"And what about the men who freed them?"

"They were American soldiers, sir, as brave a body of men as ever trod
the face of the earth. Captain Batts, what are you trying to do there?"

"Thought I'd take a nap," old Gid answered. "You can wake me up when the
fight begins--don't want to miss it."

"If you go to sleep I will court-martial you, sir. Superintend the
cutting of the loop-holes."

"All right, don't believe I'm very sleepy anyway;" and as he shuffled
away the Englishman turned to the Major and asked:

"And is he game, sir?"

"As a lion," the Major answered.

"But he blows, you know," said the Englishman.

"And so does a lion roar, sir," the Major rejoined.

The Major inspected the other posts, to the right and left of the
square, and then took active command of the lower floor of the
court-house; and when the holes had been cut Gid was told to command the
floor above. Tom Cranceford was ordered to serve on the floor above. At
this he began to grumble, pouting that he couldn't be in the rush if one
should come; but the Major stormed at him. "It is more dangerous up
there if that's what you want, and I'll be with you now and then to see
that you are kept busy. March this instant or I'll drive you to home
duty under Wash Sanders."

From the windows and the loop-holes guns could be seen bristling
everywhere, and the minutes that passed were slow and weary with
waiting. Directly across from the court-house was a broad and low brick
store house, with but a single window above, facing the square; and the
Major looking at it for a time, turned to the old clerk and said: "That
building is the strongest one in town, but no men appear to be posted in
it. Why so?"

"The rear wall is torn out and the men would be unprotected from
behind," the clerk answered. "The wall was pulled down about a month
ago. Evans was going to have the house built deeper into the lot so he
could use it as a cotton shed, but hasn't."

"Bad that it was left that way. How long since the last scout came in?"

"About an hour and a half."

"And where was the enemy then?"

"In the neighborhood of Gum Springs."

"That's bad. The militia won't have time to get here."

The Major went above, where he found Gid's men posted at the windows and
the loop-holes. "How is everything?" he asked.

"Lovely, John."

"Don't call me John."

"All is well, Major."

"Good." And after a time he added: "The south road is so crooked that we
don