"He may have suspected, and probably did; but never can he carry
information to any officer."

Then it was I understood the man was dead; but whether killed by the
Jerseyman, or by his wounds, I knew not, nor did I dare make inquiries.

"Why did you come in such hot haste?" Pierre asked anxiously. "You must
have run at full speed from the farthermost outworks."

"So I did, lad; two of us were sent to headquarters to bring up some
horses, and I, outstripping the fellow who went with me, decided on
making my way here, believing now the village is so closely besieged
that I would not have another opportunity of getting through the lines."

"But what about the morrow, after you are missed, or to-night when you
fail to answer to the roll call?"

"They may say of me what they please, so that I remain here hidden until
midnight, when I shall take my life in my hands, counting not the cost
of the venture if I may finish the work in this town of York which I
began so long ago."

I could not then understand why it was Morgan spoke as if this might be
his last opportunity to desert from the British lines; but all of us
soon came to have a very good idea as to the reason, when he explained
what had happened.

And now instead of endeavoring to set down the matter in his words, and
lest I should make a mistake in repeating them, let me write here that
which I read in plain print some time after the colonies had won their
freedom from the king. It was written by one who strove to tell all that
had happened, without taking either the Whig or Tory side, and, so far
as I have been able to learn, is true concerning what took place in that
village of York up to the close of this day of which I am writing.

"Cornwallis, with the main division of his army, occupied York Town. The
main body of his troops were encamped on the open ground in the rear of
the town. Lieutenant-Colonel Dundas, who did good service at James Town,
occupied Gloucester with about seven hundred men, and was joined by
Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton and his men shortly before the siege began.

"The combined armies of the Americans, about twelve thousand strong,
left Williamsburg by different roads and marched toward York Town. The
French Legion, a squadron of French marines, and a brigade of Virginia
militiamen, were sent to invest Gloucester, while the remainder of the
forces kept on toward the British encampment. On their approach the
British left their field-wor