TO BOSTON TOWN
Instinctively the highwaymen turned their heads to see what Major
Rogers meant, and as they did the latter, hissing through his clenched
teeth:
"Now then, Seth. Shoot the scoundrels!" whipped out his pistol and
fired, Seth doing likewise so promptly that the two reports sounded
almost like one.
With a groan and a cry of agony the two wretches, mortally wounded,
fell to the ground, dropping the lantern, which, of course, was at once
extinguished, leaving everything in darkness.
Vastly relieved at this sudden and surprising change in the situation,
the driver was about to whip up his horses and make off when the stern
voice of the Major rang out:
"Hold there! Don't start until I bid you!"
The man dropped the whip and reined in the horses.
"Jump out, Seth, and find the lantern," was the Major's next order,
which Seth made haste to execute.
The lantern was found and relit, and then the Major proceeded to
examine the fallen men.
They were both dead already, the Rangers' aim, in spite of the
imperfect light and quickness of action, having been unerring, and
as the Major regarded them with an expression, curiously blended, of
triumph and pity, he said grimly:
"You poor fools! You've got your deserts, but you should have known
better than to try and rob _me_."
The emphasis he put upon the last word was not lost upon his
fellow-passengers, who looked at one another sheepishly, for they now
felt thoroughly ashamed of their cowardice, and they hastened to cover
their confusion by volubly expressing their gratitude to the Major for
his gallant conduct.
"Recover your purses and watches, gentlemen," was his only response,
however, and when that had been done, and the bodies of the two
ill-starred highwaymen had been decently disposed of at the side of the
road to await the action of the authorities, who would be informed in
due course, the coach resumed its journey.
After they had settled down again in their seats Seth got a chance to
ask the question which had been on his lips:
"Whom did you mean, sir, when you said: 'There they are! They're just
in time!' and pointed behind the robbers?"
Major Rogers chuckled complacently.
"Whom do you think I meant? Why nobody, of course. It was just a ruse
to fool the rascals and get them to turn their heads so that we could
fire first. And how easily they were taken in!" and he chuckled again
at the success of his scheme.
Seth's admiration for his commander was vastly increased by this
fresh proof of his courage and resourcefulness, and as for the other
passengers, they professed that he was a perfect hero, and that no
words of praise were too strong for what he had done.
At last the tiresome journey came to an end, and as the coach lumbered
through the tortuous streets of Boston Seth's heart beat high with
expectation. He was now in the big city, and the days before him could
not fail to be full of novelty and interest.
They put up at a comfortable tavern where the Major was well known, and
the best accommodation the house afforded was placed at his disposal.
It was a very ordinary establishment, and in no wise resembled a modern
hotel; but to Seth's untravelled eyes it seemed quite grand and the
substantial fare that burdened the tables sumptuous indeed.
The morning after their arrival Major Rogers said:
"I have certain business to attend to that will take me the best part
of the day and you will have to look after yourself. You'd better go
out and see the town, but mind where you go, and don't get lost. I'll
be back by supper-time."
"All right, sir," responded Seth cheerily, much pleased at the idea of
being left to his own devices. "I'll take good care of myself."
After the Major, attired in his best uniform, had set out, Seth
inquired the way to the waterside, for he was first of all anxious to
see the shipping.
He found the wharves crowded with shipping, and was immensely
interested in the bustle and noise as the sailors, with many a shout
and song, toiled away at loading or unloading the cargoes. It was
all new to him, and he did not hesitate to ask many questions of the
weather-beaten men, some of whom answered him civilly enough, while
others were decidedly gruff, and others still, rightly judging that he
was a country lad, tried to run rigs on him.
But Seth was too shrewd to be fooled very far. He understood pretty
well when he was being answered correctly, and he picked up a good deal
of information as he strolled about in an apparently aimless way.
One of the largest ships which hailed from England was discharging a
cargo of general goods bewildering in variety, and as Seth talked with
one of the sailors he was thinking to himself:
"How I'd like to go across the ocean to England and see everything
there! It must be a wonderful place. I wonder will I ever have the
chance."
The possibility of his realizing his desire seemed remote enough, but
that fact did not trouble him, and he made a mental resolution to get
over to the Mother Land some day, however distant it might be.
His pleasant meditations were at this point interrupted by cries of
pain and terror, coming from a boy who was evidently being cruelly
treated, and instinctively he hastened to see what was the matter.
On the other side of a great pile of casks he found a hulking fellow of
the wharf-rat genus ill-using a small boy who was vainly endeavoring to
escape from his clutches.
Instantly his ire was aroused, and without taking thought of the
consequences, but simply obeying the chivalrous impulse to rescue the
little victim from the ruffian, he sprang forward, and, seizing the
latter by the shoulders, flung him upon his back, at the same time
saying to the released boy:
"Run now! I'll not let the brute follow you!"
The little chap at first obeyed, but had not gone many yards ere he
stopped and looked back, being anxious to see how it fared with his
timely rescuer.
The wharf rat had been so taken by surprise and thrown so hard that for
a moment he lay prostrate and breathless, but the next moment he was
up, and with a foul oath hurled himself upon Seth, who had stood his
ground so as to protect the flight of the boy.
So far as size and weight went the ruffian had decidedly the best of
it, and if Seth had permitted him to get at close grips and fight in
his own rough and tumble fashion, it certainly might have gone hard
with him.
But he had more sense than to do that. He rightly judged his
assailant's purpose, and when the latter was almost upon him, sprang
quickly aside and thrust out his foot, at the same time landing with
his right fist upon the fellow's head.
Down he went again, this time forward instead of backward, and now,
utterly infuriated, he seized a large stone as he rose, and was about
to hurl it at Seth, who could hardly have evaded the missile at such
short range, when his arm was grasped by a newcomer upon the scene, who
said to him sternly:
"Drop that, you rascal! If you don't fight fair, I'll throw you into
the dock."
With a wolfish snarl he turned upon the speaker, as though he would
strike him with the stone, but his uplifted hand dropped quickly, and
there was something of a whine in his tone as he said:
"What did he hit me for? I wasn't doing nothing to him."
"Why did you hit him?" inquired the man of Seth. "What mischief was he
up to?"
"He was beating that boy, sir," answered Seth promptly, "and I
interfered. He had no business to be hurting a little fellow like that."
"Ah, ha, just as I supposed, you miserable cur!" and as he spoke the
wharfinger, who had kept hold of the bully, gave him a good shake.
"Now, look here, if you're so anxious to use your fists, why don't you
take some one of your own size? I dare say this stranger would not
object to having a round or two with you if you want it."
Seth smiled and nodded his head. Assured of fair play by the presence
of the wharfinger, he was indignant enough with the bully to feel quite
in the humor of giving him a good pummelling.
Not so, however, the other. He had already had sufficient taste of
Seth's quality to show him that he was an antagonist by no means to
be despised, and instead of accepting the challenge thus offered, he
hung down his head and slunk off out of sight, while the wharfinger,
chuckling at his discomfiture, turned to Seth and asked him courteously
if there was anything he could do for him, as he seemed to be a
stranger.
"No, thank you, sir," Seth responded brightly. "I'm just amusing myself
looking around. I never saw big ships before. I've always lived in the
country."
"And I suppose everything about here is very new and strange to you,"
the wharfinger broke in. "Come along with me and I'll explain things a
bit and then you'll understand better."
Nothing could have suited Seth better. He had been puzzled by many
things he saw, but shrank from asking questions of the busy men about
him, but now, thanks to his new acquaintance, all would be made clear.
The wharfinger asked him some questions about himself, and was
evidently much interested when he learned that he was a member of
Rogers' Rangers, the fame of whose exploits had reached even to Boston.
"And you say Major Rogers is in Boston now," he exclaimed. "Well, well!
I must try and see him. I should esteem it an honor to shake hands with
the man who has done such wonderful things if all accounts of him be
true."
Seth assured him that the Major was quite as great a hero as he was
reported to be, and added that if the wharfinger would come up to the
tavern that evening he would introduce him to the great man.
This suggestion pleased the wharfinger very much, and so in great
mutual good humor they began their round of the ships and warehouses.
This was pure enjoyment for Seth. He asked as many questions as a
school-boy, and to every one of them received an enlightening answer.
They went on board several of the ships, descending into their holds
and visiting their cabins, and chatting with their officers, some
of whom showed them hearty hospitality, and altogether it was a
rich experience to Seth, whose keen eyes took in everything, while
his active mind stored away what he heard, and he said to himself
exultantly:
"Won't I have a lot to tell Reuben and the rest of them at the fort
when I go back."
One of the captains whose vessel they boarded, just at mid-day,
insisted upon their sitting down to dinner with him, and after some
demur they consented, because it seemed easier to do so than to refuse
him, and it was consequently well into the afternoon ere Seth was able
to get away from his new friends and return to the tavern, where he
found Major Rogers wondering what had become of him.
The Major was in high feather, and, although not ordinarily inclined to
be communicative, after cutting short Seth's account of the way he had
spent the morning, he proceeded to relate with great gusto how it had
fared with him.
It seemed that his reception by General Shirley was very cordial,
and the Commander-in-Chief had said many flattering things about
the value of his services as a pleasant preliminary to the highly
gratifying information that he had decided to give him the command of
an independent company of Rangers, and he was to wait upon him the
following morning in order to receive his commission and instructions
for future action.
"Why, isn't that fine!" Seth exclaimed, his countenance glowing with
pride and pleasure, for he heartily shared in his leader's feeling.
"You will be your own master now, won't you, and do just what you like?"
"To a certain extent, yes," responded the Major complacently, "but
not entirely. I shall have, of course, to work together with those
in command at the forts, but my Rangers will have no one to obey but
myself."
"And what is the great General like?" Seth asked, with boyish
curiosity. "Is he very big and splendid, and everything grand about
him?"
Major Rogers smiled indulgently at his young companion.
"I don't think I'll tell you. I'll leave you to judge for yourself. You
can come with me to-morrow morning when I go to get my commission."
"Oh! can I?" cried Seth, his face radiant at the prospect. "You are
very good. I'll be so glad to go."
That evening the wharfinger called as he had promised, and Seth, now
prouder of his chief than ever, lost no time in telling him of the new
honors conferred upon the Major ere he led him into his presence.
The two men were soon on easy terms, and Seth keenly enjoyed their
conversation as they exchanged experiences, the one being so familiar
with the life of the sea and the other with the life of the forest.
Altogether it was a memorable day for the backwoods youth, and yet
as he lay down to sleep it was with lively anticipation of yet more
notable events which the morrow held in store for him.