did not hear a word of grumbling or fear as we made ready for
the march.

It was as if a full knowledge of the danger served to inspire us with
courage.

We set out within ten minutes after the order had been received; but I
did not see Commodore Barney until we had retraced our steps to Long
Old Fields, and there we found the small army throwing up a slight
breastwork, as if believing that an attack was imminent.

"This looks as if you an' I might see more of war than may be
pleasant," Jerry whispered to me as we stood in line waiting to be
dismissed. "It is all very well to fight when you're on board a good
vessel; but runnin' around on shore, marchin' here till you can do no
more than move, an' then marchin' back again, is a little better than
I hanker after."

"It's too late to talk like that," I replied, smiling as I remembered
how eager my partner had been to go as a soldier when I was hanging
back. "We're like to see an hundred times worse than this before we're
many hours older."

"Ay, an' there's never one here, save you, Amos, who shall have an
inklin' of the fact that I'm growin' mighty sick of my bargain."

Then we were dismissed, to find such tents and rations as General
Winder's force could spare us, for our baggage-train was yet on the
road, and while we were thus engaged Jim Freeman shouted to us.

"Darius has got a tent for our crowd; it's close by the commodore's,
an', what's better, the old sailor has been rummagin' 'round till he's
got all the grub we'll need for some time to come."

"Where are Dody and Josiah?" I asked.

"Holdin' down the tent till we can take possession; there's so much
pullin' an' haulin' after rations an' quarters, that it ain't safe to
leave anything alone."

I supposed that we would be ordered to aid in throwing up the
breastworks, therefore it stood us in hand to learn where we belonged,
before the labor was begun, and without delay we followed Jim.

Indeed we had been fortunate in having Darius to care for us, since,
thanks to him, none at Long Old Fields, save the officers, were
quartered as well as we.

In a few moments the canvas tent, strewn with our belongings, had
quite a home air, and we lost no time in making an attack on the store
of provisions which the old sailor had gathered for us.

We were eating hurriedly, lest we should be ordered to take up the
picks and shovels before our hunger could be satisfied, when Darius
came in looking thoroughly fagg