Re: Davey's Ramblings...A Plan is Laid......

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: : March ye 29th, 1759

: : Near the cistern inside 
: : Raestown stockade,
: : one half hour after Tattoo.

: : A steady drizzle has been falling since about noon. The temperature has dropped to a very uncomfortable level with the rain, and the fog has settled across the meadow and has filled the ravines, making it very difficult for the sentries to see anything moving outside. The night is, in a word, miserable.

: : Inside the stockade, a few candles shine from the windows of the officers’ cabins and barracks buildings of the men. The cook fires are nearly extinguished from the rain, and their smoky remains hang low and pungent.

: : Unseen by anyone, a figure stands underneath the overhanging roof of a wagon shed, and within easy earshot of the cistern, not moving, but blending in and becoming part of the darkness. The rain plays its own Tattoo on the wooden shakes on the roof and runs down in a waterfall, splashing noisily into the mud.

: : A lone shadow is barely visible in the drizzle and darkness, seen only because of its slow, deliberate movement.

: : “Over here, Edward,” whispered Seamus. The shadow stops, and immediately steps under the overhang and into total darkness.

: :  “Seamus?” 

: : “Yes, Edward, it is me. Are you sure no one saw you leave?”

: : “I have requested leave to visit Malcolm in the Infirmary, and take him his Prayer Book as he has requested. See? I have it here. I will do just that after we are finished here. If I was seen or challenged, it is explained.”

: : “Good! Well done!  Now...here is my plan. We know who is our quarry. We don’t know why as yet, but I am betting it has something to do with his hatred of Provincials, scouts, and anything not regular army. I believe, too, that he may be a bit mercenary, and will do anything he can to rid himself of us....but most of all, I think it is because he has no control over us.

: : “So...if we use another knapsack...look...I have one here which I got at Ft. Augusta...the same pattern, material, and same King’s broad arrow and GR2 cypher on it as yours has. It indistinguishable from any here at Raestown, issued by the crown, except that it is marked with a blue thread sewn into the body along the shaft of the broad arrow. That is the mark by which we will identify it.

: : “ Tomorrow night I, along with  Flags, Tales, HalfBreed, Dink, and  the others will be at the Tavern in town for dinner with the family of the slain Pam. They have asked us to come to thank us for bringing her home for a proper burial. The garrison officers will also be at the tavern, as is their custom, but will not be part of the dinner. They will be drinking and wenching as usual. We will be sure that the good Major overhears a conversation about another stashed haversack, which I will put in a certain place...a hollow tree in the ravine 100 yards from the southeast corner of the stockade. I will appear to have too much to drink and will, too loudly, tell Tales about “the  gold coins” in the bottom of my haversack which I have stashed and where it is, and that I will get it on my way home Saturday morning. Then I will take my leave and hotfoot it to the ravine and lay in wait. I have already prepared a blind to hide me! Tales will be back the trail in another blind, so the Major will be between us.

: : “We will get our prey, red-handed, I guarantee it!

: : “Now, Edward, you’d best be on your way to see Malcolm as you had said you were going to do. You will be able to back Tales and me up, if needed, to identify this haversack, but beyond that, it is us who will do this. We do not want you involved as you are in a position to be hurt by any officer who takes a dim view on what we are about to do. We want you totally un-involved, unless we are done in by him. Then you will have to take the chance and burn him on your own.

: : “T’is a dangerous thing we are doing, and we want no harm to come to you.”

: : “Now...be off, my friend. When the trap springs shut, you will hear the howl of the trapped skunk loudly!”

: : ...and so the plan was laid. The rain began to fall harder and steadier as Edward moved toward the Infirmary. He turned to look back at Seamus and he was gone.

: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

: :o)  Ahhhh.... I can go off to bed now, knowing what's afoot - but wondering whether Seamus and Tales can pull this off!!  Ohhh... OF COURSE, they can!!  What am I saying?!! Still, can't wait to hear how it goes!

: K.




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