Kings Pinnacle by Robert Gourley Page A

I’ll take that and
something up front for my trouble,” said the stranger.
    The stranger had been a
scout for the Pennsylvania militia in his younger days, but he had
been discharged for theft and now made his living by his wits as
best as he could. He knew that Samuel Ruskin had been asking around
town for a guide to lead him and his small party west to trade with
the Iroquois. Based on the talk and who was passing it around, he
guessed that it was either whiskey or guns. It didn’t matter to him
which one it was as long as there was a coin to be made. So he
found out where Samuel Ruskin was located and soon spotted him in
the tavern. He had been drinking ale and eying Samuel and his two
friends for some time before he walked up to their table. It didn’t
take long in the conversation for him to realize what kind of man
Samuel Ruskin was and that happened to be a man after his own
heart.
    “ What can I call you?”
asked Samuel.
    “ My name’s Tom Jenkins,”
replied the scout as the two men shook hands and sat down to work
out the details of their arrangement.
     
    * * * *
     
    Alex
     
    “ Ye are welcome to bunk
with me at my cabin west of Fort Cumberland for a while till ye
figure out what ye want to do or where ye want to go, lad,” said
the Longhunter.
    As soon as it had become
clear the Iroquois band had retreated, the ferrymen had returned
the ferry to Williamsport, again unloading the people and animals,
this time including Alex and the Longhunter. Alex and the
Longhunter had stayed in Williamsport for a couple of weeks while
the Longhunter resupplied. The Longhunter talked to some of his old
acquaintances and acquired two horses. He spent most of his coins
at the dry goods store in Williamsport run by an Irish couple, Sean
Kelly and his wife, purchasing a few items he could not beg or
borrow to tide him over until he could hunt and trade again. The
Longhunter had lost practically everything he owned to the Iroquois
except his rifle and the clothes on his back. Since he had just
been back east to trade his furs, he had enough coins in the pouch
at his belt to pay for the horses and basic items that he needed.
But he would have to get to hunting soon to replenish his stash of
food and furs. Alex had dropped his rucksack back at the ambush
site with his few possessions in it, but he still had his musket,
powder horn, boot knife, dirk, and few coins in his pocket. While
in Williamsport, Alex earned a few extra coins doing odd jobs for
local merchants, so he could make a few necessary purchases. The
Longhunter had previously done business with the Kellys, who had no
children, and they gave the Longhunter and Alex good prices on
their purchases.
    When they had acquired
everything they could afford, Alex and the Longhunter once again
set out on The Great Wagon Road, heading west out of Williamsport.
They followed the main trail for about two miles and then left it
to continue on westward along the banks of the Potomac. The Great
Wagon Road turned south at this point on its way toward Winchester,
Virginia, and away from the Longhunter’s cabin. Following the route
along the banks of the Potomac River, the two men passed deeper
into the virgin forest. They stopped briefly at Fort Cumberland to
resupply and gather any news to be had. The local militia, called
the Maryland Rangers, was permanently stationed at Fort Cumberland.
Most of the Rangers were out on a patrol, so there was no major
news to be learned. But the Longhunter had many friends at the
fort, and he and Alex were well-received and well-fed during their
visit there.
    They left the fort and rode
further west toward the Longhunter’s cabin, with the Longhunter
riding a dappled grey horse and Alex riding a sleek roan pony that
was still a bit untamed. Those had been the only two horses for
sale in Williamsport, and the Longhunter had been lucky to find
them. The roan pony had been found wandering nearby and one of the
town’s men had chased it down.