can do
things are the ones we've got to have to win. One thing, this army
isn't goin' to lack fer men, such as they are, by the way the farmers
are comin' in with their old guns and hay hooks."

"Such as they are! Zeb, you're a dyed-in-the-wool Virginian. These New
Englanders and New Yorkers coming into camp are of the same mettle as
those under Stark and those who died with Herkimer. There are no
better men in the world."

"Reckon ye better make an exception o' the Rangers. They sent us down
here, when we ought to be with Washington, specially to save you
people from the Indians."

"Yes, and the day you started, Stark and his New Hampshire and
Massachusetts men, with the help of Seth Warner's men, won a victory
which will result in the defeat of Burgoyne. You Virginians are all
right; you have your Washington and Morgan and the Rangers, but don't
cry down the Northern farmers in their homespun. They've had to fight
for a living from the beginning, and, from Lexington right down
through till now, they've fought for their country."

"Except when they've left to go home and gather their crops. Soldiers
who stay in the field till the war's over are the kind that is
needed."

"Excuse me," interrupted Rodney, for the conversation had waxed warm,
"but, from what Zeb told me, both Virginia and Massachusetts were
needed to pull through the wilderness on the way to Quebec."

Zeb laughed and said, "I reckon Virginia and Massachusetts will have
to hang together if we get the job done."

"And if we don't," added Donald, with a laugh, "they'll hang
separately, as Dr. Franklin said of the signers of the Declaration of
Independence."

CHAPTER XXV

PUT TO THE TEST

"Likely lookin' men Dearborn's picked up," was Zeb's comment as Major
Dearborn marched his recruits past. "Hi, Don. An' thar's his uncle.
Glad he got through Bennington safe an' sound. Don was some worried
about him. Man an' boy, ye can't beat 'em."

"His uncle is a fine looking man. Those men have bayonets. They ought
to be of service. But there's none like the Rangers, eh, Zeb?"

"Askin' such questions is waste o' breath."

"Well, I hope we'll soon have a chance to prove it."

"We've been sayin' the same thing for more'n two weeks. I reckoned we
sure would get it two days ago when we occupied Bemis Heights. Hello!
What's doin'?"

"Fall in!"

As though there were magic in the words, those travel-stained riflemen
sprang to their places with an