Adventure Magazine Cover — page 35: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Sir William’s friend, this ranger from the Mo- nongahela and the Ohio. We must overtake those cowardly Western Indians and capture the French officer.”’ “The Mohawks will eat the French officer. That for Hendrick’s death.” “We will catch him first,” said Putnam. “We would have eaten Dieskau if Sir Wil- liam Johnson hadn’t stopped us.” “We must catch this bird before we cook him,” soothed Putnam. ‘Willis, can you travel?” “T can always travel. Let us be going, or we'll never overtake them.” YOUNG Brant, clothed only in thigh- leggings and breech-cloth, darted away like a weasel, easily picking up the trail and speedily leaving the rangers behind. He purposely left marks that they might follow at top speed and they soon saw the trail was doubling back to the creek. They followed un- til the trail ended at the bank. Putnam scouted the opposite bank while Wil- lis remained quiet and nursed his leg and mut- tered maledictions against the young Mohawk. Returning to him, Putnam remarked: “They never crossed. They knew they was followed and they took to the creek to hide their trail. I think they must have found a canoe, as the bottom don’t seem to be riled up and the water’s hardly had time tosettle. There ain’t scarcely any current. How do you feel?” “Ugly. This leg seems bound to bleed quite a lot. The whole kit of them Mohawksare a nui- sancetous. We’dbe better off without them.” “Not much good,” agreed Putnam. “But when you must have dealings with them don’t go out of your way to rile them. For if the Long House should lend any help to the French our porridge is spilled. “Vaudreuil is*keen to get more and more of the red devils, but after Dieskau fell into our grip he told me that they nearly drove him crazy. ‘They was eating up his oxen and hogs and drinking his brandy about as fast as he could get it down from Montreal. “He had planned to attack Fort Lyman when he come against us at William Henry. But his Indians wouldn’t go there; afraid of the big guns. They was willing to attack Johnson, though: Lord! what a day that was. I was plumb discouraged when Johnson ordered five hundred men to march to Lyman at Fort Edward, and another five hundred to march toward South Bay. “T’ll never forget how old Hendrick broke a stick, then picked up a bundle of sticks and showed Johnson he couldn’t break them. John- son saw the point and kept his thousand men together. Well, you must get back to the road and catch a teamster and go to Fort Edward or Albany.” The Bushfighters 25 “T ain’t hurt enough for that. A couple of days’ lay-off at Fort Willaim Henry——” _ “Small pox and other sickness there. Back to Edward, or Albany. That’s your orders. Hold due west and pass south of French Moun- tain. You won't have to wait long before get- ting a ride.” ‘“‘What do I do after this hole gets mended?” “Tf you ain’t heard from me, scout up this_ way and find me.’ With that Putnam turned down the east bank of the creek, trusting that young Brant would | pick up the trail and give his “discovery”’ signal. He had not traveled long when the quiet of the creek was disturbed by a scattering volley. “Our men attacking them,” he exulted, for the Indians he had frightened from the sor- cerer’s lodge had carried no firearms. He started on the run, anxious to arrive in time to save the French officer, but came to a halt with his gun flung forward as a figure came through the bushes toward him. One glance at the strong face and the gro- tesquely shaped and abnormally big nose, and his gun fell to his side. “Major Rogers!” he greeted. ‘“‘Your men have jumped some Indians I have been trailing all the way from back of Fort Edward.” “T know, cap’n. Seth Pomeroy and a dozen rangers are chasing them to give them a dress- ing. They don’t need us. I told them to take the officer alive and carry him to the fort... I hurried down here to meet you. Where’s your new man?” “Wounded and on his way to Fort Edward. How did you know about him, and that I was here?” “Young Brant told me. He’s keen to be a warrior all in a minute. Sir William is bound he shall go to school like a white man, but he can’t ever school the Indian out of him. We’ve got some big business ahead of us. I’m going to fool the French till they think old Satan his- self is bedeviling them.” Rogers, like Putnam, was sturdily built, and would have been prepossessing in appearance if not for his huge nose. Frontier born and bred, he knew every foot of the country from the Hudson to the St. Lawrence, and had trav- eled much between the English and French set- tlements in the réle of smuggler, as it was gen- erally believed. Despite his shortcomings his services to the colonies as a ranger were im- measurable; for his rangers were the great bul- wark against an overwhelming surprize attack of the enemy. As the sound of firing grew fainter, indicating that some of the fleeing savages at least had managed to escape, Rogers explained in detail his plans to his right-hand man. It was noth- ing short of a scout below Crown Point and an attack on some of the enemy’s shipping. Its audacity appealed to Putnam instantly. CORMICOOOkKS