Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-10-07

your rife. lam confident can trust you"
"Wall you kin, just as much as any chap
what ever drew bead on an Ingun or Brit
isher," said Hopkins, with a pleased look, as
he received his rifle "Might I ask your
name
dCertainly; Mark Lincoln
"You'vo got mighty smart-looking set of
chaps outside. How they'd have peppered the
tarnal skunks at Bunker HILL"
Were you there, sir? ?"
"Wall was, and may | be chawed to death
by wildcats if that are want spuhky 6ght.
You see old Put wouldn't let q man. . till they
got meet up to the 'trenchments, ~ ween he
gave the word, the tarnal red coats went down
a column at sweep"
Some cold ham and bread were now placed
before Hopkins, who continued eating and talk
ing by turns.
81 was on the front line, when Warren came
up and wanted to know where the skrimmage
would be the hortest. Wall, sir, they told him,
and thar he went lie was fne-looking chap,
and when | saw one of the cussed heathens pop
him over with an ounce ball my heart jumped
right straight inter my throat, and as much as
l think of Betsey, Id have gin her eff could
only have got a sight o the chap. Whoo-
whoop how I'd have minced his Internal car
kis. You amt got a drop of Jmaky that
could kind O. clear out my throat with, hev
you2"
"No, sir; we drink nothing but what God
has furnished in the springs that bubble up on
every hand. "
"That will do in time of peace, but take it
in a skrimmage and can whip my weight in
wildcats with horn O. Jimaky inside. On
the hull guess I'll take some water so if
you'll hand alonga quart of that liquid, I'll be
Obliged to you.
After quafing the water, he continued
Now, Cap'n, what do you say to lettin' me
jine this ere company"
"We should be glad of your services, but the
pay is poor"
Darn the pay. Ef there's only skrim'
mage occasionally III be satisfied on that Ef
amt in a skrimmage now and then, I'm as
oneasy as a fish out of water. If you 20 a
month without fight, I'd die from nothing to
do
II am in want ofa Scout, said Mark, 90 and
unless I'm mistaken, you will just suit me.
Your knowledg, Of woodcraft is good, else you
could not have found your way in here
Ef thars anything pride myself on. its
trailin' larnt tnat when used . fight the
copper-skins and thar amt Sclut in the
hull country what can beat me on a slusS trail.
Many's the time I've followed tho 4 ,nts for
miles, when you wouldn't see th sign Of a
track"
" Your services now will be Of a different
nature. want you to watch class of persons
far more despicable, but not equally cunning
" You mean the Tories.''
81 do
The Internal varnints! They're q tarnal
sight meaner than the Injuns, for the Inguns fl
for the sile they's born on but the Tories, blast
'em, fight agin their own country"
You said you trailed my Scout in here?"
8" Yes, you see I'd heern about your company
and so watched him when he came in When
| came to the swamp out here piece l lost the
trail, for the tracks were all filled up most as
soon as he made EN-
He was imprudent in permitting himself tt
be followed, but it has proved an advantage tt
u.s."
"By the way, Cap'n, there was company
of chaps went by on the clean canter, as if they
arter something, just as got in to the woods
"They were, Hopkins; and the object they
sought was the man you trailed In here. Dit
you notice their leader?"
: 81 did
"What sort of looking man was he?"
GA tall chap, with as evil-iooking mug a
ever see. He rode gray hoss, and"
" was he, then," exclaimed Mark. =" Yo
can retire now, and as you 60 tell my scout
Join me immediately
TO BE CONTINUED