The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-05-22

Island and offensive operations yere
daily expected In Washington's army
Jack hurried to his regiment. then IN
camp with others on the heights hack
of Brooklyn. The troops there were
not ready for a strong attack. General
Greene, who was in command of the
division, had suddenly fallen i'll. Jack
crossed the river the night of his ar
rival with a message to General Wash
ington. The latter returned with the
young colonel to survey the situation.
They found Solomon at headquarters.
He had discovered British scouts in
the wooded country near Gravesend.
He and Jack were detailed to keep
watch of that part of the island and
its shores with horses posted at con
venient points so that, if necessary.
they could make quick reports.
Next day, far beyond the utposts
in the bush, they tied their horses in
the little stable near Remsen's cabin
on the south road and went on afoot
through the bush. Suddenly Solomon
stopped and lifted his hand n lis
tened. Then he dropped and put his
ear to the ground. He beckoned to
Jack, VINO crept near him.
Somebody's nigh us afore an be-
hind" he whispered. 1--WE better hide
till dark comes. You crawl into that
OIL holler log. I'll nose myself under
a brushpile."
They were in a burnt slash where
the soft timber had been cut some
time before. The land was covered
with a thick, spotty growth of poplar
and wild cherry and brush heaps and
logs half-rotted. The piece Of timber
to which Solomon had referred was
the base log of a giant hemlock aban-
doned, no doubt, because, when cut, it
was found to be a shell. 1t was open
only at the butt end. It's opening was
covered by an immense cobweb. Jack
brushed 1t away and crept backward
into the shell. He observed that many
black hairs were caught upon the
rough sides of this singular chamber.
Through the winter it must have beer
the den of a black bear. AS soon as
he had settled down, with his face
some two feet from the sunlit air of the
outer world, Jack observed that the
industrious spider had begun again to
throw his silvery veil over the great
hole in the logs end.
He watched the process. First the
outer lines of the structure were woven
across the edges of the opening and
made fast at points around its imper-
a.ak ot.aIo Thnn fhn nnouar dronDO1
to opposite points, unreeling his slen-
der rope behind him and making 1t
taut and fast. He was no slow and
clumsy workman. He knew his task
and rushed about, rapidly strengthen
ing his structure with parallel lines,
having a common center, until his
silken floor was in place again and
ready for the death dance of flies and
bees and wasps. Soon q humble bee
was kicking and quivering like a
stricken OK on its surface. The spider
rushed upon him and buried his knives
In the back and sides of his prey. The
young mans observation of this in
teresting process was interrupted by
the sound Of voices and the tread of
feet. They were British voices.
"They came this way. 1 saw them
when they turned" a voice was say
ing. IF I had been a little closer, I
could have potted both men with one
bullet"
why didn't you take a shot any
how?" another asked.
g" was creeping up, trying to get
closer. They have had to hide or run
upon the heels of hi people,"
A number of men were now sitting
on the very log in which Jack was hid
den. The young scout saw the legs Of
a man standing opposite the open end
of the log. Then these memorable
words were spoken:
'This log is good cover for a man
to hide in, but nobody is hid in it.
There's a big spiders web over the
opening"
There was more talk, in which it
came out that nine thousand men were
crossing to Gravesend.
"Come on, boys, I'm going back"
said one Of the party. W%hereupon they
went away.
Dusk was falling. Jack waited for
a move from Solomon. In a few min
utes he heard a stir in the brush.
Then he could dimly see the face of
his friend beyond the spiders web.
Come on, my son." the latter whis-
pered.
With a feeling of real regret. Jack
n the veil of the spider and came
out of his ~hiding-place. He brushed the
silken threads from his hair and brow
as he whispered:
"That old spider saved me-good
luck to himI"
wen keep clus together" Solomon
whispered. we got to push right on
an work round EN-. If anyone gifts
in our way, he'll have to change