FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85  
86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   >>   >|  
at it might be painful for him if the answer was delayed. He was not so devoted to the cause as to be willing to suffer in its behalf, and, therefore, said surlily: "We were going to Captain Remember Baker at Sudbury." "Who sent you?" "Colonel Allen." "Where is the message you are carrying?" "He gave us none save by word of mouth." "Repeat it, and be careful lest you make the mistake of telling another lie." "There is nothing in it of importance or interest to you. It was simply that Captain Baker should come at once to Ticonderoga." "Then the fort was taken last night?" "I thought you knew that?" Nathan cried in surprise, now understanding that he had divulged what it was most important should have been kept a profound secret until Crown Point had been captured. "We heard that the rebels were marching toward the fort; but could not get there in time to warn the commandant." "Why was it you made prisoners of two boys if you were not knowing to all that has taken place?" Nathan asked, his curiosity getting the better of his fears. "We took the chance that you could give us the desired information, because it was not reasonable old Beman's son should be in this section unless on business of his father's, and in these times one can well guess what that business might be. Therefore, having heard you floundering through the thicket, we drew near to listen to such conversation as you might indulge in." "Are you going to waste time explaining our purpose to that young cub, Jason Wentworth?" one of the men asked impatiently, and he who had been addressed replied with a laugh: "We are not in as much haste now as we were half an hour ago, Ezra Jones. Captain Baker will not get the message, and while the wind holds in this quarter I'm allowing the rebels won't reach Crown Point before we do." "They will if we loiter here all day. Truss up the lads, so they can do no mischief, and let us be off." "Would you leave them here in the thicket, Ezra Jones?" "Why not?" "They might starve to death, and while I'm willing to serve the king in all things, it is not my intent to be thus barbarous." "They can make themselves heard if any one passes by on the trail," the third man replied very carelessly, and Ezra added quickly: "Ay! I had not thought of that. They must be gagged, or, what may be better for us, shot offhand." "Are you willing to kill two boys in cold blood, Ezra Jones?" Ther
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85  
86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Captain

 

Nathan

 

thought

 

thicket

 

business

 
replied
 

rebels

 

message

 

addressed

 
gagged

impatiently

 
carelessly
 

quickly

 

Wentworth

 

purpose

 

listen

 

conversation

 

indulge

 

explaining

 

offhand


starve

 

loiter

 

mischief

 

floundering

 

passes

 

barbarous

 

allowing

 

things

 

quarter

 

intent


telling

 
mistake
 

Repeat

 

careful

 

importance

 
Ticonderoga
 

interest

 

simply

 

suffer

 

behalf


devoted

 

painful

 

answer

 

delayed

 

surlily

 

carrying

 
Colonel
 

Remember

 

Sudbury

 

desired