ir
evident advance in proficiency gratified them, although the tactical
arts of war in the heavy growths of this wild and rocky country were at
a discount, since the defeat of that martinet and military precisian,
General Braddock. Thus the afternoon drill at the fort became of
increasing public interest, and afforded the social opportunity of a
rendezvous for the whole settlement; and despite the growing
disaffection of the Cherokees, now and again groups of Indian spectators
appeared at the gate.

Stuart's tact never deserted him; one day when ordering a knot of
pioneers near the sally-port to "fall in"--for he himself drilled the
fencibles--he motioned too, with his imperious gesture, to half a dozen
braves who were standing hard by, as if he made no difference between
them and the other civilian neighbors. One moment of astounded doubt,
then they "fell in" as front-rank men, evidently infinitely flattered
and marvelously quick in adapting the manual exercise they had often
witnessed. Now and again there was an expression of keen interest on
their stolid faces, and more than once when woe befell the effort to
ploy the battalion into double column to form square and the movement
became a contortion, they laughed out gutturally--that rare Indian mirth
not altogether pleasant to hear. And as they went home in the red sunset
to Citico, and Great Tellico, and Tennessee Town and Chote, from along
the river banks came their harsh cries--"Shoulder firelock!" or
"Fa'lock," as they rehearsed it. "Feex Bay'net! Pleasant A'hms!"

It became evident that they rehearsed their learning, suiting the action
to the word, once too often,--for they returned no more. Whatever might
have been the advantage of their acquiring the secret of the military
maneuvers from so competent and patient an instructor as the
condescending Captain Stuart, the powers that were at Chote had no mind
to expose their stalwart young braves to the winning wiles of that
magnetic commander, and permitting them to acquire among the troops,
perchance, a personal regard for the officer and an _esprit de corps_ in
addition to a more available military spirit. If he had had a scheme and
the scheme had failed there was no intimation to that effect on the
imperturbable exterior he maintained.

It had always been known that Captain Stuart was somewhat fond of the
pleasures of the table, and he suddenly developed a certain domesticity
in this regard. He desired to expe