Chapter 2

Sergeant Boggs quickly deposited Jeremy, Henry and Isak in the medical tent than continued on with Daniel and Mingo to another tent. He opened the flap and held it for them to enter before following them in. A lit candle suspended from the tent's supports revealed the scant furnishings of two cots and a camp table with stools. "I hope you find the accommodations agreeable, gentlemen. A guard will be posted outside all night. He is there to fetch whatever you ask."

"Thank you, Sergeant. Mingo and I will be fine." As the sergeant turned to leave, Daniel grabbed him by the shoulder.

The sergeant turned, and stood at military ease, his face without emotion, his hands behind his back. "Is there something I can do for you, sir?"

"Sergeant, you seemed uncomfortable when I recognized you in the gen'ral's tent. Is there a reason for that? Does the gen'ral not know about your prior military service?"

Sergeant Boggs smiled. "He knows I served in the war with honor, sir. I am reluctant to talk about it in front of him. I am on a special assignment for General Washington to protect General Lafayette's life--"

"And you don't want to throw you're past relationship with Gen'ral Washington in the young gen'ral's face?"

The sergeant nodded. "I feel like a spy for General Washington as it is. I don't want General Lafayette to feel that he is being spied upon."

"That is very considerate of you, Sergeant, to be careful of your gen'ral's feelin's. I thought you were hesitant 'cause many Frenchmen died in that war. My own memories gave me some pangs of guilt on first meetin' Gen'ral Lafayette. He seemed quick to dismiss us. Did we anger him?"

The Sergeant shook his head. "Nay, sir. The general has a lot of letters to write. He will be at that late into the night. General Washington has him writing to every nobleman and merchant across the pond to cajole them to part with their change." The sergeant snickered. "Washington calls him his "Minister of Foreign Affairs."

"He probably does a fine job of that," Mingo said, "if his writing is anything like his graceful presence."

"Aye, sir. As long as he can write in French. He struggles a bit with English. Is there anything else I can do for you, sirs?"

"No. Thanks. Goodnight, Sergeant." Daniel said.

After the sergeant left, Daniel dropped his haversack on one of the cots and laid Ticklicker on the table. Then he sat down on one of the stools, dropped his head in his hands, and began to rub his temples.

Mingo unloaded his equipment from his back and shoulders and belt. He straddled a stool and sat down across from Daniel. "Well, Daniel, what are you thinking?"

Daniel's hazel eyes were troubled as he gazed at his friend. "Mingo this is a very dangerous mission if we are headed for upper New York this time of year. There is still snow on the ground here, but the snow in the mountains is meltin.' By the time we get half way, we'll be up to our knees in mud. Did you notice how that young gen'ral seemed so cool and calm as if it was just a huntin' trip away from the big house?"

Mingo laughed quietly. "Yes, Daniel. That very thought came to my mind as well. We do not know these men. We only have Ben Franklin's and General Washington's glowing appraisal of General Lafayette. Those other young men…the Yankee Doodle Society?" Mingo shook his dark head, "I do not know."

Daniel snickered. "The name, Yankee Doodle Society, brings to mind a gang of macaronis doesn't it?"

Mingo grinned and nodded. "Or a New York gentleman's club with a sense of humor."

"I've heard they have been quite a thorn in the British army's side around these parts." Daniel rubbed his face with his hands. He felt the fatigue creeping up his legs. His companion hadn't even begun to look tired. It reminded Daniel of their age difference. "Doc Franklin said he met with the Oneida and the other tribes that make up the Six Nations. He's used their confederation as a model when formulatin' his own thoughts on how our thirteen independent states will make a nation.

Mingo's eyebrows raised. "Are you jesting, Daniel?"

"No, my friend. I think our alliance with this partic'lar tribe is of extreme importance in this war, and quite possibly, to the future of this country, though, I don't know the details. I think we may have to exercise a little faith here and go forth despite our reservations. I like that young gen'ral. He has a confidence 'bout him that makes me want to trust his judgment. I want to see what he's made of, and as for those three boys, well, I suspect we'll be pullin' them out of a mire or two along the way. Nothin' we ain't done before, right?"

"I am with you, Daniel. If you say go, I will go. Did you notice, however, that the general did not tell us exactly where we were going, or how we were going to get there?"

Daniel nodded. "I noticed and I was hankerin' to ask questions, but I felt like he'd have told us if he thought it necessary. I think he was holdin' back those details on purpose. Perhaps he ain't quite sure of us yet."

"Not sure of us? Daniel, he just made you a colonel. He has obviously researched your history and knows your military service. That is something that you never speak of, even to me. Then there was the way he looked at me and acknowledged my life between two peoples. That was very unsettling."

"Yes, that surprised me as well. If he's researched my past, he knows I have a lot of French blood on my hands. Perhaps that would give him pause when sharin' mission details."

Mingo sighed and lowered his head. "Daniel, George Washington has a lot of French blood on his hands. I do not think the marquis would be here if that bothered--"

Suddenly a shock of red hair attached to a pale freckled face popped through the tent opening and said, "Kerr? Is that you?"

A big grin spread over Mingo's face as he instantly recognized the intruder. "John Grayson, old friend. Come in here and let me see you." Mingo stood as the young officer in blue and buff and one gold epaulet stepped inside. Mingo slapped the young man's arms and gripped them tight. "Well, you are a bit older but so am I. This is Daniel Boone, the friend I told you about a long time ago."

The officer's blue eyes widened as he reached out his hand to shake Daniel's. "I've heard much about Daniel Boone and all good. I'm honored to meet you, sir."

Daniel said, "The pleasure's mine. So you two are old friends?"

The newcomer said, "I am sorry, Colonel, I should have introduced myself." The young man stood at attention and saluted. "Sir, I am Lieutenant John Grayson, the commander of General Lafayette's life guard, at your service."

Daniel said, "At ease Lieutenant, you're with friends here."

"I would expect you to be an officer in a very important mission," Mingo said. "Daniel, John and I were at the Royal Academy together. He was a good friend who tolerated my moods and my non-conformist ways."

"I was drawn to eccentricity. With my carrot top and freckles, you can imagine how I stood out among all those blonde English boys. Lord knows I wasn't happy when my father sent me to England to school. I was desperately unhappy in England after his death."

Mingo laughed. "We were both misfits in our own way."

"Indeed we were." Lieutenant Grayson smiled. "But then I was a Cambridge man and you an Oxfordite. We were not supposed to like each other but…we were inseparable. Do you remember what old Sergeant Doyle always said? Looking down his long nose at us with his upper lip stiff as a board." The lieutenant proceeded to take on the mannerisms of an old British drill sergeant complete with brogue. "Oi say, what an odd pair o' ducks you two lads make, joined at t' navel, Oi say." The Lieutenant grinned making his blue eyes twinkle.

"Mingo broke out in laughter at the remembrance and the mimicry."

Daniel grinned wide. His heart jumped with joy at the sound of his Indian friend's laughter. It was rare, that Mingo could find anything to smile about, much less break out in unrestrained hilarity. That youthful laugh was as rare as the 'thee and thou' of a Quaker in Kentucky and usually only heard around the Boone cabin, in the presence of Daniel's family. There were few people on earth that had known Mingo as a youth. That thought brought to Daniel's mind his own younger days and the fact that he could say the same about himself.

"I am sorry to disturb you both. The general told me you were here. I knew Mingo with Daniel Boone meant Kerr Murray was in camp! I couldn't believe it. He said you will be traveling with us tomorrow up north to deliver the guns and ammunition we've collected for the Oneida."

"Yes," Mingo said. "We do not know where we are going, but we are going."

Lieutenant Grayson chuckled. "General Lafayette is keeping the details close. We have had some Tory spies in camp. He is playing it safe. This is an important mission."

"Tories?" Daniel said, "Can't they be rooted out?"

"Yes, sir. That is what I'm doing now. The general has ordered every tent checked for unwanted guests, and he doesn't mean stray cats and rats. There is fear that Tories may have followed you two from the Black Horse Inn."

Mingo and Daniel looked at each other, concerned. Daniel said, "The publican is a Patriot. I'd expect him to keep the Tories off his property."

"Yes, sir. He is a friend of ours, but the Tories have been swarming lately. Something is a foot, stirred up by the British no doubt. Possibility, because they have heard Lafayette is in the area. They want to capture him real bad."

Mingo said, "Then you have a serious job on your hands protecting him."

"Yes, Mingo, but my troops are the best trained in the army. General Washington would not have it any other way. We can take care of the general, you two, and the three across the way. There will be a guard outside all night keeping watch. If you need anything at all, you call out. His name is Jeb."

Daniel smiled. "Jeb, the sentry?"

"Yes, sir. You've met?"

Daniel and Mingo both smirked and nodded.

"Colonel Boone, I can't wait to have a chance to talk with you. My father served with you under Braddock."

Daniel furrowed his brow for a moment than said with recognition, "Jacob Grayson?"

Lieutenant Grayson nodded.

"He was a good man. You take after him, red hair and all."

"Thank you, sir. Perhaps on the journey north we will have some time to reminisce."

"Indeed. I look forward to it."

"Good night then. Sleep well. The guard has your back."

Mingo said, "Good night, John."

After the lieutenant left, Daniel said, "Well, that was a pleasant unexpected surprise."

"It certainly was. I have not seen him in several years. He was apprenticed to a tanner the last time I saw him. Losing his father in the war left him an orphan and an uncle took him in to learn a trade after he returned from England. It is odd that he knows no more than we do about this trip."

"Perhaps. Like I said before, there are some things you have to just take on faith. This is one of those times. I believe everythin' will become known in due time."

With the decision made to go, Daniel stood to blow out the overhead candle as Mingo lay on his cot. After putting out the light, Daniel looked out the tent opening and saw the light in the medical tent. "I reckon those boys are real uneasy about this trip. They may not sleep at all tonight. Perhaps the sight of you and me has them seein' b'ars and injuns in their near futures."

Mingo snickered in the dark. "Surely they are old enough to not believe all those myths about you, Daniel."

Daniel said, "Myths? You mean to tell me you think my life is a myth?"

"You know what I am talking about Daniel Boone. Now you going to keep that flap open all night? It is getting cold in here."

"Oh, all right. Good night, Jeb."

"Gg…good night…sirs."

Daniel shut the tent flap and lay down fully clothed on the cot. Neither Daniel nor Mingo was completely trusting of their unknown surroundings, but weariness quickly put them fast asleep.

At dawn the next morning, the camp was a buzz with preparations for the long journey. Wagons were loaded with tent canvas, and crates of guns and ammunition. Soldiers were as numerous, and as busy, as ants moving an ant hill.

Daniel had arisen early and was sitting on a stool inside his tent, cleaning his faithful Ticklicker. Henry was the first to appear from the medical tent, a little disoriented, and clearly sleep deprived. Daniel watched Henry hesitate a moment as he looked towards General Lafayette's tent. Apparently satisfied at seeing the light glowing from within, Henry started to walk towards it between the loaded wagons. Suddenly, Henry was startled by a cry from above him on one of the wagons. He looked up just in time to dodge a falling load of tent poles and canvas and two young soldiers. The noisy commotion echoed over the nearby hills. Henry was standing in shock just clear of the debris looking down at the stunned soldiers as Daniel ran to his side. General Lafayette and Sergeant Boggs rushed from the general's tent.

"Henry, are you all right?" Lafayette asked, frantically.

Henry looked at the general with startled eyes and said, "I was coming…to see you, sir…"

Soon, Mingo, and the rest of the Yankee Doodle Society, had joined the group around Henry.

Henry said, "It's a bad omen, General. I should not go with you. I am a jinx."

Lafayette frowned at Henry. "Henry, you are a man of science. I know you do not believe in such childish things as omens and port-malheur. It was an accident and I am very sorry, my friend."

Henry sighed heavily. He wrung his hands and stared at the ground. There was panic in his voice when he said, "My intelligence tells me what you say is true, but my intuition is telling me that if I go I will cause some calamity. Everyone will have to be concerned with me, which means they will be less concerned with themselves, which means…."

Lafayette put his hand on Henry's shoulder. "Henry, I need you on this mission. No one else can do what I need you to do."

Sergeant Boggs helped the two soldiers up. "What happened here?"

One of the soldiers, rubbing his head, said, "I'm not sure, sir. We were adding more tent poles like normal and suddenly everything gave way beneath us and we found ourselves on the ground."

The sergeant clearly angered said, "Dad-burn it. You need to be more careful!"

Mingo, inspecting the backside of the wagon, called out, "Sergeant, you might want to take a look at this."

Sergeant Boggs walked around to stand beside Mingo and looked where Mingo was pointing. Mingo said, "These leather straps have been cut. That is why the load fell when the men climbed on top. It looks like a deliberate act of sabotage."

The sergeant bit his lower lip and took a deep breath and exhaled. He walked to the general's side. "Sir, we have a problem." Lafayette nodded his head and grimaced.

Daniel noticed several blue uniformed soldiers had gathered around them, including Lieutenant John Grayson. Their muskets were cocked and ready. They looked around the camp suspiciously. "Gen'ral, could this have been intended to remove you from the fight while appearin' to be an accident?"

Lafayette sighed and clasped his hands behind his back. Daniel noted that this was the general's 'thinking' stance rather than his 'angry' stance. "That is a possibility, Colonel Boone, but it could also have been intended for you, or Mingo, or anyone of these three men." The general looked towards Jeremy and his friends. "Come, your cook is waiting to prepare your breakfast. It will be your last hot meal for a while. We will be breaking camp in a few hours. I will join you shortly after I finish some letters." The general waved his hand at the debris on the ground as if to dismiss it. "Please, let this be my worry."

Lafayette motioned towards a table under a canopy of trees. There was a young soldier standing ready at a nearby fire, with a black pan in his hand, who was clearly the waiting cook. It was Jeb.

Mingo turned to Daniel and said in a quiet voice, "A little French hospitality, Beaumarchais style?"

Lafayette turned, hearing Mingo, and smiled. "Hospitality, yes, Mingo, but I am afraid the meal is but a simple soldier's ration unlike what Monsieur Beaumarchais would serve. At least you have caught us on a good day of eggs and sausage instead of salt pork and hardtack."

Mingo bowed his head respectfully and smiled. "I am most appreciative, General."

As the guests sat down at the table, they were served coffee, and then the young cook made eggs to order for each. Jeb showed his dexterity by fixing all the eggs, sausage and slapjacks for the group in short order all from the same pan. Mingo said, "I believe this is about the best breakfast I have had in a long while, short of Rebecca Boone's."

Jeb acknowledged Mingo's complement with a smile and a nod, and then quietly continued with his task as if he enjoyed it immensely.

"I believe," Daniel said, "we're seein' Jeb's true callin'." Jeb gave him the same quiet acknowledgement he had given Mingo.

Daniel watched as the soldiers continued to strike their tents, and clear the area, going to great pains to eliminate any trace of the camp. He looked over the three young men sitting across the table. Isak was a tall dark handsome negro, near Daniel's height, muscular and fit. Daniel could tell by his forearms that he was probably a blacksmith by trade. Jeremy, the leader, was the youngest of the trio. He was lean with soft long fingered hands gently cradling his coffee cup. Probably not a tradesman, or farmer, though he was dressed like one. Daniel concluded Jeremy was the son of a wealthy man. Probably, the younger son. Henry appeared to be an educated professional by his attire. He was picking at his food, which Daniel realized was probably not his normal approach to eating by the size of Henry's middle. "Henry, you look like Mingo when he's faced with a plate of greasy b'ar meat."

Henry looked up over his wire spectacles, with deep, almost black eyes, obviously surprised that Daniel Boone was taking any notice of him. "The food is quite good, but I am afraid I have lost my appetite."

"Well that's understandable with the near miss you had this mornin'. I reckon you feel lucky to be alive right now and don't really want to tempt fate any further."

Henry, flanked by his friends, smiled sheepishly and looked at Jeremy, then Isak. "I guess I am not doing a very good job of hiding my apprehension. I do not want to let anyone down, especially General Lafayette."

"When you're knocked out of the saddle the best thing to do is get right back in it. Face those fears head-on and fate will usually help you out. That's how Mingo and I approach life, isn't that right, Mingo?"

Mingo raised his dark eyebrows as he sipped his coffee. "Yes. I have found that backing down from a fear usually causes it to grow in your mind until it is much bigger than the actual threat."

"In fact," Daniel said, "on this very trip over here, before we even got out of Kentucky, Mingo and I were faced with a life and death situation."

The young men across the table shifted forward eager to hear Daniel Boone's words of wisdom. Daniel could see he had their attention; he shot a quick glance at Mingo who smiled into his coffee cup.

"We were campin' for the night, and 'round midnight we had an unwelcome visitor. A great black b'ar wandered upon us and decided that we might make a tasty meal."

Jeremy's eyes widened. "What did you do?"

Mingo chuckled. "We lived through it."

Daniel frowned. "I'm tellin' this story Mingo. You slept through the whole thing…remember?"

Mingo smirked at his friend.

"Well, I woke up and saw him approachin', sniffin' around at my feet. I had my head restin' on my haversack full of provisions. I knew it was the scent of that food under my head that was drawin' him into our camp. He was probably hungry after hibernatin' all winter. Faced with such a situation most men would jump up, panic and start yellin' thinkin' they would scare the b'ar off. Boys, I've learnt that's a very unwise approach with a hungry b'ar. It works fine with a curious b'ar, or even a lame b'ar, but you don't want to do that with a hungry b'ar. You're shoutin' in b'ar lingo 'Hey, take me. I'm your meal right here.'"

The boys laughed, even Henry. Daniel smiled and continued. "There I was layin' there stretched out by the fire with that haversack full of food under my head and Ticklicker lyin' across me like this." Daniel picked up his gun and showed exactly how the gun was situated. "Well you can see I had my gun pointin' the wrong way to shoot that b'ar. I looked over to my left and saw Mingo was sound asleep and I figured that was for the best under the circumstances. The b'ar wouldn't pay him no mind, but I was in a bad situation with that sack of food under my head. That b'ar would swipe at my head to get at it and might take my face off doin' it."

Isak said anxiously, "What did you do Colonel Boone?"

Daniel looked serious, "I started singin'."

The boys guffawed and looked at each other. Jeremy said, "You didn't."

Daniel nodded. "I sang a lullaby that I sang for my little ones in the cabin at night. Well that b'ar didn't know what to make of that. He stood up on his back paws and let out this terrible wail."

Mingo grumbled, "Cannot blame him for that."

The boys snickered.

Daniel shot Mingo a hard glance. "I figure he thought it was another b'ar callin' him. Maybe he was rememberin' his mama. That b'ar got all disoriented and lookin' around and forgot about me."

Daniel picked up his gun and aimed at something in the sky, which caused every eye to follow his aim. "While that b'ar's head was turned to the side, I quickly turned Ticklicker around, aimed at that head and 'Sha-boom!' I blew it clean off. The body fell in a heap 'tween me and Mingo."

"Surely that woke you, Mingo?" Henry said.

Mingo shook his head. "No, Henry, it did not."

The boys chuckled.

Daniel grinned with a twinkle in his hazel eyes. "Mingo woke up…when he smelt the b'ar meat roastin' over the fire!" That sent Jeremy, Isak and Henry over the edge into roaring laughter. Daniel laughed and gave Mingo a good-natured slap on the back, just as General Lafayette walked up and sat down at the end of the table.

The general said, "I have obviously missed something."

"Just one of Daniel's tall tales, General," Mingo said. "Do not worry he has enough to fill a small library. He is never short on tall tales."

Lafayette smiled briefly, but his countenance quickly returned to a serious look. "We are about ready to depart. I feel the need to tell you that the accident this morning confirmed my fears that we have Tories in camp. It may cause one or more of you to decide not to go and I will understand completely. The enemy has this loathsome habit of trying to capture me, and others inevitably get hurt. It will be a very dangerous trip." The general was clearly talking to all at the table, but he looked pointedly at Henry.

Henry smiled, and with confidence, said, "I am with you, General. I do not want to miss this for the world." Henry looked at Daniel and received a big smile in return.

Daniel said, "Mingo and I are with ya as well."

Jeremy and Isak quickly joined in with their agreements.

Lafayette grinned, showing his dimples, as he grabbed a slapjack and folded a piece of sausage in it, obviously making traveling food. "Allons! The horses are ready."