had never had occasion to use.
It was a thin, round shell of cast iron with a tube, a flint and
plunger. The shell was of about the size of a large apple. It was to
be filled with missiles and gunpowder. The plunger, with its spring,
was set vertically above the tube. In throwing this contrivance one
released its spring by the pressure of his thumb. The hammer fell and
the spark it made ignited a fuse leading down to the powder. Its owner
had to throw it from behind a tree or have a share in the peril it was
sure to create.

While Jack was at home with his people Solomon spent a week in the
foundry and forge and, before they set out on their journey, had three
of these unique weapons, all loaded and packed in water-proof wrappings.

About the middle of May they proceeded in a light bark canoe to Fort
Edward and carried it across country to Lake George and made their way
with paddles to Ticonderoga. There they learned that scouts were
operating only on and near Lake Champlain. The interior of Tryon
County was said to be dangerous ground. Mohawks, Cagnawagas, Senecas,
Algonquins and Hurons were thick in the bush and all on the warpath.
They were torturing and eating every white man that fell in their
hands, save those with a Tory mark on them.

"We're skeered o' the bush," said an elderly bearded soldier, who was
sitting on a log. "A man who goes into the wildwood needs to be a good
friend o' God."

"But Schuyler thinks a force of British may land somewhere along the
big river and come down through the bush, building a road as they
advance," said Jack.

"A thousand men could make a tol'able waggin road to Fort Edward in a
month," Solomon declared. "That's mebbe the reason the Injuns are out
in the bush eatin' Yankees. They're tryin' fer to skeer us an' keep us
erway. By the hide an' horns o' the devil! We got to know what's
a-goin' on out thar. You fellers are a-settin' eround these 'ere forts
as if ye had nothin' to do but chaw beef steak an' wipe yer rifles an'
pick yer teeth. Why don't ye go out thar in the bush and do a little
skeerin' yerselves? Ye're like a lot o' ol' women settin' by the fire
an' tellin' ghos' stories."

"We got 'nuff to do considerin' the pay we git," said a sergeant.

"Hell an' Tophet! What do ye want o' pay?" Solomon answered. "Ain't
ye willin' to fight fer yer own liberty without bein' paid fer it? Ye
been kicked an' robbed an' spit on, an' dragged eround by the heel