Giant Jake, the Patrol of the Mountain

This is the opening installment of "Giant Jake, the Patrol of the Mountain," a Revolutionary War tale by Newton M. Curtis set in October 1776 in the Champlain Hills region of Vermont. The narrative introduces Major Robinson, a Loyalist whose elegant farmhouse overlooks Lake Champlain. Anticipating a British naval engagement, Robinson welcomes Governor Carleton and Colonel St. Leger from the fleet, offering his son Henry for a lieutenant's commission in colonial service. However, Henry is absent, hunting in the mountains. The chapter shifts to reveal Henry visiting Clara Marion, the daughter of a mountain farmer, at her cottage. Conflict emerges between Henry's family loyalty and his personal commitments, establishing the central tension of the serial narrative.