re hain't a man of
ye has the pluck of this little shaver that beats the drum. I wish to
God McChesney was here."

He turned away to cross the parade ground, followed by the faithful
Terence and myself. Others gathered about him: McAndrew, who, for all
his sourness, was true; Swein Poulsson, who would have died for the
Colonel; John Duff, and some twenty more, including Saunders, whose
affection had not been killed, though Clark had nearly hanged 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 givi