The Lighthouse Brigade The St. Johns River Adventure

By Susanne Griffith

Happily homeward bound...or so they thought...

 

Tommy, Frank, and Chris, members of the Lighthouse Brigade, are back again with a new adventure! Their return trip home is interrupte

• Language: English
• Publisher: GENESIS PUBLISHING HOUSE
• Release date: Apr 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798989502622

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

SUBPOENAS!

The sound of approaching horses broke the early morning silence. Captain Jamison stood up to look as two riders appeared from a line of trees just beyond their campsite. Frank, Tommy, and Chris, still a little apprehensive of strangers, sat quietly by and continued to drink their coffee and warm themselves by the fire.

As the riders dismounted, the boys noticed a flicker of bright light as the sun bounced off the badges pinned to their shirts. The older man took some papers out of his saddlebag and moseyed over to the captain.

Are you Captain Jamison?

The captain nodded. I am, he said, wondering who this man was, how he knew his name, and how he found him in the middle of the woods.

I’m George Brown, the sheriff out of Luraville, he continued, reaching out and shaking hands with the captain, and this is my deputy, Matt Williamson. Your lieutenant told us you were escorting the boys from the Lighthouse Brigade back to their home in Palm Beach. We wanted to find you before you got too far south. We’re here with papers for you and the boys, he added, nodding toward Frank, Tommy, and Chris.

Papers? asked the captain.

Yes. A military court is being convened in Tallahassee for the men you accused of treason and attempted kidnapping. The four of you are expected to be there to testify, he said, handing a summons of appearance to the captain.

After looking at the name on the next piece of paper, he asked, Which one of you fellas is Frank? Frank stood up. The sheriff walked over and handed him his summons. Following Frank’s lead, Chris and Tommy also stood up. Now, which of you two is Chris? continued the sheriff. Chris nodded and raised his finger. Then this is for you. Finally, looking at Tommy, he said, Well, son…this one must be yours, handing him the last piece of paper.

As they were each taking their summons from the sheriff, Captain Jamison began reading aloud. By order of the governor of the state of Florida, James Milton, you are hereby commanded to appear in Tallahassee, Florida, as a witness at the military trial of Samuel Owens, Charles Owens, William Smith, Thomas Fitzgerald, and George Williams, who at this time, are being held for the charge of treason and attempted kidnapping. Court will convene at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, April...

While he continued to read, the boys remembered hiding in the bushes and overhearing Sam’s words to his buddies, Since you guys weren’t at the cabin yet to help me snatch them, I told them it was my sister’s place... and then, from a voice they didn’t recognize, "We’ve got to keep those boys from getting to the lighthouse. We’ve got to find them and find them fast." They momentarily relived the disbelief, fear, and panic they had felt that day.

Finally, Tommy sighed and said, We were hoping we wouldn’t have to see any of those men ever again. Sam treated us like he cared about us when all he really wanted to do was kidnap us so we couldn’t put out the light at the St. Marks Lighthouse. He is a traitor. He and his men wanted to stop us so the Yanks could get up the river and capture Tallahassee.

The captain offered the sheriff and his deputy a cup of coffee and what was left of their breakfast. As they all sat by the fire, the boys began to relate some of their experiences.

Tommy’s right, sheriff, Sam did treat us like he cared about us…almost like we were his own sons, added Frank. "He let us ride in his wagon from Palm Beach to Luraville. He was careful to explain everything to us like why the scouts would suddenly stop the wagons, the responsibilities of the Cow Calvary, and the movement of the Yankee troops. He protected and encouraged us on the trail, and he always made sure that we were comfortable and had plenty to eat. When we reached Luraville, he and his wife took us in for the night. They insisted that we get a good night of sleep in their home and fed us a big breakfast before we took off on our own. Sam even gave us one last ride all the way to his sister’s cabin. After all the nice things that he did, we were surprised and taken aback when we overheard Sam and his friends talking about stopping us and keeping us from putting out the light at St. Marks. We were hiding in the shrubbery, and they had stopped near enough for us to hear everything they said. As soon as they moved on up the road a bit, we ran and then hiked deep into the woods until we came upon Captain Jamison’s camp."

I saw Sam there, interrupted Chris. I overheard him talking to Captain Jamison. He was still looking for us. Fortunately, the captain knew exactly who he was talking about and...

Wait! Chris interrupted his own thoughts about Sam. Standing up, he continued, If we’re going to have to testify against Sam, we need to go to his sister’s cabin first. We need to try to find proof that Sam and his buddies were staying there, not his sister and her children like he told us.

Well now, said Sheriff Brown, I can help you with part of that, son. I grew up with Sam and his brother, Charles. We were in school together. They don’t have a sister. It was just Sam and Charles, no girls.

The boys looked at each other. Hmm...no sister? Then that means there were no children in the cabin, said Chris.

No wonder it was so quiet when we were there, added Frank.

That also explains why Sam wouldn’t let you help him carry the bags, he said he brought for them, up to the cabin, said Tommy, looking at Frank.

Seems like you’re right, Chris, said Captain Jamison. "We really do need to see exactly what is in that cabin. Then looking at the sheriff, he added, You and Matt care to join us?"

Tommy doused the fire while Frank rinsed their coffee pot and utensils. Chris bagged up the rest of the supplies as the captain brought the horses around. Captain Jamison and the boys quickly saddled their horses, rolled up their bedrolls, and tied them to the back of their saddles. They were attaching their food, cookware, and gunny sacks to their supply horse when Captain Jamison’s scout rode into camp.

Captain Jamison! he hollered.

The captain waved him over. Good to see you, he said as they shook hands.

Jake! The boys yelled, running over to the two men.

Hi, boys! I’ll bet you’re ready to get home...

The boys looked at each other somberly.

Well, Jake, the captain interrupted, it looks like the five of us will have to take a little detour before we can get these boys back to their home. We’ve each been given a summons to appear and testify at the treason trial for those five traitors you guys tracked down and brought back to camp a few weeks ago. We’re heading out to see if we can find any evidence at Sam’s sister’s cabin. There seems to be some unanswered questions surrounding it. I need for you to ride back to camp and let the lieutenant know about our change of plans. Then, catch up with us. We’ll be on the eastern road to Luraville. The boys said the cabin is located shortly after a big split in the road. It’s on the left. It’s old and rundown. Our horses should be in front of it.

Yes sir, Jake replied as he swung his leg over the saddle and quickly disappeared into the woods.

After several hours of hard riding, the six riders stopped to rest and water their horses. The boys soon realized that they were close to the exact spot where they had hidden in the shrubbery and overheard Sam and his men discussing their true plans for them. Although it had only been a little less than two weeks ago, it seemed like yesterday or forever ago that they were here. They couldn’t decide which. Chris, Frank, and Tommy whispered quietly to each other as they remembered that day. They walked across the road and up to the exact spot. In his head, Tommy paused and thanked God for taking care of them through every step of their journey.

Captain Jamison walked over to the boys, You fellas okay?

Yes sir, we’re fine, answered Frank. We’re just remembering the conversation we overheard between Sam and his men. This is where we were hiding, he added, pointing down into the shrubbery.

I was just thinking about how differently things could have gone for us if Sam had found us, Tommy said with a shiver.

Within the hour, the riders were back on the trail. The boys were tense and focused. They knew it was up to them to find the cabin. They soon came to the fork in the road that Sam had told them about when he was giving them directions to the St. Marks Lighthouse.

They slowed down, and Chris signaled to the others to veer to the right. They were on the eastern road. It wasn’t much further now to the cabin where Sam said his sister lived.

CHAPTER TWO

THE CABIN

T here it is! yelled Frank, looking at the others and pointing to an old, shabby cabin set back in the woods.

The riders dismounted, tied up their horses, and carefully looked around. An eerie quiet settled over them as they cautiously approached the cabin. Sheriff Brown and his deputy led the way. Both of them had their right hand resting lightly on the handle of their holstered guns. As the sheriff gently knocked on the front door, Captain Jamison slipped to the right side of the cabin. He peered into each of the windows as he circled the small home. He soon reappeared on the opposite side and stood behind the boys.

It doesn’t look like anyone is in there, sheriff. In fact, it looks pretty bare, the captain said in a quiet voice.

Sheriff Brown guardedly reached out and turned the rusty handle on the front door. The door creaked as he slowly pushed it open. He shouted into the darkness, It’s Sheriff Brown here, the sheriff out of Luraville. The only response was the musty, dank odor that greeted him as he entered the room. There doesn’t appear to be anyone living here right now, he called out to the others.

They all crowded into the sparsely furnished living room behind him.

Okay, Captain Jamison spoke up as he looked around the room. Let’s split up and see if we can find anything in or outside this cabin that will support our case.

We’ll check the outside, volunteered the sheriff as he and Matt headed back out.

Seeing an open door, Frank asked, How ’bout if Tommy and I check out this bedroom?

Sounds good, Frank, said the captain. Then looking around he added, Chris, why don’t you poke around the living room, and I’ll see if I can find any evidence in the kitchen.

Frank looked under the bed. Nothing there, he whispered.

Tommy moved slowly around the room. He spotted something rolled up on the floor in the corner. He walked over and picked up a white scarf. Looking at it, his eyes grew large. Hey, Frank, look!

Frank stood up. His heart grew heavy when he took a closer look at the scarf. Tommy, is that…? He choked, That can’t be Elisabeth’s, can it?

It looks just like the one she wore to school during the winter, said Tommy. It’s the same color and it has the initials, ‘ELT’ in black, just like Elisabeth’s mother put on hers...Elisabeth Louise Thompson.

Remember how proud she was when her mother did hers special like that? It’s hard to believe that there could be another scarf just like it. Frank paused and looked at Tommy. "I don’t understand this at all. How could this be Elisabeth’s scarf? What would her scarf be doing here?"

Go through the drawers, Tommy. Let’s see if there’s anything else that might belong to Elisabeth in here.

The drawers banged as he opened and closed them. Nope, there’s nothing here. They’re all empty.

Looking around the room one last time, Frank added, I don’t see anything else either.

Captain Jamison called to the boys from the kitchen, Tommy, Frank, Chris, come here!

When they entered the kitchen, the captain pointed to the six sacks sitting on a white, wooden table.

Hey, said Chris, looking at Captain Jamison. Those kinda look like the sacks that Sam had in the back of his wagon. I can’t say for sure though. We never looked inside them. Sam said they were bags of food that he was bringing to his sister and her children. He told us that her husband and older boys were fighting for the Confederacy in North Carolina, so he tried to help out by checking on them and delivering food twice a week.

Frank, you picked up one of the sacks. What do you think? asked Tommy, looking at his brother.

Frank walked over to the table and picked up one of the bags. It could be. It feels about right.

What’s in them? asked Tommy, opening the bag that Frank had just set down. Look, potatoes and apples. They’re still pretty firm. They look like they’re fresh from a garden. They can’t have been here too long.

The captain stood back, holding a small bag in his hand, as the boys rummaged through all the sacks on the table. More food, they muttered as each one was opened.

What do you think this means, captain? asked Tommy. "Was there a woman with children living here? Were Sam and his buddies held up here waiting to kidnap us? Or was there something else going on here that we haven’t figured out?" He asked the last question as he thought about the scarf he and Frank had discovered in the bedroom.

Well, Tommy, I was just wondering the same thing, said the captain as he opened the small handbag that he had been holding. All three of the boys looked on curiously, straining to see what was inside of it.

This bag seems to have belonged to a young girl,