“Then he let you go?”
“Nope. Not till I had said, ‘Let us s’pose a case, general. S’posin’ the first Britishers sent to Bennington get whipped, as they will, an’ the commander sends back for reinforcements. How be you goin’ to know it in time to send a force to wallop them? Howsomever, if I’m thar in the fort, you’ll get the news mighty soon, an’ can ’range to beat the red-coats out the second time. I reckon that is what Ira is providin’ for, though he hasn’t said so.’ Then he shook his head, sayin’ kinder proudly, I thought, ‘You don’t fool that boy a great deal. Go ahead, Dan,’ an’ ahead I came.”
Ira laughed softly to himself as they galloped on to the fort. Arriving, they were allowed to enter, and, late though it was, sought General Burgoyne at once.
“My cousin, Fred Lyman, general,” the young scout said, presenting his companion.
The officer looked at the boy searchingly, and said:
“I like your looks, Master Lyman. I believe you want a place on my staff?”
“I did,” the lad began slowly, “but now that I’ve been workin’ with Ira, I’m thinkin’ I’d like a job suthin’ like his.”
The general laughed. “You shall have it,” he promised. “Train him, Master Le Geyt, so he can take your place when you are away. He will have the same pay.”
Then he gave his undivided attention to the papers the young scout had spread out. The list of goods greatly interested him.
“Such a haul will mean everything to us,” he muttered, and then turned to the plan of the village. After a moment he called an orderly, saying: