The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-04-03

, While the captain was relating b.
ott-told but truthful adventure wit
MS Justly priced dog, the quick ey
,, or Cunning caught, through the viii
COW, glimpse OF recognized form
approaching in the road from the cas-,
ana slipping out unnoticed from III
room, he beckoned the approach n
: parsonage round the corner of tn
: house, aud when safely out of the hear
ing and observation of those in tn
bar room, he turned to the other, an
, said. --
?, Der DEVILS in the wind. Capital
Harry :"
" How SOP Have you discovered tn
suspected rendezvous?"
- Der yes; and more too"
Indeed where is IT,
" Otter deep in the thickets, on tn
west side OF the pond nearest the grea
road over the mountains. -"
All, ha! but their numbers? An
more, probably, than the small cul
we suppOsed?"
De double, and then the ditte
double of that, If it don't make NOR
iHdu twenty.
You surprise me, Dunning. Arr
you sure?"
Sure as that ! am der talking t.
Captain WOODBURY..
Impossible! 1t must be some seer,
meeting of the disatfected in thil
quarter "
Der not that, but a regularly armed
force, and, with Il the ditter exception
of two or three about-home tories, may
be, all strange faces, including 1
sprinkling of red skins, brought along
with them for decency's sake, | sup
pose. :"
But how could such forca get &c
far into the interior undetected? How
dare they venture on so hazardous q
movement? and what can be their de.
signs in so doing?''
! Der here is something that dltter
tells rather loud story about that: al
least. AS to the matter of intentions. y
said the hunter, by way of reply. tax
ing a crumpled paper from his cap
and handing it to the other,
Woodburn took the paper and eager
ly ran over its contents; which to his
establishment he found to be copy of
an order from General Burgoyne TO
Colonel Peters. detailing the plan of
an expedition, to be conducted by the
latter. with one hundred loyaists and
a company of Indians, by way of the
head waters of Otter Creek, across the
mountains to Connecticut River,
where this force was to be joined by
the loyal troops from Rhode Island,
and directing him to scour the
country, levy contributions. take hos
tages, make prisoners of all civil and
military officers acting under congress.
collect horses, and, after proceedings
down the river as far as Brattleboro
return to the great road to Albany. "0D
How did this get into your hands,
Dunnlng?' demanded the surprised
and excited officer, as soon as he had
mastered the contents.
Der well, having crept along near
the edge of the pond within ten or
twelve rods of their camp, | was lying
in the bushes for discoveries when
ditter one of 'em-their leader, ! sup
pose-came down to the pond, for OBJ
serva'ion. likely and, while peering
up and down the shore, gust of wind
blew his hat OFF into the water. But
though he regained his Otter hat and
disappeared, | soon saw piece Of
white paper blowing along in the
water towards me. After while, it
reached the sort of point where was,
and lodging against bush, secured
it, and found it this same thing.
What do you think Of it, captain?'
why. it unfolds a plan too bold for
credence.'
Not too bold for my ditter ere.
dence, captain. 3"
Then you think it no feint?"
Der no, sir, but a regular bred ex
petition. which they mean to push as
soon as more force arrives. | have
been ditter watching things a little
since | got at this wrinkle. They
have spies out in every direction. 'Tis
not an hour since | espied a fellow
peering from the corner of the woods
up yonder, who | think, must be that
ditter devil, David Red
ding. and there are three now in the
barroom of the same kidney"
"Ah well, all this may be- Such
an expedition may have been set afoot
at the instigation of such fellows as
Spencer. who, havino left the Council
Of Safety before anything was done.
and while his distracted counsels seem
ed to preclude all prospects that any
thing would be done for the defence of
the same. Az, that is it: and little
dreaming of what has since TRANSFERRED,
Peters, who is probably behind. with |
the main force, has sent forward this |
as a sort of pioneer corps, who, com
ing over route now mostly deserted |
by our people, have penetrated here
learly to the Twenty Mile Encamp-
nent, without once suspecting what
IS going on through the rest of the
state. But that is secret which,
hanks to the prom patriotism shown
)y our young men in enlisting, we
hall now soon be able to teach them
or my company is already nearly full
md, if you have notified the recruits
'ou enlisted, Sergeant Dunning, they
will all be here for mastering by to-
morrow night.
"All done, as in der duty bound,
'aptain: and six of my men said they
would be here this evening"
Indeed there will be almost enough
# us, if your six recruits all get in,
O make pounce upon this nest of
ipers tonight. Let's see; six-you,
myself, and Captain Coffin, and"
"And der Bart if he comes; der
on't you expect him along here to-
Iight?"
II do. Miss Haviland, according
o the letter of Mr.. Allen. who wrote
one days ago to appraise me of her
oming, would have started, | calcu-
1