o
follow.

It must have been that news had come into the town of York during the
afternoon concerning a threatened advance of the Americans, for even
though it was night the Britishers were working at their fortifications,
having torches of pine knots stuck up here and there, and it seemed as
if every man of that army of seven thousand was using either the pick or
the shovel, or directing the movements of those who worked with their
hands.

"Can it be that our French general is advancing?" Pierre whispered
gleefully to me, and because I wished it might be so, it was in my mind
almost a certainty that the Americans were closing in on this town of
York, with the intent of giving battle to our enemies.

We at once turned our steps toward the quarters of the Rangers, for
there was good reason to believe that Saul, on leaving the cabin in the
morning, would have gone there first in the hope of getting a glimpse of
his mare, and as we came upon a group of soldiers who were at work upon
one of the redoubts I barely smothered an exclamation of delight, for
there I saw Morgan, the Jerseyman, his coat off, shoveling dirt as if
his one desire on earth was to prevent the Americans from entering York.

So thick is my head that I would have gone directly toward him, thinking
only to tell of Saul's disappearance and ask his advice concerning what
we had best do; but as I stepped forward Pierre clutched me firmly by
the arm, and at the same instant I saw a warning look in Morgan's eyes
as he recognized us.

Fortunate it was that I had sense enough to obey instantly both the look
and the grasp on my arm, otherwise had I betrayed him to his death, and
us lads to a prison.

I was faint with the sickness of fear on realizing what might have been
brought about by my stupidity; but Pierre led me straightaway in the
direction we had been pursuing, and before the dear lad could speak I
said, noting that we were beyond ear-shot of any of the king's soldiers:

"Forgive me, lad, forgive me! I came near to doing that which could
never have been undone, and remembering the terrible danger I was like
to have placed you and Morgan in, it maybe that in the future I shall
walk and act more as a thinking boy should."

"No harm has been done, Fitz," and little Frenchie caressed my coat
sleeve as if it was he instead of me who had so nearly wrecked three
lives. "So long as you didn't speak to Morgan, and no one could have
noticed that you recogn