Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-01-26

other Il -ack Mount. You must pay
for tho I have no money. It Is
half po AA10 o'clock. / will walt ten
minute
Shen scurried back into the
news. Foxcroft followed, and in I
momel his portly figure was lost IN
the du alley.
I loo ! up at the lighted windows
Of Pro ice House, wondering how Of
earth VAS to go to Lexington. In
stinctiy " turned my eye toward the
steeple16 81 the Old North Meeting House:
me steeple was dark. The troops had
not yet started.
Mustng there In the moonlight, hands
clasped on the pommel Of my saddle,
the dull thunder Of hoofs from the sta
bic aroused me, and presently Mr.. Fox
croft came gathering out of the news,
followed by Shemuel, who led a third
horse behind him.
Now, sir" painted Foxcroft, II am
prepared to ride to the devil with you
anG. put this Tory governors nose out
of Joint"
DO you also ride with us. shemuel7t'
I asked.
He replied family in the affirmative.
The little creature was frightened. His
devotion touched me very deeply.
Walking our horses along Common
street we were almost Immediately ac-
costed by dragons who, on learning
That our destination was the Wild
Goose tavern, cursed us roundly, prom
Using to clean out that nest Of rebels
at no distant date. However, Mount
was in the tavern, andshe came at my
whistle, explaining that the balance
of the company had chosen to risk
crossing the bay, under the guns Of the
Somerset rather than attempt to force
the Neck.
'God go with them!'' said I. "Here's
Shemuel with a horse for you. Well
ride to the shore and see what can be
done"
Mount, who had been busily en-
bracing shemuel, gave the little Jew
a mighty slap Of affection, vaulted into
his saddle, passed my rifle to me M
fell back beside the peddler, while MI.
Foxcroft and l rode through the mall
once more, down toward the shore.
AS we came out through the fringe
of trees from which the land fell away
to the waters edge a stirring sight lay
spread before us. Below in the daz-
cling moonlight the shore swarmed
with soldiers, teamsters and boatmen
moving hither and thither along the
waters edge. Companies Of grena-
diers were marching toward the wood
en- wharf at the end Of Hollis street,
companies Of light infantry and ma
rtnes were embarking in the boats
which lay rocking along the shore,
horses snorted, gathered in groups,
while boatmen poled fatboats toward
a cove from which already a scow
freighted with horses was being
pushed out into the bay.
Suppose" whispered Mount, I'VE
lead our horses aboard that scow yon-
der?"
In another, moment, scarcely aware
Of what / was actually about, l had
dismounted and was leading Warlock
straight down to the shore toward q
cove where half a dozen boatmen were
standing in a scow, resting on their
long sea poles.
"If they ask questions knock them
into the water" said Mount calmly.
He repeated the Instructions to Fox
croft and shemuel as we filed along
the dim shore past q throng of boat
men, grooms, officers servants and
teamsters and made straight toward
the scow that lay a few yards of shore
in the little shadowy cove.
1t was a desperate attempt, yet Its
very audacity was in u favor. The
boatmen when they saw us leading
our horses down to their cove hastily
lowered a plank bridge from their
heavy scow, and Mount coolly waded
out into the water, guiding his horse
aboard as calmly as though it were his
own stable and these Tory boatmen his
paid grooms.
1 followed with Warlock, who snort
ed and paved when the salt water
rose to his fetlocks, but he danced up
} the plank incline and entered the boat
without coaxing. shemuel's horse, a
J sleek, weasel bellied animal, with q
| wicked eye and a bunch O. hackle for
y tail, swung round in the water, sling.
ing the little Jew on his face in the
mud, and then, with a vicious squeal
: flung ~ his heels and cantered off.
(To be continued in next issue.
VICTORY.