Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-02-14
CHAPTER XII.
THE PEDDLER LOSES HIS PACK.

THE PEDDLER LOSES HIS PACh.
Leaving Captain Peterson in the hands Of the
brothers Gregson, we go back for few hours and
inquire after Peddler jock
As has before been intimated, his occupation was
only in part that of trader Though professedly
neutral, his sympathies were actively enlisted on
the American side, and he had done considerable
service as carrier of intelligence which he could
not have done with safety, if his peaceful occupa-
ton had not shielded him from arrest and deten-
ton.
Only an hour before Captain Peterson's inter
view with Elinor Westvelt, the two had met The
peddler was resting by the roadside as the young
officer came up.
'Ha, my trusty Jock, is it you? am glad to
see you," said Henry Peterson heartily.
"Wel Pm tarnal glad to see you, Cap'n, re-
turned the peddler II was most afraid some Of
them British chaps might got hold of you, and
made you prisoner"
''That ain so easily done, Jock. But you speak
of the British. Haveyou seen any Of their compa-
nies about?"
'None of any size I saw half dozen fellers
commanded by feller with eppyets, early this
morning"
'What did they say to you? asked Captain Pc
terson. "Did you have any trouble with them ?,
IT mistrust might if they had seen me, but /
didn't let en-
s'You concealed yourself then, did you?"
ssI calc'late did. You don't catch Jehoachim
Stebbins rushing into the bears paws onless he's
very anxious to be hugged There was big tree
by the roadside that was outrageous at the top,
as I've heard the old minister over to our town call
it. and reckoned it might be convenient for me to
be umbrageous fora little while too. So crep' up
and sot myself astraddle Of one Of top branches,
so that nothing could be seen Of me-"
IT should think" said Henry, you would have
had some trouble in climbing with your pack. But
where is it? I don't see it with you"
81 hate plag,ily to tell you, Cap'n, but the fact
is I've lost it"
s'Lost it! How?'.
''The time that I was telling you about. The tree
was rough and knotty, and it was pretty hard climb
ing It, that'sa fact. When I'd got about half way
M, down the confounded thing dropped. That
made me mad tell you If hadn't been Chris,
tian and Deacon son, I'd a cussed, and L want,
ed to bad as it was but 1 thought that wouldn't
do no good, so kept climbin'." -,
'Why didn't you 60 down and secure IT,
"Wel Cap'n, there was two reasons First place
was so powerful tired, and my hands was blister
ed besides, so that don't think I could havedone
It again. Besides them British chaps was close
onto me, and shouldn't have had time"
'eIt seems to me, Jock, youhave not been 50 eau
tious of eneountering them hitherto. -
'oThats fact, Cap'n, I haven't But lattery
thew have kinder suspicioned that wasn't so neu'
trail as I pretended. Besides only a day or two
ago, I played trick on British officer that was
goin' to Mr.. Westyet's, and didn't know but ii
might be he that was commandin' these men.
oHa British officer going to the Westvelts.-
However, 1 need not be surprised, knowingas l do,
the Tory principles of the old gentleman. That re
minds but proceed with your story. Was youl
pack in plain sight?"
"It happened to fall onto clump Of bushes thai
was CROWN round the tree. That partly hid it st
that was in hopes they wouldn't spy it. But whel
they came up what should possess then but to stol
and rest right under that identical tree"
''Who was the commander?' inquired Captain
Peterson.
''He was young feller, seemingly not more'l
two or three and twenty. He was Lootenant,
found out from what the men called him"
s'They found your pack
"Yes, confound 'em, but not at first. They tooi
out their provisions, and began to take lunch
One of them took off his hat and looking round Z
find a place to put it, happened by Ill luck to come
across NV pack. Such a shout as he riz when n
saw It NV heart Topped right down, and knew
twas gone case with It,
"What have you got?' asked the Lootenant
lookin' round.
"A peddler's pack. Belongs to peddler Jock,
expect You see I'm pretty well known in thl
neighborhood Well on that the lootenant obsarv
ed, I've heard of him, and it's my opinion tina
he's rebel in disguise. What say you, men, sha
we consider this one of the spois of the enemyT
"Of course they didn't raise no objections, bu
all of em agreed that was rebel in disguise
They warnt far from right in that I'm thinkin'. :
Well they hauled over my things just as if the
hadn't cost nothin' 1t made my teeth grit to Sc
'em tumblin' over the calicoes and muslins an