FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137  
138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   >>   >|  
Homeric in his description of the great young Wyandot chieftain Timmendiquas or White Lightning, whom he acclaimed as the finest type of savage man the age had known." "He and Henry Ware fought Timmendiquas for years, and after the great peace they were friends throughout their long lives." "And I've studied, too, his wonderful book on the Birds and Mammals of North America," continued Warner with growing enthusiasm. "What marvelous stores of observation and memory! Ah, Dick, those were exciting days, and a man had opportunities for real and vital experiences!" Dick and Pennington laughed. "What about Vicksburg, old praiser of past times?" asked Frank. "Don't you think we'll have some lively experiences trying to take it? And wasn't there something real and vital about Bull Run and Shiloh and Perryville and Stone River and all the rest? Don't you worry, George. You're living in exciting times yourself." "That's so," said Warner calmly. "I had forgotten it for the moment. We've been readers of history and now we're makers of it. It's funny--and maybe it isn't funny--but the makers of history often know little about what they're making. The people who come along long afterward put them in their places and size up what they have done." "They can give all the reasons they please why I won this war," said Pennington, "but even history-makers are entitled to a rest. Since there's no order to the contrary I mean to stretch out and go to sleep. Dick, you and George can discuss your problems all night." But they went to sleep also. CHAPTER IX. THE OPEN DOOR "Dick," said Colonel Winchester the next morning, "I think you are the best scout and trailer among my young officers. Mr. Pennington, you are probably the best on the plains, and I've no doubt, Warner, that you would do well in the mountains, but for the hills, forests and rivers I'll have to choose Dick. I've another errand for you, my boy. You're to go on foot, and you're to take this dispatch to Admiral Porter, who commands the iron-clads in the river near the city. Conceal it carefully about you, but I anticipate no great danger for you, as Vicksburg is pretty well surrounded by our forces." The dispatch was written on thin, oiled paper. Dick hid it away in the lining of his coat and departed upon another important mission, full of pride that he should be chosen for it. He had all the passwords and carried two good pistols in his belt. Rich
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137  
138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Pennington
 

history

 

Warner

 
makers
 

exciting

 

experiences

 

dispatch

 

George

 

Vicksburg

 

Timmendiquas


chosen

 
Winchester
 

trailer

 
morning
 
Colonel
 

contrary

 

stretch

 

pistols

 

entitled

 

passwords


officers

 

carried

 

discuss

 

problems

 

CHAPTER

 
surrounded
 

pretty

 

forces

 

errand

 

danger


anticipate

 

commands

 
Conceal
 

Admiral

 

carefully

 

Porter

 

choose

 

plains

 

important

 

departed


lining
 
rivers
 

written

 

forests

 

mountains

 
mission
 

America

 
continued
 
growing
 

Mammals