"Zeke Watkins indeed!" she
exclaimed. "He'd better not tell ME any such story. I don't
believe there's a braver, truer man in the--Well," she added in
sudden confusion, "he hasn't run away and left others to dig their
way into Boston, if that's the best way of getting there."
"Ah, I'm going to get even with him yet," chuckled Stokes to
himself. "Digging is only the first step, Miss Susie. When Old Put
gets good and ready, you'll hear the thunder of the guns a'most in
Opinquake."
"Well, Mr. Stokes," stammered Susie, resolving desperately on a
short cut to the knowledge she craved, "you've seen Mr. Jarvis a-
soldiering. What do you think about it?"
"Well, now, that Zeb Jarvis is the sneakin'ist fellow---"
"What?" cried the girl, her face aflame.
"Wait till I get in a few more pegs," continued Stokes, coolly.
"The other night he sneaked right into the enemy's lines and
carried off a British officer as a hawk takes a chicken. The
Britisher fired his pistol right under Zeb's nose; but, law! he
didn't mind that any more'n a 'sketer-bite.
Pages:
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469