ght'er be a lesson to sich fools as
we've shown ourselves, never to carry good weapons where they can't be got
hold of for use at a moment's notice."

"A fellow isn't supposed to be on his guard against drunkards," I replied,
curtly, caressing my throat, which was exceeding sore.

"True for you, lad; but I'm free to say that, while we've had
considerable experience in the business of fightin', I never run up agin
quite sich a mess as this. It actually gives me a pain because I can't
make head or tail of it."

I was already weary with trying to solve the problem, for indeed it was
puzzling to even make a guess at why an army of near to seventeen hundred
men had been thrown into such a state of panic and lawlessness. Then,
again, why were the commanders not present with their officers to check
these proceedings? Why had they allowed the men to take part in such an
orgy, for to my knowledge St. Leger was near at hand when the first cask
of rum was broached?

"It is no use to speculate as to how this thing came about," I said; "but
it strikes me that you ought to post yourself so far as to be able to tell
Colonel Gansevoort, or whoever he sends in command of the detachment,
exactly where the blow may best be struck, for just now all we know is
regardin' the row close hereabout."

"You never spoke a truer word in your life, lad," the old man said,
excitedly, as he rose to his feet. "I got so mixed up with this 'ere
hubbub, tryin' to make out how it came about, as to have clean lost sight
of all that a soldier ought to do. Jacob hasn't been gone over an hour,
an' we have as much more time to find out how things are in the rest of
the encampment, so let's set about it without delay."

The scene immediately before us was so revolting that I had no desire to
gaze at it longer, and there was a certain sense of relief in my mind when
the sergeant, prompted by me, had thus decided upon a definite course of
action.

With so much of confusion and drunkenness everywhere around, it was a
simple matter for us to go and come as we pleased, save by chance we might
stumble upon those who yet remained sober, for all the men I had thus far
seen, except the leaders themselves, were in such a maudlin condition as
to be unable to distinguish friend from foe.

We had already learned that the batteries fronting Fort Schuyler on the
northeast had been abandoned, and it was only necessary to get a view of
the remainder of the British encam