ccount from the admiral's clerk."

"Why, what have you heard?"

"First, tell me how many men are ordered out."

"A hundred rank and file--eight non-commissioned officers--two
lieutenants--one captain--and one major."

"Bravo, sergeant, you'll carry all before you."

"Why, I hope so, Mistress Corbett, especially as we are to have the
assistance of the cutter's crew."

"Better and better still," replied Nancy, ironically. "I wish you joy of
your laurels, sergeant, ha, ha, ha."

"Why do you laugh, Mistress Corbett, and what is that you have heard at
the admiral's office?"

"What you may hear yourself, and what I know to be true; there is not a
single smuggler in the cave."

"No!" exclaimed the sergeant. "What, nobody there?"

"Yes, there is somebody there, the cave has been chosen by the smugglers
to land their goods in."

"But some of them must be there in charge of the goods."

"Yes, so there are, but they are all women, the smugglers' wives, who
live there; what an expedition! Let me see:--one gallant major, one
gallant captain, two gallant lieutenants, eight gallant non-commissioned
officers, and a hundred gallant soldiers of the Buffs, all going to
attack, and rout, and defeat a score of old women."

"But you're joking, Mistress Nancy."

"Upon my life I'm not, sergeant, you'll find it true; the admiral's
ashamed of the whole affair, and the cutter's crew swear they won't fire
a single shot."

"By the god of war!" exclaimed the sergeant, "but this is cursed bad
news you bring, Mistress Corbett."

"Not at all; your regiment will become quite the fancy, you'll go by the
name of the lady-killers, ha, ha, ha. I wish you joy, sergeant, ha,
ha, ha."

Nancy Corbett knew well the power of ridicule, she left the sergeant,
and was accosted by one of the lieutenants; she rallied him in the
same way.

"But are you really in earnest, Nancy?" said Lieutenant Dillon, at
last.

"Upon my soul I am; but, at the same time I hear, that they will fight
hard, for they are well-armed and desperate, like their husbands, and
they swear that they'll all die to a woman, before they yield; so now we
shall see who fights best, the women or the men. I'll back my own sex
for a gold Jacobus, lieutenant: will you take the bet?"

"Good God, how very annoying! I can't, I won't order the men to fire at
women; I could not do so if they were devils incarnate; a woman is a
woman still."

"And never the worse for being brave, Lie