Part 6 (1/2)
So off we set all together for the istrate About dinner time I ordered a halt at the house of one Johnson, a militia captain, who appeared quite overwhelmed with joy to see me
”Heaven bless us!” said he, ”and noho could have believed all this?
And have I, at last, tounder my humble roof the noble ed to him, for his politeness -- but, for the present, was rather too hungry to relish compliments
”Like sweetmeats, captain,” said I, ”a little of theood dinner”
”Oh, my dearfit for dinner for you, my noble son of thunder -- a saddle of fat venison, oose with currant jelly, and a bottle of old Madeira to wash it down, do you see,NICE for you, do you see, major!”
”NICE,” said I, ”captain Johnson! We soldiers of liberty don't stand upon the NICE -- the SUBSTANTIAL is that we care for -- a rasher of fat bacon froood stout luh for us”
”Oh, ry with ood for you as I could wish, but such as it is, thank God, we have plenty; and you shall have a bite in a trice” So off he went, as he pretended, to hurry dinner
Now can any honest man believe that this samethe blarney into me at that rate,”
could have been such a scoundrel as to turn about the very next rants It is, however, too true to be doubted; for having purposely delayed dinner till it was late, he then insisted that I ht” Soon as my consent was obtained, he despatched a parcel of riders, to order in, with their guns, as ht would do In the course of the night, snug as ot a hint of his capers, and told uns were in pri ready, (for Johnson swore I should not leave him ”on an empty stomach”,) lieutenant Jossilin ca of so uns in their hands
I replied that we should SEE PRESENTLY
Breakfast then , (ourin one after another, till there were, I dare say, as many as thirty of them in the room, ALL ARMED
When breakfast was over, I turned to the constable, and desired hirants, for that ould start as soon as our men were all refreshed Upon this captain Johnson said he believed he should not let the prisoners go
”Not let theo, sir,” said I, ”what do you mean by that, sir?”
”I mean, sir,” replied he, ”that the law is an oppressive one”
I asked hi myself perfectly cool, if he was not an American soldier?
”Yes, sir,” he answered, ”I aood a one, perhaps, as yourself, or any other man”
”Well, sir, and is this the way you show your soldiershi+p, by insulting the law?”
”I am not bound,” continued he, ”to obey a bad law”
”But, sir, who gave YOU a right to JUDGE the law?”
”I don't mind that,” quoth he, ”but d--n o”
”Very well, captain Johnson,” said I, ”we shall soon try THAT; and if you and your people here, choose to go to the devil for resisting the law, on your own heads be the bloody consequences”
With this I gave the floor a thundering staeant and hter, while Jossilin and e