hen either of us is ill, we are almost as good
friends again as ever. But I feel somehow as if I can't forgive him for
having wronged him. Good Powers! How I have been hating him for these
months past! Oh, Harry! I was in a fury at the tavern the other day,
because Mountain came up so soon, and put an end to our difference. We
ought to have burned a little gunpowder between us, and cleared the air.
But though I don't love him, as you do, I know he is a good soldier, a
good officer, and a brave, honest man; and, at any rate, shall love him
none the worse for not wanting to be our stepfather."

"A stepfather, indeed!" cries Harry's mother. "Why, jealousy and
prejudice have perfectly maddened the poor child! Do you suppose the
Marquis of Esmond's daughter and heiress could not have found other
stepfathers for her sons than a mere provincial surveyor? If there are
any more such allusions in George's journal, I beg you skip 'em, Harry,
my dear. About this piece of folly and blundering, there hath been quite
talk enough already."

"'Tis a pretty sight," Harry continued, reading from his brother's
journal, "to see a long line of redcoats, threading through the woods
or taking their ground after the march. The care against surprise is so
great and constant, that we defy prowling Indians to come unawares upon
us, and our advanced sentries and savages have on the contrary fallen in
with the enemy and taken a scalp or two from them. They are such cruel
villains, these French and their painted allies, that we do not think
of showing them mercy. Only think, we found but yesterday a little
boy scalped but yet alive in a lone house, where his parents had been
attacked and murdered by the savage enemy, of whom--so great is his
indignation at their cruelty--our General has offered a reward of five
pounds for all the Indian scalps brought in.

"When our march is over, you should see our camp, and all the care
bestowed on it. Our baggage and our General's tents and guard are placed
quite in the centre of the camp. We have outlying sentries by twos, by
threes, by tens, by whole companies. At the least surprise, they are
instructed to run in on the main body and rally round the tents
and baggage, which are so arranged themselves as to be a strong
fortification. Sady and I, you must know, are marching on foot now, and
my horses are carrying baggage. The Pennsylvanians sent such rascally
animals into camp that they speedily gave in. What go