Presently the noise made by the column of French troops was heard
abreast of the fugitives. Then it died away behind them, and they again
directed their course to the left. Ten minutes later, they heard a loud
succession of Indian whoops, and knew that the redskins pursuing them
had also heard the French column on its march, and would be warning
them of the course which the band were taking. The scouts were now but
four miles from Ticonderoga, and each man knew that it was a mere
question of speed.
"Throw away your meat," Rogers ordered, "you will not want it now, and
every pound tells."
The men had already got rid of their blankets, and were now burdened
only with their rifles and ammunition. The ground was rough and broken,
for they were nearing the steep promontory on which the French fort had
been erected. They were still a mile ahead of their pursuers, and
although the latter had gained that distance upon them since the first
start, the scouts knew that, now they were exerting themselves to the
utmost, the redskins could be gaining but little upon them, for the
trained white man is, in point of speed and endurance, fairly a match
for the average Indian.
They had now descended to within a short distance of the edge of the
lake, in order to avoid the valleys and ravines running down from the
hills. The war whoops rose frequently in the forest behind them, the
Indians yelling to give those at the fort notice that the chase was
approaching.
"If there war any redskins left at the fort," Nat said to James, "they
would guess what our game was; but I expect every redskin started out
on the hunt, and the French soldiers, when they hear the yelling, won't
know what to make of it, and, if they do anything, they will shut
themselves up in their fort."
Great as were the exertions which the scouts were making, they could
tell, by the sound of the war whoops, that some at least of the Indians
were gaining upon them. Accustomed as every man of the party was to the
fatigues of the forest, the strain was telling upon them all now. For
twelve miles they had run almost at the top of their speed, and the
short panting breath, the set faces, and the reeling steps showed that
they were nearly at the end of their powers. Still they held on, with
scarcely any diminishing of speed. Each man knew that if he fell, he
must die, for his comrades could do nothing for him, and no pause was
possible until the boats were gained.
They were passing now under the French works, for they could hear
shouting on the high ground to the right, and knew that the troops left
in the fort had taken the alarm; but they were still invisible, for it
was only at the point of the promontory that the clearing had been
carried down to the water's edge. A low cry of relief burst from the
men, as they saw the forest open before them, and a minute later they
were running along in the open, near the shore of the lake, at the
extremity of the promontory, where, hauled up upon the shore, lay a
number of canoes and flat-bottomed boats, used for the conveyance of
troops. A number of boatmen were standing near, evidently alarmed by
the war cries in the woods. When they saw the party approaching they at
once made for the fort, a quarter of a mile away on the high ground,
and, almost at the same moment, a dropping fire of musketry opened from
the entrenchments.
"Smash the canoes," Rogers said, setting the example by administering a
vigorous kick to one of them.
The others followed his example, and, in a few seconds, every one of
the frail barks was stove in.
"Two of the boats will hold us well," Rogers said; "quick, into the
water with them, and out with the oars. Ten row in each boat. Let the
other five handle their rifles, and keep back the Indians as they come
up. Never mind the soldiers."
For the white-coated troops, perceiving the scouts' intention, were now
pouring out from the intrenchments.
A couple of minutes sufficed for the men to launch the boats and take
their seats, and the oars dipped in the water just as three or four
Indians dashed out from the edge of the forest.
"We have won the race by three minutes," Rogers said, exultantly.
"Stretch to your oars, lads, and get out of range as soon as you can."
The Indians began to fire as soon as they perceived the boats. They
were scarcely two hundred yards away, but they, like the white men,
were panting with fatigue, and their bullets flew harmlessly by.
"Don't answer yet," Rogers ordered, as some of the scouts were
preparing to fire. "Wait till your hands get steady, and then fire at
the French. There won't be many of the redskins up, yet."
The boats were not two hundred yards from shore when the French
soldiers reached the edge of the water and opened fire, but at this
distance their weapons were of little avail, and, though the bullets
splashed thickly around the boats, no one was injured, while several of
the French were seen to drop from the fire of the scouts. Another
hundred yards, and the boats were beyond any danger, save from a chance
shot. The Indians still continued firing, and several of their shots
struck the boats, one of the rowers being hit on the shoulder.
"Lay in your rifles, and man the other two oars in each boat," Rogers
said. "The French are launching some of their bateaux, but we have got
a fair start, and they won't overtake us before we reach the opposite
point. They are fresher than we are, but soldiers are no good rowing;
besides, they are sure to crowd the boats so that they won't have a
chance."
Five or six boats, each crowded with men, started in pursuit, but they
were fully half a mile behind when the two English boats reached the
shore.
"Now it is our turn," Rogers said, as the men, leaping ashore, took
their places behind trees. As soon as the French boats came within
range, a steady fire was opened upon them. Confusion was at once
apparent among them. Oars were seen to drop, and as the fire continued,
the rowing ceased. Another minute and the boats were turned, and were
soon rowing out again into the lake.
"There's the end of that," Rogers said, "and a close shave it has been.
"Well, youngster, what do you think of your first scout in the woods?"
"It has been sharper than I bargained for," James said, laughing, "and
was pretty near being the last, as well as the first. If it hadn't been
for your taking us to the boats, I don't think many of us would have
got back to Fort Henry to tell the tale."
"There is generally some way out of a mess," Rogers said, "if one does
but think of it. If I had not thought of the French boats, we should
have scattered, and a few of us would have been overtaken, no doubt;
but even an Indian cannot follow a single trail as fast as a man can
run, and I reckon most of us would have carried our scalps back to
camp. Still, with the woods full of Iroquois they must have had some of
us, and I hate losing a man if it can be helped. We are well out of it.
"Now, lads, we had better be tramping. There are a lot more bateaux
coming out, and I expect, by the rowing, they are manned by Indians.
The redskin is a first-rate hand with the paddle, but is no good with
an oar."
The man who had been hit in the shoulder had already had his wound
bandaged. There was a minute's consultation as to whether they should
continue their journey in the boats, some of the men pointing out that
they had proved themselves faster than their pursuers.
"That may be," Rogers says; "but the Indians will land and follow along
the shore, and will soon get ahead of us, for they can travel quicker
than we can row, and, for aught we know, there may be a whole fleet of
canoes higher up Lake George which would cut us off. No, lads, the
safest way is to keep on through the woods."
The decision was received without question, and the party at once
started at a swinging trot, which was kept up, with occasional
intervals of walking, throughout the day. At nightfall their course was
changed, and, after journeying another two or three miles, a halt was
called, for Rogers was sure that the Indians would abandon pursuit,
when night came on without their having overtaken the fugitives.
Before daybreak the march was continued, and, in the afternoon, the
party arrived at Fort William Henry.
James now determined to leave the force, and return at once to New
York, where his letters were to be addressed to him. He took with him a
letter from General Johnson, speaking in the warmest tones of his
conduct.
On arriving at New York he found, at the post office there, a great
pile of letters awaiting him. They had been written after the receipt
of his letter at the end of July, telling those at home of his share in
Braddock's disaster.
"I little thought, my boy," his mother wrote, "when we received your
letter, saying that you had got your discharge from the ship, and were
going with an expedition against the French, that you were going to run
into such terrible danger. Fortunately, the same vessel which brought
the news of General Braddock's defeat also brought your letter, and we
learned the news only a few hours before your letter reached us. It
was, as you may imagine, a time of terrible anxiety to us, and the
squire and Aggie were almost as anxious as I was. Mr. Wilks did his
best to cheer us all, but I could see that he, too, felt it very
greatly. However, when your letter came we were all made happy again,
though, of course, we cannot be but anxious, as you say you are just
going to join another expedition; still, we must hope that that will do
better, as it won't be managed by regular soldiers. Mr. Wilks was quite
angry at what you said about the folly of making men stand in a line to
be shot at, he thinks so much of drill and discipline. The squire and
he have been arguing quite fiercely about it; but the squire gets the
best of the argument, for the dreadful way in which the soldiers were
slaughtered shows that, though that sort of fighting may be good in
other places, it is not suited for fighting these wicked Indians in the
woods.
"The squire has himself been up to London about your commission, and
has arranged it all. He has, as he will tell you in his letter, got you
a commission in the regiment commanded by Colonel Otway, which is to go
out next spring. He was introduced to the commander in chief by his
friend, and told him that you had been acting as Colonel Washington's
aide-de-camp with General Braddock, and that you have now gone to join
General Johnson's army; so the duke said that, though you would be
gazetted at once, and would belong to the regiment, you might as well
stay out there and see service until it arrived; and that it would be a
great advantage to the regiment to have an officer, with experience in
Indian fighting, with it. I cried when he brought me back the news, for
I had hoped to have you back again with us for a bit, before you went
soldiering for good. However, the squire seems to think it is a capital
thing for you. Mr. Wilks thinks so, too, so I suppose I must put up
with it; but Aggie agrees with me, and says it is too bad that she
should never have seen you, once, from the time when she saw you in
that storm.
"She is a dear little girl, and is growing fast. I think she must have
grown quite an inch in the five months you have been away. She sends
her love to you, and says you must take care of yourself, for her
sake."
The squire, in his letter, repeated the news Mrs. Walsham had given.
"You are now an ensign," he said, "and, if you go into any more fights
before your regiment arrives, you must, Mr. Wilks said, get a proper
uniform made for you, and fight as a king's officer. I send you a copy
of the gazette, where you will see your name."
Mr. Wilks's letter was a long one.
"I felt horribly guilty, dear Jim," he said, "when the news came of
Braddock's dreadful defeat. I could hardly look your dear mother in the
face, and, though the kind lady would not, I know, say a word to hurt
my feelings for the world, yet I could see that she regarded me as a
monster, for it was on my advice that, instead of coming home when you
got your discharge, you remained out there and took part in this
unfortunate expedition. I could see Aggie felt the same, and, though I
did my best to keep up their spirits, I had a terrible time of it until
your letter arrived, saying you were safe. If it had not come, I do
believe that I should have gone quietly off to Exeter, hunted up my box
again, and hired a boy to push it for me, for I am not so strong as I
was. But I would rather have tramped about, for the rest of my life,
than remain there under your mother's reproachful eye. However, thank
God you came through it all right, and, after such a lesson, I should
hope that we shall never have repetition of such a disaster as that. As
an old soldier, I cannot agree with what you say about the uselessness
of drill, even for fighting in a forest. It must accustom men to listen
to the voice of their officers, and to obey orders promptly and
quickly, and I cannot but think that, if the troops had gone forward at
a brisk double, they would have driven the Indians before them. As to
the whooping and yells you talk so much about, I should think nothing
of them; they are no more to be regarded than the shrieks of women, or
the braying of donkeys."
James smiled as he read this, and thought that, if the old soldier had
heard that chaos of blood-curdling cries break out, in the still depth
of the forest, he would not write of them with such equanimity.
"You will have heard, from the squire, that you are gazetted to Otway's
regiment which, with others, is to cross the Atlantic in a few weeks,
when it is generally supposed war will be formally declared. Your
experience will be of great use to you, and ought to get you a good
staff appointment. I expect that, in the course of a year, there will
be fighting on a large scale on your side of the water, and the English
ought to get the best of it, for France seems, at present, to be
thinking a great deal more of her affairs in Europe than of her
colonies in America. So much the better, for, if we can take Canada, we
shall strike a heavy blow to her trade, and some day North America is
going to be an important place in the world."
The letters had been lying there several weeks, and James knew that
Otway's regiment had, with the others, arrived a few days before, and
had already marched for Albany. Thinking himself entitled to a little
rest, after his labours, he remained for another week in New York,
while his uniform was being made, and then took a passage in a trading
boat up to Albany.
Scarcely had he landed, when a young officer in the same uniform met
him. He looked surprised, hesitated, and then stopped.
"I see you belong to our regiment," he said. "Have you just arrived
from England? What ship did you come in?"
"I have been out here some time," James replied. "My name is Walsham. I
believe I was gazetted to your regiment some months ago, but I only
heard the news on my arrival at New York last week."
"Oh, you are Walsham!" the young officer said. "My name is Edwards. I
am glad to meet you. We have been wondering when you would join us, and
envying your luck, in seeing so much of the fighting out here. Our
regiment is encamped about half a mile from here. If you will let me, I
will go back with you, and introduce you to our fellows."
James thanked him, and the two walked along talking together. James
learned that there were already five ensigns junior to himself, his new
acquaintance being one of them, as the regiment had been somewhat short
of officers, and the vacancies had been filled up shortly before it
sailed.
"Of course, we must call on the colonel first," Mr. Edwards said. "He
is a capital fellow, and very much liked in the regiment."
Colonel Otway received James with great cordiality.
"We are very glad to get you with us, Mr. Walsham," he said, "and we
consider it a credit to the regiment to have a young officer who has
been, three times, mentioned in despatches. You will, too, be a great
service to us, and will be able to give us a good many hints as to this
Indian method of fighting, which Braddock's men found so terrible."
"It is not formidable, sir, when you are accustomed to it; but,
unfortunately, General Braddock forced his men to fight in regular
fashion, that is, to stand up and be shot at, and that mode of
fighting, in the woods, is fatal. A hundred redskins would be more than
a match, in the forest, for ten times their number of white troops, who
persisted in fighting in such a ridiculous way; but, fighting in their
own way, white men are a match for the redskins. Indeed, the
frontiersmen can thrash the Indians, even if they are two or three to
one against them."
"You have been in this last affair on the lake, have you not, Mr.
Walsham? I heard you were with Johnson."
"Yes, sir, I was, and at the beginning it was very nearly a repetition
of Braddock's disaster; but, after being surprised and, at first,
beaten, the column that went out made such a stout fight of it, that it
gave us time to put the camp in a state of defence. Had the Indians
made a rush, I think they would have carried it; but, as they contented
themselves with keeping up a distant fire, the provincials, who were
all young troops, quite unaccustomed to fighting, and wholly without
drill or discipline, gradually got steady, and at length sallied out
and beat them decisively."
"I will not detain you, now," the colonel said; "but I hope, ere long,
you will give us a full and detailed account of the fighting you have
been in, with your idea of the best way of training regular troops for
the sort of work we have before us. Mr. Edwards will take you over to
the mess, and introduce you to your brother officers."
James was well received by the officers of his regiment, and soon found
himself perfectly at home with them. He had to devote some hours, every
day, to acquiring the mysteries of drill. It was, to him, somewhat
funny to see the pains expended in assuring that each movement should
be performed with mechanical accuracy; but he understood that, although
useless for such warfare as that which they had before them, great
accuracy in details was necessary, for ensuring uniformity of movement
among large masses of men in an open country.
Otherwise, the time passed very pleasantly. James soon became a
favourite in the regiment, and the young officers were never tired of
questioning him concerning the redskins, and their manner of fighting.
There were plenty of amusements. The snow was deep on the ground, now,
and the officers skated, practised with snowshoes, and drove in
sleighs. Occasionally they got up a dance, and the people of Albany,
and the settlers round, vied with each other in their hospitality to
the officers.
One day, in February, an orderly brought a message to James Walsham,
that the colonel wished to speak to him.
"Walsham," he said, "I may tell you, privately, that the regiment is
likely to form part of the expedition which is being fitted out, in
England, against Louisbourg in Cape Breton, the key of Canada. A
considerable number of the troops from the province will accompany it."
"But that will leave the frontier here altogether open to the enemy,"
James said in surprise.
"That is my own opinion, Walsham. Louisbourg is altogether outside the
range of the present struggle, and it seems to me that the British
force should be employed at striking at a vital point. However, that is
not to the purpose. It is the Earl of Loudon's plan. However, it is
manifest, as you say, that the frontier will be left terribly open, and
therefore two companies of each of the regiments going will be left.
Naturally, as you are the only officer in the regiment who has had any
experience in this forest warfare, you would be one of those left here;
but as an ensign you would not have much influence, and I think that it
would be at once more useful to the service, and more pleasant for
yourself, if I can obtain for you something like a roving commission.
What do you think of that?"
"I should greatly prefer that, sir," James said gratefully.
"The general is a little vexed, I know," the colonel went on, "at the
numerous successes, and daring feats, gained by Rogers and the other
leaders of the companies of scouts, while the regulars have not had an
opportunity to fire a shot: and I think that he would, at once, accept
the proposal were I to make it to him, that a company, to be called the
Royal Scouts, should be formed of volunteers taken from the various
regiments, and that you should have the command."
"Thank you, sir," James said, "and I should like it above all things;
but I fear that we should have no chance, whatever, of rivalling the
work of Rogers and the other partisan leaders. These men are all
trained to the work of the woods, accustomed to fight Indians, equally
at home in a canoe or in the forest. I have had, as you are good enough
to say, some experience in the work, but I am a mere child by their
side, and were I to lead fifty English soldiers in the forest, I fear
that none of us would ever return."
"Yes, but I should not propose that you should engage in enterprises of
that sort, Walsham. My idea is that, although you would have an
independent command, with very considerable freedom of action, you
would act in connection with the regular troops. The scouts are often
far away when wanted, leaving the posts open to surprise. They are so
impatient of any discipline, that they are adverse to going near the
forts, except to obtain fresh supplies. You, on the contrary, would act
as the eyes of any post which you might think threatened by the enemy.
At present, for instance, Fort William Henry is the most exposed to
attack.
"You would take your command there, and would report yourself to Major
Eyre, who is in command. As for service there, your letter of
appointment would state that you are authorized to act independently,
but that, while it would be your duty to obey the orders of the
commanding officer, you will be authorized to offer such suggestions to
him as your experience in Indian warfare would lead you to make. You
would train your men as scouts. It would be their special duty to guard
the fort against surprise, and, of course, in case of attack to take
part in its defence. In the event of the provincial scouts making any
concerted movement against a French post, you would be authorized to
join them. You would then have the benefit of their skill and
experience, and, in case of success, the army would get a share of the
credit. What do you think of my plan?"
"I should like it above all things," James replied. "That would be
precisely the duty which I should select had I the choice."
"I thought so," the colonel said. "I have formed a very high opinion of
your judgment and discretion, from the talks which we have had
together, and I have spoken strongly in your favour to the general, who
had promised me that, in the event of the army moving forward, you
should have an appointment on the quartermaster general's staff, as an
intelligence officer.
"Since I heard that the main portion of the army is to sail to
Louisbourg, I have been thinking this plan over, and it certainly seems
to me that a corps, such as that that I have suggested, would be of
great service. I should think that its strength should be fifty men.
You will, of course, have another officer with you. Is there anyone you
would like to choose, as I may as well take the whole scheme, cut and
dried, to the general?"
"I should like Mr. Edwards, sir. He is junior to me in the regiment,
and is very active and zealous in the service; and I should greatly
like to be allowed to enlist, temporarily, two of the scouts I have
served with in the force, with power for them to take their discharge
when they wished. They would be of immense utility to me in instructing
the men in their new duties, and would add greatly to our efficiency."
"So be it," the colonel said. "I will draw out the scheme on paper, and
lay it before the general today."
In the afternoon, James was again sent for.
"The earl has approved of my scheme. You will have temporary rank as
captain given you, in order to place your corps on an equal footing
with the provincial corps of scouts. Mr. Edwards will also have
temporary rank, as lieutenant. The men of the six companies, of the
three regiments, will be paraded tomorrow, and asked for volunteers for
the special service. If there are more than fifty offer, you can select
your own men."
Accordingly, the next morning, the troops to be left behind were
paraded, and an order was read out, saying that a corps of scouts for
special service was to be raised, and that volunteers were requested.
Upwards of a hundred men stepped forward, and, being formed in line,
James selected from them fifty who appeared to him the most hardy,
active, and intelligent looking. He himself had, that morning, been put
in orders as captain of the new corps, and had assumed the insignia of
his temporary rank. The colonel had placed at his disposal two
intelligent young non-commissioned officers.
The next morning, he marched with his command for Fort William Henry.
No sooner had he left the open country, and entered the woods, than he
began to instruct the men in their new duties. The whole of them were
thrown out as skirmishers, and taught to advance in Indian fashion,
each man sheltering himself behind a tree, scanning the woods carefully
ahead, and then, fixing his eyes on another tree ahead, to advance to
it at a sharp run, and shelter there.
All this was new to the soldiers, hitherto drilled only in solid
formation, or in skirmishing in the open, and when, at the end of ten
miles skirmishing through the wood, they were halted and ordered to
bivouac for the night, James felt that his men were beginning to have
some idea of forest fighting. The men themselves were greatly pleased
with their day's work. It was a welcome change after the long monotony
of life in a standing camp, and the day's work had given them a high
opinion of the fitness of their young officer for command.
But the work and instruction was not over for the day. Hitherto, none
of the men had had any experience in camping in the open. James now
showed them how to make comfortable shelters against the cold, with two
forked sticks and one laid across them, and with a few boughs and a
blanket laid over them, with dead leaves heaped round the bottom and
ends; and how best to arrange their fires and cook their food.
During the following days, the same work was repeated, and when, after
a week's marching, the force issued from the forest into the clearing
around Fort William Henry, James felt confident that his men would be
able to hold their own in a brush with the Indians. Major Eyre, to whom
James reported himself, and showed his appointment defining his
authority and duties, expressed much satisfaction at the arrival of the
reinforcement.
"There are rumours, brought here by the scouts," he said, "that a
strong force will, ere long, come down from Crown Point to Ticonderoga,
and that we shall be attacked. Now that the lake is frozen, regular
troops could march without difficulty, and my force here is very
inadequate, considering the strength with which the French will attack.
None of my officers or men have any experience of the Indian methods of
attack, and your experience will be very valuable. It is a pity that
they do not give me one of these companies of scouts permanently.
Sometimes one or other of them is here, but often I am without any of
the provincials, and, although I have every confidence in my officers
and men, one cannot but feel that it is a great disadvantage to be
exposed to the attack of an enemy of whose tactics one is altogether
ignorant.
"You will, of course, encamp your men inside the fort. I see you have
brought no baggage with you, but I have some spare tents here, which
are at your service."
"Thank you, sir," James replied; "I shall be glad to put the men under
cover, while they are here, but I intend to practise them, as much as
possible, in scouting and camping in the woods, and, although I shall
always be in the neighbourhood of the fort, I do not propose always to
return here at night. Are any of Captain Rogers's corps at present at
the fort?"
"Some of them came in last night," Major Eyre replied.
"I have authority," James said, "to enlist two of them in my corps."
Major Eyre smiled.
"I do not think you will find any of them ready to submit to military
discipline, or to put on a red coat."
"They are all accustomed to obey orders, promptly enough, when at
work," James said, "though there is no attempt at discipline when off
duty. You see them at their worst here. There is, of course, nothing
like military order in the woods, but obedience is just as prompt as
among our troops. As to the uniform, I agree with you, but on that head
I should not be particular. I can hardly fancy any of the scouts
buttoned tightly up with stiff collars; but as, after all, although
they are to be enlisted, they will be attached to the corps, rather
than be regular members of it, I do not think I need insist upon the
uniform."
After leaving the major, James saw to the pitching of the tents, and
the comforts of his men, and when he had done so strolled off towards a
group of scouts, who were watching his proceedings, and among whom he
recognized the two men for whom he was looking.
He received a cordial greeting from all who had taken part in his
previous adventures with Captain Rogers's band.
"And so you are in command of this party?" Nat said. "I asked one of
the men just now, and he said you were the captain. You are young to be
a captain, but, at any rate, it's a good thing to have a king's officer
here who knows something about the woods. The rest ain't no more idea
of them than nothing."
"I want to chat to you, Nat, and also to Jonathan, if you will come
across with me to my tent."
"I'm agreeable," Nat said; and the two scouts walked across to the tent
with James.
Lieutenant Edwards, who shared the tent with him, was inside, arranging
a few things which Major Eyre had sent down for their use.
"Edwards, these are the two scouts, Nat and Jonathan, of whom you have
often heard me speak. Now, let us sit down and have a chat.
"There is some first-rate rum in that bottle, Nat. There are two tin
pannikins, and there is water in that keg.
"Now, Nat," he went on, when the party were seated on blankets laid on
the ground, "this corps of mine has been raised, specially, to act as
scouts round this or any other fort which may be threatened, or to act
as the advanced guard of a column of troops."
"But what do they know of scouting?" Nat said contemptuously. "They
don't know no more than children."
"They don't know much, but they are active fellows, and ready to learn.
I think you will find that, already, they have a pretty fair idea of
fighting in Indian fashion in the woods, and, as I have authority to
draw extra supplies of ball cartridge, I hope, in a few weeks, to make
fair shots of them. You have taught me something of forest ways, and I
shall teach them all I know; but we want better teachers, and I want to
propose, to you and Jonathan, to join the corps."
"What, and put on a red coat, and choke ourselves up with a stiff
collar!" Nat laughed. "Nice figures we should look! No, no, captain,
that would never do."
"No, I don't propose that you should wear uniform, Nat. I have got a
special authority to enlist you and Jonathan, with the understanding
that you can take your discharge whenever you like. There will be no
drilling in line, or anything of that sort. It will be just scouting
work, the same as with Captain Rogers, except that we shall not make
long expeditions, as he does, but keep in the neighbourhood of the
fort. I should want you to act both as scouts and instructors, to teach
the men, as you have taught me, something of woodcraft, how to find
their way in a forest, and how to fight the Indians in their own way,
and to be up to Indian devices. You will be guides on the line of
march, will warn me of danger, and suggest the best plan of meeting it.
You will, in fact, be scouts attached to the corps, only nominally you
will be members of it. I know your ways, and should not exact any
observance of discipline, more than that which you have with Rogers,
and should treat you in the light of non-commissioned officers."
"Well, and what do you say, Jonathan?" Nat said, turning to his tall
companion. "You and I have both taken a fancy to the captain here, and
though he has picked up a lot for a young 'un, and will in time make a
first-rate hand in the woods, I guess he won't make much hand of it,
yet, if he hadn't got someone as knows the woods by his side. We have
had a spell of hard work of it with Rogers lately, and I don't mind if
I have a change, for a bit, with the redcoats."
"I will go, of course," Jonathan said briefly.
"Very well, then, that's settled, captain," Nat said. "Rogers will be
in tonight, and I will tell him we are going to transfer ourselves over
to you."
"He won't mind, I hope," James said.
"He won't mind," Nat replied. "We ain't very particular about times of
service in our corps. We just comes and goes, pretty well as the fancy
takes us. They would never get us to join, if they wanted to get us to
bind down hard and fast. Sometimes they start on an expedition fifty
strong, next time perhaps not more than thirty turns up.
"Is there anything to do to join the corps?"
"Not much, Nat. I give you each a shilling and attest you, that is to
say, swear you in to serve the king, and, in your case, give you a
paper saying that you are authorized to take your discharge, whensoever
it pleases you."
"Very well, captain. Then on those terms we join, always understood as
we don't have to put on red coats."
The two men were sworn in, and then Nat, standing up, said:
"And now, captain, discipline is discipline. What's your orders?"
James went to the door of the tent, and called the sergeant.
"Sergeant, these two men are enlisted as scouts in the corps. They will
draw rations, and be a regular part of the company like the rest, but
they will not wear uniform, acting only as scouts. They will have the
rank and position of corporals, and will specially instruct the men in
woodcraft, and in the ways of the Indians. They will, of course, occupy
the tent with the non-commissioned officers, and will mess with them.
Being engaged as scouts, only, they will in other respects be free from
anything like strictness. I trust that you will do what you can to make
them comfortable."
The sergeant saluted, and led the two scouts over to the tent occupied
by himself and the other non-commissioned officers, and the roars of
laughter that issued from it in the course of the evening, at the
anecdotes of the scouts, showed that the newcomers were likely to be
highly popular characters in their mess.