Adventure Magazine Cover — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

THE officers were now sharply issuing orders. The sound of clumping feet marked the coming of the soldiers. The drunken Canadian was in the lead and breathing a hideous vengeance on the tres- passers. Putnam emerged from the cabin just as Rogers felled a man with the butt of his gun. The night was too dark to distinguish indi- viduals, but the rangers made out a solid mass of humanity striving to locate them, while the yells and curses of the soldiers blundering into each other and receiving and giving blows re- sulted in cries of encouragement from the post. Rogers swung his gun as a club, striking at ran- dom. Putnam swung the big kettle in a circle at arm’s length and mowed down half a dozen bewildered assailants. Falling back, the two gained the end of the cabin and made up the wooded slope. Behind them continued the voices of the infuriated men and the sound of blows and the shrill com- mands of the officers. “They don’t know that we’re gone,” chuckled Rogers. “Fighting among themselves!’ “They'll know soon. Look!” And Putnam pointed toward the post. Torches were being brought up on the run. A quavering, ululating cry now rose above the chorus of profanity. _ The situation no longer appealed to the rang- ers as being humorous, and they stiffened their nerves against a real peril. For the cry was the hunting-call of the Caughnawaga Mo- hawks. “So many feet, so much trampling about, they’ll be slow to pick up our trail,’”’ murmured Rogers. “T won’t feel easy till we get these beans in- side us,” grumbled Putnam. They pushed on up the hill, taking comfort in the thought that the Mohawks would seek them near the lake. The confusion below them died out and a shoulder of the elevation shut off their view of the post camp-fire. Lessening his efforts, Rogers led the way over pine needles. At last he halted and pawed about with the muzzle of his gun. With a sigh of relief he sank to the ground, saying: “Knew I could find it blindfolded. Ledge behind us with a hole init. Good place to hide.”’ ‘““Now let’s eat,” said Putnam, pushing the kettle between them although unable to see his friend. 7 Their fumbling hands were soon dipping into the kettle, and for several minutes they bolted beans and pieces of pork: Then Rogers in- formed the other: , “T couldn’t tell you in the cabin, but the off- . cers said things that showed the Lidindick girl got her first message through just as you said. The three thousand men left under Levis when Montcalm went to take Oswego is being in- The Bushfighters | 35 creased to five thousand men. It’s being done with a rush, showing the French fear an attack in force.” “Unless we stiffen up in spirit they can sweep Winslow back to Fort Edward and then roll Winslow and Lyman back to Albany,” groaned Putnam. such talk get through!” “Don’t blame yourself so hard. Vaudreuil ~ was bound to send reenforcements to Ticon- — deroga once Oswego was taken. But he’d have taken his time about it if it were not for the girl’s message. ~ “But there’s something even more interest- ing if I read the officers’ talk right. It seems the French won’t advance against Fort William Henry until they get a special word from.the girl—some word she has promised to send, some word they’re waiting for.”’ ‘“’That’s the word we found on the dead war- rior, telling them to strike now and capture ~ forts William Henry and Edward!”’ exclaimed Putnam. ‘When she sees no advance is being made she’ll guess it failed to get through. She’ll try to repeat it. We’ve stayed round here too long. The girl is the danger-point. She must be stopped from sending any more informa- tion.”’. “Yes, she must be stopped,” sighed Rogers. “I knew her father—and liked him, But she gets too dangerous. I’m ready to start any time. CHAPTER VII THROUGH THE LINES ONCE Ephraim Willis arrived in Albany he regretted coming, His leg bothered him, but not sufficiently to prevent his taking to the bush. Captain Putnam’s orders had directed him to proceed to Fort Edward or Albany. He would have been obeying the letter of his instructions had he turned about after reaching the fort and made off into the forest. That had been his intention. But on reach- ing Fort Edward he was sadly pestered by all the officers, from General Lyman down, for news of the enemy, and only the fiction that he was on a mission of secret service in Albany had afforded an avenue of escape. Fort Edward with its overwhelming masculine atmosphere was no place for one in love and impelled to brood over a tantalizing and dis- loyal Elizabeth. On starting for Albany his mood had improved, for it seemed as if memories were drawing him there. He proposed re- _ maining a day or so, and then scouting back to join Putnam in the neighborhood of Fort William Henry, giving the inquisitive staff at Edward a wide berth. During the journey, however, he found the opportunity to review his experience with the “‘And I thought it would help to let’ CoOmichdoo (Cc eS s ra ) heyy PW (E@ las SN M tt by tH eere ny