r
rebel hunters, and I am not counting they shall draw Virginia blood
until we have left our mark upon some of their scurvy bodies."

I was not pleased at the idea of stationing all our force at one point,
for surely it seemed necessary those who were defending the cabin should
know what was going on outside; but Pierre was so insistent, and so
commanding in his tone, that even though it was his blunder which had
thus trapped us, I could not disobey.

There were loop-holes in plenty for us four, and we counted Uncle
'Rasmus among our number. Between the puncheon planks which had been
tied at the windows, and even 'twixt the logs of the building itself, we
could thrust the muzzles of our muskets, and when Pierre, who took
command of the company without question, had stationed us to his
satisfaction, he said as he walked once around the room like a general
surveying his troops:

"Do not fire until the enemy are so near that you can make certain of
hitting the target, and then shoot to do harm. We are trapped here, and
will pay the forfeit if we fall into the hands of yonder men and lads,
for there will be no question of military trial, or even of reporting
our capture to Lord Cornwallis. Remember that our lives depend upon your
aim."

It so chanced that Pierre himself was the first to open the battle, if
such it could be called. Abel Hunt walked side by side with the soldiers
as they advanced at easy pace; but I noted that Horry Sims hung back as
if he had no stomach for such work as was evidently before him, and when
the company were come within mayhap fifty paces Pierre shouted shrilly:

"Halt where you are, or we shall fire, and there is little chance of a
bullet's going amiss at such close range."

Just for an instant I fancied the red-coats wavered, and certain it is
Abel Hunt nimbly sprang back behind the man at whose side he had been
walking; but the soldiers themselves kept on, and before I could have
counted five little Frenchie fired.

One of the Britishers plunged forward and then sprawled out on the
ground, looking there like a clot of blood because of the color of his
uniform. The other four continued at a steady pace when I fired,
wounding one of them in the leg so sorely that he was fain to turn tail
and beat a retreat for the redoubt.

This last shot brought all the would-be rebel hunters to a halt, and I
had taken up my second musket, counting to send another ball among
them, when they wheeled s