“Make him an ensign, the ensign of the alarm-post,” said one.
So Dennis O’Hay became known as Ensign Dennis O’Hay.
The Governor saw that in Dennis he had a messenger to send out on horses with wings, to bring back to Lebanon green the tidings of the events of the war.
The old Governor turned aside when the shouting was over.
“Dennis?”
“Your Honor?”
“You have been by the cabin of old Wetmore, the wood-chopper of the lane.”
“Yes, your Honor.”
“Well, I am afraid that the old man is a Tory. You have heard how he turned tall Peter, his nephew, out of doors? He said to the boy: ‘Out you go!’ The boy came to me; my mind is taken up by the correspondences, so I made him my clerk. I want you to put your arms around him—for me.”
“Why did the old man say to the boy that?”