ortance to the Americans
we should do it, don't you, Uncle?"

"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."

"And if matters should turn, such as we can't really hope for, that
there was a possibility of getting hold of the horses, would you have us
do it?"

"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."

In such manner did this little French lad talk with the old negro until
he revived all his courage, and before having come to an end Uncle
'Rasmus was as eager as Pierre to be up and doing, meanwhile as
seemingly careless of what the future might bring us as was that little
lad on whom all my hopes for the future, so far as the Britishers were
concerned, depended.

Having thus restored Uncle 'Rasmus to hopefulness and courage, Pierre
announced, as if there could be no question of any protest from me, that
we would make our way to where the Rangers were quartered, and I obeyed
him, much as a child might have done, mentally clinging to the lad as if
he had been my elder.

We two walked around the village as if having no other purpose than to
view a military encampment. We gaped here, or stood there in
open-mouthed astonishment, as if mightily impressed with everything we
saw, and while doing so Pierre would whisper now and then as we passed
this redoubt or that battery:

"Have you got everything well in mind now, lad? Seven redoubts and six
batteries on the land side; a line of batteries on the river bank; the
grand battery near the church; three redoubts just at the ravine, one
near the road to Hampton, and two by the river."

Thus it was he called my attention to each point where the Britishers
were working, although in some cases it would have been impossible for
me to have said whether they were building redoubts, throwing up
earthworks for a battery, or simply digging a canal. It appeared that
little Frenchie understood all their purpose, and I said to myself that
if so be he could make his way from out this town of York into the
American lines, of a verity he would be able to give General Lafayette
such information as would be of exceeding value.

We saw Silver Heels. She was made fast to the stable line with a lot of
other horses, and, so far as I could see, was receiving even more
attention than if she had been at home on the plantation, for there were
a dozen men or more working all the time currying this horse, rubbing
that one down, bandaging a leg that showed signs of swelling, and in
many ways taking as good care of the steeds