Part 21 (1/2)

_Bur_. Captain Maitland! Good heavens, I thought you were at Skeensborough by this,--what has happened? or am I to congratulate myself that the necessity of your emba.s.sy is obviated. You met them, perhaps?--

_Maitland_. There's but little cause of congratulation, Sir, as these dispatches will prove to you. I returned only because my emba.s.sy was accomplished.

_Bur_. Do you mean to say, Captain Maitland, that you have seen the waters of Lake Champlain, since you left here this morning?

_Mait_. I do, Sir.

_Bur_. On my word, these roads must have improved since we travelled them some two days agone. I am sorry for your horses, Sir. You saw General Reidesel?

_Mait_. I left him only at nine o'clock this morning.

(_Burgoyne examines the dispatches_.)

_Bur_. ”Twelve oxen to one batteaux!”--”and but fifty teams!” This news was scarcely worth so much haste, I think,--but fifty teams?--Captain Maitland, had those draught horses from Canada not arrived yet?

_Mait_. They were just landing this morning as I left, but only one-fourth of the number contracted for.

_Bur_. Humph! I would like to know what time, at this rate----sit down, Captain Maitland, sit down--we are like to spend the summer here, for aught I see, after all. (_A long pause, in which Burgoyne resumes his reading_.)

_Mait_. General Burgoyne, I am entrusted with a message from General Reidsel to the Baroness. If this is all----

_Bur_. What were you saying?--The Baroness--ay, ay--that's all well enough,--but Captain Maitland is aware, no doubt, there are more important subjects on the tapis just now than a lady's behests.

_Mait_. Sir?----

_Bur_. (_Pus.h.i.+ng the papers impatiently from him_.) This will never do.

St. George! We'll give these rebels other work ere many days, than driving away cattle and breaking down bridges for our convenience.

Meanwhile we must open some new source of supplies, or we may starve to death among these hills yet. Captain Maitland, I have a proposal to make to you. You are impatient, Sir.

_Mait_. General Burgoyne!----

_Bur_. Nay, nay,--there's no haste about it. It were cruel to detain you now, after the toil of this wild journey. You'll find your quarters changed, Captain Maitland. We sent a small detachment across the river just now. Some of our copper-colored allies had got into a fray with the enemy there.

_Mait_. Ha! (_returning_.)

_Bur_. Nothing of consequence, as it turns out. We hoped it would have ended in something. A few of the enemy, who were stationed as a guard on a hill not far from Fort Edward, were surprised by a party of Indians, and killed, to a man, I believe. Afterwards, the victors got into a deadly fray among themselves as usual. A quarrel between a couple of these chiefs, at some famous watering place of theirs, and in the midst of it, a party from the fort drove them from the ground;--this is Alaska's own story at least.

_Mait_. _Alaska's!_

_Bur_. Alaska?--Alaska?--yes, I think it was,--one of these new allies we have picked up here.