White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1933-06-01
CHAPTER XIV
In Which the Broken Thread Of Love
Is Curiously Reunited.

ingtOn written at the HIIeenln mile
stone on the Skippack road in Penn
sylyania, directing him, at the end of
the Saratoga campaign to get dis
charge from General Gates and pro-
coed with his regiment by route
known to Sergeant Sapp, the bearer,
to general headquarters. Colin, still
in bed, ordered his men to prepare
! for the journey and to set out the
next day.
He Immediately sent letter by post
to Rachel Bowlby telling her of the
order and mapping the route and
destination. This to make sure that
Pat would know where to find him.
He expected to be able to follow and
overtake the regiment in a day or
two but the young man was detained
in the hospital more than two weeks
after his men had gone. A lingering
weakness from the loss of blood kept
hin, in bed.
The day of his discharge he headed
for Albany in the saddle. Arriving
there he found Mrs. Bowlby. He
learned that Pat and the Lady Ack-
land with their horses and an escort
of four men had set out on a south
bound ship a few days before. They
were to leave the ship about sixty
miles below Albany and start west
ward in the saddle to intercept Collins
regiment on it's way to Washington's
headquarters. Her ladyship had
permit from Gates to go south with
the troops and join friends in Phila.
delphia.
Collins mare had been wounded in
foreleg In the last battle and was unfit
for long journey. Moreover, he had
not enough money to buy good
horse. Mrs. Bowlby was poor wom-
an with children depending on her.
He could not accept her help even II
she were able to offer it; the master
full woman, always prepared for emer'
gencies, took command of the situa-
ton.
"You know that Washington is with
in twenty miles of Philadelphia, she
said. Gle is on the Sklppack road.
The map you sent me shows the road.
A neighbor of mine here is cousin
Of John Pennebecker who runs mill
on Perkiomen creek not ten miles
from there. So your best route is the
Delaware river. Take the ship this
afternoon down the Hudson. At
Undertook hire man to take you
across country to the Delaware. Buy
good canoe, small tent and sail
and some provisions. Keep moving.
You can make fifty miles a day with
the current and more in fair wind.
It's as much as a horse could do. In
some places you'll get ride on the
flatboats. If the British are in Phila-
delphia, you'll know it long before
you get there. Leave the river some
where near Bordentown and go due
west. Keep north of the Frankfort
creek until you cross the Old York
road. Then cross the frankfort and
you'll come to the Wissahickon. The
Skippack road will be near you. Re-
member there's to be some delay be-
meet her you'll know what to do,
guess. For the Lords sake, don't let
her get away from you. I'm almost
worn out trying to bring you to-
gether. There have been times when
wondered whether the war was for
liberty or Pat"
Colin laughed: I've learned better
than to disobey your ORDERS"
"Well, there's some comfort in the
thought that you couldn't get away
from her If you tried" she answered
with a smile. Mother Enslow is
happy with me and can stay until
| Pat has a home. I'll look after the
| mare"
The young man set out and obeyed
her orders almost to the letter. In
good weather, with favoring winds, he
| flung the miles behind him and fin
ished his river journey in four days.
Near the end Of 1t he came upon the
! giant Ebenezer Snoach with fleet
of bateaux loaded with provisions for
Washington's army. He was near q
landing where teams were to meet him.
Colin boarded one of the bateaux and
had brief talk with the old god
mo, the war amt over-not yet, y
said Snoach. They'll wrastle with
the winds an the waves an the will
derness an rotten meat an scurvy an
smallpox a while longer-maybe an
| perhaps. Ye can't shoot them enc.
mics err bride 'em off. The British is
like big fish that's grabbed the hook
an reeled off lot O. line Ye bring
him in close an away he goes ag'in
Ye got to tire him out an drownd
him an lift him into the boat an
wallop him over the head. How long
it'll take nobody can tell, but if he's
hooked solid an the line holds ye
know he's got to come soon er late"
Snoach's landing was near. There
Colin hired horse and in the saddle
with farmer to guide him, he set out
on the westward journey. They
reached the Old York road where he
began to get news. The British were