rifle held in the hollow of the arm;
Captain Wells's Miamis skulked uneasily in dark corners, or hung over
the embers to cook some ration yet unused, their dark skins and long
coarse hair a reminder to us of the hostiles who watched without.
Captain Heald, in company with Captain Wells and John Kinzie, the
latter conspicuous by his white beard, stood long in deep converse near
the barracks, leaning against the black logs. I felt the two latter
were urging some change of plan; but in the end Wells left in vexation,
almost in anger, striding across the parade-ground to the northern
block-house.

In the shadow of the south stockade, some one was softly playing upon a
violin, the sweet notes stealing up through the wild hubbub in strains
of silvery sound. Close upon one side of the fire, forgetful of the
heat in their deep interest, two young soldiers were engrossed in a
game of cards, while a group of comrades commented freely on the
fortunes of the play. Scarcely a yard distant, a grizzled old
sergeant,--a veteran of the great war, no doubt,--bent above a book
held open upon his knee, the shape of which bespoke a Bible; while on
the other side a bevy of children were romping with their dogs or
playing with sharp knives in the hard ground. A woman over by the gate
lifted a sweet contralto voice in an old-time love-song, and had hardly
lilted the opening line before others joined her, making the night
resound to the tender melody. I saw the soldiers pause in their work
to beat time, and marked the dark forms of the sentries above on the
palisades as they leaned over to listen, every heart set throbbing with
the memory of days gone by.

"Man is indeed a strange animal," said a voice beside me, and I turned
to greet Ensign Ronan. "He can sing, laugh, and jest, in death's very
teeth."

"'T is better, surely, than to cry," I commented. "But these do not so
much as dream of death; the pledge of the Pottawattomies has brought
renewed hope."

"Yes, I know; though I confess I have little faith in it. And there
will be plenty of danger about us before we see Fort Wayne, even if
they pass us in safety around the lake. There will be leagues of
travel through hostile territory. That," he added, "is, to my mind,
the only sensible way of preparation, for the morrow."

He pointed to the old sergeant seated beside the fire with his Bible;
and I glanced into his boyish face with no little surprise.

"Some remark Surgeon Va