T. E. Story #60

 Hi Major,  I am sure that you are concerned that I was remiss in showing up sooner.  Dan the young chap that you met upon arrival, and I have been covering your back side closely for the past few days, and had to deal with what could have been a rather bad situation.  Dan knows every inch of this country in the day or night, and he wanted to side with me since we started.  I managed to get him a few clothes, and we acquired a small horse for him, and I am showing him how to use a knife in several nasty maneuvers..  We happened on some sign at the edge of dark while you and Josh were enjoying your meal that the ladies had prepared, and after sunset we took up the trail.  This is where Dan, and I really enjoy ourselves. There were two of them who had tried to conceal themselves, and had a wee fire heating some coffee water.  How wonderful of them to be so foolish.  These smells were like a magnet.  It appeared that they were waiting for something a bit later, so we hunkered down, and waited. After a while they covered the fire, and moved out.  It became clear that they were headed toward the road that you would be taking back to the wagon.  It wasn't long before they took up positions in ambush along that trail.  I drew Dan back, and asked him if he felt that he could take the smaller one out if need be.  His eyes told me he was. The moon was out, and the cloud cover was moving slowly by.  We arranged a signal, and moved out in our separate ways.  A bit later I caught the sound of your travel back to camp, and made the decision to act. Upon my signal I saw Dan strike as I disabled my target.  Dan came over, as I gaged my chap, and we dragged him back from the road. Dan knew of a small cave close by, and we descended back into it. After starting a small fire it wasn't long before I had extracted the info that I needed from him, and than we dumped both of these chaps deep in the cave, and headed for your wagon to update you on this incident.  Dan as usual would not come in, as he is determined to cover my back where ever I am.  This, and some other happenings have led me to know that your safety is now going to require my full attention.  Would you be able to get another engineer to help you with your mapping project.  I am pleased that you are blending in so well, but I must become invisible for all practical purposes.  I will come in, in the dark of night, and report. Dan, and I can live off the land easily.  You will need to keep me well informed as to your direction of travel, and stops along the way. We can try nightly, except when I feel it is not safe.  Knowing your direction of travel I will always be ahead of you checking the countryside for your safety.  Dan will travel back any messages that I have in that regards.  We are committed to this project, and must see it thru.  Should anything happen to me, Dan will find you, and discard my body so it will never be found.  Respectfully,  Your Servant,  Hezzy