Spider's Web: Chapter 4
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.
The bend in the road was just ahead and Rebecca urged the horse forward. Close behind her and closing fast came Luke. He saw Rebecca start into the turn, and then disappear from sight. He knew that she would emerge again and be in full view once he made the turn himself. She was on a single-minded mission, and so he expected she would remain on the road. ‘That’ll be the day,’ he told himself, ‘when a woman would out-smart Luke Brookes.’
After coming quickly into the turn and almost clearing it, Missy suddenly reared back and dropped Luke on his posterior. Rebecca quickly rode out of the woods and grabbed Missy's reins, and led her around the briery bush she had placed in the middle of the road. Missy had a fear of them. She and Daniel had learned of it while delivering the supplies to Colonel Ives. When one had unexpectedly blown across the road, Missy had reared back and done just as she had this time. With a mock salute, Rebecca bid goodbye to Luke and rode towards her rendezvous with Colonel Ives.
Still seated on the road, Luke balled his hand into a fist and smacked the ground. He had no hope of catching the redhead on foot. With disgust, he got to his feet and began walking. It was going to be a long journey back to Hattie's camp, and as he walked his thoughts would be on his brother. He feared he would be found out to be a spy.
Rebecca pressed on. She hadn’t been able to think of how to permanently dispose of the man chasing her, so she had settled on robbing him of the horse he was riding. Still, she was worried. He had been left on foot – did that mean he would return to the camp? Surely that was where he had found Missy and taken her from. And if he did, would he pose a danger to Daniel? She entertained the idea of going back to her husband. He might need her help. She had left him sick. Rebecca shook her head. No, he was better now and could take care of himself if he met up with that man. Finally, she chose to think like Daniel, and decided to go on to Colonel Ives for the good of the country. And yet, her heart wasn't in it. Of course, her husband would have told her that component wasn't necessary; only getting the job done was. 'This time,' she thought, 'you will get what you want, Daniel, and I hope it's the right thing.'
It was late afternoon when Hattie took pity on him and untied Daniel's right hand from the wagon wheel. "You can untie the other," she told him, training the rifle on him, "but leave your ankles."
"Mighty obliged," Daniel said. Once his hands were free, he massaged his shoulders and back, which weren't so stiff now, but were still uncomfortable. A dull headache caught his attention once in awhile, but mostly, he ignored it. He was certain the sickness from the spider bite was abating. As he hadn’t eaten all day, Hattie dished him out of bowl of beans and gave it to him. "Mighty obliged again," he added.
"You won’t stay long on that prison ship Luke was talking about,” Hattie announced. She leaned against the other wagon wheel but kept the rifle pointed in his direction. “As funny as this sounds, I'm going to regret it when they hang you."
Daniel cast his eyes towards Hattie. "And why is that?"
"You aren't so bad...for a rebel." Hattie brushed her hair from her shoulders. "You were kind to me - when you weren't trying to run me over."
"What makes you so sure they're going to hang me?" Daniel asked nonchalantly.
"That's what they do to spies," Hattie answered.
"I'm not a spy," Daniel pointed out. "You are."
"You are an enemy of the Crown. They'll hang you for that."
“Maybe.” Daniel nodded. “What made you decide to become a spy?"
Hattie smiled, and then laughed. "I did it for Luke."
"Not for the noble cause of God and country?" Daniel asked, somewhat surprised.
"I know that's what you rebels think this war is all about. You're wayward disobedient children who will be severely punished for this rebellion,” Hattie explained. “I wouldn't want to be in any rebel's shoes when that time comes," Hattie explained.
"What makes you think we're goin' to lose?"
"Because I know you will." Hattie took a couple of steps towards him. "When the Crown acts on the information we took from Colonel Ives, your rebellion will be crushed, and I and my close associates will be greatly rewarded for the major part we played in making it happen. I have no doubts that I will be hailed as a hero."
"And that's important to you," Daniel surmised.
Hattie pouted and moved back to the other wagon wheel. "You're just jealous because I'll be a hero, and you'll be dead."
"You mind if I stand up?" Daniel asked, deciding not to comment on Hattie’s remark.
"Go ahead." Hattie raised the rifle. "But don't try anything."
"I wouldn't think of it." Daniel used the side of the wagon to pull himself up since he wasn't sure he'd be able to stand on his own. The tremors in his legs had ceased, but that didn't necessarily mean he was strong enough to stand; especially after being tied up all day. He rose to his feet, and found there was just a little weakness in his legs. If he could walk around a bit that would probably go away. He looked at Hattie. She wouldn't allow it so he decided not to mention it.
"I'll make rice for supper," Hattie said. "I'm not much of cook though so don't expect it to be good."
"Something fillin' is all right with me.” Daniel stretched his legs back as well as he could. “There wasn't enough beans left to feed a baby bird."
Hattie hauled out both the rice and her haversack from the wagon bed. She quickly placed the strap over her head. Then, she put the rice in the pot, added water from a bucket, and set it over the campfire. While she did this, she watched Daniel and continued to hold the rifle tightly just in case he tried anything.
Unexpectedly, Daniel grew hot and he broke out in a sweat. The tremors in his legs returned and his headache returned with a vengeance. He slumped against the side of the wagon. Hattie saw what was happening and instinctively knew he wasn't faking. "Daniel, lay down," she said.
He eased himself to the ground and lay down on his back. Hattie rushed over to tie his left hand to the lower portion of the wagon wheel. "I'm sorry I have to do this to you when you’re sick, Daniel, but I can't take any chances on you escaping." She took his other hand and did the same. Then, she placed his head on the folded blanket and dabbed his face with a cloth. His eyes were watering again. It seemed his condition had reverted to what it had been on the night when he had first been bitten by the spider.
"I take back what I said," Daniel whispered, his voice raspy.
"Take what back?" Hattie asked.
"That you have no heart." He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Rebecca had stopped to rest the horses. As she paced, she thought about her mission. She would reach the colonel early the next morning if she rode all night. Then, after warning Ives, she would return just as quickly to Daniel. There would be no time for sleep. It was of no consequence. She had gone without sleep before, and could do it again.
Mounting Missy, Rebecca took hold of Skinny's reins, and rode on into the dark night.
Daniel's fever had grown worse and Hattie was at a loss as to what to do. He moaned and groaned often, and she believed he was suffering a great deal. To make him as comfortable as possible, she had untied his hands, placed them at his side. Then, she had done the same with his ankles. She covered him with a blanket and hoped his fever would break. She couldn’t let anything happen to her prized catch.
Daniel opened his eyes and saw Hattie sitting beside him. "Hattie, where's Becky?"
"She's exercising the horse," Hattie answered. She knew that in his weakened condition, he probably couldn’t remember she had gone to warn Colonel Ives.
"At this time of night?" Daniel said incredulously. "Is she out of her mind?"
"No, Daniel," Hattie replied sarcastically. "She's doing it for God and country."
"What?" Daniel rose to an elbow as Hattie swung the rifle towards him. "Hey....whoa. That's not friendly."
"It isn't meant to be," Hattie said. "I know you're sick, Daniel, but I won't hesitate to shoot you if you try anything like escaping."
"If I tried, how far could I get, and where would I go?" Daniel wiped his face with the cloth. "I'm not exactly fit right now for a foot race." He lay back down and closed his eyes, but only for a few seconds. "My son Israel's birthday is coming up. I think he'll be ten. Mima adores him. She's married now. Sometimes I wish she were little again. She's given me great joy."
Daniel wasn't making any sense to her, but maybe it was his fever talking. There was nothing else to do but listen to him ramble.
"You ought to visit Boonesborough, Hattie," Daniel continued. "It isn't much, but it's a great little settlement. And the land is some of richest and most bountiful you can find. We get our share of troubles, but that's to be expected when you're taming a wilderness. Then there's my friend Mingo; a Cherokee. A good ole chap that Mingo. He's been to England; attended Oxford. He has a heart as good as gold. He's as a loyal a friend as you'll find, and a good hunting partner. A bloodhound doesn't have as good a nose as Mingo does for sniffing out game. His favorite hunting is for turkeys. He learned how when he was a young man and took a likin' to it. I imagine he's takin' Israel turkey huntin'. Of course, Israel can hunt turkeys real good as long as his Grandpa Bryan is with him. Still, that boy always brings them home as pets rather than food."
"As you say, Daniel." Hattie replied. She was growing bored with his babbling.
Daniel continued his strange talk for a while longer. Then at last, he rolled onto his side and appeared to fall asleep. When she was certain he had, Hattie moved to the opposite wagon wheel, where she, too, fell asleep.
Opening his eyes slightly, Daniel peered through the slits and watched Hattie. Since the fever and weakness had struck him again, he had exaggerated his sickened state. By playing it up and pretending to be gravelly ill, he had caught her off guard and successfully tricked her into releasing his hands and feet. He couldn't have planned it better.
He lay very still and watched her for another hour. After it passed, Daniel concluded that Hattie was indeed asleep. But then, just as he was about to make his move, she awoke. He remained still as she rose to her feet and quietly left the camp. After waiting a few moments, Daniel rose as well. He withdrew Tick Licker and his powder horn from the wagon bed, and then followed her. He had no problem walking. His legs weren’t at full strength, but they were without the weakness he had experienced earlier. As he watched Hattie move through the forest, she stopped in her tracks and looked around. Then she walked a little farther and repeated her actions. This went on for a half-hour until Hattie came upon a well-dressed man wearing a powdered wig. Hidden behind bushes and trees, Daniel watched as the man paced nervously.
“About time you showed up,” he said. “Where’s Luke? I’ve been waiting here for hours.”
“Barney, there’s a problem. Boone and his wife know that I have information, stolen from Colonel Ives, concerning an assault on Charleston that is to take place later in the year. I believe Boone’s wife left this morning to warn Colonel Ives. Luke rode after her. Although she has the faster horse, Luke should have caught her by now and be on his way back to camp.”
“He’d better,” Barney said. “If she wasn’t caught, Jay Cobb is in trouble, and he is of great value to us just where he is. I’d hate it if we had to pull him out of there because there has been a compromise in secrecy.”
“You know you can trust Luke. He won’t let us down,” Hattie paused. “Barney, there’s something you else you need to know. I’m Luke’s wife, and the one you call ‘Jay Cobb’ is Jacob Brookes, Luke’s brother. I guess Luke thought it was a good idea not to let you know everything.”
Safely concealed, Daniel listened. He was gratified to learn those pieces of information. Jay Cobb and Jacob were one and the same, and both a single spy who would soon be found out. The man’s spying days were over. He was surprised, however, to learn that Luke was Hattie’s husband, but it explained the affection Hattie had shown him when Luke arrived in their camp. At the time, he had thought it of no consequence and just supposed it was Hattie’s way.
Barney didn’t respond to Hattie’s revelation, but he suddenly became alarmed by something else. “If Luke is chasing down Boone’s wife, then where’s Boone?”
Hattie waved her hand as she sat on the ground, and then leaned her back against a tree, “Oh, don’t worry about him. He’s sicker than a dog, and back at their camp. I left him sleeping like a baby.”
“How sick? Sick enough to die?” Barney asked. “He’s wanted alive.”
“He’s not that sick. It’s just a spider bite,” Hattie explained. “He looked pretty bad earlier though, sweaty and feverish,” Hattie explained. “He won’t give us any trouble.”
“You know that for certain, Hattie?” Barney took a seat beside her.
“Of course, I know.” Hattie slapped his leg smartly. Then, she eyed the bag that Barney carried.
He noticed her look and quickly withdrew some papers from it. “These are important documents. Hattie, you must take them to Irving, our British contact.” He passed a packet to her, which she quickly deposited in her haversack.
“Don’t I always?”
“From what I understand about you, you do. But these papers are so important,” Barney explained. “that you must take them to Irving as soon as you get to Salem.”
“Barnabas Roland,” Hattie countered, appalled. “I deliver my messages promptly. I’m not some scatterbrained tart, but a trusted agent of His Majesty, the King of England.”
“My apologies, Hattie, for causing you offense. I just wanted you to understand that the documents must be delivered without delay.”
“And they will be.” Hattie patted his leg. “Luke and I will see to it. We know what we have to do; deliver Boone and his wife to Thompson’s farm, and then deliver the documents straight to Irving. Have we ever failed a mission?
Barney admitted she hadn’t, but worriedly added, “Not that I’m aware of. But these documents-”
“Are very important,” Hattie said as she started to rise. “You’ve made it quite clear.” Barney took her hand and drew her to her feet after he got to his. “Thank you, Barnabas. I better get back to camp and check on our valuable prisoner. I left him untied-”
“What!” Barney screeched. “He might have gotten away.”
“He’s too sick to go anywhere. I saw no point in keeping him tied up.” She hesitated and stared at him. “Barney?”
“Yes?” he asked.
“To be honest, I think I like you better drunk. Luke says you don’t worry as much that way.”
He scolded her. “You better worry if Boone has escaped.”
At that moment, Daniel stepped into their midst and leveled his rifle at them. "He hasn't."
Hattie whirled around; surprise on her face. "I thought you were sick."
"Just goes to show, Hattie, that you don't know everything." Daniel favored her with a lopsided grin. "I'm much improved, and I thank you for your concern. Now for you, Mr. Barnabas Roland. You must be the same Barnabas Roland that was a colonel over one of Virginia's most prestigious militias. I heard tell you and the governor had a falling out."
"You heard right, Boone," Barney agreed. "Patrick Henry is a fool. He was bent on losing the war. I told him his policies were hurting the cause."
"And so, you went over to the other side?" Daniel asked, failing to notice Hattie who had surreptitiously inserted her hand into her bag.
"I'm on the side that has the most potential to win," Barney asserted. "At first, that seemed to be the rebels’ but the tide has turned and so have I."
"That doesn't speak much to your loyalty," Daniel said as Hattie removed her tightly closed hand from the bag. Again he failed to notice. "From militia colonel to British spy. I'd say you came down in the world."
"Once the rebellion is ended, I will reap the King's reward."
Daniel shook his head. "I wouldn't count on that. The British may have the upper hand right now, but then, as you say, the tide can turn and it will -- in our favor."
"Can't admit defeat, can you, Boone?" Barney asked rhetorically. "I have heard that about you. No matter what the odds, you always come up smelling like a rose."
"I'd like to think so.” Daniel angled his head back. “If you two will head in this direction..."
"Where are we going?" Hattie asked.
"Some place away from here and the camp," Daniel informed her. "After you, Hattie."
Hattie moved past Daniel. As she did she raised her clenched hand and threw the salt it contained at his face. She then ran into the woods, while Daniel wiped the tears from his stinging eyes.
"Good girl!" Barney cried as he ran in the opposite direction.
Not wanting him to get away, Daniel chased after him, dropping his rifle in the process. It only took a few steps to catch up to him. When he did, he snagged him by the collar and jerked him backwards. Then he pushed him to the ground. Barney didn't stay down. As he rose to his feet, Daniel delivered two punches to his midsection followed by a powerful one to his chin. That combination sent Barney to the hard earth where he lay unmoving. ‘Not bad for a sick man,’ Daniel thought to himself. He dragged the dazed Barney to a tree and tied him there, using the rawhide thongs that he wisely kept in his shot bag. After retrieving his rifle, he raced quick as lightening after Hattie. He couldn't allow her to escape. She carried not only the documents from her raid on Colonel Ives’ tent, but also the ones Barney had considered of the utmost importance. Still, he doubted he would have any trouble finding her. Hattie moved about as quietly in the woods as a herd of stampeding buffalo.
In the meantime, Rebecca had located Colonel Ives and his army a few miles south of their original position. The pickets halted her before she could enter their encampment. "Hold on there, lady," the sergeant said as he took the horses' reins.
"Please, I must speak with Colonel Ives immediately," Rebecca’s tone was urgent.
"Aren't you Mrs. Boone?" the sergeant asked. He recognized her from a couple of days before. The darkness had concealed her identity until she spoke and he realized her voice was familiar to him.
"Yes. Please, Sergeant, it's very important that I see Colonel Ives."
"I'll take you in." The sergeant ran ahead, and she quickly followed.
The sergeant spoke to the guard and then he disappeared into the colonel's tent. "He's coming," the guard said as he reappeared.
Rebecca only had a few moments to pace outside the tent before Ives came rushing out. "Mrs. Boone, what is the matter? Has something happened to Dan'l?" he asked anxiously.
"Dan's fine as far as I know. Colonel Ives, I must speak to you privately." Rebecca glanced at the sergeant and the guard and wondered if they were really patriots or only loyalists disguised as such.
"Come inside." Ives took her by the arm and led her into his tent. As he lit a candle, Rebecca began to explain everything.
Not long after she finished, Jake Brookes was unceremoniously ushered into Ives' presence so he could be interrogated. Ives didn't learn anything from him that he hadn't already heard from Rebecca. A guard was ordered to keep watch over Jake, as Rebecca, Ives, and a company of soldiers made quick preparations and then headed for the camp and Daniel. Ives had strongly suggested that Rebecca stay behind and rest, but she had refused. Now that her mission had been discharged, she had told him she intended to return to her husband without delay. Since Rebecca's horses were exhausted, Ives loaned her one of his, and told her that a soldier would follow them a few hours later, bringing Skinny and Missy with him.
Rebecca felt only a small amount of fatigue as she rode beside Ives. Her mind was on her husband, wondering how he was, and if he had the situation under control. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she chided herself for it. He was Daniel Boone; he always had the situation under control – or so he thought. But if this one wasn’t, she and Ives would certainly assist him and make it so.
Within minutes, Daniel caught up to Hattie. Overtaking her, he reached out for her arm. As he did, she slapped at his good hand. Not discouraged in the slightest, Daniel grabbed her arm and jerked her towards him. As she fell to the ground, Daniel dropped his rifle. Then, he lifted the bag up and away from her even as she clawed frantically to hold onto it. .
"Give that back, you thief!" Hattie screamed as she came to her feet. She reached for the bag as Daniel hung it around his neck.
"Funny you should call me that," Daniel picked up his rifle and quickly nabbed her by the arm again before she could think to bolt, "considering you stole some of the contents of this bag from us in the first place."
"You'll pay for this, Boone," Hattie warned him.
"I usually do." Daniel dragged her to the tree where Barney was tied. Once there, he tied her to it as well. He noted how glum the two of them looked as he moved away. Then he returned to camp to watch for Luke in case he showed up.
He didn't have to wait long. Almost immediately Luke entered the camp and looked around. Daniel sprang silently from behind a stand of bushes and pointed his rifle at Luke’s back. "Welcome back. You were missed. Now, hold up your hands so's I know where they're at."
Luke reached for the pistol in his waistband and pivoted at the same instant. Daniel recognized the danger and fired his rifle, hitting Luke in the arm. The man yelped and dropped the pistol. The tall frontiersman kicked it out of his reach and then went to retrieve it, and deposited it inside his own belt. Luke sat on the ground; a hand covering his wound. "Luke, I have a place of honor at the wagon for you. You're alone right now, but you won't be in a little while.” He then tied Luke to the wagon wheel, not bothering to attend to the younger man’s flesh wound. “Now, tell me about my wife.”
“I don’t know anything about her.”
“You sure about that?” Daniel held his rifle three inches from Luke’s head.
“First, you tell me where Hattie is.”
“For a man with a rifle pointed at his head, you’re a mite arrogant, but I’ll oblige you. Your wife is tied up with Barnabas Roland not far from here. Your whole spy web has unraveled so you may as well tell me about my wife. While you’re at it, you can tell me why you’re afoot too,” Daniel insisted.
Luke saw no point in keeping information about Daniel’s wife from him. “The horse threw me. Your wife took her and lit out to warn Colonel Ives.”
Daniel smiled. He was pleased to know Rebecca was fine and had done her duty. He then left the camp and then returned with Hattie and Barney. He secured Hattie to the other wagon wheel and Barney to a tree. After returning to his place of concealment, Daniel slept; attuned for any unexpected visitors.
With the arrival of daylight, the tall frontiersman made a passable mush and served it to his small group of prisoners. A little later he opened Hattie's bag and withdrew the packet Barney had given to her. Daniel peered at the documents, and he smiled crookedly. "Are these written with invisible ink?" No one answered him. "Let's find out." He happily crossed to the fire as the trio exchanged glances. He held the first document over the flame and read the message as it became clear. Stunned, he lifted his head and looked at Barney. "Do you hate him that much?" Barney didn't answer. Daniel turned back to the paper and reread silently from the portion that alarmed him. "The night of the full moon will give rise to the assassination of Governor Patrick Henry."
By subjecting all of Barney's documents to heat of the fire, Daniel learned almost all of the plan to kill Patrick Henry. The governor had to be warned, but he couldn't leave his prisoners. He would have to wait for Rebecca’s return. Fortunately, there was enough time before the dastardly act was scheduled to be implemented.
The next morning Daniel heard the clatter of horses’ hooves in the distance, and it wasn’t long before Rebecca and Colonel Ives entered the camp. His wife practically flew off the horse and into his arms.
"Dan, are you all right?" Rebecca asked from within his embrace. She placed her hands over his cheeks and forehead. He didn't appear sick anymore, and there were only faint traces of swelling as well as a pink color around his eyes.
"Fit as a fiddle." Daniel thumped his chest a couple of times.
“We would have been here earlier, but Colonel Ives insisted we rest several hours,” Rebecca explained.
“No doubt he was right, and no doubt you needed it. That was an awful long ride in an awful short time. You must have been mighty tuckered.”
Rebecca giggled and embraced her husband once again.
"Barnabas Roland?" Ives approached the prisoner who was tied to a tree. The colonel pushed his own hat back in disbelief. "Dan'l, this is Barnabas Roland. Why do you have him tied up like this?"
"Because he's a traitor and a spy," Daniel answered.
"He can't be. He was head over one of the best militias in Virginia and a confidant to Patrick Henry. He’s a true patriot," Ives declared.
"Not anymore, Colonel. Now, he's a turncoat and a spy for the British.” Daniel reached into Hattie’s haversack, which was draped around his neck, and extracted some papers. He handed Ives the documents. “Barnabas Roland gave these papers to Hattie to deliver to a person named Irving in Salem. This one explains the assignment." He pointed to the paper on top of the others.
Ives read it and as he did, his jaw dropped. He lifted his head towards Daniel and stuttered, "D-d-d-do you know what this says?"
"I can read, Colonel," Daniel stated. "It says 'The night of the full moon will give rise to the assassination of Governor Patrick Henry.'"
Rebecca gasped. "When? How?"
"A week from now. All the rest is explained in the other papers," Daniel added. "Colonel, what's important is to get word to the governor."
"Quite right, Dan'l," Ives agreed. "I'll have two of my men ride to Salem and deliver the evidence to the colonel of the militia, and then he can send a representative on to Williamsburg. The colonel can hopefully capture this Irving fellow as well.” Ives hesitated for a moment. “There’s just one more thing I have to know."
“What’s that?” Daniel placed his arm around his wife’s waist.
“How is it that you and I continuously fall prey to female British spies?” Ives asked. “Are we that susceptible to feminine wiles?”
“Just lucky, I reckon,” Daniel said with a huge grin.
With a shake of his head, Ives turned to his soldiers and immediately gave the orders he wanted them to follow.
Daniel walked towards Hattie and came to stand beside her. "Next time you get a notion to spin a web, Hattie,” A lopsided grin appeared without warning on his face, “you might try knitting instead.”
A few hours after a soldier had delivered their team to them, Daniel and Rebecca found themselves making their way to Salem with the three captured spies bound and sitting in the wagon bed. The trio were silent and sullen; their somber mood a sharp contrast to the Boones' gaiety. Their first stop in Salem was to be the home of the local militia’s commander. There he would interrogate them further – or do whatever else he decided needed to be done with them. After they had done this, the Boones proceeded to Walter Bedford's store. He ran out to meet them when they pulled up.
"Dan'l, Becky, how was the trip? Any highwaymen on the road?” Walter asked with his usual nervousness. “You're late getting back."
"No highwaymen," Daniel said as he assisted Rebecca from the wagon. "We did get tangled up in a spider’s web that could have proven disastrous, but we mopped up that operation."
Walter cocked his head in confusion, but didn't ask Daniel to explain. "Dan'l, a couple of soldiers left this letter for you. It came direct from Governor Patrick Henry; all the way from Williamsburg."
Taking the letter, Daniel opened the wax seal and then held the letter so Rebecca could read it along with him. It contained an acknowledgment of the discovery of the British spy web and its demise.
“’Thanks to you, our country can continue the fight to win its independence,’” Rebecca read aloud. “’On a personal note, I owe you a great deal for the forewarning of the attempt that was to be made against my life. It is a debt I can never repay. You have, sir, my eternal gratitude.’”
“I might just use that against him someday,” Daniel said in jest as Rebecca chuckled.
Just then, Walter’s nephew came staggering towards the store. Walter grew instantly furious. He could tell he was drunk again. “Dan’l, I need your help bad, real bad,” he said nervously, his hands wringing. “I got a wagon load of supplies that’s supposed to go to Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s for the army. You can see my nephew is drunk again, and I don’t have another driver. Will you take it?”
“No!” Rebecca shouted. “We’re going home.”
Ignoring her, Walter pleaded, “Dan’l, I call on your patriotism. Please, I beg of you. You’re my only hope, my only hope.”
“Walter, no.” Rebecca shook her finger at him while her other hand rested on her hip. “We’ve done our part for God and country for awhile. You will just have to get another driver.”
“But, Becky, I need Dan’l,” Walter wailed.
“So do I,” Rebecca countered. “We’re going home.”
As he turned back to Daniel, Walter noticed that the woodsman was no longer standing beside his wife. In fact, he was moving in the direction of the tavern. “Dan’l, where’re you going?”
The tall frontiersman ignored him and kept right on walking. Then, he stopped suddenly and pivoted. “After we get a bite to eat, we’re goin’ home. Comin’, Becky?”
Rebecca looked smugly at Walter. For once, Daniel had seen his duty to her and the frontier. “We’re going home,” she said emphatically, and with that she joined her husband, and they entered the tavern hand in hand.
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