rise；　they　call

it。　As　far　as　possible　from　the　red…coats；　but　still　on　the　hill

that　gave　a　view；　he　leaped　on　to　a　high　stump　and　yelled　as　he

never　did　before：　〃Go　back；　go　back！　A　trap！　A　trap！〃　And　lifting

high　his　outspread　hands　he　flung　their　palms　toward　his　friends；

the　old…time　signal　for　〃go　back。〃



Not　twice　did　they　need　warning。　Like　hunted　wolves　they　flashed

from　view　in　the　nearest　cover。　A　harmless　volley　from　the

baffled　ambush　rattled　amongst　them；　and　leaping　from　his　stump

Rolf　ran　for　life。



Furious　at　their　failure；　a　score　of　red…coats；　reloading　as　they

ran；　came　hot…footed　after　him。　Down　into　cover　of　an　alder　swamp

he　plunged；　and　confident　of　his　speed；　ran　on；　dashing　through

thickets　and　mudholes。　He　knew　that　the　red…　coats　would　not

follow　far　in　such　a　place；　and　his　comrades　were　near。　But　the

alder　thicket　ended　at　a　field。　He　heard　the　bushes　crashing

close　at　hand；　and　dashed　down　a　little　ravine　at　whose　lower

edge　the　friendly　forest　recommenced。　That　was　his　fatal　mistake。

The　moment　he　took　to　the　open　there　was　a　rattle　of　rifles　from

the　hill　above；　and　Rolf　fell　on　his　face　as　dead。



It　was　after　noontide　when　he　fell；　he　must　have　lain　unconscious

for　an　hour；　when　he　came　to　himself　he　was　lying　still　in　that

hollow；　absolutely　alone。　The　red…coats　doubtless　had　continued

their　flight　with　the　Yankee　boys　behind　them。　His　face　was

covered　with　blood。　His　coat　was　torn　and　bloody；　his　trousers

showed　a　ragged　rent　that　was　reddened　and　sopping。