ose to hear you talk, Fitz Hamilton, that the end had
come--that we were doomed beyond possibility of escape."

"And how else can you picture it?" I asked angrily. "With Saul arrested
as a spy we are certain of sharing the same fate; even though you may
account for his absence in some other way, it seems positive we are to
be shut up here with the enemy while our friends are striving to kill
all within the entrenchments. If that does not warrant my belief that we
are standing very close to death, I would like to know how much more
proof may be needed."

"We are yet alive," Pierre said softly and with a shrug of the
shoulders, "and as yet at liberty so far as this cabin is concerned. I
fail to understand why we may not yet prove ourselves worthy of being
called Minute Boys, and succeed in doing something which shall win for
us credit, if not honor, from those who are struggling against the
king."

It angered me that that little French lad should be hopeful at a time
when clouds of danger pressed so thickly and so closely about us, and I
turned away from him impatiently, looking out of the window where could
be seen the laborers in the trenches, squads of men marching here and
there, and officers visiting this scene of activity and that; but all
working with one common aim, which was the oppression of our people.

Whether Pierre was as unconcerned as he would have it appear, I cannot
say; but if he had put on a mask then was he playing his part well, for
he went here and there with a smiling face as he made ready our small
store of food for the morning meal, and actually spoke in a cheery tone
when he announced that our provisions were well nigh exhausted.

"I allow that we can satisfy our hunger this noon, if indeed we have any
desire to eat at that time; but we will go supperless to bed, unless
some means for provisioning the cabin can be devised."

I could not believe we had eaten all that store of provisions which we
brought from the Hamilton plantation until I went to the cupboard and
there saw that Pierre had spoken truly, even within bounds, for if we
ate our fill on this morning the noonday meal would be slight indeed.

When I turned from this dismal inspection Pierre was carrying up the
ladder to the loft a plentiful supply of cold boiled ham and fried
hominy, seemingly a larger portion than he had set aside for our own
breakfast, and I asked angrily if he counted on giving that Tory sneak
more than we our