Beadle's Dime Novels No. 95 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

THE, COUN TERSIGN. 83 that, two hours after, looking back from: a lofty hill, he saw them coming slowly on, some miles away. | He hastened forward. and approached Crown Point. He determined to go in cautiously, and turned aside into a deep thicket, to await theapproach of night, having first ascertained the exact position of things in the camp. There were three hours yet till nightfall, and as. Eph neyer wasted time in idleness, he curled himself up im the thicket, and immediately began to sleep with great industry. Promptly awaking as darkness came on, he issued from his hiding-place, and drew nearer to the fort, where he waited for the posting of the guard for the night.. A picket paced to aud fro a few yards away.” He crawled up closer as he heard the drums in quarters calling out the guard-relief,. #f He could hear them approaching, challenged by every guard, until they came to the one in his sronb, wine fellow, in a grenadier’s cap. “Who goes there ?” “ Guard-relief, with the countersign,” was the answer. ‘ Advance, one man, and give the sonutarstgn. ja > “ Dieskau.” “The countersign is correct,” said the grenadier, recover- ing, and falling into line with the relieved. men, as a cattrade stepped out and took his place. “ Be watchful,” said the officer of the monndte “ this. “- an important post.” . And he passed on, while Eph lay-chuckling | at the ease wwe he had” eg the — sign. ne He turned, asl crept backward until he eenitien the Seotll This done, he rose, and advanced boldly to mest the Tate He was challenged. ‘The language of the-sentinel was not pure French, but the patois of Canada, In this dialect Eph was perfect, and. an- Swered promptly, giving the word. “You. are late, mon eamarade,” said the picket. “ The guard is set and the word given.” “I know ity mon ami, one must look to his duty, though he be late.” “Right again, What; are we to” have good news from the English ?” » - comicbooks.com