som, and murmured, "God bless you! God bless you!" while the
hardy soldiers ranged behind him smiled, and several rubbed their eyes
as if dust had gotten in them.

"Is mother and sister well?" asked the daughter, looking up in her
father's face.

"Yes, well, but anxious enough about you."

"Our house and place is destroyed forever."

"Who cares, sis? Who cares? Haven't I you left? Don't mention it."

"But the servants! All were killed except poor Cato there."

"Ah! that is bad! that is bad! I mourn them, poor fellows! poor
fellows! But I have my own darling child left! my own darling child!"
and the overjoyed father again pressed his daughter to him.

"But what am I about?" he suddenly asked, with a surprised look. "I
haven't spoken to the others here. Lieutenant, allow me to
congratulate you, sir, on this happy state of affairs. I congratulate
you, sir."

Captain Prescott had a way of repeating his remarks, while his radiant
face was all aglow with his hearty good-humor, that was irresistibly
contagious in itself. His jovial kindness won every heart, and he was
almost idolized by his men.

"A happy turn, indeed; but, Captain, I am somewhat surprised to see you
here," said Lieutenant Canfield as he grasped the offered hand.

"Ah! yes, I haven't explained that yet; but the fact is, Lieutenant,
you hadn't been gone two hours--not two hours--when the General told me
I was to take charge of the garrison at the settlement, where my wife
and daughter now are. I wasn't sorry to hear that--not sorry to hear
that, and as you were to be Lieutenant, I didn't think it would be
unpleasant to you either to be located so near our family--not
unpleasant at all, eh, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing, certainly, could be more agreeable to me," replied the
gallant young fellow, blushing deeply at the looks which were turned
upon him.

"Glad to hear it! glad to hear it! Well, sir, I started right
off--right straight off, and tried my best to overtake you, but, bless
me, I might as well have tried to run away from my own shadow, as to
catch up with a young chap when he is in love. I got to the settlement
yesterday, toward night, and the first thing I heard was that my house
had been burned, and my sweet little darling Mary there, either killed
or carried off a prisoner. I felt bad about that," added the Captain,
wiping his eyes with his handkerchief, but smiling all the while, "yes,
I won't deny I felt a little bad about