eplied, in perplexity.

"Ay, lad, that's the way it looks to a decent man; but sich fellows as
these here who are makin' a row, are the ones who're always lookin' ahead,
thinkin' matters may be bettered, an' regardin' not the possibility of
their growin' worse. Here they are, like to come on short allowance, an'
obleeged to take their turn at bein' shot at now an' then, consequently,
not havin' the heart to endure even the lightest sufferin', they say we
can't be any worse off, an' ought to surrender."

"But they know the nature of Thayendanega's wolves as well as do you or
I."

"Yes, they did know yesterday; but now, because their stomachs are not
quite full, they're ready to admit that every redskin is an imitation
angel."

"Think you they can badger the colonel?" Jacob asked, thoughtfully, thus
repeating my question in different words.

"I will say to you as I did to Noel, that they're like to get the rough
end of it before drivin' him into a mistake. We who are not inclined to be
mutinous can help him out a good bit in this matter."

"How?" I asked, in perplexity.

"By standin' out stiffly against their fool talk, though there ain't much
chance you can convince 'em with words; but if one, or half a dozen, for
that matter, gives me an openin', I'll see if the weight of my fist can't
beat some sense into them."

It is not agreeable to set down the details of such a disgraceful scene as
we witnessed during the next four and twenty hours, and more than painful
to describe how the mutiny was finally checked. It must be done, however,
if I would write fairly the part which we Minute Boys of the Mohawk Valley
took in the troubles and triumphs round-about Fort Schuyler; but I will
give the story in as few words as possible.

It so chanced that during this day the rations dealt out to us were
smaller than before, and this gave the fool croakers an opportunity of
airing their grievances in fine style.

Those who should have been steadily attentive to their duties, with never
a thought in their minds of anything save besting the motley crew that
besieged us, began to talk openly of starvation, as if there was no
question whatsoever but that we had come nearly to the end of our
provisions, and thus, as I believe, they brought over to their way of
thinking many who never would have listened to such wild talk, but for the
fact that it seemed probable the hour of surrender must be near at hand.

I saw to it that none