King; we
were still presenting our humble petitions to the throne; but when I
went to visit my brother Harry at Fanny's Mount (his new plantation
lay not far from ours, but with Rappahannock between us, and towards
Mattaponey River), he rode out on business one morning, and I in the
afternoon happened to ride too, and was told by one of the grooms that
master was gone towards Willis's Ordinary; in which direction, thinking
no harm, I followed. And upon a clear place not far from Willis's, as I
advance out of the wood, I come on Captain Hal on horseback, with three-
or four-and-thirty countrymen round about him, armed with every sort of
weapon, pike, scythe, fowling-piece, and musket; and the Captain, with
two or three likely young fellows as officers under him, putting the men
through their exercise. As I rode up a queer expression comes over Hal's
face. "Present arms!" says he (and the army tries to perform the salute
as well they could). "Captain Cade, this is my brother, Sir George
Warrington."

"As a relation of yours, Colonel," says the individual addressed
as captain, "the gentleman is welcome," and he holds out a hand
accordingly.

"And--and a true friend to Virginia," says Hal, with a reddening face.

"Yes, please God! gentlemen," say I, on which the regiment gives a
hearty huzzay for the Colonel and his brother. The drill over, the
officers, and the men too, were for adjourning to Willis's and taking
some refreshment, but Colonel Hal said he could not drink with them that
afternoon, and we trotted homewards together.

"So, Hal, the cat's out of the bag!" I said.

He gave me a hard look. "I guess there's wilder cats in it. It must come
to this, George. I say, you mustn't tell Madam," he adds.

"Good God!" I cried, "do you mean that with fellows such as those I
saw yonder, you and your friends are going to make fight against the
greatest nation and the best army in the world?"

"I guess we shall get an awful whipping," says Hal, "and that's the
fact. But then, George," he added, with his sweet kind smile, "we are
young, and a whipping or two may do us good. Won't it do us good, Dolly,
you old slut?" and he gives a playful touch with his whip to an old dog
of all trades, that was running by him.

I did not try to urge upon him (I had done so in vain many times
previously) our British side of the question, the side which appears to
me to be the best. He was accustomed to put off my reasons by saying,
"All