dren to wail. People came
running out of doors half dressed. A woman, gathering chips in her
dooryard, dropped them, lifted her dress above her head, and ran
for the house. Unable to see her way, she went around in a wide
circle for a minute or two, while the soldiers were laughing.
Another ball hit a big water-tank on top of the lead-works. It
hurled broken staves and a big slop of water upon the housetops,
and rolled a great iron hoop over roofs into the street below,
where it rolled on, chasing a group of men, who ran for their lives
before it. The attack was an odd sort of comedy all through, for
nobody was hurt, and all were frightened save those of us who were
amused. Our cannon gave quick reply, and soon the British stopped
firing and drew near. We knew that they would try to force a
landing, and were ready for them. We drove them back, when they
put off, and that was the end of it.

Next came the fight on the ice in February--a thing not highly
creditable to us, albeit we were then but a handful and they were
many. But D'ri and I had no cause for shame of our part in it. We
wallowed to our waists in the snow, and it was red enough in front
of us. But the others gave way there on the edge of the river, and
we had to follow. We knew when it was time to run; we were never
in the rear rank even then. We made off with the others, although
a sabre's point had raked me in the temple, and the blood had
frozen on me, and I was a sight to scare a trooper. Everybody ran
that day, and the British took the village, holding it only
twenty-four hours. For our part in it D'ri got the rank of
corporal and I was raised from lieutenant to captain. We made our
way to Sackett's Harbor, where I went into hospital for a month.

Then came a galling time of idleness. In June we went with General
Brown--D'ri and I and Thurst Miles and Seth Alexander and half a
dozen others--down the river to the scene of our first fighting at
Ogdensburg, camping well back in the woods. It was the evening of
the 27th of June that the general sent for me. He was at the
mansion of Mr. Parish, where he had been dining. He was sitting in
his dress-suit. His dark side-whiskers and hair were brushed
carefully forward. His handsome face turned toward me with a
kindly look.

"Bell," said he, "I wish to send you on very important business.
You have all the qualities of a good scout. You know the woods.
You have courage and skill and ta