so it s a thing that is either done at a blow or not done � and there s an end of it i want the lad only to bring home the prisoners for me after i have took them u ah mr robinson i have one son already in these wars � god protect him � and you men don t know how a mother s heart for her children in these times i cannot give another she added as she threw her arms over the shoulders of the youth and drew him to her bosom oh it nothing said in a tone it s only snapping of a pistol mother � if i m not afraid you t to be i give you my honor mistress said robinson that i will bring or send your son safe back in one hour and that he sha n t be put in any sort of danger come that s a good woman u you are not deceiving me mr robinson asked the matron wiping away a tear you wouldn t mock the sufferings of a weak woman in such a thing as this f u on the honesty of a ma am replied horse shoe the lad shall be in no danger as i said before � u then i will say no more answered the mother but my child be sure to let mr robinson keep before you horse shoe now loaded the fire arms and having the across his body he put the pistol into the hands of the boy then his rifle he and his young ally left the room ho robinson even on this occasion serious as it might be deemed the did not depart without giving some of that which no difficulties ever seemed to have the power to conquer he thrust his head back into the room after he had crossed the threshold and said with an encouraging laugh u and me will teach them mistress pat s point of war � we will surround the now my lad said horse shoe after he had mounted captain peter you must get up behind me turn the lock of your pistol down he continued as the boy sprang upon the horse s and cover it with the of your jacket to keep the rain off it won t do to hang fire at such a time as this the lad did as he was directed and horse shoe having secured his rifle in the same way put his horse up to a gallop and took the road in the direction that had been pursued by the soldiers as soon as our had gained a wood at the distance of about half a mile the relaxed his speed and advanced at a pace a little above a walk he said we have got rather a sort of a job before us so i must give you your lesson which you will understand better by knowing something of my plan as soon as your mother told me that these had left her house about fifteen minutes before the rain came on and that they had gone along upon this road i remembered the old field up here and the little log hut in the middle of it and it was natural to suppose that they had just got about near that hut when this rain came up and then it was the most case in the world that they would naturally go into it as the place they could find so now you see it s my calculation that the whole is there at this very point of time we will go slowly along until we get to the other end of this wood in sight of the old field and then if there is no one on the look out we will open our first you know what that means it means i s pose that we ll go right at them replied pretty exactly said the but listen to me just at the edge of the woods you will have to get down and put yourself behind a tree til ride forward as if i had a whole troop at robinson my heels and if i catch them as i expect they will have a little fire kindled and as likely as not they ll be cooking some of your mother s fowls yes i understand said the boy eagerly � no you don t replied horse shoe but you will when you hear what i am going to say if i get at them they ll be mighty apt to think they are surrounded and will like fine fellows for quarter and thereupon i ll cry out stand fast as if i was speaking to my own men and when you hear that you must come up full because it will be a signal to you that the enemy has surrendered then it will be your business to run into the house and bring out the as quick as a rat runs through a kitchen and when you have done that why all s done but if you should hear any of fire arms � that is more than one shot which i may chance to let off � do you take that for a bad sign and get away as fast as you can heel it tou comprehend oh yes replied the lad and i ll do what you want and more too may be mr robinson captain robinson � remember you must call me cap tain in the hearing of these i ll not forget that neither answered by the time that these instructions were fully impressed upon the boy our adventurous forlorn hope as it may be called had arrived at the place which horse shoe robinson had for the commencement of active operations they had a clear view of the old field and it afforded them a strong assurance that 