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

“Seems to me there’s more’n a hundred ’round here.”

“Where are they?”

Nathan began a list, mentioning this neighbor or that, and as often seeing among the collection the craft to which he referred, until finally he was forced to admit that to the best of his knowledge there were no more.

“I thought you knew of more than a hundred?” Corporal ’Lige cried fiercely.

“That’s what I reckoned myself; but when I come to figger ’em up they wasn’t there.”

“You come with us, an’ it may be we’ll find another.”

“What? After I’ve walked down to Castleton an’ back to-day, I go with you out rowin’? It’ll take more’n six shillings to hire me to do anything like that this night; besides you haven’t got time before the troops get here.”

“How near are they?” Corporal ’Lige asked in alarm.

“Well, they ought’er be showin’ up by this time, for I wasn’t five minutes ahead of ’em, and – there they are now!”

Nathan pointed to a group of men who had just come into the clearing from amid the thicket, and as the old man looked up one of the party motioned for him to approach.

Although Nathan had announced that he was nearly exhausted from his ardent labors, his weariness was not so great as his curiosity, and he followed the corporal and Isaac.

It was Colonel Arnold, Colonel Easton and the two representatives of the Connecticut Assembly, who had thus come into view, and the former, after explaining to Corporal ’Lige that the troops had been halted in the thicket lest they might be seen from the fort even in the gloom, asked concerning the means of transportation.

Chagrined though he was at his inability to do more, the corporal was forced to admit that he had hardly a sufficient number of boats to take over seventy-five or eighty of the men; but this the colonel did not at the time believe to be of great importance, for it seemed positive Captain Herrick from Skenesborough, and Captain Douglas from Panton, must before midnight send craft enough to transfer the entire force.

Therefore it was that the leaders of the party appeared well satisfied, and the corporal must have come to the conclusion that he had fretted himself without reasonable cause.

“You will remain in charge of the fleet,” Colonel Allen said to the old soldier, “with the boy to act as your lieutenant, and you may detail two men as oarsmen in each boat. We will set out as soon as the remainder of the craft arrives.”

Then it was that Nathan believed he saw an opportunity to add to his earnings of the day, and made the proposition that if the further sum of four shillings be paid him he would aid in ferrying the troops across, providing the work could be finished before midnight; but if it should be delayed until morning he desired to be paid twice that amount.

No one seemed disposed to take advantage of this very generous offer; now that his particular portion of the work had been done, it was very much as if every one save Isaac ignored him.

“That’s jest the way with these people from down ’round Bennington. They get all they can for the least money, an’ then throw you off. I ought to have held out for more’n six shillings when I took that Master Phelps, as you call him, over to the fort.”

“But you got paid very well,” Isaac suggested.

“Yes, so far as it went; but if I’d thought of all that’s going on I would have put up my price, or held out half-hired till the business was over.”

Now for the first time since their meeting did Corporal ’Lige’s pupil speak sharply to this friend.

“You should be ashamed to demand money for such work as you have done this day,” he said stoutly. “Whatever resistance be made to the king is for the benefit of all the colonies, and if each one insisted on being paid, as you’ve done, his majesty might work his will, for there would be none to say him nay.”

Young Beman was both surprised and injured by this outburst.

“That’s what I call pretty tough, after all I’ve done for you!” he cried sharply. “If it hadn’t been for me you wouldn’t have got over here and had a chance of staying all night in our house.”

“I didn’t have a chance without paying for it, as I understand Master Phelps is to settle with your father for our accommodations.”

“Yes, an’ just before I come away mother told me she thought as likely as not father’d be such a fool as to refuse to take a cent; but I ain’t goin’ to quarrel with you, even if I have been defrauded of what is my right. Come up to the house an’ get some supper, won’t you?”

“You mean that I shall partake of the food after I have helped you do the chores?”

“Well, yes, something like that. Of course you don’t expect to get your supper for nothing.”

“No; I’d rather go without than do more work now after tramping around all the afternoon. There’ll be something in the way of rations found in camp, an’ I’ll take my chances there.”

Young Beman turned away quickly as if angry with this new friend, and observing the movement Corporal ’Lige asked Isaac:

“What’s the trouble with yon skinflint? Haven’t been quarrelin’, eh?”

“I think I have seen enough of a lad who must be paid for all he does at such a time,” and having said this Isaac went in search of his supper, not minded to make further explanations.

Weary though he was, the lad was soon forced to aid the corporal in getting the boats’ crews together, and after it was fully dark those selected to act as oarsmen were marched to the water’s edge, that they might be in readiness when their services were required.

After this there was nothing to be done save await the coming of the expected craft.

The men were not allowed to build fires lest the lights should be seen by those in the fort, and so cautious was the leader that even loud talking was forbidden, therefore the men could do little else than spend the time in sleeping, a fact by no means disagreeable to the majority after their march of the day.

On the shore of the lake the oarsmen followed the example of their comrades in the woods, until all save the corporal and Isaac were wrapped in the unconsciousness of slumber.

The old soldier, considering himself responsible for the safety of the fleet, would neither lie down nor allow his young lieutenant to do so, and they paced to and fro on the sand keeping sharp lookout for the expected boats, but without avail.

Midnight came, and yet no word from either of the two detachments which had been sent in search of means of transportation.

Colonel Allen and Colonel Arnold, growing impatient because of the long delay, came to the shore, and Corporal ’Lige stood stiff as the barrel of his own musket when he saluted.

“How many can be taken in the boats you have here?” Colonel Arnold asked.

“Somewhere about eighty, sir, and if it so be you give the word we can ferry the whole party across in three trips.”

“That would never do,” Colonel Arnold replied decidedly. “We must go in a body or give up all hope of surprising the garrison.”

In this Colonel Allen was agreed, and the two officers remained near at hand, now pacing to and fro, and again listening intently for those sounds which would tell of the hoped-for arrival, until it lacked no more than two hours of daybreak, when they were joined by Master Phelps and Colonel Easton, the latter saying sufficiently loud for Isaac to distinguish the words:

“Unless such a move is made as may be possible with the means at our disposal, the plan of capturing the fort has come to naught, for it isn’t reasonable to suppose our party can remain in this vicinity throughout to-morrow without some intimation being given the commandant by those who live in the vicinity.”

What was evidently a conversation between the officers followed; but it was conducted in so low a tone that Isaac could not hear the words, and he remained near at hand expecting to receive the order to launch the boats, until Colonel Easton called him by name.

“You know where is situated the home of the lad who guided Master Phelps into the fort?”

“Oh, yes, sir; it is but a short distance from here.”

“Go you there, and bring the boy.”

“I question if he will come, sir, unless I make explanation of why he is wanted, or promise that he shall be paid for thus disturbing himself. He seems to have no thought save of money.”

“Yet, his father is with us in this matter, I am told, so far as opinion goes.”