Part 25 (2/2)
They crossed the fields, so after a hot day The ss skin o' rain,” said Zeb
”Needn't lay it on the shen the clouds are piling up as they are this evening We'll want a roof to the hay rick before , I think,” was Rodney's reply
They found the far his chores His s tasted so good ye cos We reckoned as how the fellers as didn't git roast pig ht come back and try it this evenin'”
”Hope ye don't intend fightin' round here My wife Nancy is dretful nervous”
”My kind and tres? We 'lowed as hoe ht stay here an' save yer next winter's pork 'Sposin' you explain it to Nancy We'll not allow any one to hurt her, if we can help it”
This seemed to satisfy the far to a theeled ox-cart, piled high with hay and backed against the pen As Zeb raised the tongue, and told Bunster to put a stick under it, the far pen; that load is too heavy behind, anyhow”
”Hay matic remark by Zeb called forth no response froht and went into the house
”I'll stand guard the first part or we'll draw lots, as you wish,”
said Rodney
It was decided to draw lots, but Rodney, drawing the shortest straw, had his wish to stand guard the first part of the night for, though tired, he was not sleepy
His companions threw themselves down on the hay at the foot of the rick and soon, by their regular breathing, he knew they slept Sleep was a luxury with the Rangers in those days of continuous scout duty
Rodney's nerves were high strung and no sound escaped hirass at his feet An occasional mosquito hummed about his ears His e he had known In his i of the squaws about the caht of the old Indian chief, whose savage hands had so often grasped the rifle the boy now held Had Ahneota lived he doubtless would be encouraging the red men in aid of the British, and would not hesitate to torture women and children as well as men How he hated the whites!
Hark! What was that sound? Surely the clink of the iron shoe of a horse on a stone in the road!
The boy waked his sleeping companions They seized their rifles and all went nearer the road
Out of the darkness uttural voices of several Hessians could be heard Then a light gli party drew an old horn lantern froht, cla outside the one with the lantern and the fourth holding the horse
The nextthem with their bayonets
”Follow ue in the air, du hus in thethethe lantern, while Rodney and Bunster disarmed the Hessian with the horse Then Zeb quickly tied their hands behind their backs, and, telling Rodney to guard them and shoot them down if they moved hand or foot, he and Bunster turned their attention to the co pen
Frorunts and squeals and Gers were those two Hessians when they crawled out into the light Wisps of hay clung to their well greased pigtail queues and their hated uniforms, blue coats and yelloaistcoats, were daubed with uns, an' take this fork an' pitch out the hay,” was Zeb's order, which the dazed prisoners atte out the , said, ”I'll look out fer that”
”Better let hi we may have more Hessians than we need”
”Good advice, ye townsman of the i with Morgan”
[2] The chief incident in ”Marching with Morgan,” in which Zeb and young Donald Lovell are the leading characters