it heartily; and I learned from the lips of that
courtliest of frontiersmen, "Nolichucky Jack," the real reason for the
proposed hurried return of the over-mountain men. The Cherokees, never
to be trusted, had, as it seemed, procured war supplies from the British
posts to the southward, and were even now on the verge of an uprising.
By forced marches these hardy borderers hoped to reach their homes in
time to defend them. Otherwise, as both commanders assured us, they
would take the field with Gates.

"We have done what we could, Captain Ireton, and not altogether what we
would," said Sevier in the summing-up. "It remains now for General Gates
to drive home the wedge we have entered." Then he looked me full in the
eyes and asked if I thought Horatio Gates would be the man to beetle
that wedge well into the log.

I made haste to say that I knew little of the general; that I was but a
prejudiced witness at best, since my father had known and misliked the
man in Braddock's ill-fated campaign against the French in '55. But
Richard spoke his mind more freely.

"'Tis not in the man at this pass, Colonel Sevier," he would say; "not
after Camden. I know our Carolinians as well as any, and they will never
stand a second time under a defeated leader. If General Washington would
send us some one else; or, best of all, if he would but come himself--"

"George Washington; ah, there is a man, indeed," said Sevier, his
dark-blue eyes lighting up. "Whilst he lives, there is always a good
hope. But we must be doing, gentlemen, and so must you. God speed you
both. Our compliments to General Gates, Mr. Jennifer; and you may tell
him what I have told you--that but for our redskin threateners we should
right gladly join him. As for Lord Cornwallis, you, Captain Ireton, will
know best what to say to him. I pray God you may say it and come off
alive to tell us how he took it."

We made our acknowledgments; and when I had bespoken good care for
Tybee, we took leave of these stout fighters, and of old Ephraim as
well, since the borderer was to serve as a guide for the over-mountain
men, at least till they were come upon familiar ground to the westward.

'Twas now hard upon ten of the clock in the forenoon, and we had our
last sight of the brave little army whilst it was wending its way slowly
down the slopes of King's Mountain. Of what became of it; how its weary
march dragged on from day to day; how it was hampered by the train of
captiv