"So you will take <strong>the</strong> oath?" McLean asked, and saw how solemnly Beth gazed at her bro<strong>the</strong>r."Don't have much choice, sir, do I? Not if I want to fish and scratch a living."Brigadier McLean had issued a proclamation to <strong>the</strong> country about Majabigwaduce, assuring <strong>the</strong> inhabitants that if <strong>the</strong>y were loyal to his majesty andtook <strong>the</strong> oath swearing to that loyalty, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y would have nothing to fear from his forces, but if any man refused <strong>the</strong> oath, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> proclamation promisedhard times to him and his family. "You do indeed have a choice," McLean said."We were raised to love <strong>the</strong> king, sir," James said."I'm glad to hear it." McLean said. He gazed at <strong>the</strong> dark woods. "I understood," <strong>the</strong> brigadier went on, "that <strong>the</strong> authorities in Boston have beenconscripting men?""That <strong>the</strong>y have," James agreed."Yet you have not been conscripted?""Oh, <strong>the</strong>y tried," james said dismissively, "but <strong>the</strong>y're leery <strong>of</strong> this part <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts.""Leery?""Not much sympathy for <strong>the</strong> rebellion here, General.""But some folk here are disaffected?" McLean asked."A few," James said, "but some folk are never happy.""A lot <strong>of</strong> folks here fled from Boston," Bethany said, "and <strong>the</strong>y're all loyalists.""When <strong>the</strong> British left, Miss Fletcher? Is that what you mean?""Yes, sir. Like Doctor Calef. He had no wish to stay in a city ruled by rebellion, sir.""Was that your fate?" John Moore asked."Oh no," James said, "our family's been here since God made <strong>the</strong> world.""Your parents live in Majabigwaduce?" <strong>the</strong> brigadier asked."Fa<strong>the</strong>r's in <strong>the</strong> burying ground, God rest him," James said."I'm sorry," McLean said."And Mo<strong>the</strong>r's good as dead," James went on."James!" Bethany said reprovingly."Crippled, bedridden, and speechless," James said. Six years before, he explained, when Bethany was twelve and James fourteen, <strong>the</strong>ir widowedmo<strong>the</strong>r had been gored by a bull she had been leading to pasture. <strong>The</strong>n, two years later, she had suffered a stroke that had left her stammering andconfused."Life is hard on us," McLean said. He stared at a log house built close to <strong>the</strong> river's bank and noted <strong>the</strong> huge heap <strong>of</strong> firewood stacked against oneouter wall. "And it must be hard," he went on, "to make a new life in a wilderness if you are accustomed to a city like Boston.""Wilderness, General?" James asked, amused."It is hard for <strong>the</strong> Boston folk who came here, sir," Bethany said more usefully."<strong>The</strong>y have to learn to fish, General," James said, "or grow crops, or cut wood.""You grow many crops?" McLean asked."Rye, oats, and potatoes," Bethany answered, "and corn, sir.""<strong>The</strong>y can trap, General," James put in. "Our dad made a fine living from trapping! Beaver, marten, weasels.""He caught an ermine once," Bethany said proudly."And doubtless that scrap <strong>of</strong> fur is round some fine lady's neck in London, General," James said. "<strong>The</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re's mast timber," he went on. "Not so muchin Majabigwaduce, but plenty upriver, and any man can learn to cut and trim a tree. And <strong>the</strong>re are sawmills aplenty! Why <strong>the</strong>re must be thirty sawmillsbetween here and <strong>the</strong> river's head. A man can make scantlings or staves, boards or posts, anything he pleases!""You trade in timber?" McLean asked."I fish, General, and it's a poor man who can't keep his family alive by fishing.""What do you catch?""Cod, General, and cunners, haddock, hake, eel, flounder, pollock, skate, mackerel, salmon, alewives. We have more fish than we know what to dowith! And all good eating! It's what gives our Beth her pretty complexion, all that fish!"Bethany gave her bro<strong>the</strong>r a fond glance. "You're silly, James," she said."You are not married, Miss Fletcher?" <strong>the</strong> general asked."No, sir.""Our Beth was betro<strong>the</strong>d, General," James explained, "to a rare good man. Captain <strong>of</strong> a schooner. She was to be married this spring."McLean looked gently at <strong>the</strong> girl. "Was to be?""He was lost at sea, sir," Bethany said."Fishing on <strong>the</strong> banks," James explained. "He got caught by a nor'easter, General, and <strong>the</strong> nor'easters have blown many a good man out <strong>of</strong> this worldto <strong>the</strong> next.""I'm sorry.""She'll find ano<strong>the</strong>r," James said carelessly. "She's not <strong>the</strong> ugliest girl in <strong>the</strong> world," he grinned, "are you?"<strong>The</strong> brigadier turned his gaze back to <strong>the</strong> shore. He some-times allowed himself <strong>the</strong> small luxury <strong>of</strong> imagining that no enemy would come to attack him,but he knew that was unlikely. McLean's small force was now <strong>the</strong> only British presence between <strong>the</strong> Canadian border and Rhode Island and <strong>the</strong> rebelswould surely want that presence destroyed. <strong>The</strong>y would come. He pointed south. "We might return now?" he suggested, and Bethany obliged by turning<strong>the</strong> Felicity into <strong>the</strong> wind. Her bro<strong>the</strong>r hardened <strong>the</strong> jib, staysail, and main so that <strong>the</strong> small boat tipped as she beat into <strong>the</strong> brisk breeze and sharpdashes <strong>of</strong> spray slapped against <strong>the</strong> three <strong>of</strong>ficers' red coats. McLean looked again at Majabigwaduce's high western bluff that faced onto <strong>the</strong> wide river."If you were in command here," he asked his two lieutenants, "how would you defend <strong>the</strong> place?" Lieutenant Campbell, a lank youth with a prominent noseand an equally prominent adam's apple, swallowed nervously and said nothing, while young Moore just leaned back on <strong>the</strong> heaped nets as thoughcontemplating an afternoon's sleep. "Come, come," <strong>the</strong> brigadier chided <strong>the</strong> pair, "tell me what you would do.""Does that not depend on what <strong>the</strong> enemy does, sir?" Moore asked idly."<strong>The</strong>n assume with me that <strong>the</strong>y arrive with a dozen or more ships and, say, fifteen hundred men?"Moore closed his eyes, while Lieutenant Campbell tried to look enthusiastic. "We put our guns on <strong>the</strong> bluff, sir," he <strong>of</strong>fered, gesturing towards <strong>the</strong> highground that dominated <strong>the</strong> river and harbor entrance."But <strong>the</strong> bay is wide," McLean pointed out, "so <strong>the</strong> enemy can pass us on <strong>the</strong> far<strong>the</strong>r bank and land upstream <strong>of</strong> us. <strong>The</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y cross <strong>the</strong> neck," hepointed to <strong>the</strong> narrow isthmus <strong>of</strong> low ground that connected Majabigwaduce to <strong>the</strong> mainland, "and attack us from <strong>the</strong> landward side."Campbell frowned and bit his lip as he pondered that suggestion. "So we put guns <strong>the</strong>re too, sir," he <strong>of</strong>fered, "maybe a smaller fort?"McLean nodded encouragingly, <strong>the</strong>n glanced at Moore. "Asleep, Mister Moore?"Moore smiled, but did not open his eyes. "Wer alles verteidigt, verteidigt nichts," he said."I believe der alte Fritz thought <strong>of</strong> that long before you did, Mister Moore," McLean responded, <strong>the</strong>n smiled at Bethany. "Our paymaster is showing <strong>of</strong>f,Miss Fletcher, by quoting Frederick <strong>the</strong> Great. He's also quite right, he who defends everything defends nothing. So," <strong>the</strong> brigadier looked back to Moore,"what would you defend here at Majabigwaduce?""I would defend, sir, that which <strong>the</strong> enemy wishes to possess.""And that is?""<strong>The</strong> harbor, sir.""So you would allow <strong>the</strong> enemy to land <strong>the</strong>ir troops on <strong>the</strong> neck?" McLean asked. <strong>The</strong> brigadier's reconnaissance had convinced him that <strong>the</strong> rebelswould probably land north <strong>of</strong> Majabigwaduce. <strong>The</strong>y might try to enter <strong>the</strong> harbor, fighting <strong>the</strong>ir way through Mowat's sloops to land troops on <strong>the</strong> beachbelow <strong>the</strong> fort, but if McLean was in command <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rebels he reckoned he would choose to land on <strong>the</strong> wide, shelving beach <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> isthmus. By doingthat, <strong>the</strong> enemy would cut him <strong>of</strong>f from <strong>the</strong> mainland and could assault his ramparts safe from any cannon-fire from <strong>the</strong> Royal Navy vessels. <strong>The</strong>re was asmall chance that <strong>the</strong>y might be daring and assault <strong>the</strong> bluff to gain <strong>the</strong> peninsula's high ground, but <strong>the</strong> bluff's slope was dauntingly steep. He sighedinwardly. He could not defend everything because, as <strong>the</strong> great Frederick had said, by defending everything a man defended nothing."<strong>The</strong>y'll land somewhere, sir," Moore answered <strong>the</strong> brigadier's question, "and <strong>the</strong>re's little we can do can stop <strong>the</strong>m landing, not if <strong>the</strong>y come in sufficientforce. But why do <strong>the</strong>y land, sir?""You tell me."
"To capture <strong>the</strong> harbor, sir, because that is <strong>the</strong> value <strong>of</strong> this place.""Thou art not far from <strong>the</strong> kingdom <strong>of</strong> heaven, Mister Moore," McLean said, "and <strong>the</strong>y do want <strong>the</strong> harbor and <strong>the</strong>y will come for it, but let us hope <strong>the</strong>ydo not come soon.""<strong>The</strong> sooner <strong>the</strong>y come, sir," Moore said, "<strong>the</strong> sooner we can kill <strong>the</strong>m.""I would wish to finish <strong>the</strong> fort first," McLean said. <strong>The</strong> fort, which he had decided to name <strong>Fort</strong> George, was hardly begun. <strong>The</strong> soil was thin, rocky, andhard to work, and <strong>the</strong> ridge so thick with trees that a week's toil had scarcely cleared a sufficient killing ground. If <strong>the</strong> enemy came soon, McLean knew, hewould have small choice but to fire a few defiant guns and <strong>the</strong>n haul down <strong>the</strong> flag. "Are you a prayerful man, Mister Moore?" McLean asked."Indeed I am, sir.""<strong>The</strong>n pray <strong>the</strong> enemy delays," McLean said fervently, <strong>the</strong>n looked to James Fletcher. "Mister Fletcher, you would land us back on <strong>the</strong> beach?""That I will, General," James said cheerfully."And pray for us, Mister Fletcher.""Not sure <strong>the</strong> good Lord listens to me, sir.""James!" Bethany reproved her bro<strong>the</strong>r.James grinned. "You need prayers to protect yourself here, General?"McLean paused for a moment, <strong>the</strong>n shrugged. "It depends, Mister Fletcher, on <strong>the</strong> enemy's strength, but I would wish for twice as many men and twiceour number <strong>of</strong> ships to feel secure.""Maybe <strong>the</strong>y won't come, sir," Fletcher said. "Those folks in Boston never took much note <strong>of</strong> what happens here." Wisps <strong>of</strong> fog were drifting with <strong>the</strong>wind as <strong>the</strong> Felicity ran past <strong>the</strong> three sloops <strong>of</strong> war that guarded <strong>the</strong> harbor entrance. James Fletcher noted how <strong>the</strong> three ships were anchored fore andaft so that <strong>the</strong>y could not swing with <strong>the</strong> tide or wind, thus allowing each sloop to keep its broadside pointed at <strong>the</strong> harbor entrance. <strong>The</strong> ship nearest <strong>the</strong>beach, <strong>the</strong> North, had two intermittent jets <strong>of</strong> water pulsing from its portside, and James could hear <strong>the</strong> clank <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> elmwood pumps as men thrust at <strong>the</strong>long handles. Those pumps rarely stopped, suggesting <strong>the</strong> North was an ill-found ship, though her guns were doubtless efficient enough to help protect<strong>the</strong> harbor mouth and, to protect that entrance even fur<strong>the</strong>r, red-coated Royal Marines were hacking at <strong>the</strong> thin soil and rocks <strong>of</strong> Cross Island which edged<strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> channel. Fletcher reckoned <strong>the</strong> marines were making a battery <strong>the</strong>re. Behind <strong>the</strong> three sloops, and making a second line across<strong>the</strong> harbor, were three <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> transport ships that had carried <strong>the</strong> redcoats to Majabigwaduce. Those transports were not armed, but <strong>the</strong>ir size alone made<strong>the</strong>m a formidable obstacle to any ship that might attempt to pass <strong>the</strong> smaller sloops.McLean handed Fletcher an oilcloth-wrapped parcel <strong>of</strong> tobacco and one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spanish silver dollars that were common currency, as payment for <strong>the</strong>use <strong>of</strong> his boat. "Come, Mister Moore," he called sharply as <strong>the</strong> paymaster <strong>of</strong>fered Bethany an arm to help her over <strong>the</strong> uneven beach. "We have work todo!"James Fletcher also had work to do. It was still high summer, but <strong>the</strong> log pile had to be made for <strong>the</strong> winter and, that evening, he split wood outside <strong>the</strong>irhouse. He worked deep into <strong>the</strong> twilight, slashing <strong>the</strong> ax down hard to splinter logs into usable firewood."You're thinking, James." Bethany had come from <strong>the</strong> house and was watching him. She wore an apron over her gray dress."Is that bad?""You always work too hard when you're thinking," she said. She sat on a bench fronting <strong>the</strong> house. "Mo<strong>the</strong>r's sleeping.""Good," James said. He left <strong>the</strong> ax embedded in a stump and sat beside his sister on <strong>the</strong> bench that overlooked <strong>the</strong> harbor. <strong>The</strong> sky was purple andblack, <strong>the</strong> water glinted with little ripples <strong>of</strong> fading silver about <strong>the</strong> anchored boats; glimmers <strong>of</strong> lamplight reflected on <strong>the</strong> small waves. A bugle soundedfrom <strong>the</strong> ridge where two tented encampments housed <strong>the</strong> redcoats. A picquet <strong>of</strong> six men guarded <strong>the</strong> guns and ammunition that had been parked on <strong>the</strong>beach above <strong>the</strong> tideline. "That young <strong>of</strong>ficer liked you, Beth," James said. Bethany just smiled, but said nothing. "<strong>The</strong>y're nice enough fellows," Jamessaid."I like <strong>the</strong> general," Bethany said."A decent man, he seems," James said."I wonder what happened to his arm?""Soldiers, Beth. Soldiers get wounded.""And killed.""Yes."<strong>The</strong>y sat in companionable silence for a while as <strong>the</strong> darkness closed slow on <strong>the</strong> river and on <strong>the</strong> harbor and on <strong>the</strong> bluff. "So will you sign <strong>the</strong> oath?"Bethany asked after a while."Not sure I have much choice," James said bleakly."But will you?"James picked a shred <strong>of</strong> tobacco from between his teeth. "Fa<strong>the</strong>r would have wanted me to sign.""I'm not sure Fa<strong>the</strong>r thought about it much," Bethany said. "We never had government here, nei<strong>the</strong>r royal nor rebel.""He loved <strong>the</strong> king." James said. "He hated <strong>the</strong> French and loved <strong>the</strong> king." He sighed. "We have to make a living, Beth. If I don't take <strong>the</strong> oath <strong>the</strong>n<strong>the</strong>y'll take <strong>the</strong> Felicity away from us, and than what do we do? I can't have that." A dog howled somewhere in <strong>the</strong> village and James waited till <strong>the</strong> sounddied away. "I like McLean well enough," he said, "but . . ." He let <strong>the</strong> thought fade away into <strong>the</strong> darkness."But?" Bethany asked. her bro<strong>the</strong>r shrugged and made no answer. Beth slapped at a mosquito. "'Choose you this day whom you will serve,'" shequoted, "'whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> gods which your fa<strong>the</strong>r served that were on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> flood, or . . .'" She left <strong>the</strong> Bible verse unfinished."<strong>The</strong>re's too much bitterness," James said."You thought it would pass us by?""I hoped it would. What does anyone want with Bagaduce anyway?"Bethany smiled. "<strong>The</strong> Dutch were here, <strong>the</strong> French made a fort here, it seems <strong>the</strong> whole world wants us.""But it's our home, Beth. We made this place, it's ours." James paused. He was not sure he could articulate what was in his mind. "You know ColonelBuck left?"Buck was <strong>the</strong> local commander <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Massachusetts Militia and he had fled north up <strong>the</strong> Penobscot River when <strong>the</strong> British arrived. "I heard," Bethanysaid."And John Lymburner and his friends are saying what a coward Buck is, and that's just nonsense! It's all just bitterness, Beth.""So you'll ignore it?" she asked. "Just sign <strong>the</strong> oath and pretend it isn't happening?"James stared down at his hands. "What do you think I should do?""You know what I think," Bethany said firmly."Just 'cos your fellow was a damned rebel," James said, smiling. He gazed at <strong>the</strong> shivering reflections cast from <strong>the</strong> lanterns on board <strong>the</strong> three sloops."What I want, Beth, is for <strong>the</strong>m all to leave us alone.""<strong>The</strong>y won't do that now," she said.James nodded. "<strong>The</strong>y won't, so I'll write a letter, Beth," he said, "and you can take it over <strong>the</strong> river to John Brewer. He'll know how to get it to Boston."Bethany was silent for a while, <strong>the</strong>n frowned. "And <strong>the</strong> oath? Will you sign it?""We'll cross that bridge when we have to," he said. "I don't know, Beth, I honestly don't know."James wrote <strong>the</strong> letter on a blank page torn from <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> family Bible. He wrote simply, saying what he had seen in Majabigwaduce and itsharbor. He told how many guns were mounted on <strong>the</strong> sloops and where <strong>the</strong> British were making earthworks, how many soldiers he believed had come to<strong>the</strong> village and how many guns had been shipped to <strong>the</strong> beach. He used <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> paper to make a rough map <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> peninsula on which hedrew <strong>the</strong> position <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fort and <strong>the</strong> place where <strong>the</strong> three sloops <strong>of</strong> war were anchored. He marked <strong>the</strong> battery on Cross Island, <strong>the</strong>n turned <strong>the</strong> page overand signed <strong>the</strong> letter with his name, biting his lower lip as he formed <strong>the</strong> clumsy letters."Maybe you shouldn't put your name to it," Bethany said.James sealed <strong>the</strong> folded paper with candle-wax. "<strong>The</strong> soldiers probably won't trouble you, Beth, which is why you should carry <strong>the</strong> letter, but if <strong>the</strong>y do,and if <strong>the</strong>y find <strong>the</strong> letter, <strong>the</strong>n I don't want you blamed. Say you didn't know what was in it and let me be punished.""So you're a rebel now?"James hesitated, <strong>the</strong>n nodded. "Yes," he said, "I suppose I am.""Good," Bethany said.<strong>The</strong> sound <strong>of</strong> a flute came from a house higher up <strong>the</strong> hill. <strong>The</strong> lights still shimmered on <strong>the</strong> harbor water and dark night came to Majabigwaduce.
- Page 2 and 3: THEFORTA Novel of the Revolutionary
- Page 5 and 6: A voice in the darkness, a knock at
- Page 7 and 8: A Note on Names and TermsIn 1779 th
- Page 9: Chapter OneThere was not much wind
- Page 12 and 13: ecome a base for Britain's Royal Na
- Page 14 and 15: "I bloody hope so," Moore said with
- Page 16 and 17: Chapter TwoLieutenant-Colonel Paul
- Page 18 and 19: magazines that would keep the ammun
- Page 22 and 23: Excerpts of a letter from the Selec
- Page 25 and 26: inflate a company into a battalion
- Page 28 and 29: "The world would be better without
- Page 30 and 31: So now one less man would sail east
- Page 32 and 33: Chapter FourThe fleet sailed eastwa
- Page 34: "We were maltreated in Boston," Cal
- Page 37 and 38: Tyrannicide had also confirmed that
- Page 39 and 40: From the Oath demanded by Brigadier
- Page 41 and 42: "Plug it!" Little shouted at the ma
- Page 43 and 44: "You promoted me to general yesterd
- Page 45 and 46: "Long as it takes."They had to wait
- Page 47 and 48: Chapter SixThe daylight was fading.
- Page 49 and 50: "He's a patriot!" Lovell said in a
- Page 51 and 52: "What are you doing?" Revere again
- Page 53 and 54: A rowboat banged against the Centur
- Page 55 and 56: Chapter SevenThe first shots crashe
- Page 57 and 58: sir," McClure shouted over the musk
- Page 59 and 60: Solomon Lovell's heart seemed to mi
- Page 61 and 62: From Brigadier-General Lovell's des
- Page 63 and 64: emembered the tall American in his
- Page 65 and 66: "We thought him indestructible," De
- Page 67 and 68: could conceal men from the guns of
- Page 69 and 70: Chapter Nine"Where the devil is Rev
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"Then they will have something to f
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They would attack the battery.In th
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Hundreds? He wondered. Maybe two hu
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Chapter TenThe sun had not risen wh
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Praise the Lord, Wadsworth thought,
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marsh. The rebels patrolled that gr
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Letter from Brigadier-General Lovel
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on their flank?" Easily, Wadsworth
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Commodore Saltonstall declared he w
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ecome mired in pessimism and it nee
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Chapter TwelveAnd, suddenly, there
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at their sterns. Away to port was C
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need men willing to make that attac
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timber splinter to drive cloth into
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Chapter ThirteenA Royal Marine at t
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The fifty men filed through the aba
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dared to hope that the British woul
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From a letter by General Artemas Wa
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the powder charges were being carri
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fire, of the sparks flying and fall
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Historical NoteThe Penobscot Expedi
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on which Carnes was expertly equipp
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About the AuthorBERNARD CORNWELL, "
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CopyrightT HE FORT. Copyright (c) 2