t upon the
enemy's position; after which, the detachment can be guided by
circumstances."

This was very martial in sound, and the captain felt well assured that
Joyce was the man to attempt carrying out his own plan; but he made no
answer, sighing and shaking his head, as he walked away towards the
house. The chaplain followed, leaving the rest to observe the savages.

"Ye're proposition, serjeant, no seems to give his honour much
satisfaction," said the mason, as soon as his superior was out of
hearing. "Still, it was military, as I know by what I saw mysal' in the
Forty-five. Flainking, and surprising, and obsairving, and
demonstrating, and such devices, are the soul of war, and are a' on the
great highway to victory. Had Chairlie's men obsairved, and
particularised mair, there might have been a different family on the
throne, an' the prince wad ha' got his ain ag'in. I like your idea
much, serjaint, and gin' ye gang oot to practise it, I trust ye 'll no
forget that ye've an auld fri'nd here, willing to be of the pairty."

"I didn't think the captain much relished the notion of being
questioned about his son's feelin's, and visit up here, at a time like
this," put in one of the Americans.

"There's bowels in the man's body!" cried Mike, "and it isn't the likes
of him that has no falin'. Ye don't know what it is to be a father, or
ye'd groan in spirit to see a child of yer own in the grip of fiery
divils like them same. Isn't he a pratty man, and wouldn't I be
sorrowful to hear that he had come to har-r-m? Ye've niver asked,
serjeant, how the majjor got into the house, and ye a military sentry
in the bargain!"

"I suppose he came by command, Michael, and it is not the duty of the
non-commissioned officers to question their superiors about anything
that has happened out of the common way. I take things as I find them,
and obey orders. I only hope that the son, as a field-officer, will not
out-rank the father, which would be unbecoming: though date of
commissions, and superiority, must be respected."

"I rather think if a major in the king's service was to undertake to
use authority here," said the spokesman of the Americans, a little
stiffly, "he wouldn't find many disposed to follow at his heels."

"Mutiny would not fare well, did it dare to lift its head in this
garrison"--answered the serjeant, with a dignity that might better have
suited the mess-room of a regular regiment, than the situation in which
he w