Adventure Magazine Cover — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

44 WILKESON Allen’s head went up defiantly, then he shrugged and came to attention. “Yes, sir,” he said quietly. “Report to Colonel Stewart, and prepare to carry dispatches to Morristown,’’ or- dered Wayne, and, strolling to the window, he bent to peer out of it. “Yes, sir,’ repeated Allen, and turned to the head of the table. He saluted the man who sat in his own late place, with an odd look of relief in his eyes. ‘Sergeant Fallen, sir, reporting for duty to Colonel Stewart.” Stewart returned the salute, sanded the paper he had just finished. “You can find a good horse?”’ he asked. “Yes, sir.” “Then you should reach Morristown, with these, before midnight,” said the colo- nel, handing Allen a sheaf of papers. “That is all—Sergeant Allen,” he added significantly. “Except,” said Wayne, from the window, where he watched small bodies of men that were being marched on to the snow-smooth meadows, “remain yourself in Morristown until the brigade—what’s left of it—returns there.”’ “Yes, sir,” said Allen, for the fourth time, and, saluting, went to the door. There he turned and spoke in a low tone directly to Wayne. “I understand, sir—and am grate- ful.” And, though he closed the door quick- ly behind him, they all saw that his face was working oddly. “Ehe” cried Wayne, in astonishment. “°Tis nothing to be so —— upset about! And how the does he know, anyway? We four are the only ones who can be cog- nizant of it, till my report goes in to Con- gress. Now, what the was he getting at!’ And he stopped in a brown study. “No matter,” said Stewart, tilting back in his chair, a pen between his worn teeth. ‘Sending him to camp will keep him out of the committee’s way, and the less heard or thought of him, just for the present, the better.” Wayne nodded, and returned to his con- templation of the landscape. “‘They’re nearly to the bridge,” he re- marked. ‘Then that is where Jemmy will be,” said Stewart, ‘‘taking in whatever is to be seen or heard, and making grossly sincere com- ments on his superiors.”’ “Barstow—”’ reported Wayne “—I can tell him by the green patch on the shoulder ce O’CONNELL —is heading a party to meet them. Mili- tary, by Jove! military! There goes the salute. Rein him, man, rein him! But not so tight, you fool! Hear the report? It came slow on this lazy air. There, Bar- stow has the bridle, and Reed, as usual, will exercise the better part of valor and conduct the rest of the negotiations on foot. George! I can see his knees shaking from here!— Ah, there come my goslings, but still no sign of Jemmy.”’ Borne sweetly on the motionless air out- side came the sound of men’s voices elabo- rately vocalizing André’s quickstep. “His horse that carried all his prog, His military speeches, His cornstalk whisky for his grog, Blue stockings and brown breeches!”” The door was impudently flung open, and then slammed shut behind two who were so enamored of their own harmony that they could not bear to bring it to a close until the last lingering sweetness had been dragged from the last possible note. ‘‘And now I’ve closed my epic strain, I tremble as I show it, Lest this same warrior-drover, Wayne, Should ever catch the poet!’ “Eh, and if you’re mad enough to wish to know what your subordinates think of you,” remarked the subject of their ditty, as they still pressed the heels of their palms against their eyes, “just return to camp before your dispatch bearer gets there.” ‘““General Wayne!” chorused the aids, more embarrassed by their blindness than by his unexpected presence. ‘‘What the ‘When did you return, sir?” broke off Farquar. “What have the honorable gentlemen agreed upon?” asked Ryan. ‘Will they compound the mutiny, or—” “‘or is the commander-in-chief to send on the Connecticuts? By , sir, if he does,”’ swore Farquar, “T’II—I’ll—well, I'll join the mutineers!”’ “Yes, sir, and so will I!’ declared Ryan, as hotly. ‘‘Without doubt, that will settle the mat- ter,” said Wayne gravely. ‘‘General Wash- ington would compound murder, rape, and felony in order to retain your invaluable services.” The sarcasm was lost on the goslings, COMICLOOO S CO