An Honorable Soldier in General Washington's Army: Chapter 2
by Tami B.
Disclaimer: The following work has been written solely for the enjoyment of fans and not for monetary profit. The rights to the characters initially created for the Daniel Boone series belong to 20th Century Fox and Fess Parker. All other characters are of the author's own creation. No copyright violation is intended.
Entering the deserted trading post, Daniel marched towards Cincinnatus who was cleaning mugs. The children were visiting with friends outside, which saved Daniel from inventing some distraction so he could speak with Cincinnatus alone.
"Cincinnatus," Daniel greeted him, leaning his tall frame against the counter.
"Morning, Dan'l," Cincinnatus said. "What can I do for you today?"
"You know about a soldier who came to the fort yesterday?" Daniel asked.
Cincinnatus nodded his head. "Corporal Adam Liberty he said his name was, as I recollect. He was looking for you. I reckon he found you."
"He did," Daniel affirmed.
"Some time after he left, I followed him to see if he had fallen by the wayside. That boy was plumb wore out. When I got halfway to your place I figured he made it the rest of the way," Cincinnatus explained.
"You figured right. Do me a favor, Cincinnatus, if anyone asks about him delay 'em here and come fetch me," Daniel instructed.
"Sure thing, Dan'l. That boy in some kind of trouble?" Cincinnatus asked.
"Something like that. Let's just say no strangers should know he's here and if they come looking for him there may be trouble," Daniel warned.
"I'll keep a lookout," Cincinnatus assured him.
Righting himself, Daniel headed for the door and said, "I know I can trust you, Cincinnatus."
At that moment, Mingo stepped inside grinning from ear to ear.
"What's so amusing, Mingo?" Daniel asked.
"Israel and his playmates accused me of being a 'bloody Redcoat' and shot me dead. How do I look for dead man?" Mingo said with a chuckle.
"Not bad for a whupped Redcoat," Daniel told him. "Glad you came by, Mingo. I needed to talk to you."
"Oh, I don't like the sound of that," Mingo said.
"Trust me, you won't," Daniel warned. "General Washington fears the British may attempt to make trouble between the Indians and settlers. He wants us to look into it."
"Us, Daniel? As a 'bloody Redcoat' and dead, I'm not subject to General Washington's orders," Mingo logically concluded.
Daniel and Cincinnatus smiled. "True, but Becky requested you come along just the same."
"Well, if Rebecca Boone is doing the asking then I honorably accept," Mingo said. "When do we leave?"
"Three days. There's something else. One of General Washington's soldiers is to accompany us," Daniel began.
"Oh no. Don't tell me. He's an arrogant lieutenant looking to make a name for himself. He knows nothing about the wilderness and whom we will have to nursemaid," Mingo groused.
Daniel shook his head. "Nope, he's a corporal who seems quite capable of taking care of himself in the wilderness. He got in yesterday and isn't up for traveling just yet."
"Is he sick?" Mingo asked.
"Just tuckered," Daniel answered. "The boy came all the way from New York as quickly as his legs could carry him. He was still sleeping when I left earlier. There's another wrinkle to my tale."
"There always is," Mingo groused again.
"There's a bounty on the corporal," Daniel confessed.
"A bounty? What'd he do?" Cincinnatus asked.
"The boy's father placed the bounty. If he's returned to New York alive and unharmed the sum of a hundred pounds will be paid," Daniel explained, remembering the details from his orders. "A hundred pounds!" Cincinnatus exclaimed. "The corporal's father must want him back pretty bad and he's rich to boot."
"General Washington requested I safeguard him until the threat is passed. He's valuable as a soldier and a tremendous asset," Daniel went on. "However, the possibility of bounty hunters coming for him is remote so I don't expect any problems but will be prepared just in case. Also, none of what I said is to be spoken to anyone including Adam. He knows nothing about the bounty on his head and I'd like to keep it that way. No sense in getting the boy upset if it can be helped."
"So now we have to look for bounty hunters as well. And I thought the British were bad enough. Think I'll go back to being dead," Mingo said, continuing to grouse.
"Well, Mingo, it could be a lot worse," Daniel told him, slapping a hand down on his shoulder. "Above all else, we could be nursemaiding an arrogant lieutenant."
Later that day, Daniel, Israel, and Adam were reshingling the lean-to roof. Rebecca hadn't liked the idea of Israel helping. He wasn't mindful of dangers and him falling off was a real possibility. Daniel emphasized to his son that reshingling was work and not play and he must obey his instructions fully. The terms were agreed to and then the reshingling work began. Israel proved to be quite eager, adept, and persistent for a small boy. Daniel enjoyed teaching his son something useful and watching him work.
Israel brought his hammer up and then brought it down right on his thumb. "Ouch!" he shouted and then stuck his throbbing appendage in his mouth.
"Isra'l, let me see," Daniel demanded, pulling the boy's thumb free.
Adam quickly came to Israel's side when he heard his shout. "How bad is it, Colonel?" he asked.
"It hurts, Pa," Israel told Daniel, wincing in pain.
Examining it, Daniel didn't think it was broken but it would be sore for few days he was sure.
"Dan, what's going on up there? Israel, are you all right?" Rebecca asked with concern. She wasn't certain but she felt something was wrong. Work had stopped. Daniel and Adam had Israel surrounded and the lad was looking odd.
The trio was startled when Rebecca spoke. They thought she was in the cabin preparing the evening meal. "We're almost done here, Becky," Daniel explained. "We're just taking a break."
Israel nodded in agreement using every ounce of effort not to reinsert his thumb back into his mouth.
"All right. We'll be having supper soon," she said, returning to the cabin knowing something was up with Israel but decided to let Daniel handle it.
"You're thumb's going to be sore for awhile, Isra'l," Daniel told him. "You want to continue working or would you rather quit."
"Quit?" Israel exclaimed. "I'll never quit!"
"That's the spirit," Adam said, with a pat on Israel's back and continued his work.
"Reckon Ma's going to be mad when she finds out I hurt myself?" Israel asked his father.
"Yep," Daniel said, picking up his hammer.
"Then I won't let her know," Israel said, commencing nailing but with greater care so as not to hit his hurting thumb.
A few blows from the hammers brought the reshingling work to an end. "That ought to do it, gentlemen," Daniel said. "What do you say we clean up for supper."
"I'm for it," Adam admitted. "I'm starved."
"Me, too," Israel chirped in.
As Adam made his way down the ladder, he heard soft giggles. He stopped and turned around to see Jemima standing with a hand over her mouth. "What's so funny?" he asked with laughter building in his own voice.
"Your breeches are ripped in the back," she announced.
Adam blanched, positioned himself so his backside was no longer exposed publicly, and immediately searched for the offending tear. He found it and knew his drawers were exposed. "I thought I caught a nail," he said.
"You caught something and maybe something else if you don't get your pants fixed," Jemima told him.
Israel burst into laughter. Daniel was valiantly holding back but couldn't keep a grin off his face. Even Adam shared in the amusement. "If you'll be so kind, Miss Boone, as to return to the cabin so I may come off this ladder with some dignity," he requested.
Stomping out to the lean-to, Rebecca found her family dawdling when supper was ready. "Jemima, I sent you out here to fetch the boys," she chided. "What is taking so long?"
"Adam won't come down," Jemima said teasingly.
Rebecca stared into Adam's sheepish eyes. "Adam, I strongly suggest you come down. I'm not serving supper on ladders or lean-to roofs."
"Glad to, Mrs. Boone. If you and Miss Boone wouldn't mind going inside the house, I'll be off this ladder, washed, and dressed in seconds," Adam promised, thinking the split in his pants was widening, but he knew his imagination was getting the better of him.
Thinking that a strange request, Rebecca compiled nonetheless. Jemima filled her in as they disappeared to the confines of the cabin.
When he was certain the women had vacated the area, Adam resumed his descent. As he was about to reach the ground, another made himself known.
"Say, young man, did you know your trousers are quite undone?" Mingo asked.
Adam scrambled quickly down the last couple of steps and faced yet another observer to his misfortune. "You must be the Colonel's friend Mingo. He told me you might be by. Corporal Adam Liberty at your service, sir," Adam introduced himself extending his hand and forgetting for the moment the rip in his pants.
Mingo took it. "Pleasure to meet you, Corporal. I understand General Washington personally selected you for the mission we're about to undertake."
"Yes, sir. That's correct," Adam concurred.
"Mission? You're going on a mission?" Israel said enthusiastically as he came off the last rung of the ladder. "Pa, can I come? Please?" he begged.
Once clear of the ladder, Daniel stood beside Israel, placing an arm around his shoulder. "I think you know the answer to that question, Isra'l," he said.
"I know, but I had to try. As the good book says, you have not because you ask not so I had to ask and I still have not," Israel complained.
"We're all going to have not, if we don't get cleaned up for supper," Daniel announced.
As if she heard Daniel's words Rebecca's voice resounded from inside the cabin. "Daniel! You better march your soldiers in here or I'm going to throw supper to the pigs."
The group laughed and headed towards the well. For modesty's sake, Adam kept to the rear.
"Pa," Israel said as a thought struck him, "We don't have any pigs!"
Previous page: An Honorable Soldier in General Washington's Army: Chapter 1
Next page: An Honorable Soldier in General Washington's Army: Chapter 3