The Southern herald., 1912-12-13

never once BlauCSQ up, anu as We
passed beyond the radius Of light. l
laid my hand upon the name of Nor
gan's horse.
is it true that Charles Lee thinks
We should let Clinton go without fight
ing?" | asked soberly. That was RI
mored at the ferry"
"'Tis enough" he answered, his
eyes upon the dark column Of plod
ding men. "And he seems to have
others with him. l know not what has
put the coward into the fellows Of
late. Saint Andrew! the odds are no
greater than We have met before. But
there1l be no fighting, lad, fear. un-
less Washington takes the bit in his
teeth and orders it. I'm glad the boys
cheered him; twill give the man new
heart"
You favor the Joining Of issue?"
why not? Were we ever in better
fettle? A retreating army is always
half whipped, ana we can choose our
ground. Why, lad, tits reported Clin-
tons line stretches out full twelve
miles, with train of baggage wagons
and battery horses, and camp follow
ers enough for a division. Twill be
easy work attending to them, and most
of his troops are Dutch and Tories"
By daylight we came up with the
New Jersey militia, lying at rest along
the bank of the Milestone river, wait
ing their turn to ford that stream, and
join Maxwell on the opposite shore.
From where | stood l could see the
thin lines of ContiSentals spreading
out like fan, as the skirmishers ad-
vanced up the opposite bluffs. Down
the trampled bank, men we're strug-
CLING with light battery, and sudden
ly in the press Of figures came upon
Farrell. He was mud from head to
foot, his face streaked with It, but he
looked up with beaming eyes as
spoke his name, and our hands
clasped.
Il thought you would be over there
with Maxwell" he said, pointing
across at the black dots, now clearly
distinguishable in the glow of sun.
shine.
Il was left behind, and came up Just
now with Morgan" replied. But l
am anxious enough to be with my own
fellows. What means that skirmish
line, Farrell? Are we already in touch
with Clinton?"
He swept the hair out Of his eyes
with his great fist.
"No one knows exactly, but the Brit.
ish are not far off, and are headed this
way. A scout came through with the
news two hours ago-Clinton has TAX
en- the road to Monmouth" He
chuckled grlmly, glancing at my face
"And who think ye the lad was who
, told us?"
"Who?" my throat Tightening.
"The same you was so anxious abou'
= few days back"
Mortimer! Eric Mortimer"
AYE, unless my eyes fail me al
, ready, it was the boy"
: "You are sure? You saw him."
7 "Well l had glimpse, as he CAM
3 up the bank here from the ford, hi
t horse dripping. 1t was dark still, ant
r he only stopped to ask the road.
' knew the voice, and the form-the La
|, is as slender as a girl-then he wen
: by me, digging his horse with tn
spurs, and lying close. He had Dra
s goon's cape Tapping from his shou
g ders, but twas the boy all right All
:, there go the guns up the bank. Nov
e perhaps, they'll let me take my fgh
4 ing dogs across"
; The way was open for me, at leas
8 and swung up into the saddle, an
!. drove my horse down the slipper
l. shore into the water. The streal
g was not deep, although the currer
e flowed swiftly, and moment later
d had found Maxwell.
n YES" he said to my first question
g I'VE are going to fight, although
II may not be anything more serior
e than skirmishing today. Washingtc
le has decided in spite Of Lee, than
God, and we'll have a go at the Re
d, coats. Lafayette commands the a
9. vance, and Wayne will be up with
a few hours. We are to skirmish fo
ward toward Monmouth Court Hous,
at Clinton has turned that way"
n. "You learned that from scout?"
:" yes; he just came through; one
IN Charles Lees men, l understood
n blue-eyed, rosy-cheeked boy, who sa
ur his name was Mortimer. He had ri
he den from Cookstown, and was reelil
is in the saddle, but would go on. Yo
e, men are over there, major, beyond L
Of clump of timber. In my judgme
II we'll accomplish little today, /
'e- there is heavy storm in those clou
ge yonder."
ed "How many men will we have VIII
re- Wayne comes upT
ad About four thousand, with the I