“No thanks, Willie. I have to see what Colonel Clark has in mind for me.”
“Well, good-bye, for now,” and Willie ran happily down the street toward Father Gibault’s house.
Jim walked slowly over to Colonel Clark’s headquarters. When he arrived Captain Bowman and a few French citizens were just leaving. Clark was giving them last-minute instructions.
“Captain Bowman,” he was saying, “use all your persuasive powers and those of these good citizens,” he nodded toward the Frenchmen, “to get the people of Cahokia to swear allegiance to our Continental Congress. No violence, though.”
“Yes, sir,” Captain Bowman replied, saluting smartly. “I think I can win them over with the help of these men.” Then he and the Frenchmen left headquarters for their ride to Cahokia.
After they had gone Colonel Clark noticed Jim standing in the room. “Hello, Jim. What is it?”
“I wonder, sir,” he began, “if you have a job for me. You see I have no home here, as Willie has.”
Colonel Clark frowned for a moment and then smiled. “To be sure, I have a job for you, Jim. You can be my personal messenger. Now that we have won Kaskaskia, I have to deal with the Indian tribes camped in this neighborhood.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Are you a good penman, Jim?”