Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

162 Tom ANDERSON, DARE-DEVIL the horse’s terrific jaws were opened; the Indian thrust in his hand and twisted the stallion’s tongue! Tom yelled — covered his eyes. When he looked again, Unaka was rub- bing the horse down with a wisp of straw. Thereafter “Patterroller” sentineled the herd. [The horses were al- lowed to graze at will all night; but woe betide him that strayed away from his fellows. More than once was Ander- son awakened at midnight by rushings and tramplings in the river reeds, and then, by the flare of the campfire, he’d seen the big milk-white beast seize the straggler by the neck and shake him as a terrier shakes a rat. A terrible patrol, he. When they reached the North Carolina line, the two boys discovered that they were in the rear of an army on the march. “Unaka, we are the only two fellows in the whole country that don’t know what command is marching through Carolina! But we’ll keep our mouths shut about it.’ Everywhere the herd was eyed with lively curiosity, and open greed. “If we get to Charleston with ‘em, Unaka, we'll leave ‘wolf-signs’ behind us: mark that.” They were on the road with stragglers, marauders, camp- followers of every stripe. Straggling foot-soldiers shouted to Tom: “If those horses are for the Baron, oughter let us ride. We are the Baron’s men.” ‘Let you ride, the Baron might let me swing!”’ retorted the gypsy-faced youngster. They grinned; and plodded on. “Who the deuce is the Baron? And they all hail from Delaware or Maryland — to a man.” Soon he was in the thick of the rabble. “It’s the tail of De Kalb’s army. He’s marching on to Charles- ton — to help out Lincoln. We are going to play the mis- chief getting through this mob with our cattle.” Unaka received the news in silence. But he pushed up “ Patter- roller’s”’ lip, exposing the terrible teeth. That night a horse-thief tried to capture the big horse. His hand was bitten off. No night, now, without a skirmish. Toma- hawk, scalping-knife, and pistol came into play in the de- fense of the bunch. Then the two boys underwent the ex- ECONMMIECLMOOOKS,(6©) m