e must be coming up near the point where the men are at work."

"Does your honour reflect at all on the reason why these fellows are so
particularly industrious in a time like this?--To me it has a very
ambuscadish sort of look!"

"It cannot be connected with an ambuscade, Joyce, inasmuch as we are
not supposed to be on a march. There can be no ambuscade, you will
remember, practised on a garrison."

"I ask your honour's pardon--may not a sortie be ambushed, as well as a
march?"

"In that sense, perhaps, you may be right. And, now you mention it, I
think it odd there should be so much industry at wood-chopping, in a
moment like this. We will halt as soon as the sounds are fairly abreast
of us, when you and I can reconnoitre the men, and ascertain the
appearance of things for ourselves."

"I remember, sir, when your honour led out two companies of ours, with
one of the Royal Irish, a major's command, of good rights, to observe
the left flank of the French, the evening before we stormed the enemy's
works at Ty--"

"Your memory is beginning to fail you, Joyce," interrupted the captain,
smiling. "We were far from storming those works, having lost two
thousand men before them, and failed of seeing their inside at all."

"I always look upon a soldierly attempt, your honour, the same as a
thing that is done. A more gallant stand than we made I never
witnessed; and, though we were driven back, I will allow, yet I call
that assault as good as storming!"

"Well, have it your own way, Joyce.--The morning before your storming,
I remember to have led out three companies; though it was more in
advance, than on either flank. The object was to unmask a suspected
ambush."

"That's just what I wanted to be at, your honour. The general sent you,
as an old captain, with three companies, to spring the trap, before he
should put his own foot into it."

"He certainly did--and the movement had the desired effect."

"Better and better, sir.--I remember we were fired on, and lost some
ten or fifteen men, but I would not presume to say whether the march
succeeded or not; for nothing was said of the affair, next day, in
general orders, sir--"

"Next day we had other matters to occupy our minds. It was a bloody and
a mournful occasion for England and her colonies."

"Well, your honour, that does not affect our movement, which, you say,
yourself, was useful."

"Very true, Joyce, though the great calamity of the succeeding day
prev