pt more or less noisily,
until by the cries of the sentinels I knew it was two o'clock in the
morning, and then the idea that in a few hours I must be at work with
no chance for rest, caused me to feel drowsy.

Save for the measured tread of the sentinels, and their calls from
time to time, the silence of the encampment was profound, and I was
idly saying to myself that it seemed difficult to fancy one was in the
midst of more than two thousand men, when suddenly came a sharp cry
from a distance, followed by another and another until the long roll
of the drums rang out on the night air like distant thunder.

"What is it?" I cried, as Darius sprang to his feet.

"The call for all hands," the old man said as he groped around for his
musket and ammunition. "The Britishers have shown themselves, hopin'
to take us by surprise, most like. Move lively, lads, for Joshua
Barney's followin' must be the first in line."

How we contrived to arm ourselves and get out of the tent into the
midst of a throng of apparently bewildered men, I know not; but
certain it is we found ourselves there following Darius, who was the
only one I saw that evidently had his wits about him. Left to
ourselves we would have wandered aimlessly around the encampment, as
did many hundred of the men; but the old sailor, who surely should
have been born a soldier, led us to the proper place as if he had
always served his country on land instead of water.

We found our people from the flotilla in fairly good formation, ready
to repel an attack, while the raw militia were scurrying to and fro
like frightened sheep, and such fact made me feel proud that I was a
member of "Barney's seamen."

"You've done well, lads," the commodore said approvingly, while he
moved to and fro in front of us to make certain that we were all
there. "We'll show these landsmen before this little scrimmage is
over, that we old shell-backs are not web-footed when it comes to
obeying orders."

Then it was that I began to understand why those who served under
Joshua Barney were so proud of, and had such confidence in, him.
There was in the ring of his voice, in his way of looking at a
fellow, and his every movement, something which bespoke him a friend,
and from that moment, I became as ardent an admirer of the fighting
captain as ever was Darius Thorpe.

Of a verity I believe a full fifteen minutes elapsed before all our
people were in line of battle, which spoke badly for what