'bout face, they looked like nothing so much as the crowd I saw six
months since at Newmarket, trying to get their money on Jason."

The others around the table laughed in concert, and I could not but
admit there was a grain of truth in the comparison.

"'Tis granted," I said, after a moment, "that we Virginians have not the
training of you gentlemen of the line; but we can learn, and at least no
one can doubt our courage."

"Think you so?" and Allen laughed an insulting laugh. "There was that
little brush at Fort Necessity last year, from which they brought away
nothing but their skins, and damned glad they were to do that."

"They brought away their arms," I cried hotly, "and would have brought
away all their stores and munitions, had the French kept faith and held
their Indians off. That, too, in face of an enemy three times their
number. The Virginians have no cause to blush for their conduct at Fort
Necessity. The Coldstreams could have done no better."

Allen laughed again. "Ah, pardon me, Stewart," he said contemptuously, "I
forgot that you were present on that glorious day."

I felt my cheeks crimson, and I looked up and down the board, but saw
only sneering faces. Yes, there was one, away down at the farther end,
which did not sneer, but looked at me I thought pityingly, which was
infinitely worse. And then, of course, there was Pennington, who sat next
to me, and who looked immeasurably shamed at the turn the dispute had
taken. He placed a restraining hand upon my sleeve, but I shook it off
impatiently.