pose a toast to the banner of Alice Roussillon, which a whole
garrison of British braves has been unable to take!"

"If you do I'll blow a hole through you as big as the south door of
hell," said Hamilton, in a voice fairly shaken to a husky quaver with
rage. "You may do a great many insulting things; but not that."

Helm was in a half stooping attitude with a ladle in one hand, a cup in
the other. He had met Hamilton's glowering look with a peculiarly
innocent smile, as if to say: "What in the world is the matter now? I
never felt in a better humor in all my life. Can't you take a joke, I
wonder?" He did not speak, however, for a rattling volley of musket and
rifle shots hit the top of the clay-daubed chimney, sending down into
the toddy a shower of soot and dirt.

In a wink every man was on his feet and staring.

"Gentlemen," said Helm, with an impressive oath, "that is Clark's
soldiers, and they will take your fort; but they ought not to have
spoiled this apple toddy!"

"Oh, the devil!" said Hamilton, forcibly resuming a calm countenance,
"it is only a squad of drunken Indians coming in. We'll forego
excitement; there's no battle on hand, gentlemen."

"I'm glad you think so, Governor Hamilton," Helm responded, "but I
should imagine that I ought to know the crack of a Kentucky rifle. I've
heard one occasionally in my life. Besides, I got a whiff of freedom
just now."

"Captain Helm is right," observed Farnsworth. "That is an attack."

Another volley, this time nearer and more concentrated, convinced
Hamilton that he was, indeed, at the opening of a fight. Even while he
was giving some hurried orders to his officers, a man was wounded at
one of the port-holes. Then came a series of yells, answered by a
ripple of sympathetic French shouting that ran throughout the town. The
patrol guards came straggling in, breathless with excitement. They
swore to having seen a thousand men marching across the water-covered
meadows.

Hamilton was brave. The approach of danger stirred him like a
trumpet-strain. His fighting blood rose to full tide, and he gave his
orders with the steadiness and commanding force of a born soldier. The
officers hastened to their respective positions. On all sides sounds
indicative of rapid preparations for the fight mingled into a confused
strain of military energy. Men marched to their places; cannon were
wheeled into position, and soon enough the firing began in good earnest.

Late in the af