AT FORT PITT--RETURN HOME
Dave could do but little to comfort his cousin and if the truth be told
he felt almost as sad as Henry, for little Nell, with her bright ways
and sweet disposition, seemed more dear to his heart now than ever.
"It's certainly too bad, Henry," he said, after the interview with the
Indian had come to an end. "We might follow down the Ohio, but if they
have three days' start there is small hope of our catching up. They'll
think the English soldiers are after them and they'll push ahead just as
hard as possible."
"Do you think General Forbes or Colonel Washington will go after them?"
Dave shook his head.
"No, General Forbes is too sick and winter is now at hand. He is certain
to rest on his laurels."
So it proved. A small detachment was sent down the Ohio, and with this
went our young soldiers and Sam Barringford. But this detachment
returned to the fort three days later, having captured but three
Indians and one French trader, all of whom were found in a canoe too
intoxicated to make good their escape.
The trader thus taken was named Varlette. He had once been attached to
Jean Bevoir's trading post. Dave knew the man, having met him when out
gunning with Barringford.
From Varlette they gained the information that Jean Bevoir had been at
Fort Duquesne, having come in after the raid upon the homes of the
Morrises, Uriah Risley and others. Some of Bevoir's bloodthirsty acts
had been discountenanced by the French general in authority, and in
something of a rage Bevoir had taken himself off, with his Indian
followers and their prisoners.
"Now it ees for him to become von vite chief of de Indians," said
Varlette. "Dat will suit heem, and will bring heem in von pot of money,
for he vill make de vite peoples pay heem big money for de prisoners."
"The contemptible rascal!" cried Barringford. "Ef the rangers git holt
o' him they'll hang him higher nor the tail o' a kite, hear me!"
"He'll deserve hanging, if he misuses little Nell and the others,"
returned Henry.
As soon as it was possible to do so, the fort was put in thorough
repair, and the name was changed to Fort Pitt, in honor of the prime
minister of England. To-day this ground is covered by the city of
Pittsburg, with its gigantic iron and steel works. What a mighty change
from the lonely forest lands of less than a hundred and fifty years ago!
Then called the West, or the Western Country, Pittsburg is now
considered in the East. So has our country grown.
The fall of Fort Duquesne brought to a close the campaigns of 1758. The
taking of this stronghold was hailed with delight by all the settlers in
this section of the colonies, and they hastened to re-possess themselves
of the homesteads which they had been forced to abandon during the two
or three years previous.
As soon as the victory at Fort Duquesne assured peace upon the frontier
for some time to come, Washington retired from the colonial troops and
returned to Mount Vernon, to the large estate left by his brother, and
which now demanded his attention. It may be added here that soon after
this he married Mrs. Custis, afterward known to all as the gentle and
loving Martha Washington. This was Washington's last appearance on the
scene of battle during the French and English War. When next he took up
the sword it was for American Independence.
It was not until early spring that Dave and Henry were released from
duty and marched with a number of the militia back to Winchester. Their
coming was hailed with delight by Mrs. Morris and the others, although
all were downcast at the news that little Nell was still missing.
It was found that Joseph Morris was doing nicely and that Rodney was
feeling better than ever. James Morris had been out to the homestead and
had already cut the timber for another cabin, to take the place of that
burned down.
"I also rounded up the most of our cattle and have all our horses and a
new lot of chickens and pigs," said he. "So, although we have lost a
good deal, we are not as bad off as we might be. The worst loss is the
furniture we brought here when we came, years ago. That came from
England and Germany and can't be replaced. But I'm reckoning on getting
a few fancy pieces for sister Lucy from Annapolis, so things will look
kind of homelike after awhile."
"Oh, James, you are very good!" cried Mrs. Morris. "But it won't be home
until Nell comes back to it."
A few weeks later found all the Morrises at the homestead, if such the
spot can be called. The burned place had been carefully cleaned off by
James Morris, and a temporary shelter had been made of a new cattle
shed. Here the family went to live while the men and the boys began the
construction of the new cabin. Rodney could not do such hard work but
kept himself busy with the cattle and the poultry; and thus several
weeks passed swiftly away.
Carpenter work pleased Dave and he was set at work making doors and
window frames, and also several benches and a table or two, while the
others attended to the raising of the cabin frame and the roofing and
side boarding. Soon the cabin was fit for use and they moved in, and
then Mr. James Morris made several trips to Winchester and one to
Annapolis, taking Henry along, to buy the hundred and one things which
were needed and which had either been burnt up or carried off by the
Indians and their French allies. In the meantime Mrs. Morris busied
herself in weaving a new rag carpet and toweling, and in making some
necessary clothing, for to buy many of these things was, in those days,
out of the question. Then Dave and Henry went hunting and brought down
several deer and a number of rabbits and foxes, and once, when out with
Sam Barringford, all three brought down a bear, and these skins were all
properly tanned and then used for bed coverings and rugs.
On his return from Annapolis James Morris brought news of a new campaign
against the French.
"We are going in for the entire conquest of Canada," he said. "Major
General Amherst has been put in command of all the British forces, and
the army is to be divided into three parts, one under Wolfe against
Quebec, another under Amherst himself against Ticonderoga and Crown
Point, and a third under General Prideaux, who is to march against Fort
Niagara."
"Hurrah!" shouted Henry, "I hope we take Niagara. If we do it will cut
the French entirely off from the Ohio and the Mississippi, and this
ground will be safer than ever."
"Is Fort Niagara on the Niagara River?" questioned Mrs. Morris.
"It's located on the eastern bank of the river, just where that stream
flows into Lake Ontario," replied her husband. "I understand it's a
first-class stronghold--a good sight better than Fort Duquesne was.
General Prideaux will have no fool of a task reducing it."
"I don't see how he's going to get there, unless he starts from Fort
Duquesne and fights his way through the Indian lands," said Rodney. "If
he tries that he'll certainly have his hands full."
"No, he's not to go that way," was James Morris's answer. "He's going up
to Albany first and from there through the Mohawk valley to Oswego. At
Oswego, if everything is favorable, he will take his way westward to
Fort Niagara. They didn't say so, but I think he'll go by water from
Oswego to Niagara. If he had the boats it would be the safest and
quickest route."
"Is he going to take any rangers along?" questioned Dave, eagerly.
"Why, Dave, do you want to become a soldier again?" asked his father,
turning to study his son's face.
"Yes, sir," was the prompt response. "I'll tell you why. So long as
Canada remains unconquered just so long there is going to be trouble
here and elsewhere. But once we show the French we are masters in
America we'll have no further fuss, either with them or with the
Indians. I go in for settling the matter, and doing it thoroughly and
right away, too."
"Gallinippers!" ejaculated Barringford, who stood by, oiling up his
flint-lock musket. "Dave, you're a reg'lar lawyer, hang me ef ye ain't!
An' the argyment's right to the p'int, too. The Frenchers won't know
they're beat until we lick 'em good an' hard, an' I go in fer doin' the
lickin' right now. Then, arfter it's done, we kin set out an' plow, an'
raise cattle, an' hunt an' trap in peace,--an' the Injun who wants to
raise a sculp every ten minits now will sit on a tree stump an' smoke
his pipe an' look on," and Barringford shook his head earnestly. "Ain't
no ust to talk," he went on. "It's like damming a stream--you dam it
about half tight an' the fust lively rain will break the dam to bits;
but you dam it good an' hard an' it will stick, no matter how hard it
rains and by-an'-by the water will find out it's got to go a new
way--an' the French an' Injuns will find they've got to leave the
English alone. I ain't much on eddication, but I kin figger thet out,
an' so kin any man whose head is level;" and Barringford resumed his gun
oiling.
James Morris had much to tell that night--of his many purchases, and of
the war talk he had heard at Annapolis and other cities he had visited.
He, too, was interested in the expedition against Fort Niagara, for he
felt that if the French power was broken in this direction he would be
able to return to his trading post on the Kinotah without much fear of
molestation from either French or Indians.
It was late that night when there came a sudden thumping on the cabin
door. All sprang to their feet in alarm, and each of the men and the
boys reached for his firearm, which they were in the habit of having
close at hand.
"Who is there?" demanded James Morris.
"It is I--Uriah Risley," came in the well-known voice of the Englishman.
"Let me in. I've good news."
At once the cabin door was unbarred and flung back. All crowded forward,
to behold Uriah Risley outside, on horseback. Beside him, also on
horseback, was his wife, pale and thin, a mere shadow of her former
self, but still able to ride alone.
"Well, I declare, Caddy Risley!" screamed Mrs. Morris, and ran out to
greet the woman. "Is it really you or your ghost?"
"'Tis really me," was the answer, "although I sometimes feel like a
ghost, I'm that thin."
"But mercy on us! Where have you been--with the Indians?"
"With them and with the French. I was with the Indians first--for many
weeks--and then some French soldiers rescued me. They turned me over to
some traders just before a battle with the English, and then the Indians
and some French under Jean Bevoir got hold of me. They took me up
through the Mohawk valley to Lake Ontario, and there I met a lot of
other prisoners, your Nell with them."
"Nell!" the name came from several lips simultaneously.
"Yes, Nell and the Rose twins. They were with some Indians who are under
Bevoir's thumb."
"And what of Nell now?" asked Mrs. Morris quickly.
"I think she is still with the Indians. A French soldier came along one
day and carried me off in a canoe. He wanted to marry me, but I told him
I was already married and then he set me ashore in the wilderness. I
tramped for miles and miles, until I was so weary I could scarcely stand
and I was almost dying of starvation, when I fell in with some German
settlers. They took me to Fort Stanwix and from there I was taken to
Albany, and finally made my way to Philadelphia, and then came on here.
Uriah and I met at Winchester."
"Yes, and I nearly dropped dead from joy," put in the Englishman. "It
was like getting her back from the grave. I could not at first believe
my eyes. But it's really and truly my good wife, and I pray God we may
never be separated again," concluded Uriah Risley, reverently.