ther that you're a born bush man. Mebbe he'll
let ye go. They'll need us both. Rum, Injuns an' the devil have
j'ined hands. The Long House will be the center o' hell an' its line
fences 'll take in the hull big bush."

That day Jack's name was included in the order.

"I am sorry that it is not yet possible to pay you or any of the men
who have served me so faithfully," said Washington. "If you need money
I shall be glad to lend you a sum to help you through this journey."

"I ain't fightin' fer pay," Solomon answered. "I'll hoe an' dig, an'
cook, an' guide fer money. But I won't fight no more fer money--partly
'cause I don't need it--partly 'cause I'm fightin' fer myself. I got a
little left in my britches pocket, but if I hadn't, my ol' Marier
wouldn't let me go hungry."

2

In April the two friends set out afoot for the lower end of the
Highlands. On the river they hired a Dutch farmer to take them on to
Albany in his sloop. After two delightful days at home, General
Schuyler suggested that they could do a great service by traversing the
wilderness to the valley of the great river of the north, as far as
possible toward Swegachie, and reporting their observations to Crown
Point or Fort Edward, if there seemed to be occasion for it, and if
not, they were to proceed to General Herkimer's camp at Oriskany and
give him what help they could in protecting the settlers in the west.

"You would need to take all your wit and courage with you," the General
warned them. "The Indians are in bad temper. They have taken to
roasting their prisoners at the stake and eating their flesh. This is
a hazardous undertaking. Therefore, I give you a suggestion and not an
order."

"I'll go 'lone," said Solomon. "If I get et up it needn't break
nobody's heart. Let Jack go to one o' the forts."

"No, I'd rather go into the bush with you," said Jack. "We're both
needed there. If necessary we could separate and carry our warning in
two directions. We'll take a couple of the new double-barreled rifles
and four pistols. If we had to, I think we could fight a hole through
any trouble we are likely to have."

So it was decided that they should go together on this scouting trip
into the north bush. Solomon had long before that invented what he
called "a lightnin' thrower" for close fighting with Indians, to be
used if one were hard pressed and outnumbered and likely to have his
scalp taken. This odd contrivance he