ed and worn out.

"But for you we'd been without a shelter to-night," I said as he threw
himself on the ground near me.

"An' that would have made little difference, lad, for the open air in
a summer's night is ahead of any canvas house. Howsomever, the tent
serves as a place where we can keep our belongings without fear some
of these clodhoppin' imitations of soldiers will get away with 'em."

"I suppose we shall be called upon to take a hand in throwing up
breastworks?" I suggested, and a more cheerful look came over the old
man's face than I had seen since word was given to fire the fleet.

"We who have just come in will be allowed to take it easy, if the
Britishers don't interfere, till mornin', when, if there's time left
us, we'll turn to at throwin' dirt."

All of us lads settled back with a certain sense of comfort and
satisfaction difficult to describe. There were many in that small army
who were hungry, because of the delay and confusion in sending out
supplies, and yet more who would lie down with nothing to shelter them
from the heavy dew, while we were well protected, and with a goodly
food supply, all of which spoke well for the forethought and ability
of Darius Thorpe.

"I'm goin' to turn in, if so be we've got nothin' to do till mornin',"
Jim Freeman said as he suited the action to the words, and Josiah and
Dody followed his example.

I was not minded to close my eyes in slumber until after having heard
from the old sailor all he could tell, although it goes without saying
that I was tired enough to be able to sleep standing up.

"Have you heard anything new since we arrived?" I asked, and Darius
replied in a low tone, as if afraid his words might be overheard by
some one on the outside:

"The commodore says we shall have a battle within eight an' forty
hours, an' you know how well he can smell out such things. It seems
certain we can't meet the enemy here, unless more men are sent, an',
as I take it, we shall march hither an' yon till we come to the fight
fit for nothin' but to turn in."

"Where are the British now?"

"The main body is at Upper Marlboro; but there are a couple of columns
movin' about in a way that betokens mischief for some of us 'twixt now
an' mornin'."

"What have you been doing? I didn't see anything of you after we
started back for this place."

"I came on ahead, ridin' part of the way, with the commodore, an'
we've been on the move pretty much ever since. General St