souls, mostly a reckless delight in one another and in our freedom
dominated; and we lived for the moment only, chary and shy of stirring
slumbering embers that must one day die out or flash to a flame as
fierce as that blaze that bars the gates of heaven from lost souls.

Knowing the need of haste, and having in my pocket instructions which I
believed overweighed even the voiceless orders of the West Point
cannon, I argued with the officer of the guard on deck, day after day,
to let us go; but it was only after fifteen days' detention there at
anchor that I found out that it was an order from his Excellency
himself which held us there.

Then, one morning in early September, boats from the fortress put off
loaded with provisions for the _Wind-Flower_; the guard disembarked in
their barge, and an officer, in a cockle-shell, shouted: "Good luck to
you! The Mouse-trap's sprung, and the Mouse is squeaking!" And with that
he tossed a letter on deck. It was addressed to me:

"HEADQUARTERS, PHILADELPHIA,
"September 2d, '81.

"CARUS RENALT, ESQ'RE:

"_Sir_--On receipt of this order you will immediately proceed from
your anchorage off West Point to Albany, disembark, and travel by
way of Schenectady to Johnstown, and from there to Butlersbury,
where you will establish yourself in the manor-house, making it your
headquarters, unless force of circumstances prevent. Fifty Tryon
County Rangers, to be employed as one scout or several, are placed
under your authority; the militia, and such companies of Continental
troops as are now or may later be apportioned to Tryon County, will
continue under the orders of Colonel Marinus Willett. Your duties
you are already familiar with; your policy must emanate from your
own nature and deliberate judgment concerning the situation as it is
or as it threatens. Close and cordial cooperation with Colonel
Willett, and with the various civil and military authorities in
Tryon County, should eventually accomplish the object of your
mission, which is, first, to prevent surprise from all invasion;
second, to prevent a massacre of the Oneida Nation.

"Authority is herewith given you to open and read the sealed orders
delivered to you by myself on your departure."

The letter was signed by Colonel Hamilton. I stared at his signature, then
at the name of the city from whence the letter was dated--_Philadelphia_.
What