按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
look。 I let um go。 I tink you pretty good fellow； parbleu！〃
So Rolf marched away with half the furs and four days later he
was back and paid the pale…faced but happy Frenchman the one
hundred and fifty dollars he had received from Van Cortlandt；
with other bills making one hundred and ninety…five dollars and
with groceries and tobacco enough to satisfy the trapper。 The
Frenchman proved a most amiable character。 He and Rolf took to
each other greatly； and when they shook hands at parting； it was
in the hope of an early and happier meeting。
Francois la Colle turned bravely for the ninety…mile tramp over
the snow to his home； while Rolf went south with the furs that
were to prove a most profitable investment； shaping his life in
several ways； and indirectly indeed of saving it on one occasion。
Chapter 68。 War
Eighteen hundred and twelve had passed away。 President Madison；
driven by wrongs to his countrymen and indignities that no nation
should meekly accept； had in the midsummer declared war on Great
Britain。 Unfitted to cope with the situation and surrounded by
unfit counsellors； his little army of heroic men led by unfit
commanders had suffered one reverse after another。
The loss of Fort Mackinaw； Chicago； Detroit； Brownstown； and the
total destruction of the American army that attacked Queenstown
were but poorly offset by the victory at Niagara and the
successful defence of Ogdensburg。
Rolf and Quonab had repaired to Albany as arranged； but they left
it as United States scouts； not as guides to the four young
sportsmen who wished to hark back to the primitive。
Their first commission had been the bearing of despatches to
Plattsburg。
With a selected light canoe and a minimum of baggage they reached
Ticonderoga in two days； and there renewed their acquaintance
with General Hampton； who was fussing about； and digging useless
entrenchments as though he expected a mighty siege。 Rolf was
called before him to receive other despatches for Colonel Pike at
Plattsburg。 He got the papers and learned their destination； then
immediately made a sad mistake。 〃 Excuse me； sir；〃 he began； 〃if
I meet with 〃
〃Young man；〃 said the general； severely； 〃I don't want any of
your 'ifs' or 'buts'； your orders are 'go。' 'How' and 'if' are
matters for you to find out； that's what you are paid for。〃
Rolf bowed； his cheeks were tingling。 He was very angry at what
he thought a most uncalled for rebuke； but he got over it； and he
never forgot the lesson。 It was Si Sylvanne that put it into
rememberable form。
〃A fool horse kin follow a turnpike； but it takes a man with wits
to climb； swim； boat； skate； run； hide； go it blind； pick a lock；
take the long way； round； when it's the short way across； run
away at the right time； or fight when it's wise all in one
afternoon。〃 Rolf set out for the north carrying a bombastic
（meant to be reassuring） message from Hampton that he would
annihilate any enemy who dared to desecrate the waters of the lake。
It was on this trip that Rolf learned from Quonab the details of
the latter's visit to his people on the St。 Regis。 Apparently the
joy of meeting a few of his own kin； with whom he could talk his
own language； was offset by meeting with a large number of his
ancient enemies the Mohawks。 There had been much discussion of
the possible war between the British and the Yankees。 The Mohawks
announced their intention to fight for the British； which was a
sufficient reason for Quonab as a Sinawa remaining with the
Americans； and when he left the St。 Regis reserve the Indian was
without any desire to reenter it。
At Plattsburg Rolf and Quonab met with another Albany
acquaintance in General Wilkinson； and from him received
despatches which they brought back to Albany； having covered the
whole distance in eight days。
When 1812 was gone Rolf had done little but carry despatches up
and down Lake Champlain。 Next season found the Americans still
under command of Generals Wilkinson and Hampton； whose utter
incompetence was becoming daily more evident。
The year 1813 saw Rolf； eighteen years old and six feet one in
his socks； a trained scout and despatch bearer。
By a flying trip on snowshoes in January he took letters； from
General Hampton at Ticonderoga to Sackett's Harbour and back in
eight days； nearly three hundred miles。 It made him famous as a
runner； but the tidings that he brought were sad。 Through him
they learned in detail of the total defeat and capture of the
American army at Frenchtown。 After a brief rest he was sent
across country on snowshoes to bear a reassuring message to
Ogdensburg。 The weather was much colder now； and the single
blanket bed was dangerously slight； so 〃Flying Kittering；〃 as
they named him； took a toboggan and secured Quonab as his running
mate。 Skookum was given into safe keeping。 Blankets； pots； cups；
food； guns； and despatches were strapped on the toboggan； and
they sped away at dawn from Ticonderoga on the I8th of February
1813； headed northwestward； guided by little but the compass。
Thirty miles that day they made in spite of piercing blasts and
driving snow。 But with the night there began a terrible storm
with winds of zero chill。 The air was filled with stinging；
cutting snow。 When they rose at daylight they were nearly buried
in drifts； although their camp was in a dense； sheltered thicket。
Guided wholly by the compass they travelled again； but blinded by
the whirling white they stumbled and blundered into endless
difficulties and made but poor headway。 After dragging the
toboggan for three hours； taking turns at breaking the way； they
were changing places when Rolf noticed a large gray patch on
Quonab's cheek and nose。
〃Quonab； your face is frozen；〃 he said。
〃So is yours；〃 was the reply。
Now they turned aside； followed a hollow until they reached a
spruce grove； where they camped and took an observation； to learn
that the compass and they held widely different views about the
direction of travel。 It was obviously useless to face the storm。
They rubbed out their frozen features with dry snow and rested by
the fire。
No good scout seeks for hardship； he avoids the unnecessary trial
of strength and saves himself for the unavoidable。 With zero
weather about them and twenty…four hours to wait in the storm；
the scouts set about making themselves thoroughly comfortable。
With their snowshoes they dug away the snow in a circle a dozen
feet across； piling it up on the outside so as to make that as
high as possible。 When they were
down to the ground； the wall of snow around them was five feet
high。 Now they went forth with the hatchets； cut many small
spruces； and piled them against the living spruces about the camp
till there was a dense mass of evergreen foliage ten feet high
around them； open only at the top； where was a space five feet
across。 With abundance of dry spruce