st of their courage will be the first to
run on meeting the enemy."

"I was afraid it would come to that," Sergeant Corney whispered to me,
with a sigh. "It don't stand to reason that any man could hold his temper
a great while under such a tongue-lashin' as those curs gave the
commander, an' I'm predictin' that every mother's son of 'em will rue this
mornin's work."

Immediately the unwilling permission for them to do as they pleased had
been given, the men set about making ready for the advance as if each
moment was of the greatest value, and in an incredibly short time after
General Herkimer had been bullied into agreeing to that which his better
judgment told him to be wrong, the company was ready for the march.

"Are we to go with them?" I asked of the sergeant, believing for the
moment that it would be wiser for us to form an independent command of
two.

"Ay, lad, I'm thinkin' that we had best stand by the general, for he may
be needin' us before this mornin's work is done, an' we sha'n't be takin'
a great deal of time from Jacob, because, in case of arrivin' before
Colonel Gansevoort is ready for us, the scrimmage will soon be over."

The two colonels, who were responsible for this unsoldierly method of
conducting a campaign, busied themselves with getting the men into lines,
and all the while telling what it was possible for them to do to St. Leger
and his force, as if anything of value could be done when the idiots did
not have sufficient sense to make inquiries of those who could give them
full information regarding the strength of the enemy whom they were so
soon to meet.

Even had Sergeant Corney not decided to follow the commander before the
line of march had been arranged, he would have done so later, because
General Herkimer beckoned us to approach when he took his place at the
head of the column.

"Are you counting on coming with me, despite the unnecessary danger which
we know will be encountered?" he asked, and Sergeant Corney replied,
promptly:

"Ay, sir, that we are, and had already settled it in our own minds."

"Which portion of the besieging troops are we likely to meet first, if we
follow the trail?" the general asked.

"Thayendanega's camp lies southeasterly from the fort; but how far it may
be from the trail, I cannot say."

At this moment the report of a rifle from the direction of where the
outermost sentinels were stationed startled every one, including those
bloodthirsty colon