The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-01-07

island and OFFENSIVE operations were
daily expected In W~ashlngton's army
Jack hurried to his regiment, then IN
camp with others on the heights back
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
ingtoR. Tie 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-
venieia, no.nts so that, If necessary
they could make quick reports.
Next day, far beyond the OutpOsts
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 and lis
tened. Then he dropped and put his
a to the ground. He beckoned to
Jack, VINO cFept near him.
Somebody's nigh us afore an be-
hind" he whispered. eve better hide
till dark comes You crawl into. that
OF hOiler log. III 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. Its opening was
covered, by an immense cObweb. Jack
brushed 1t away and crept backward
into the she'll. He observed that many
Black hairs were caught upon the
rough sides Of this singular chamber.
Through the winter it must have been
the den Of a black. bear.s 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-
feet circle. Then the weaver dropped
to opposite points, unreeling his slen-
der rope behind him and making it
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 a 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. I saw them
when they turned" a voice was say
ing. eff / 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.
Il was creeping up, trying to get
closer. They have had to hide or run
upon the heels of our 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 Il
came out that nine thousand men were
crossing to Gravesend.
Come on, boys, I'm going back
said n of the party. WhereupOn they
went away.
Dusk was falling. Jack waited fol
a move from Solomon. In a few min
utes he heard a stir in the brush
Then he could dimiy see the face o.
his friend beyond the spiders web.
Come on, my son. the latter wills
pered.
With a feeling Of real regret, Jacl
rent the ven of the spider and caml
out Of his hidlng-place. He brushed tn
silken threads from his hair and brow
as he whispered:
THAT old spider saved me-goot
luck to him ~
Wen keep elus together" SoIomol
whispered. I'VE got to push right o.
an work round 'em. If anyone git
IN n way, he'll have to chang
worlds sudden, that's all. We mus
git to them bosses fore midnight"
nrwra- - -