The Rangers

least, are a

t thraldom ne

l the outer doors of the house, muttering to himself as he did so, "It can't be as Chandler fears, I think, about this fellow's going out to blab to-night; but as thi

partment. When the sound of his retiring footsteps had ceased to be heard, Bart, who had lingered in the

with flashing eyes he nodded significantly in the direction his master had taken. "You may ye

loquize: "Jackass!-sleepy devil!-not wit enough to see what they are at in six weeks, eh? Barty Burt, you are one of small fishes, it is true; but, for all that, you needn't be walloped about at this rate, and bamboozled, and swallowed entirely up by the big ones of this court-and-king party. You know enough to take care of yourself; yes, and

parent hesitation, respecting the course to be taken to find those of whom he was in quest. Soon, however, appearing to come to a determination, he struck out into the main street, and, with a quick step, proceeded on, perhaps a furlong, when he suddenly stopped short, and exclaimed, "Hold up, Bart. What did that sly judge say about searching in folks' sleighs, for-what was that word now?-But never mind, it meant guns. And what did the sheriff say about a dozen flint-and

e place, and resumed his walk to the northerly end of the village. After pursuing his way through the street, and some distance down the road beyond the village, he paused against a low, long log-house, standing endwise to the road. This house was occupied by a middle-aged, single man, known by the name of Tom Dunning, though often called Ditter Dunning, and sometimes Der Ditter, on account of his frequent use of these terms as prefixes to his words and sentences, arising from a natural impediment of speech. He was a hunter by profession, and passed most of his lime in the woods, or round the Connecticut in catch

embled at this house. And though he was personally unacquainted with the owner, and knew nothing of his principles, yet he was resolved to enter and trus

h an air which seemed to imply an expectation that his business would be at once announced. Bart, who was not to be discomposed by any t

een you somewhere?" at lengt

been there," replied Bart

what did you-der-ditter-find

at I was lo

hat wa

mee

hat me

like to go

y; it might be der-ditter-dangerous business to m

'em. But you haven't yet to

hat he could not decide whether the other was a knave, simpleton, or neither-"d

u tell me where to go an

way; der then, ditter turn to the ditter right, then to the ditter left, the

l you get your mouth off; may be it

able of a critter: and I've half a mind to risk you a piece; so come i

istle, on a low key, the tune of Yankee Doodle, which was then just beginning to be considered a patriotic air. Dunning, in the mean time, taking a seat in the opposite corn

should be a snuffing a little for the ditter smell of brimstone. So now if you are a court party tory, and come here for mischief, you've got into a place that will ditter prove too hot for you; but if, as I rather think, you are, or der want

and causing him the more completely to commit himself, Bart threw aside all bantering, and pr

t, he sprang to his feet, as the other finished his recital. "This must be made known direc

the house, which the two now entered; when Bart found himself in a company of near

ng the chairman, a prompt, fine-looking man, and the leading whig of the village;

ting his attention to a middle-aged man of a gentlemanly, intelligent appearance, who was standing on one

overawe us by open acts of oppression. Here, one man has been thrown into prison on the charge of high treason; when all they proved against him was the remark, that if the king had signed the Quebec bill, he had broken his coronation oath. There, another, a poor harmless recluse, as I have ever supposed him, is dragged from his hut in the mountains and imprisoned to await his trial for an alleged murder, committed long ago, and in another jurisdiction; when his only crime, with his prosecutors, probably, is his bold denunciations of their tyranny, unless, as some suspect, even a baser motive actuates them. They even proclaim, that all who dare question the king's right to tax us without our consent, are guilty of high treason and worthy of death! For myself, I seek not the suspension of this court at this time, on accou

p and general respo

," said the chairman, motionin

ears in one place and tongue in another; and his story is a ditter loud one. But let him tell it in his own way. So now, Barty Burt," he continued, going up to the other, who stood

drawing him out,-Bart then related his discoveries to his astonished and indignant auditors, giving such imitations of the manner of each of the co

erness to express their indignation and abhorrence of the bloody plot, which their opponents u

detestable and cowardly conduct of the tyrants. But one only can be heard at a time

enty-two, of a ready, animated appearance, while every look and motion of his ardent countenance and restless muscles proclaimed him to be of the most sanguine temperament and enthus

gn or significance; but when the spirit of a dream remains on the mind through the waking hours, as it has on mine, I know it has a meaning. Something has been hurrying me to be ready for the great event. I could not help coming here to-night. I cannot help bein

ords and manner of the young man, which evidently made an impression on his hearers at the time, and w

an, breaking the silence-"Mr. Fletcher, of Ne

e times-"I rose but to ask whether the news just received can be relied on: can it be, that Judge Chandler, a

iend here may have his peculiarities; but I consider him a thousand times more honest and hon

hen we came across a meeting-house with eight sides, and my friend asked me what order of architecture I called it. Ditter

f the court-were suggested. Some proposed to dismantle or tear down the Court House; others were for arming the people, seizing the building, and bidding open de

ive our foes no advantages by our imprudence. If we are the first to appear in arms, it may weaken our cause, while it strengthens theirs. Let them be the first to do this-let us place them in the wrong, and then, if they have recourse to violence and bloodshed, we will act; and no fear but the

thinking part of the company, yet it was at length adopted by the whole; and having made arrangem