The sudden pain made Abe
angry. The next thing that Jack knew he was being shaken back and forth
until his teeth rattled. Then he was lying flat on his back in the dust.
Jack's friends let out a howl of rage. Several of them rushed at Abe,
all trying to fight him at the same time. He stood with his back against
the store, his fists doubled up. He dared them to come closer. Jack
picked himself up.
"Stop it, fellows," he said. "I was beaten in a fair fight. If you ask
me, this Abe Lincoln is the cleverest fellow that ever broke into the
settlement."
From then on Jack was one of Abe's best friends.
A short time later Abe enlisted as a soldier in the Black Hawk War to
help drive the Indians out of Illinois. The Clary Grove boys were in his
company, and Abe was elected captain. Before his company had a chance to
do any fighting, Blackhawk was captured in another part of Illinois and
the war was over.
When Abe came back to New Salem, he found himself out of a job. Denton
Offut had left. The store had "winked out." Later, Abe and another young
man, William Berry, decided to become partners.
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