Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда
Chapter 5
Hehadreachedhisfarmoverhalfanhourbefore,andthestrangelighthadsoonafterwardshotoncemoreintothesky,buttherewerenolightsinanyvisiblewindows.Thiswasalwaysthecaseoflate.Evenasthisnewswasgivenanothergreatglarearosetowardthesouth,andthepartyrealizedthattheyhadindeedcomeclosetothesceneofawesomeandunnaturalwonders.Capt.Whipplenoworderedhisforcetoseparateintothreedivisions;oneoftwentymenunderEleazarSmithtostrikeacrosstotheshoreandguardthelanding-placeagainstpossiblereinforcementsforCurwenuntilsummonedbyamessengerfordesperateservice,asecondoftwentymenunderCapt.EsekHopkinstostealdownintotherivervalleybehindtheCurwenfarmanddemolishwithaxesorgunpowdertheoakendoorinthehigh,steepbank,andthethirdtocloseinonthehouseandadjacentbuildingsthemselves.OfthisdivisiononethirdwastobeledbyCapt.Mathewsontothecrypticalstoneedificewithhighnarrowwindows,anotherthirdtofollowCapt.Whipplehimselftothemainfarmhouse,andtheremainingthirdtopreserveacirclearoundthewholegroupofbuildingsuntilsummonedbyafinalemergencysignal.
Theriverpartywouldbreakdownthehillsidedooratthesoundofasinglewhistle-blast,thenwaitandcaptureanythingwhichmightissuefromtheregionswithin.Atthesoundoftwowhistle-blastsitwouldadvancethroughtheaperturetoopposetheenemyorjointherestoftheraidingcontingent.
