to know and what my mission required me to do. (Par. 981.)

=Captain:= What are you going to do now, Corporal?

=Corporal James:= We have traveled about two miles and stopped
frequently, so it must be about 4 o'clock. It is one and one-third
miles back to York, where I should arrive about 5 o'clock. It would
take me twenty-five minutes to go from here to York, so I have about
thirty-five minutes left before 5 o'clock. This will permit me to go
forward another mile and still be able to reach York on time. It is
two-thirds of a mile to the Mason farm, and if the hostile patrol
appears to be going on, I will start for that point. Did anyone at the
Mills' farm see us?

=Captain:= No, but tell me first why you do not go along this high
ground that overlooks the valley?

=Corporal James:= Because our patrol that started out the Valley Pike
is probably near Twin Hills and I want to cover other country. The
orchard at Mason's would obstruct my view from the hills.

=Captain:= The hostile patrol goes on south. Describe briefly your
next movements.

=Corporal James:= I lead my patrol over to Mason's and, concealing two
of the men so that both roads and the house can be watched, I take one
man and reconnoiter around the farm yard and go up to the house to
question the inhabitants. (Par. 996.)

=Captain:= You find one woman there who says some other soldiers, on
foot, passed there a few minutes ago, marching south. She gives you no
other information about the enemy or country.

=Corporal James:= I would send Amos over to see how deep and wide
Sandy Creek is (Par. 1001.) When he returned I would take the patrol
over to Twin Hills, follow the ridge south to the stone wall on the
County Road, watching the valley for signs of the hostile patrol, and
follow the road back to York; then make my report to the Captain,
telling him where I had gone, all I had seen, including a description
of the country. If I had not been hurried, I would have made a sketch
of the valley. I can make a rough one after I get in. (Par. 1015.)

=Captain:= Suppose on your way back you saw hostile troops appearing
on the County Road, marching west over Sandy Ridge. Would you stay out
longer or would you consider that you should reach Oxford by 5
o'clock?

=Corporal James:= I would send a message back at once, and remain out
long enough to find out the strength and probable intention of the new
enemy.

=Captain (to one platoon of his troop of cavalry)