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

He ceased to refer to the corporal as an “imitation soldier,” and gave no further evidence of being suspicious; but questioned Isaac as to what the town of Pittsfield was like, and concerning Boston, where young Rice had visited two years previous in company with his father.

Master Phelps was not accustomed to this method of traveling, and when the guide struck into the woods where the trail lead alternately over a hilly and swampy country he was soon forced to declare that he could not proceed at such a rapid pace.

“You will have to slacken up a bit,” Corporal ’Lige shouted, “for the gentleman ain’t used to this kind of footin’.”

“We can’t go very slow, else we shan’t get to the fort before sunset,” Nathan replied indifferently, and Master Phelps said in a tone which admitted of no argument:

“It isn’t possible for me to keep pace with you. If it so be we fail to finish the journey before dark, we can take lodgings with your father and accomplish our purpose early to-morrow morning.”

The prospect of introducing to his father guests who would pay for all they received, was so satisfactory to young Beman that he made no protest at being thus forced to slacken pace. It may be he was unnecessarily slow from this time out, for it was already dark when they arrived at the guide’s home, and Nathan said to Master Phelps before entering the building:

“I’ll tell father you folks want to stay all night, and that’s as much as I need say. If you count on explaining why you have come, it’s none of my business. The officer what hired me said I was to keep quiet about everything I’d seen down to the camp, so I might as well begin by holding my tongue.”

Then Nathan ushered the guests into the kitchen, where was found Mr. Beman sitting by the fireplace, for the night had grown cold and chill, while his wife was preparing the supper.

“Here are some travelers who want to stay all night,” Nathan announced, and added in a lower tone to Isaac, “Come out to the barn with me while I do my chores; there’s no fun in sittin’ here.”

Five minutes later the three men followed the boys, and Isaac fancied it was Master Phelps’ intention to explain to the farmer the purpose of their coming, but that he feared to do so in the presence of the mistress of the household, who, if her son had quoted her words correctly, favored the king’s representatives rather than the colonists in the doings which had lately arisen.

Nathan took good care that his new friend should perform a full share of the evening’s work, and Isaac assisted in milking the cows, carrying water, and chopping wood until he had of a surety earned as bountiful a spread as could be set before him.

The farmer and his guests did not appear until they had been summoned twice after the appetizing meal was placed upon the table, and while she was impatiently awaiting them, Mrs. Beman questioned her son sharply as to what business his father could have with the strangers.

For a time Nathan avoided making any direct answer; but when his mother pressed him closely he answered her quite as pertly as he had Colonel Allen, by saying:

“I’m to be paid for holdin’ my tongue about whatever is goin’ on – I’ll have six shillings by this time to-morrow night, an’ I can’t afford to talk to anybody.”

“Six shillings just for holding your tongue, Nathan?”

“Well, it’s for that an’ a little more; but I ain’t goin’ to make any talk, so if you want me to earn the money you’d better stop askin’ questions.”

“Is your father going to get as much?”

“I don’t know anything about his trades; it’s all I can do to take care of my own, an’ work ’em through accordin’ to the agreement, when there’s so much questionin’ goin’ on,” Nathan replied quite sharply, and his mother, who was evidently as prudent as himself in financial matters, desisted from pressing him further.

After this brief conversation Isaac felt positive Corporal ’Lige need have no fear regarding possible treachery on Nathan’s part, for if the boy refused to tell his mother he surely would be close-mouthed in the presence of others.

When the party finally made their appearance and were seated at the supper table, the three men evidently on the best of terms with each other, Mrs. Beman’s curiosity was still further aroused, as was but natural. Yet no word was dropped during the progress of the meal, nor so long as the guests remained downstairs, which could have given her the slightest clew.

It was Nathan’s purpose to have Isaac for a bed-fellow; but to this his mother made emphatic protest, and when the time for retiring came the three guests were conducted to a room adjoining the kitchen, while the farmer’s family retired to the loft above.

Then it was in cautious whispers that Isaac told the corporal why he felt confident there was no danger Nathan would betray them, and the old soldier said grimly:

“He didn’t have a fair test when he was talking with his mother, ’cause there was no chance she would pay him for the information. What I’m afeared of is that some one may offer him more than Colonel Allen did, an’ then I’ll go bail everything he knows will come out in short order.”

“I don’t believe he would do other than he has agreed.”

“Well, lad, you hold to that opinion, an’ I’ll have my own, an’ ’twixt the two of us I reckon he won’t be able to do any mischief. His father is a proper kind of man; holds to it that the colonists are right in making war against the king, and stands ready to do all he can in furtherance of the cause. Therefore if this young jack-a-napes holds himself too high an’ mighty in the mornin’ we shan’t be wholly in his power.”

When day dawned, however, Corporal ’Lige had no reason to complain of Nathan.

The lad showed himself of the mind to earn the six shillings, and now that he was at home, appeared less suspicious of his companion’s intentions.

Perhaps this was due in part to the fact that his father, well knowing what the visitors would have, took it upon himself to give the guide positive instructions, and at an early hour Nathan set out accompanied by Master Phelps.

It was his intention that Isaac should be one of the party; but to this the farmer made decided objections, insisting that more than one stranger might cause suspicion, and therefore it was that Corporal ’Lige and his pupil remained quietly at the farm until noon of that day, when the delegate from the Connecticut Assembly returned well pleased with what he had seen.

In a private conversation held with the corporal he reported that strong though the fortification was, the walls were in a state of great dilapidation; few, if any, precautions taken against surprise; military discipline was hardly known, and the sentinels in particular were remiss in their duty.

Master Phelps had no difficulty in making such investigations as he chose, and declared that in his opinion, providing the garrison could be taken by surprise, there was nothing to prevent a capture of the fort.

However, in order that all this might be effected, boats were necessary, and there was not a sufficient number on the shores near about to convey one-tenth of the men in Colonel Allen’s command.

“It is well you have come with me,” Master Phelps said to the corporal, “for while I am returning, you and the lad, accompanied by the farmer, shall set about seizing all the boats which may be found in this vicinity, having due heed to your movements, however, lest you proceed so far in the direction of Crown Point as to arouse suspicions in that quarter. Work as expeditiously as is in your power, for the troops will arrive here not later than midnight, and it is absolutely necessary there be ready proper craft to convey them across the lake.”

Then Master Phelps, still holding to Nathan as a guide, set off to meet the force, which was believed to be rapidly approaching, and the farmer said impatiently to the corporal:

“If it so be, sir, you count on carrying out the orders given ’twixt now and dark, it is time for us to be moving, for boats are not plentiful hereabout, and we shall have a long tramp before gathering as many as will carry your force across.”

CHAPTER VII. TICONDEROGA

It was not necessary Farmer Beman should urge Corporal ’Lige to make haste in this matter which had been intrusted to him, for the old soldier understood full well how necessary it was that means of transportation for the troops should be at hand when the men arrived, and had good reason to believe that such task as was assigned him could not be readily performed.

He even showed himself more eager in the work than the farmer, for when the latter would have delayed in order to eat the noonday meal, the old man positively refused as he said:

“We can have dinner after Ticonderoga has been taken, but until then there must be no thought of rest. Although as I understand, detachments are to be sent to Skenesborough and Panton, it is not positive they can get boats from there to this point in time, and we must act as if believing the matter of transportation depended wholly upon ourselves.”

Had Nathan been there to witness the old man’s activity after some special work had been set for him, he might have changed his opinion about the corporal’s being an “imitation soldier.”

He walked here and there, tiring his companions almost to the verge of exhaustion, and yet apparently as fresh as when he began; but when the sun set he had only seventeen boats drawn up on the shore at that point where it was supposed the troops would halt, and Isaac believed there were absolutely no more within the radius of a dozen miles.

“I allow you’ve done your best, corporal,” Farmer Beman said as the three stood looking ruefully at the small number of boats, many of which would be loaded to the water’s edge with half a dozen men, “and it now stands us in hand to get supper, considerin’ we missed our dinner so completely.”

“There must be no time wasted. Let Isaac run up to the house for such provisions as your wife can spare, and we’ll set out in some other direction, for every craft that we add to this ’ere lot is jest so much gained.”

“You may set out in as many directions as you choose; but you will not find another boat this night,” Farmer Beman said decidedly, and with what was very like a show of ill-temper. “I’ve guided you to every place I know of, and if you are so headstrong as to keep on when there’s little show of accomplishing anything, you must go alone.”

“And that’s exactly what I shall do,” the corporal said emphatically. “Even though I knew nothing would be accomplished I should keep on workin’ until the force arrived, ’cause it isn’t for me to set down and say my task is finished.”

“If that’s your idea of soldierin’, then I’m mighty glad I haven’t enlisted,” and the farmer went deliberately to his home, convinced, as was his son, that the old corporal was not as well skilled in warfare as he would have it appear.

Even Isaac was disposed to protest against his teacher’s decision, and urged that it was little less than folly to think of adding to the fleet, for Farmer Beman had declared positively there were no more boats in the vicinity.

To this the corporal replied with some warmth, and there might have been a serious undermining of friendship had not Nathan arrived just at that moment.

“Well, is that all you’ve done this afternoon?” he asked sharply, and the corporal turned on him fiercely.

“Do you know of other boats?”