him among
the prairies.

"Begob!" said Terence, "Davy has inflooence wid his Excellency. It's
Davy we'll sind, prayin' him not to lave the Frinch alone wid their
loyalty."

It was agreed, and I was to repeat the name of every man that sent me.

Departing on this embassy, I sped out of the gates of the fort. But, as
I approached the little house where Clark lived, the humming of a
crowd came to my ears, and I saw with astonishment that the street was
blocked. It appeared that the whole of the inhabitants of Kaskaskia were
packed in front of the place. Wriggling my way through the people, I had
barely reached the gate when I saw Monsieur Vigo and the priest, three
Creole gentlemen in uniform, and several others coming out of the door.
They stopped, and Monsieur Vigo, raising his hand for silence, made a
speech in French to the people. What he said I could not understand,
and when he had finished they broke up into groups, and many of them
departed. Before I could gain the house, Colonel Clark himself came
out with Captain Helm and Captain Harrod. The Colonel glanced at me and
smiled.

"Parade, Davy," he said, and walked on.

I ran back to the fort, and when I had gotten my drum the three
companies were falling into line, the men murmuring in undertones among
themselves. They were brought to attention. Colonel Clark was seen to
come out of the commandant's house, and we watched him furtively as he
walked slowly to his place in front of the line. A tremor of excitement
went from sergeant to drummer boy. The sentries closed the big gates of
the fort.

The Colonel stood for a full minute surveying us calmly,--a disquieting
way he had when matters were at a crisis. Then he began to talk.

"I have heard from many sources that you are dissatisfied, that you wish
to go back to Kentucky. If that be so, I say to you, 'Go, and God be
with you.' I will hinder no man. We have taken a brave and generous
people into the fold of the Republic, and they have shown their
patriotism by giving us freely of their money and stores." He raised his
voice. "They have given the last proof of that patriotism this day.
Yes, they have come to me and offered to take your places, to finish
the campaign which you have so well begun and wish to abandon. To-day I
shall enroll their militia under the flag for which you have fought."

When he had ceased speaking a murmur ran through the ranks.

"But if there be any," he said, "who have faith in m