rolf in the woods-第62节

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was　the　mere　chatter　of　the　ranks。　He　curbed　his　impatience　and

trudged　with　the　troop。　Once　a　man　dropped　back　to　light　his

pipe。　He　almost　touched　Rolf；　and　seeing　a　marching　figure；　asked

in　unmistakable　accents　〃Oi　soi　matey；　'ave　ye　a　loight？〃



Rolf　assumed　the　low　south　country　English　dialect；　already

familiar　through　talking　with　prisoners；　and　replied：　〃Naow；　oi

oin't　a…smowking；〃　then　gradually　dropped　out　of　sight。



They　were　nearly　two　hours　in　reaching　Chazy　where　they　passed

the　Forks；　going　straight　on　north。　Without　doubt；　now；　the　army

was　bound　for　Canada！　Rolf　sat　on　a　fence　near　by　as　their

footsteps　went　tramp；　tramp；　tramp　　with　the　wagons；　clank；

clank；　clank；　and　were　lost　in　the　northern　distance。



He　had　seen　perhaps　three　hundred　men；　there　were　thirteen

thousand　to　account　for；　and　he　sat　and　waited。　He　did　not　have

long　to　wait；　within　half　an　hour　a　much　larger　body　of　troops

evidently　was　approaching　from　the　south；　several　lanterns

gleamed　ahead　of　them；　so　Rolf　got　over　the　fence；　but　it　was　low

and　its　pickets　offered　poor　shelter。　Farther　back　was　Judge

Hubbell's　familiar　abode　with　dense　shrubbery。　He　hastened　to　it

and　in　a　minute　was　hidden　where　he　could　see　something　of　the

approaching　troops。　They　were　much　like　those　that　had　gone

before；　but　much　more　numerous；　at　least　a　regiment；　and　as　they

filled　the　village　way；　an　officer　cried　〃Halt！〃　and　gave　new

orders。　Evidently　they　were　about　to　bivouac　for　the　night。　A

soldier　approached　the　picket　fence　to　use　it　for　firewood；　but

an　officer　rebuked　him。　Other　fuel；　chiefly　fence　rails；　was

found；　and　a　score　or　more　of　fires　were　lighted　on　the　highway

and　in　the　adjoining　pasture。　Rolf　found　himself　in　something

like　a　trap；　for　in　less　than　two　hours　now　would　be　the　dawn。



The　simplest　way　out　was　to　go　in；　he　crawled　quietly　round　the

house　to　the　window　of　Mrs。　Hubbell's　room。　These　were　times　of

nervous　tension；　and　three　or　four　taps　on　the　pane　were　enough

to　arouse　the　good　lady。　Her　husband　had　come　that　way　more　than　once。



〃Who　is　it？〃　she　demanded；　through　a　small　opening　of　the　sash。



〃Rolf　Kittering；〃　he　whispered；　〃the　place　is　surrounded　by

soldiers；　can't　you　hide　me？〃



Could　she？　Imagine　an　American　woman　saying　〃No〃　at　such　a　time。



He　slipped　in　quietly。



〃What　news？〃　she　said。　〃They　say　that　MacDonough　has　won

on　the　Lake；　but　Plattsburg　is　taken。〃



〃No；　indeed；　Plattsburgh　is　safe；　MacDonough　has　captured　the　fleet。

I　am　nearly　sure　that　the　whole　British　army　is　retiring　to　Canada。〃



〃Thank　God；　thank　God；〃　she　said　fervently；　〃I　knew　it　must　be

so；　the　women　have　met　here　and　prayed　together　every　day；

morning　and　night。　But　hush！〃　she　laid　a　warning　finger　on　her

lips　and　pointed　up　toward　one　of　the　rooms　　〃British　officer。〃



She　brought　two　blankets　from　a　press　and　led　up　to　the　garret。

At　the　lowest　part　of　the　roof　was　a　tiny　door　to　a　lumber

closet。　In　this　Rolf　spread　his　blankets；　stretched　his　weary

limbs；　and　soon　was　sound　asleep。



At　dawn　the　bugles　blew；　the　camp　was　astir。　The　officer　in　the

house　arose　and　took　his　post　on　the　porch。　He　was　there　on　guard

to　protect　the　house。　His　brother　officers　joined　him。　Mrs。

Hubbell　prepared　breakfast。　It　was　eaten　silently；　so　far　as　Rolf

could　learn。　They　paid　for　it　and；　heading　their　regiment；　went

away　northward；　leaving　the　officer　still　on　the　porch。



Presently　Rolf　heard　a　stealthy　step　in　his　garret；　the　closed

door　was　pushed　open；　and　Mrs。　Hubbell's　calm；　handsome　face

appeared；　as；　with　a　reassuring　nod；　she　set　down　a　mug　of

coffee；　some　bread；　and　a　bowl　of　mush　and　milk。　And　only　those

who　have　travelled　and　fasted　for　twelve　hours　when　they　were

nineteen　know　how　good　it　tasted。



From　a　tiny　window　ventilator　Rolf　had　a　view　of　the　road　in

front。　A　growing　din　of　men　prepared　him　for　more　troops；　but

still　he　was　surprised　to　see　ten　regiments　march　past　with　all

their　stores　　a　brave　army；　but　no　one　could　mistake　their

looks；　they　wore　the　despondent　air　of　an　army　in　full　retreat。







Chapter　83。　The　Last　of　Sir　George　Prevost



The　battle　was　over　at　Plattsburg　town；　though　it　had　not　been

fought；　for　the　spirit　of　MacDonough　was　on　land　and　water；　and

it　was　felt　by　the　British　general；　as　well　as　the　Yankee

riflemen；　as　soon　as　the　Union　Jack　had　been　hauled　from　the　mast

of　the　Confiance。



Now　Sir　George　Prevost　had　to　face　a　momentous　decision：　He　could

force　the　passage　of　the　Saranac　and　march　on　to　Albany；　but　his

communications　would　be　cut；　and　he　must　rely　on　a　hostile

country　for　supplies。　Every　day　drew　fresh　bands　of　riflemen　from

the　hills。　Before　he　could　get　to　Albany　their　number　might

exceed　his；　and　then　what？　Unless　Great　Britain　could　send　a　new

army　or　a　fleet　to　support　him；　he　must　meet　the　fate　of

Burgoyne。　Prevost　proposed　to　take　no　such　chances　and　the　night

of　the　11th　eight　hours　after　MacDonough's　victory；　he　gave　the

order　〃Retire　to　Canada。〃



To　hide　the　move　as　long　as　possible；　no　change　was　made　till

after　sundown；　no　hint　was　given　to　the　beleaguered　town；　they

must　have　no　opportunity　to　reap　the　enormous　advantages；　moral

and　material；　of　harrying　a　retreating　foe。　They　must　arise　in

the　morning　to　find　the　enemy　safely　over　the　border。　The　plan

was　perfect；　and　would　have　been　literally　carried　out；　had　not

he　had　to　deal　with　a　foe　as　clever　as　himself。



How　eagerly　Rolf　took　in　the　scene　on　Chazy　Road；　how　much　it

meant！　how　he　longed　to　fly　at　his　fastest　famous　speed　with　the

stirring　news。　In　two　hours　and　a　half　he　could　surely　let　his

leader　know。　And　he　gazed　with　a　sort　of　superior　pride　at　the

martial　pomp　and　bravery　of　the　invaders　driven　forth。



Near　the　last　was　a　gallant　array　of　gentlemen　in　gorgeous

uniforms　of　scarlet　and　gold；　how　warlike　they　looked；　how

splendid　beside　the　ill…clad　riflemen　of　Vermont　and　the　rude

hunters　of　the　Adirondacks。　How　much　more　beautiful　is　an　iron

sword　with　jewels；　than　a　sword　of　plain　gray　steel。



Dame　Hubbell　stood　in　her　door　as　they　went　by。　Each　and　all

saluted　politely；　her　guard　was　ordered　to　join　his　regiment。　The

lady　waved　her　sun…bonnet　in　response　to　their　courteous

good…bye；　and　could　not　refrain　from　calling　out：



〃How　about　my　prophecy；　Sir　George；　and　those　purses？〃



Rolf　could　not　see　his　hostess；　but　he　heard　her　voice；　and　he

saw　the　astonishing　effect：



The　British　general　reined　in　his　horse。　〃A　gentleman's　word　is

his　bond；　madam；〃　he　said。　〃Let　every　officer　now　throw　his　purse

at　the　lady's　feet；〃　and　he　set　the　example。　A　dozen　rattling

thuds　were　heard　and　a　dozen　officers　saluting；　purseless；　rode

away。



A　round　thousand　dollars　in　gold　the　lady　gathered　on　her　porch

that　morning；　and　to　this　day　her　grand…kin　tell　the　tale。







Chapter　84。　Rolf　Unmasks　the　Ambush



Rolf's　information　was　complete　now；　and　all　that　remained　was　to

report　at　Plattsburg。　Ten　regiments　he　had　counted　from　his　peep

hole。　The　rear　guard　passed　at　ten　o'clock。　At　eleven　Mrs。

Hubbell　did　a　little　scouting　and　reported　that　all　was　quiet　as

far　as　she　could　see　both　ways；　and　no　enemy　in　sight　anywhere。



With　a　grateful　hand　shake　he　left　the　house　to　cover　the

fourteen　miles　that　lay　between　Chazy　and　Plattsburg。



Refreshed　and　fed；　young　and　strong；　the　representative　of　a　just

and　victorious　cause；　how　he　exulted　in　that　run；　rejoicing　in

his　youth；　his　country；　his　strength；　his　legs；　his　fame　as　a

runner。　Starting　at　a　stride　he　soon　was　trotting；　then；　when　the

noon　hour　came；　he　had　covered　a　good　six　miles。　Now　he　heard

faint；　far　shots；　and　going　more　slowly　was　soon　conscious　that　a

running　fight　was　on　between　his　own　people　and　the　body　of

British　sent　westward　to　hold　the　upper　Saranac。



True　to　the　instinct　of　the　scout；　his　first　business　was　to　find

out　exactly　what　and　where　they　were。　From　a　thick　tree　top　he

saw　the　red…coats　spotting　an　opening　of　the　distant　country。

Then　they　were　lost　sight　of　in　the　woods。　The　desultory　firing

became　volley　firing；　once　or　twice。　Then　there　was　an　interval

of　silence。　At　length　a　mass　of　red…coats　appeared　on　the　highway

within　half　a　mile。　They　were　travelling　very　fast；　in　full

retreat；　and　were　coming　his　way。　On　the　crest　of　the　hill　over

which　the　road　ran；　Rolf　saw　them　suddenly　drop　to　the　ground　and

take　up　position　to　form　a　most　dangerous　ambuscade；　and　half　a

mile　away；　straggling　through　the　woods；　running　or　striding；

were　the　men　in　the　colours　he　loved。　They　had　swept　the　enemy

before　them；　so　far；　but　trained　troops　speedily　recover　from　a

panic；　if　they　have　a　leader　of　nerve；　and　seeing　a　noble　chance

in　the　angle　of　this　deep…sunk　road；　the　British　fugitives　turned

like　boars　at　bay。　Not　a　sign　of　them　was　visible　to　the

Americans。　The　latter　were　su