Drummer Boy: The Road North

[R08m4rv]

I have actually started reading the Original Drummer Boy again,  it's even better the second ( 3rd really) time around. There are somethings that I had remembered and needed to clear them up in my own mind.

[Arthur]

Thank you again guys for your patience, chapter 18 needed some special work and research so, along with three storms in one week here at home and waiting for the lashes on my back to heal after being given the whip for being late, I promise to have chapter 18 out this week.

I can give you a hint of what's to come, Snot is going to get pissed, all the herring barrels are empty and Thomas is going to get married (not).

Hope this all helps.

A

[Mark C.]

It's a good thing I don't live near you because I would lock you in your writing den and only give you dinner when you finished a chapter. Call it an incentive, grin....  just kiddIng.... take your time and do not think about anything but doing your best. The story and you is what counts, not us out here waiting.... anticipation will just sweeten the read.... 

[Jay]

I agree you should take your time and do it right. Grate works of art are not done by a few strokes of the pen. Unless you were Picasso. 

We know how hard you have worked on this story, just for our enjoyment. I as a fan of your work, wish to thank you for it. I do hope you enjoy wrighting it for us as much as we do reading it.

[R08m4rv]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

 

I agree you should take your time and do it right. Grate works of art are not done by a few strokes of the pen. Unless you were Picasso. 

We know how hard you have worked on this story, just for our enjoyment. I as a fan of your work, wish to thank you for it. I do hope you enjoy wrighting it for us as much as we do reading it.

 

Jay, I have noticed that sometimes you have a tendency to misspell some words that you use in your posts, (see highlighted ). Using the spell checker will get rid of these errors.This is not a great problem as even Arthur and most good and fantastic authors do occasionally. Arthur normally puts the blame on LOKI or the lack of Herrings in his life.  

I really hope the storms did not disrupt your life and writing too much Arthur, chapter 18 will be even better as the research is the most important and gives all of the chapters characters  their own unique places in the order of battles fought in the Peninsular Wars. Looking forward with great anticipation to seeing what young Snot and the scouts will do.

 

[Jay]

1 hour ago, R08m4rv said:

Jay, I have noticed that sometimes you have a tendency to misspell some words that you use in your posts, (see highlighted ). Using the spell checker will get rid of these errors.This is not a great problem as even Arthur and most good and fantastic authors do occasionally. Arthur normally puts the blame on LOKI or the lack of Herrings in his life.  

I really hope the storms did not disrupt your life and writing too much Arthur, chapter 18 will be even better as the research is the most important and gives all of the chapters characters  their own unique places in the order of battles fought in the Peninsular Wars. Looking forward with great anticipation to seeing what young Snot and the scouts will do.

 

Thank you R08m4rv for letting me know. I had meningioma the size of a tennis ball removed from my brain. It has been hard for me to regain the ability to read and form sentences. Only with peoples help can I hope to improve. Without someone telling I do not know when I do something wrong. I will try and do better.

[R08m4rv]

I am very sorry to hear that Jay, but you are doing very well and if you need the any encouragement I am sure that ALL of the guys will help you in any way they can.

My own Father died of a brain tumor, it was too late and he did not want the operation that could have given him some more time. I will always remember being woken by a phone call at 03:18 20th August, by my Eldest brother telling me he had passed on.

[Jay]

R08m4rv I am sorry and sadden to hear about your father. I am very happy you undetstand. If I may, I started reading CR and ofther sites to help improve my comperhension. They had told me to read what ever interest me, so that is what I have done. We have a wonderful community of people here on CR. They and yourself have been most kind to one another. If only the world outside CR would do the same.

[R08m4rv]

16 hours ago, Arthur said:

I can give you a hint of what's to come, Snot is going to get pissed, all the herring barrels are empty

 

 

7 hours ago, R08m4rv said:

Arthur normally puts the blame on LOKI or the lack of Herrings in his life.  

Looks like it is definitely lack of Herrings after three storms !!!!

[Tinker Taylor Soldier I]

The herring go deep during stormy weather. So they are more scarce. But Loki is always around.

Sir Arthur, our only whips for you are with something akin to a wet noodle.

Relax and enjoy writing it as much as we will enjoy reading it when you think it's ready.

Always sensed that no one should f'k around with young Lieutenant Morgan. This will be fun to read.

Thanks for the update. It's even good to get bad news from you.  :-)

[Wild Bob]

This story consumes me.  I love the attention to detail and i start to go crazy on Tuesday in anticpation of the next chapter.  This story could well go on after the the fall of Napoleion.  Trouble in Spain and then getting even with those in England.  What great possibilities.

 

Wild Bob

[R08m4rv]

You should read the comments here from page 1 Bob, welcome to the world of Sir Arthur and Thomas and all their friends and fans here.

Edited April 19, 2017 by R08m4rv
added to the short sentence

[Tinker Taylor Soldier I]

5 hours ago, R08m4rv said:

You should read the comments here from page 1 

Wild Bob, you're obviously a well-bred gentleman with well-developed tastes in all things important... like the rest of us here.  :-)     If you jump into reading our comments, be sure you've read the chapter before getting into our comments to avoid spoilers. We like to publicly rehash what we've just read, weighing the herring content in each chapter.

[militarypress]

...out of LIKES for today.....so what happens is that when you cant read any new story lines....you spend your time reading what others have written about the story...so after reading the whole story ....you have also read the entire Story Discussion....(and have gotten to know just a little bit more about who else is reading). A fine use of valuable time I say.................

[Arthur]

Hey guys!

guess what?

IT'S Thursday

Pizza for dinner (with anchovies, I'm short on herrings)

[R08m4rv]

Arthur, I notice that Thomas and his Army are MEAT eaters. They never seem to eat any kind of fish at all.    

Actually it's Friday where I live !!!!!

 

 

[Castle Herald]

Arthur

Drummer Boy: The Road North

Climbing Every Mountain

Chapter 18

[CMSgtZulu]

Since it has been 2 weeks for a new chapter (thank you Arthur!), I popped open a new bottle of brandy (unfortunately, not requisitioned by Carmelo from a Frenchman's tent). 

[Jay]

WOW. We see Thomas return to his camp after a hard four day ride. Once he had a bit of rest he went back to work. Once his officers joined him the plan was set out. They quickly movered to put in action. Turning to Snot and his bunch they did have a bit of fun with the english officers. They did their job as they always have done. 

It was well worth the wait. A very good read indeed. I enjoy so much each time a new chapter is posted. As I am sure all the fans of this story are. 

[R08m4rv]

Two days later and sixty miles further along the mountain range and with the men now becoming used to the hard slog each day, there came one more test for the guides. One that was unforeseen and no one was ready for it. The senior English officers were taken entirely by surprise, but not Snot and Maketja. It was the two boys that settled the affair in a quick and final way. It was reported afterwards that even Sir Thomas Graham could only say good things about the two young officers.

Is Arthur going to tell us what happened in the next gripping chapter or is this an Anchovy as he has run out of Herrings.

I had a feeling that Snot Morgan would not let any English Officer mess him about, this was proved by him letting Sir Thomas know that Wellington would not be at all pleased if he was late for the battle. I really like that young Snot does not balk any nonsense as it proved when he went back to England on a mission for Thomas.

Looking forward to Chapter 19, as long as LOKI and the Politicians and storms keep away from Arthur so he can finish on time next week.

 

CMSgtZulu

Since it has been 2 weeks for a new chapter (thank you Arthur!), I popped open a new bottle of brandy (unfortunately, not requisitioned by Carmelo from a Frenchman's tent). 

I had to open a new litre bottle of Chivas Regal, only problem is I had the last of it last night  Two weeks without Thomas can drive some people to drink, Arthur please note.

 

[Tinker Taylor Soldier I]

It’s good to see Thomas is starting to realize this could be perhaps their last big push against the French, if all goes well. Daylight, following a long darkness. Under his leadership, his officers and men pay extra attention to all the details of their preparations; nothing left to chance; not a time to relax and get careless.

It’s a bit sad that the character of General Sir Thomas Graham was so predictable… dare I say, so unfortunately expected of his class and rank in the British army. I’m starting to wonder how they (the British army) managed to achieve anything at all, with so many leaders drawn almost exclusively from the English upper class, regardless of their true abilities (often totally incompetent), and blinded by arrogance. Maybe their loss of most of their North American colonies a couple decades earlier was telling, rather than the fluke they pretended it was.

Fortunately, Lieutenant Morgan and Captain Maketja show up to save their bacon. They’re brilliant! They are focused on achieving their assignment, no matter what. So they immediately and accurately assess the obstacle they face, and deal with it in a calculated manner to get what they must have. They don’t waste time or words, and they wisely cover themselves with written orders from the stupid general. Once they were on the move, it’s fun that they managed a hot meal while the English soldiers made do with their cold and meager food supplies.

But, what will be the unexpected event they’re about to face up in those mountains? Looking forward to reading this next chapter (if that’s where Sir Arthur presents it).

Okay, Sir Arthur, this chapter made my palms sweat a little. Trudging a very narrow path along a mountain edge makes me more anxious than facing an impending battle. I don’t mind looking down from an airplane at 30,000 feet. But I’m really not keen on sheer drops, where you might get pushed off when the person or the horse next to you stumbles.

I first experienced this anxiety when I was driven through the Colombian Andes in a beat-up old Toyota 4-wheeler. As I looked from my window, down the steep mountainside, my driver amused himself by telling of the bus that recently went off the road in that area. He said the passengers who weren’t killed instantly by the crash were finished off by the snakes at the bottom of the ravine. That evening, I grew worried while dining on some kind of roasted rodent akin to muskrat… not worried about what I was eating, but by how heavily the driver was drinking. I think the look on my face told him I needed to be drinking more too, so he gave me my own bottle of Aguadiente. The next morning I awoke safe, back in my Pasto hotel room. I still have no idea how we made it back through the mountains that night. But that’s probably a good thing.

How many more English soldiers will fall to their deaths before they get through the mountains? I’ll be glad when this mountain passage is finished.

Thanks for another brilliant chapter, Arthur. Well worth the wait.

[dtm180]

It is Good to read what is going on over there on the peninsular, I agree with everything said sofar.

 

First off,

 @R08m4rv,

I agree with you, i too am curious if Arthur wil indulge us and tell us what happens with Snot and Maketja that the British officers were unprepared for.

 

I admit i like the fact that Thomas's boys and men are always extra alert when on the move even when they act so relaxed you would not expect for them to be alert.

 

I also have to agree with @Tinker Taylor Soldier I, It is a shame that the General, Sir Thomas Graham's character was predictable, alas that is how it always was with the british back then.

 

Oh, i'm already waiting for the next Chapter, and yes, i know it wil come when it comes. This story just has me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It is an epic read.

 

[Tinker Taylor Soldier I]

Singing... "It's Tuesday! It's Tuesday! Only Twos Days more!"  (J'espère.)   

(This is that wet noodle I mentioned.)

It's really great to be alive, employed, literate, and a member of the "Friends of Thomas Club!" 

Pity the poor b'ds who aren't reading this story because they can't read, don't have Internet access, haven't found this great website and explored Sir Arthur's stories, or they're just unfortunately too base to appreciate things like history and literature.

Ahhh... we lucky few...

[R08m4rv]

25 minutes ago, Tinker Taylor Soldier I said:

Singing... "It's Tuesday! It's Tuesday! Only Twos Days more!"

Tinker how come you get the chapters on Thursday and I have to wait until Friday morning ? 

 

28 minutes ago, Tinker Taylor Soldier I said:

It's really great to be alive, employed, literate, and a member of the "Friends of Thomas Club!" 

And what about the unemployed and those Fans who are unable to work,who are also waiting for the next enthralling chapter (not me I am still working)

 

31 minutes ago, Tinker Taylor Soldier I said:

Pity the poor b'ds who aren't reading this story because they can't read, don't have Internet access, haven't found this great website and explored Sir Arthur's stories, or they're just unfortunately too base to appreciate things like history and literature.

This paragraph is a BIT Racist I personally think, there are members who are recovering from serious operations and are getting better for reading about Thomas and his Friends.  

PLEASE THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE POSTING WHAT COULD BE HURTFUL TO LOYAL FANS OF A.RTHUR

[Tinker Taylor Soldier I]

4 hours ago, R08m4rv said:

PLEASE THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE POSTING WHAT COULD BE HURTFUL TO LOYAL FANS OF A.RTHUR

Duly chastised. I'm sincerely sorry if I offended anyone. That was certainly not my intent.