human
Well, says he, grinning at me,
gpt
Lord, says he,
human
I am mending, Nick.
gpt
So says Major Squills. Here, lad, eat thy pigeon. Does it smack? And here is a little Spanish wine in this glass to nourish you. I had three bottles of the Continentals ere they marched----
human
Marched! Have they departed?
gpt
Horse, foot, and baggage, said he cheerily.
human
When I say 'horse,' I mean young Jack-boots, for he departed first with the flag that took my Lady Johnson to New York.
gpt
So everybody has gone,
human
Then come Colonels Van Schaick and Dayton from Johnstown to inspect our works at this place and at Fish House. And two days later orders come to abandon Fish House and Summer House Point.... You do not remember hearing their drums?
gpt
No.
human
You were very bad that day, he said soberly.
gpt
But when their music played you opened your eyes and nothing would do but you must rise and dress. Lord, how wild you talked, and I was heartily glad when their drumming died away on the Johnstown road.
human
You mean to tell me that there is no longer any garrison on the Sacandaga?
gpt
None. And but a meagre one at Johnstown. It seems we need troops everywhere and have none to send anywhere. They've even taken your scout and your Oneidas.
human
What!
gpt
They left a week ago, John, to work on the new fort which is being fashioned out of old Fort Stanwix. So Dayton sends your scout thither to play with pick and mattock, and your Oneidas to prowl along Wood Creek and guard the batteaux.
human
You tell me that the Sacandaga is left destitute of garrison or scouts! I asked angrily.
gpt
And Tryon crawling alive with Tories!--and the Cadys and Helmers and Bowmans and Reeds and Butlers and Hares and Stephen Watts stirring the disloyal to violence in every settlement betwixt Schenectady and Ballston!
human
I tell you we are too few for all our need, John,--too few to watch all places threatened. Schuyler has but one regiment of Continentals now. Gates commands at Crown Point and draws to him all available men. His Excellency is pressed for men in the South, too. Albany is almost defenceless, Schenectady practically unguarded, and only a handful of our people guard Johnstown.
gpt
Where are the militia?
human
Farming--save when the district call sends a regiment on guard or to work on the forts. But Herkimer has them in hand against a crisis, and I have no doubt that those Palatines will turn out to a man if Sir John comes hither with his murderous hordes.
gpt
Colonel Dayton came in here and looked at you. And when he left he said to me that you had proven a valuable scout; and that, if you survived, he desired you to remain here at the Summer House with me and with your Saguenay.
human
For what purpose?
gpt
On observation.
human
A scout of three! To cover the Sacandaga! Do they think we have wings? Or are a company of tree-cats with nine lives apiece?
gpt
Well, said Nick, scratching his ear in perplexity,
human
I know not what our colonels and our generals are thinking; but the soldiers are gone, and our doctor has now departed, so if Dayton leaves us four people alone here in the Summer House it must be because there is nothing for the present to apprehend, either from Sir John or from any Indian or Tory marauders.
gpt
I repeated.
human
I thought you said we were but three here.
gpt
Why, said he,
human
I mean that we are three men--three rifles!
gpt
Is there a servant woman, also?
human
The Caughnawaga girl came back.
gpt
What!
human
The Scottish girl, Penelope.
gpt
Came back! When?
human
Oh, that was long ago--after the flag left.... It seems she had meant to travel only to Mayfield with them.... She had not said so to anybody. But in the dark o' dawn she rides in on your mare, Kaya, having travelled all night long.
gpt
Which was true enough; and I said so, and stabled your mare where Lady Johnson's horses had left a warm and empty manger.
human
Well,
gpt
Lord, Jack, that is all I know. She has cooked for you since, and has kept this house in order, washed dishes, fed the chickens and ducks and pig, groomed your horse, hoed the garden, sewed bandages, picked lint, knitted stockings and soldiers' vests----