Then it was that Sergeant Corney hit upon the meaning of this odd move.

Fortunately for my purpose he was still there, giving directions as to the firing of the guns, and in a twinkling I had acquainted him with the situation as described by Sergeant Corney, at the same time explaining that half the Minute Boys had been withdrawn from near the sally-port.

Sergeant Corney shouted, and the sound of his voice stiffened my courage wonderfully.

Even Sergeant Corney, to whom such scenes were not strange, leaned against a portion of the earthworks as if for support while he dashed the perspiration from his eyes, and then we knew by the sounds that the battle was being waged severely over against the sally-port.

" "Yet but for your persistence we would never have thought of enlisting the boys to aid in our defence, therefore must you take your portion of the praise, an' more especially since it is said by Sergeant Corney himself that you have proven yourself a man at every time when danger threatened.

" "Sergeant Corney has no idea how my knees shook beneath me when, as he believed, I was stout-hearted," I replied, with a careless laugh that served to cloak the feeling of pride which rose in my bosom when he gave good words to the Minute Boys.

"You might save the commandant a good bit of trouble by telling him what you know," Jacob suggested to Sergeant Corney, and the latter replied, grimly: "I'm not sich a fool.

This first squad was followed by a veritable swarm of the painted murderers, and I said nervously to Sergeant Corney, who was standing near me at the moment:

"Now this is somethin' like business," Sergeant Corney said, as if the sense of additional danger was most pleasing to him.

Therefore, thanking him for having given me the assurance which he had, I took my leave, going with all speed to the barracks that I might acquaint Sergeant Corney with what I had heard.

"The only mistake that has been made in this business was when Colonel Gansevoort condescended to give out any statement while the men were ripe for mutiny," Sergeant Corney stopped to say to me, as I met him on the parade-ground while going to the barracks to summon some of the lads whose time for sentinel-duty had come.

Colonel Gansevoort cried in ringing tones, and straightway Sergeant Corney set about clapping his hands with such vigor that, almost before the men were aware of the fact, they were applauding the commandant heartily.

That night, when Sergeant Corney should have been sleeping, he came to my post, and the two of us discussed the situation in all its bearings, coming to the conclusion that the garrison was in much better shape than it would have been but for the horrible lesson Thayendanega's villains gave us regarding their treatment of prisoners.

" I am certain my cheeks reddened when he thus recognized my rank, yet I was such a simple that I could only stammer: "You must have in mind, sir, somethin' the same as has Sergeant Corney.

"You've guessed it the first time," Sergeant Corney replied, with a laugh, and I said, in a tone of conviction: "The commandant never will give you permission.

Once on the plain outside the stockaded portion of the works, Sergeant Corney led the way by going in a southerly direction for a distance of an hundred yards or more, and then striking sharply off toward the west, where was to be found the nearest cover.

" Jacob drew one of the twigs without stopping to make a selection, I took the second, and Sergeant Corney opened his hand to show the third.

"It's a nice kind of a tea-party," Sergeant Corney whispered to me, while the orgy was at its height.

The savages soon brought their dance to an end as they stumbled into this tent and that, searching for more spirits although the cask was not yet empty, and I was on the point of suggesting to Sergeant Corney that it would be wise to move back among the bushes lest some of the drunkards come upon us by mistake, when a heavy body suddenly fell, or was thrown, directly upon my back, pinning me to the earth.

" "It looks pretty bad," Sergeant Corney said, when he had made the most careless examination of the wound, and I was surprised to hear him speak in such a tone, for it was not his custom to make much ado over any injury, however severe.

Sergeant Corney would take no part in the discussion.

Then it was that Sergeant Corney had his say, and he was by no means niggardly with words.

Sergeant Corney cried, when the sad story had been brought to an end, and I was of the same opinion.

[The preceding communication was already in type when we received the following from Mr. Bolton Corney, which we gladly print, inasmuch as it illustrates some points not touched upon by Mr. Collier.]

BOLTON CORNEY.