Neal, the Miller: A Son of Liberty Part 9

"Build mill?" and the Indian touched the bag of money with his foot.

"Do you mean that you won't stay unless I use that gold?"

Sewatis nodded.

"Suppose I did take it?"

The Indian seated himself as if to show he would remain.

It was fully an hour before Walter spoke again, and during that time he pondered over the matter in all its bearings. It seemed much like taking an undue advantage of Sewatis to use his money, and yet there could be no question but that he was pained when it was refused.

"I don't know why the fact of his being an Indian should prevent me from accepting the offer," the boy said to himself. "I would be perfectly willing to receive a loan from Master Leavitt, who has never shown half the friends.h.i.+p for me this red man has."

Sewatis watched him intently, and finally pushed the bag nearer.

"Yes, I will take it," Walter said, decidedly. "It is only to be loaned, and until I can pay it back you shall have half the profits of the business."

Sewatis nodded in approbation.

"And you are to stay here with me?"

"All time; now I call Injuns."

Walter was wholly at a loss to understand the meaning of this remark until Sewatis rose to his feet, uttering a cry that might well have been mistaken for a night-owl.

In response to it, half a dozen red men, each carrying a burden, came out from among the trees, and depositing their heavy loads in the lean-to, seated themselves before the fire in silence.

Sewatis motioned for Walter to look at that which had been brought, and while the latter wonderingly obeyed, he cut from the haunch of venison a sufficient number of steaks to serve as a hearty meal for the new-comers.

The boy's surprise may be imagined when he discovered that each of the packages was made up of furs, and he understood that the value of the whole lot greatly exceeded the amount of money in the bag.

"Big mill," Sewatis said, in a tone of satisfaction, and then he turned his attention to his followers, leaving Walter to speculate upon the good fortune which had come to him so unexpectedly.

The Indians remained in camp during that night, and at daybreak, after a breakfast of venison, all save Sewatis departed.

Never before had Walter worked as he did on the day succeeding the Indian's return. It was a perfect fever of industry, superinduced by the knowledge that there was now nothing to prevent the consummation of his desires save that which could be done by hands.

His companion appeared as before the coming of Jim Albert, with a single exception, and that was at the close of the fatiguing day's work, when he pointed to a slight elevation overlooking the site of the proposed mill, and said, quietly,--

"Sewatis build house there."

"So you shall, and between the two of us I reckon we can run the business as it should be."

Two days more the boy and his friend worked during every moment of daylight, and then came Stephen Kidder.

"Master McCleary is just behind me," he cried, before Walter could greet him.

"Master McCleary! Why has he come? Is there more danger for me?"

"You are free to go to Portsmouth this day. Samuel Haines has sailed for England, and there is little chance he will ever return."

Before Walter could realize the full bearing which Haines's departure would have upon his own affairs, Andrew McCleary came into view.

"It is a brave spot, my lad, and you have done well to choose it.

Master Leavitt gives me great encouragement in regard to advancing the money, but stipulates that he shall be made a partner in the enterprise, you to pay him interest on the entire amount until your debt of one-half is discharged."

"I shall not need his money, for I already have a partner who neither demands interest nor a portion of the profits," Walter replied, laughingly; and then he told his now mystified friends of what Sewatis had done.

McCleary insisted upon taking the Indian by the hand as he praised him, but not a word, either good or bad, could he persuade Sewatis to speak.

The mill was built and opened for business four months after the repeal of the Stamp Act, and Sewatis insisted on pouring into the hopper the first bushel of corn brought to be ground.

This much regarding Walter Neal and his friends is known through the writings of others, and the next mention which is made of either person immediately connected with this story is found in Belknap's "History of New Hamps.h.i.+re" regarding the battle of Bunker Hill, where he writes concerning the three New Hamps.h.i.+re regiments which were mustered into the service of Congress:

"The two former were present in the memorable battle on the heights on Charlestown, being posted on the left wing, behind a fence, from which they sorely galled the British as they advanced to the attack, and cut them down by whole ranks at once. In their retreat they lost several men, and among others the brave Major Andrew McCleary, who was killed by a cannon shot after he had pa.s.sed the Isthmus of Charlestown."

A letter now before the writer of this story, signed by Walter Neal and addressed to his mother at Portsmouth, tells of his service during the battle, while he was a member of the regiment to which Andrew McCleary was attached, and in it the miller says:

"Tell Sewatis that our n.o.ble friend is no more. He has given his life for his country, and when America takes her place among nations, McCleary's name will stand out bright as the sun."

THE END.