The summer brought more settlers to these inviting lands of level,
fertile soil, and when the woods were again bright with autumnal hues,
their broad expanse of variegated color was blotched with many a square
of unsightly new clearing. Job Carpenter looked with disfavor upon such
infringement of the hunter's domain, but it was welcomed by the Beemans.
Though Seth's active out-door employment and the constant companionship
of nature made him less lonely than his wife, yet he was of a social
nature and glad of human companionship; while Ruth, sometimes lonely in
the isolation of her new home, rejoiced in the neighborhood of other
women.
Only a mile away were the Newtons, a large and friendly family, and
within three miles were four more friendly households, and another at
the falls of the turbid Lemon Fair. At this point a saw mill was being
built and a grist mill talked of. With that convenience established so
close at hand, there would be no more need of the long journey to the
mill at Skeenesborough, a voyage that, in the best of weather, required
two days to accomplish.
The settlers at first pounded their corn into samp, or finer meal for
johnny-cake, by the slow and laborious plumping mill, a huge wooden
mortar with a spring pole pestle.
"Oh, mother," said Nathan, one summer afternoon, as for a while he
stopped the regular thump, thump of the plumping mill to wipe his hot
face and rest his arms that ached with the weary downpull of the great
pestle, "when do you s'pose the folks to the Fair will get the gris'
mill done?"
"Afore long, I hope, for your sake, my boy," she answered, cheerily,
through the window. "Let me spell you awhile and you take a good rest."
Laying her wool cards aside, she came out and set her strong hands to
the pestle, while Nathan ran out to the new road to see what ox-teamster
of unfamiliar voice was bawling his vociferous way along its
root-entangled and miry course. Presently the boy came back, breathless
with the haste of bearing great news.
"Oh, mother, they're carryin' the stones and fixin's for the new mill,
and the man says they'll be ready for grindin' before winter sets in.
Then it'll be good-by to you, old 'Up-an'-down,' and good riddance to
bad rubbage," and he brought the pestle down with energy on the
half-pounded grist of samp.
"Don' revile the plumpin' mill, Nathan. It's been a good friend in time
o' need. Mebby you'll miss the trips to Skeenesborough with your father.
You've always lotted on them."
"Yes, but I'd rather go to the Fort and play with the boys, any day, and
I'll have more time when samp poundin' is done and ended."
He had been with his father twice to the Fort to see its wonders, and,
brief as the visits were, they sufficed to make him acquainted with the
boys of the garrison, and, for the time, a partner in their games.
Before the summer was out, the little Yankee became a great favorite
with the few English and Irish boys whose fathers were soldiers of the
little garrison. He taught them how to shoot with his hornbeam bow and
spiked arrows, and many another bit of woodcraft learned of his fast
friend Job, while they taught him unheard-of games, and told him tales
of the marvellous world beyond the sea, a world that was as a dream to
him.
His Yankee inquisitiveness made him acquainted with every nook and
corner of the fortification, and he was even one day taken into the
commandant's quarters, that the beautiful wife of that fine gentleman
might see from what manner of embryo grew these Yankees, who were
becoming so troublesome to His Majesty, King George. She was so pleased
with his frank, simple manner and shrewd answers that she dismissed him
with a bright, new English shilling, the largest sum that he had yet
possessed.
"Really, William," she afterwards remarked to her husband, "if this be a
specimen of your terrible Yankees, they be very like our own people, in
speech and actions, only sharper witted, and they surely show close
kinship with us in spite of such long separation."
"You little know them," said Captain Delaplace, laughing. "They are a
turbulent, upstart breed. I fear only a sound drubbing, and, perhaps,
the hanging of a score of their leaders, will teach them obedience to
His Majesty."
"I would be sorry to have this little man drubbed or hanged," said she,
with a sigh; "surely he is not of the stuff rebels are made of."
"The very stuff, my dear. Bold and self-reliant, and impatient of
control, as you may see. If ever there comes an outbreak of these
discontented people, I warrant you'll find this boy deserving the
drubbing and getting it, too, for His Majesty's troops would make short
work of such rabble."