"That man deserves to be shot, an' all the more so because he is high in
command. I've seen troops in many a tight place durin' my life, but never
before heard any thin' that quite come up to that."

When, after a pause of fully a moment, General Herkimer spoke, it was to
ask:

"Do you know that messengers have come from Gansevoort, asking that we
hold our hands until he shall give the signal?"

"I have heard that it is pretended such a message has come," Colonel Cox
replied, in a most offensive tone, and I could see Sergeant Corney
clenching his fists tightly, as if thereby the better to hold himself in
check, for surely were we two entitled to make reply to such an implied
accusation.

"The garrison will make a sortie immediately after giving the signal, and
we can thus go into action with some hope of success," General Herkimer
said, mildly and firmly. "To advance before Gansevoort is ready would be
to imperil the lives of all this command."

"Speaking more particularly for yourself, sir, I suppose," Colonel Paris
said, with a sneer, and it would have given me the greatest pleasure to
have struck him down for that insult.

Then the three officers, still disputing, or, I should have said, the two
colonels still insulting their commander, who continued to bear with them
beyond that point where forbearance ceases to be a virtue, passed out of
earshot for the time being, and the men in the immediate vicinity took up