The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-12-05
In heDays ofPoor Richard
BY IRVING BACIIELLER

survey the river. Only one boatman
was at the dock
Colonel Binkus. will you helr this
man to take me down to the British
ship?" Arnold asked. II have an en-
gagement with It's commander and am
half an hour late.'
/ Solomon had had much curiosity
about that ship. He wished to see the
man who had gone into the bush and
then TO Smiths with Arnold.
"Sart'n," Solomon answered.
They got into a small barge with
the general in the cushioned rear seat,
his flag In hand.
made fast at its landing stage where
an officer waited to receive the gen.
eral. The latter assembled to the deck.
In a moment a voice called from
above:
General Arnold's boatmen may
come aboard"
A British warship was thing of
great interest to Solomon. Once
aboard he began to look about him at
the shining guns and their gear and
the tackle and the men, He looked for
Arnold, but he was not In sight.
Among the crew, then busy on the
deck, Solomon saw the Tory desper-
ado "Slops," one time of the Ohio
river country, with his black pipe in
his mouth. Stops paused in his haul
ing and reeving to shake a fist at
Solomon. They were heaving the an
ctor. The sails were running up. The
ship had begun to move What was
the meaning of this3 Solomon stepped
to the ships side. The stair had been
hove up and made fast. The barge was
not to be seen.
They will put you all ashore be-
low" an officer said to him.
Solomon knew too much about Ar
mold to like the look of this. The
officer went forward Solomon stepped
to the opening In the deck rail, not
yet closed, through which he had come
aboard. While he was looking down
at the water, some ten feet below.
group Of sailors came to fill In. His
arm was roughly seized Solomon
stepped back. Before him stood the
nan Stops. An insulting word from
The latter, quick blow from Solomon,
and Stops went through the gate out
INTO the air and downward. The scout
NEW 1t was no time to tarry.
"A night hawk couldn't dive no
quicker ner what 1 DONE" were his
words to the men who picked him up.
lie was speaking of that half second
II the twenty-fourth of September,
$50. His brief account of 1t was care
ully put down by an officer: Il struck
LOT twenty feet from Stops, which I
cen him jes' comm up when I took
vater. This ere oil sloop that had
verhauled us goin' down were nigh.
hadn't no moren come up than felt
Tops knife rip into my leg. l never
ad no practice In that ere knife work.
faint fer decent folks, but my OF
IAN Skinner is allus on my belt. He'd
hose the weapons an so l fetched 'er
ut. Had to er die. We fit a minnit
lar In the water. All the while he
ad that d-n black pipe In his mouth.
were hacked up leetle, but he got
big leak In him an all Of a sudden
e wasn't thar. He'd gone. / struck
ut with oil Dan Skinner 'twixt my
eth. Then l see your line and
rabbed 1t. Whar's the British ship
OWL"
Way below Stony Pint an fair
ind in her sails the skipper an
yered
Bound fer New York." said Solo,
on sorrowfully. They'd "a took me
18th 'em If I hadn't "a jumped. Put
e over TO Jasper's dock. got to see
'ashington quick"
Washington has gone up the river"
"Then take me to quarters soon as
kin. I'll give We ten pounds, good
lglish gold. My God, boysl Ny OIL
de is leakin' bad"
He turned to the man who had been
lshing and binding his wounds.
Solder me up best We kin. / got
last till I see the Father"
Solomon and other men In the old
ny had often used the word "Fa-
II In speaking of the commander
chief. II served as no other could.
express their affection for him.
The wind was unfavorable and the
op found 1t difficult to reach the /
ding near headquarters. After
nc delay Solomon jumped over
ird and swan ashore.
What follows he could not have told.
shington was standing with his or
ly In the little dooryard at head
rters as Solomon came staggering
the slope at a run and threw his =
", bleeding from a dozen wounds. =
the feet OF his beloved chief.