Furthermore, Colonel Clark was off the next morning at dawn to buy a
Mississippi keel-boat. He had her rigged up with two four-pounders and
four swivels, filled her with provisions, and called her the Willing.
She was the first gunboat on the Western waters. A great fear came into
my heart, and at dusk I stole back to the Colonel's house alone. The
snow had turned to rain, and Terence stood guard within the doorway.
"Arrah," he said, "what ails ye, darlin'?"
I gulped and the tears sprang into my eyes; whereupon Terence, in
defiance of all military laws, laid his gun against the doorpost and put
his arms around me, and I confided my fears. It was at this critical
juncture that the door opened and Colonel Clark came out.
"What's to do here?" he demanded, gazing at us sternly.
"Savin' your Honor's prisence," said Terence, "he's afeard your Honor
will be sending him on the boat. Sure, he wants to go swimmin' with the
rest of us."
Colonel Clark frowned, bit his lip, and Terence seized his gun and stood
to attention.
"It were right to leave you in Kaskaskia," said the Colonel; "the water
will be over your head."
"The King's drum would be floatin' the likes of him," said the
irrepressible Terence, "and the b'ys would be that lonesome."
The Colonel walked away without a word. In an hour's time he came back
to find me cleaning his accoutrements by the fire.
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