Part 27 (1/2)
”Lucky he did. He was just the man needed to do that job at Bennington. I went as messenger to Portsmouth and heard John Langdon, the speaker of the New Hamps.h.i.+re a.s.sembly, pledge his property to fit out Stark. That's the kind of statesmen to have.”
”A durned sight better than the majority of those in Congress. Whar is yer Uncle d.i.c.k, at home worryin' about ye?”
Donald laughed, and then his face grew serious as he said, ”No. He joined Stark and I'm the one who is worrying about him.”
”General Arnold played a good trick on St. Leger, when he sent that decoy messenger to him with the c.o.c.k-and-bull story about the reinforcements marching to Fort Stanwix bein' thicker than the leaves on the trees,” remarked Zeb.
”And wasn't that a glorious fight poor old Herkimer's men made against the Tories and Brandt's Indians? That must have been terrible, a regular hand-to-hand struggle. Yes, Arnold is here and many think he should have the command.”
”And I'm one o' the number,” said Zeb, stoutly. ”That man has more courage an' energy than the whole Continental Congress. Look at the way he fought in the Canadian campaign! They tell me, though the British defeated the fleet of boats he built to oppose 'em on the lake, that no man ever led a braver struggle against greater odds and got away without bein' captured. He was ready to resign before this Burgoyne campaign, an' I wouldn't hev blamed him. He doesn't know how to git along without making enemies, for, when he has anything to do, he goes at it hammer and tongs no matter whose toes he treads on, but he gets it done, by hook or by crook.”
”You know, Zeb, that somehow I never had great liking for him, but he certainly is a brave, resourceful leader. I think he's the most ambitious man in the service.”
”He's willing to earn his promotion, which some of 'em wouldn't if they knew how. He's earned it ten times over. The men who can do things are the ones we've got to have to win. One thing, this army isn't goin' to lack fer men, such as they are, by the way the farmers are comin' in with their old guns and hay hooks.”
”Such as they are! Zeb, you're a dyed-in-the-wool Virginian. These New Englanders and New Yorkers coming into camp are of the same mettle as those under Stark and those who died with Herkimer. There are no better men in the world.”
”Reckon ye better make an exception o' the Rangers. They sent us down here, when we ought to be with Was.h.i.+ngton, specially to save you people from the Indians.”
”Yes, and the day you started, Stark and his New Hamps.h.i.+re and Ma.s.sachusetts men, with the help of Seth Warner's men, won a victory which will result in the defeat of Burgoyne. You Virginians are all right; you have your Was.h.i.+ngton and Morgan and the Rangers, but don't cry down the Northern farmers in their homespun. They've had to fight for a living from the beginning, and, from Lexington right down through till now, they've fought for their country.”
”Except when they've left to go home and gather their crops. Soldiers who stay in the field till the war's over are the kind that is needed.”
”Excuse me,” interrupted Rodney, for the conversation had waxed warm, ”but, from what Zeb told me, both Virginia and Ma.s.sachusetts were needed to pull through the wilderness on the way to Quebec.”
Zeb laughed and said, ”I reckon Virginia and Ma.s.sachusetts will have to hang together if we get the job done.”
”And if we don't,” added Donald, with a laugh, ”they'll hang separately, as Dr. Franklin said of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.”
CHAPTER XXV
PUT TO THE TEST
”Likely lookin' men Dearborn's picked up,” was Zeb's comment as Major Dearborn marched his recruits past. ”Hi, Don. An' thar's his uncle.
Glad he got through Bennington safe an' sound. Don was some worried about him. Man an' boy, ye can't beat 'em.”
”His uncle is a fine looking man. Those men have bayonets. They ought to be of service. But there's none like the Rangers, eh, Zeb?”
”Askin' such questions is waste o' breath.”
”Well, I hope we'll soon have a chance to prove it.”
”We've been sayin' the same thing for more'n two weeks. I reckoned we sure would get it two days ago when we occupied Bemis Heights. h.e.l.lo!
What's doin'?”
”Fall in!”
As though there were magic in the words, those travel-stained riflemen sprang to their places with an eagerness never seen among regular troops.