Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 5, 2025
"That's what they're doing in front!" shouted Elerson. "When a soldier fires they're on him before he can reload!" "Two men to a tree!" roared Jack Mount. "Double up there, you Caughnawaga men!" Elerson glided cautiously to the oak which sheltered Mount; Murphy crept forward to my tree. "Bedad!" he muttered, "let the ondacent divils dhraw ye're fire an' welcome. I've a pill to purge 'em now.
Murphy and Elerson have just heard that Walter Butler's mother and sister, and a young lady, Magdalen Brant you met her at Varicks' are staying quietly at the house of a Tory named Beacraft. We must strive to catch him there; and, failing that, we must watch Magdalen Brant, that she has no communication with the Iroquois." He hesitated, head bent.
Wan o' their scouts struck old man Schell's farm an' he put buckshot into sivinteen o' them, or I'm a liar where I shtand!" "I knew it," muttered Elerson to Mount. "Where you see smoke, there's fire; where you see Murphy, there's trouble. Look at the grin on him and his hatchet shined up like a Cayuga's war-axe!"
"Good-day, friend," cried Mount, cheerily. "Good-day, friends," he replied, stammering as though for lack of breath. "God save our country, friend," added Elerson, gravely. "God save our country, friends," repeated the man. So far, so good. The man, a thick, stocky, heavy-eyed fellow, moistened his broad lips with his tongue, peered furtively at me, and instantly dropped his eyes.
Details from the Canajoharie regiment passed us searching the underbrush for their dead. I also noticed with a shudder that Elerson and Murphy carried two fresh scalps apiece, tied to the belts of their hunting-shirts; but I said nothing, having been warned by Jack Mount that they considered it their prerogative to take the scalps of those who had failed to take theirs.
Then, all around us, completely encircling the foot of our knoll, woods, thickets, scattered bushes, seemed to be literally moving in the vague forest light. "My God!" exclaimed Elerson to Murphy. "The woods are crawling with savages!" A dreadful and utter silence fell among us; Boyd, pale as a corpse, motioned his men to take posts, forming a small circle with our dead and wounded in the centre.
The ruddy-faced Major roared at the recital of his own misfortunes. Mount and Murphy looked up with sympathetic grins; Elerson had fallen asleep against the side of the shack, a bit of pie, half gnawed, clutched in his brier-torn fist.
Mount, can you find your way to that sulphur spring where the flat stones are piled in little heaps?" The big fellow laughed. As he strode forward into the depthless sea of darkness a whippoorwill called. "That's Elerson, sir," he said, and repeated the call twice. The rifleman appeared from the darkness, touching his cap to me. "The horses are safe, sir," he said.
"Hello, Catamount Jack," said Elerson, humorously. "Where 'd ye steal the squaw-buckskins? Look at the macaroni, Tim all yellow and purple fringe!" Mount surveyed the riflemen in their suits of brown holland and belted rifle-frocks. "Dave Elerson, you look like a Quakeress in a Dutch jerkin," he observed. "'Tis the nate turrn to yere leg he grudges ye," said Murphy to Elerson.
He laid his head on one side, like an enormous bird, and regarded me with a simper, as though lost in admiration. "Three cheers for the Colonel," he observed, thickly, and took off his cap. "'Ray!" echoed Elerson, regarding the unsteadiness of Mount's legs with an expression of wonder and pity. I bade Mount saddle my mare and prepare to accompany me to headquarters.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking