d of this party?" Nat said. "I asked one of
the men just now, and he said you were the captain. You are young to be
a captain, but, at any rate, it's a good thing to have a king's officer
here who knows something about the woods. The rest ain't no more idea
of them than nothing."

"I want to chat to you, Nat, and also to Jonathan, if you will come
across with me to my tent."

"I'm agreeable," Nat said; and the two scouts walked across to the tent
with James.

Lieutenant Edwards, who shared the tent with him, was inside, arranging
a few things which Major Eyre had sent down for their use.

"Edwards, these are the two scouts, Nat and Jonathan, of whom you have
often heard me speak. Now, let us sit down and have a chat.

"There is some first-rate rum in that bottle, Nat. There are two tin
pannikins, and there is water in that keg.

"Now, Nat," he went on, when the party were seated on blankets laid on
the ground, "this corps of mine has been raised, specially, to act as
scouts round this or any other fort which may be threatened, or to act
as the advanced guard of a column of troops."

"But what do they know of scouting?" Nat said contemptuously. "They
don't know no more than children."

"They don't know much, but they are active fellows, and ready to learn.
I think you will find that, already, they have a pretty fair idea of
fighting in Indian fashion in the woods, and, as I have authority to
draw extra supplies of ball cartridge, I hope, in a few weeks, to make
fair shots of them. You have taught me something of forest ways, and I
shall teach them all I know; but we want better teachers, and I want to
propose, to you and Jonathan, to join the corps."

"What, and put on a red coat, and choke ourselves up with a stiff
collar!" Nat laughed. "Nice figures we should look! No, no, captain,
that would never do."

"No, I don't propose that you should wear uniform, Nat. I have got a
special authority to enlist you and Jonathan, with the understanding
that you can take your discharge whenever you like. There will be no
drilling in line, or anything of that sort. It will be just scouting
work, the same as with Captain Rogers, except that we shall not make
long expeditions, as he does, but keep in the neighbourhood of the
fort. I should want you to act both as scouts and instructors, to teach
the men, as you have taught me, something of woodcraft, how to find
their way in a forest, and how to fight the Indians in their o