l the prisoners, if we could not save
their lives; but of a verity we were come to hard lines when it was to be
hoped our missiles would slay those who had been our comrades.

I believed all the garrison were better content, now that Colonel
Gansevoort was finding work for every man. Certainly there was less chance
for searching out bugbears when they were busily engaged, and each of us
felt a grim satisfaction at knowing that we inflicted some punishment on
the enemy, however slight.

It must not be supposed that our sharpshooters found all the targets they
desired, else had we wiped St. Leger's force out in a twinkling; but there
were in the white portion of his army a sufficient number who scorned to
show fear of what we might be able to do, and these kept our men so
engaged that the reports of the rifles were ringing out almost without
intermission.

As I have already said, we Minute Boys had but little opportunity to show
our skill after the first hour, because the savages kept so close within
their lodges; but now and then we had a crack at a painted figure, and
seldom missed our aim.

As the day wore away it became evident that the Indians counted on
torturing the remainder of their prisoners as before, and, instead of
suffering from the sickness of horror, as I had twenty-four hours
previous, there was in my mind a most pleasing anticipation of what would
be the result.

Half an hour before sunset they began setting up new posts, a fact which
told that St. Leger had indeed turned over to them all the deserters.

Word was passed around the fort that the commandant counted on putting an
end to their cruel sport, if perchance the distance was not greater than
he had estimated, and by sunset every person inside the walls, save those
who were acting as sentinels on the westerly side, had their faces turned
in the direction of the Indian encampment.

It was claimed that the corporal with whom I had previously spoken was the
best gunner in the command, and to him had been entrusted the work of
sighting the cannon.

He had already charged it heavily, and when the savages began setting up
new posts he knew the time had come to look for the proper range.

The corporal had no need to call for a crew to aid him. An hundred pairs
of hands were out-stretched eagerly whenever he signified the desire to
have this thing or that done, and he was more like to suffer from a
surplus of helpers than a lack.

It looked muc