Evening journal., 1892-08-19
the Counting Room.


thoroughly, Jierck, the major said
know the manor, sir / should
think so. began with chasing tumble
bugs and crickets over it, and studied il
inch by inch. Then | trailed black
snakes and ran rabbits, and got to know
it rod by rod. I've fished in every
brook and clumb every nut tree and
pOked into every woodcock swamp OF
partridge brush from end 10 end of it.
know it, woodland and clearing, side
hill and swale, fields that grow stun and
fields that grow corn I've run horses
ever it, where horses is 10 run-and
that's not much. for its awful humpy
country. and powders won't stay put
anywheres. Deer, too-there aintmany
pieces Of woods or it where / haven't
routed out deers, and when they legged
for the Highlands / legged too. and
come to know the Highlands just as
well. used to love. when l was a boy,
to go along ON the heights above the
river, and pick out places where / was
going to live; but sha'n't live in any Of
'en now. What does a man care about
home, or living at all, when his woman
isn't trues'
Major Skerrett did not interrupt this
burst Of remembrance. "Jierck suffers
Is much in his way" he thought, "as
the ex-Patroon." "And the house." he
said, "you know that as thoroughly"
LAY, from garnet to cellar. Ny IA
Their, Squire Dewitt, has been in Eng
land, and he says it's more like an Eng
fish house than any he knows, in small.
From garnet to cellar, says l. The cell
lar l ought to know pretty well.
lodged in there once when / was a boy
hanging round the house, and got into
the wineroom and drank stuff that
came near spoilin my taste for rum for
ever. wish it had. They caught me
and the madam had me whipped till the
blood come. Mr.. Brothertoft tried TO
beg off for me. She'd got not to make
much Of him by that time, and the more
he begged the harder she had 'em lay it
ON me. But I'm tallzin off, stiddy as the
North river, and you've got something
to say to me, major, 1 know by the way
you look. What's up about Brothertoft
manor"
"There's a British officer staying
there who has never tasted pork and
beans. I've promised General Putnam
TO bring him up here to dinner"
"Hoorayl that's right Give these
militia something to think about, Of
they get 10 believe wars like general
trainin day, and they can cut for homo
when they get tired. You want volun-
teers I'm one"
81 counted OF you Tor my lieutenant.
Sergeant Lincoln also goes. Now
want three men more, and you shall
choose them. Each man must have tbs
grit Of a hundred. and they must know
the country as we'll as they know tne
way to breakfast Name three, Jierckr
"That IN do, bang There's Ike Var
Wart for one. His junto, him aud Jaci
Pauiding and Dave Williams would
just make the three Bat jack Il
nabbed and down 10 York in priso;
ship. And Dawes of Oh furiough, sow
ing his fathers winter wheat ioI Eh'
cowboys to tromp next summer"
Only Isaac Van Wart therefore, o.
that famous trio, whom the muse o
tradition shall fondly nickname Majo
Andres bootblack, joined SkerretI Of
his perilOus service.
"Ike for one" continued Dewitt
swell, Galsyorthy, old Sam Gals
worthy, for Two. And for three l don
believe a better man lives than Hendre
Gus Canady, the root doctors son
They're all Brothertoft manor boys
built of the best cast STEEL and strun
with the wiriest kind of wire. Shoe
bullets into EN-. stick baggonets int
'em; they don't mind the bullets an
more than spitballs at school, no
the baggonets more than witches d
pins"
"Well, Jierck, have them here in a
hour. will join you and talk the tli
over, and we viii be ready to start a
sunset"
Skerrett found himself horse, trotte
back to Fishkill, wrote a farewell [
his stepbrother and his mother an
scratched few irrepressible lines {
Washington, such as the hero loved
get from his boys and valued muc
more than the numbering dispatche
marked official. The dispatches onl
announced facts, good OF bad. TIL
brisk, gallant notes revealed spirit
which black facts could not darken nc
heavy facts depress. $50 long as hay
lads like Peter Skerrett," thought OF
George, by the grace Of God Pater Pi
triie, when he received this note n for
night after that cup-lip-and-slip bait
Of Germantown. "while have such lac
with me. l can leave myred paint in III
saddle bags with MY Tuscarora gran
mar"
Now" thought Peter, 81 have mac
my will and written my dispatch,
must proceed 10 change myself into
ledcoat."
He uunacked a British sergeants IN
form, which he had carried. If disgui
should be needed in his late solitai
journey.
There is garment" said he, hol
ing up the coat with an air OF respeC
.whose pockets have felt the kinl
shilling. But thy pockets. old buff Al
bluem-he stripped of bis own coat
never knew bullion, though oft
stuffed with Continental paper az p
tareen the pound ayoirdupois."