Page 18 - A Hero of Ticonderoga

unfamiliar voice was bawling his vociferous way along its root-entangled
and miry course. Presently the boy came back, breathless with the haste of

bearing great news.

"Oh, mother, they’re carryin’ the stones and fixin’s for the new mill, and the
man says they’ll be ready for grindin’ before winter sets in. Then it’ll be
good-by to you, old ’Up-an’-down,’ and good riddance to bad rubbage," and

he brought the pestle down with energy on the half-pounded grist of samp.

"Don’ revile the plumpin’ mill, Nathan. It’s been a good friend in time o’
need. Mebby you’ll miss the trips to Skeenesborough with your father.
You’ve always lotted on them."

"Yes, but I’d rather go to the Fort and play with the boys, any day, and I’ll

have more time when samp poundin’ is done and ended."

He had been with his father twice to the Fort to see its wonders, and, brief

as the visits were, they sufficed to make him acquainted with the boys of
the garrison, and, for the time, a partner in their games. Before the summer

was out, the little Yankee became a great favorite with the few English and
Irish boys whose fathers were soldiers of the little garrison. He taught them
how to shoot with his hornbeam bow and spiked arrows, and many another

bit of woodcraft learned of his fast friend Job, while they taught him
unheard-of games, and told him tales of the marvellous world beyond the

sea, a world that was as a dream to him.

His Yankee inquisitiveness made him acquainted with every nook and

corner of the fortification, and he was even one day taken into the
commandant’s quarters, that the beautiful wife of that fine gentleman might

see from what manner of embryo grew these Yankees, who were becoming
so troublesome to His Majesty, King George. She was so pleased with his
frank, simple manner and shrewd answers that she dismissed him with a

bright, new English shilling, the largest sum that he had yet possessed.

"Really, William," she afterwards remarked to her husband, "if this be a
specimen of your terrible Yankees, they be very like our own people, in