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Persuaded, however, that his last hour was come, he made a desperate effort to clear himself, whereupon Fletcher cut off a piece of his skin by mistake. Maisonville, making sure that he had been scalped, stood groaning and clapping his hand to his head, while the two young rascals drew back and stared at each other. "What's to do now?" said Willis.
He told us that a man named Maisonville, with a party of Indians, was in pursuit of him, and the next piece of news he had was in the way of raising our despair a little. Governor Hamilton's astonishment at seeing this force here and now would be as great as his own. Governor Hamilton had said, indeed, that only a navy could take Vincennes this year. Unfortunately, Mr. Willing brought no food.
How many men did he have, etc., etc.? The circle about us deepened with eager listeners, who uttered exclamations when Maisonville, between his answers, put up his hand to his bleeding head. Suddenly the circle parted, and Captain Bowman came through. "Ray has discovered Lamothe, sir," said he. "What shall we do?" "Let him into the fort," said Clark, instantly.
"I wish to heaven you had caught Lamothe instead, Davy," said the Colonel, and joined despite himself in the laugh that went up. Falling sober again, he began to question the prisoner. Where was Lamothe? Pardieu, Maisonville could not say.
And he could have given them no greater punishment, for he took them from the firing line, and sent them back to wait among the reserves until the morning. "Nom de Dieu!" said Maisonville, wrathfully, as he watched them go, "they should hang." "The stuff that brought them here through ice and flood is apt to boil over, Captain," remarked the Colonel, dryly.
He shook the tuft of hair at Maisonville and glared like a mad bull. Two or three other members of Lamothe's band were captured about the same time by some of the French militiamen; and Clark, when on his round cheering and directing his forces, discovered that these prisoners were being used as shields.
They put Maisonville between them, ran him through the town up to the firing line, and there, to my horror, they tied him to a post and used him for a shield, despite his heart-rending yells. In mortal fear that the poor man would be shot down, I was running away to find some one who might have influence over them when I met a lieutenant.
"I wish to heaven you had caught Lamothe instead, Davy," said the Colonel, and joined despite himself in the laugh that went up. Falling sober again, he began to question the prisoner. Where was Lamothe? Pardieu, Maisonville could not say.
And he could have given them no greater punishment, for he took them from the firing line, and sent them back to wait among the reserves until the morning. "Nom de Dieu!" said Maisonville, wrathfully, as he watched them go, "they should hang." "The stuff that brought them here through ice and flood is apt to boil over, Captain," remarked the Colonel, dryly.
"What's yere name?" said Fletcher, cuffing and kicking his prisoner until he cried out for mercy. "Maisonville," said the man, whereupon Fletcher gave a war-whoop and kicked him again. "That's no way to use a prisoner," said I, hotly. "Hold your mouth, Davy," said Fletcher, "you didn't ketch him." "You wouldn't have had him but for me," I retorted. Fletcher's answer was an oath.
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