Corporal 'Lige's Recruit: A Story of Crown Point and Ticonderoga

“After you have performed the work faithfully to the extent of bringing Master Phelps back to me,” Colonel Allen replied, now speaking quite sharply. “It would be a serious matter indeed if you were to betray him to the commandant of the fort, or indicate that this body of men are near at hand.”

“If I take the six shillings, I’ll earn ’em. It’s none of my business where you folks are, nor what’s goin’ on ’round the fort; all I’m looking after is the cash I can make.”

“Will you undertake the task?”

“Yes,” Nathan replied, and then, as if a sudden thought had come to him, added:

“I will if this boy goes along too.”

“Is he a friend of yours?”

“I don’t s’pose so, ’cause I never saw him before; but it’s goin’ to be mighty pokey all alone with a man like him,” and Nathan pointed to Master Phelps.

At this point Corporal ’Lige stepped forward and saluted, thus attracting the colonel’s attention, after which he motioned toward the outside as if to ask for a private interview.

The colonel immediately left the hut, followed by the corporal, and Nathan looked after them suspiciously, whispering to Isaac:

“Now, what do you s’pose that old imitation soldier is up to? He mustn’t try to get the best of me.”

“You needn’t be afraid Corporal ’Lige will do anything that’s wrong, ’cause he’s an honest man, an’ no imitation of a soldier; but a true one.”

“I ain’t so certain about all that; but you seem to have a pretty good idea of him, so perhaps he is half-way decent after all.”

At his point the old soldier and the colonel returned, the latter saying when he was inside the hut once more:

“In order that you may have no lack of company I propose that Master Phelps, Corporal Watkins, and the lad all go with you.”

“Who’s Watkins?” Nathan whispered to Isaac.

“Why, that’s Corporal ’Lige, of course.”

“I knew he was stickin’ his nose into it some way.”

“You’ll be glad to have him, ’cause he’s jest as good as he can be after you get acquainted.”

Nathan remained silent a few seconds, and then asked abruptly:

“When does the crowd want to go?”

“At once. It should be possible to visit the fort before sunset.”

“Well, that’s accordin’ to how fast they can walk; but if they start, an’ don’t get there in time, father’ll keep them overnight without chargin’ more’n what’s right for the lodgings.”

“Very well; you may make ready to set out immediately, and when you have returned the money shall be paid you.”

“I’m ready now.”

“Master Phelps will need a few moments in which to prepare himself for the journey, and I doubt not but that the corporal and his comrade have some belongings which they will want to take with them. Remain you here, lad, until the others have made all necessary preparations and are in condition for the journey.”

This was a command which Nathan could not well disobey; but he looked toward Isaac while the latter was hurried away by Corporal ’Lige, as if there were yet other questions concerning this project which he would like to ask.

“Don’t turn back, lad,” the old soldier said when his protégé made a move as if to return. “There’s to be no time lost, and you’ll have good opportunity for talking once we’re on the road.”

“How did it happen the colonel sent you and me?” Isaac asked when the two were so far from headquarters that his words could not be overheard.

“That’s owing to the hint I gave Colonel Allen when that young skinflint made his talk. A lad who won’t take sides in this matter ’twixt the colonies and the king, but holds out for whatever money he can get, is not to be trusted, accordin’ to my way of thinkin’. While he was settin’ himself down for a cold-blooded, close-fisted specimen of humanity such as you wouldn’t look for in one so young, I made up my mind that there had best be a sharp watch kept of him, else a word or two might be dropped at the fort which would upset all our plans.”

“Do you believe he would take Colonel Allen’s money and then betray him?”

“I am certain a lad who would haggle for six shillings under such circumstances as this would sell out to the next man who offered half as much more, and the colonel was of the same mind after I’d mentioned the matter.”

“I don’t see why I should go.”

“Don’t you want to?” the corporal asked in surprise.

“Of course it would be more pleasant than marching with the troops; but still I can’t understand what good it is possible for me to do.”

“I don’t reckon you will be of any service; but the boy had taken a notion to have you with him, so it seemed like a good chance for me to put my oar in, and between the two of us I reckon he won’t have much show of playing double.”

In a very few seconds the corporal and Isaac had made their preparations for the journey, which simply consisted in gathering up all their belongings, much to the surprise of the lad, who questioned whether, if they were to go to the fort apparently from motives of curiosity, it was well they carried muskets.

“If it seems necessary we can leave them where this boy lives; but it is certain we cannot depend on any one else bringing our luggage along for us, so take what we own, lad, an’ then be at home wherever we stop.”

When the two returned to headquarters they found Master Phelps awaiting their coming, and Nathan kept close and suspicious watch upon each person and everything within his range of vision.

The messenger from the General Assembly had made a very decided change in his personal appearance, and Isaac was forced to look twice before feeling positive this was the same Master Phelps whom he had seen a few moments before.

Now he was clad after the fashion of a farmer, in garments which he had probably borrowed from some member of the troop; his face was browned and soiled, while his hands were exceedingly dirty, and even Nathan must have been satisfied that the commandant of the fort would not see in this visitor other than he professed to be.

“If that lad had a trifle more sense he’d understand there wasn’t anything to be gained by deceiving him,” the corporal said in a low tone to Isaac; “but he’s so self-opinionated he thinks everybody is plotting mischief against him.”

“You don’t seem to like him very well,” Isaac ventured to say, and Corporal ’Lige replied emphatically:

“Neither do I.”

“Then unless he an’ I go off by ourselves, I don’t reckon this will be a very pleasant journey,” Isaac said to himself as he thought of the corporal and Nathan, each distrusting and making complaint against the other.

Colonel Allen was determined there should be no delay in the setting out of this spying expedition, and immediately the corporal and Isaac showed themselves he insisted that the little party start without further loss of time.

Young Beman at once showed his preference as to a traveling companion, for he ranged himself by Isaac’s side, and when the corporal would have joined them, said curtly:

“You’d better keep back with the other man. I s’pose I’ll have to lead the way, and when we strike off the main road the path ain’t wide enough for more than two.”

“Don’t the highway lead to Shoreham?” the corporal asked suspiciously.

“Yes; but we can save more’n four miles by cuttin’ through the woods,” and Nathan hurried Isaac on as a means both of putting an end to the corporal’s inquiries, and forcing him to join Master Phelps.

Once the journey was well begun young Beman presented himself in a more favorable light.