sharp watch lest through us our people are brought into
a trap."

"Why don't you say what you mean, without talkin' all around the subject?"
I cried, nervously. "What have you got in your mind?"

"That one of us must go back to the fort, while the others stay here on
watch to give the alarm in case this 'ere army suddenly comes to its
senses."

It was not my desire to travel back alone to carry the tidings. There was
no thought in my mind that any danger might threaten while the enemy was
in such a state of confusion; and I was most eager to watch these
apparently crazy people, in the hope of being able to come at a solution
of the riddle, therefore I asked, sharply:

"Who do you think should go back?"

"Do either of you lads want to tackle the job?" the sergeant asked, and I
understood by his tone that he was as loath to leave the place as was I.

Neither of us made reply, and he went on, as if already having had the
plan fixed in his mind:

"Then we'll draw lots to see who it shall be. As the matter stands, we
know full well that the commandant must be told of what we have seen. It
won't require two hours' travelling because there's no call to make a very
wide circuit, an', in case these fellows pull themselves together before
midnight, them as stays on watch can warn our people."

"Fix the drawin' of lots to suit yourself, an' he who gets the worst of it
will set out at once," I said, curtly, and the old man broke off three
small twigs, which he held in his closed hand.

"I haven't taken note of which is the shortest; but, in case you might
think I had, make your choice, an' the one which is left shall be mine."

"He who gets the shortest goes back, eh?" Jacob asked, and I replied:

"That is understood. Take the first choice, an' let us settle this
business as soon as we can, for I am wild to get over yonder where I can
see the king's army playin' the fool, if it so be that I'm not forced to
turn back."

Jacob drew one of the twigs without stopping to make a selection, I took
the second, and Sergeant Corney opened his hand to show the third.

They were all so nearly of a length that we were forced to measure each
in order to learn who was the unfortunate, and then it was found that
Jacob had been selected to play the part of messenger.

Disappointed though the lad must have been, he did not make any delay, but
asked as he rose to his feet:

"What shall I say to the commandant?"

"Tell him what you