Next came the fight on the ice in February--a thing not highly
creditable to us, albeit we were then but a handful and they were
many. But D'ri and I had no cause for shame of our part in it. We
wallowed to our waists in the snow, and it was red enough in front
of us. But the others gave way there on the edge of the river, and
we had to follow. We knew when it was time to run; we were never
in the rear rank even then. We made off with the others, although
a sabre's point had raked me in the temple, and the blood had
frozen on me, and I was a sight to scare a trooper. Everybody ran
that day, and the British took the village, holding it only
twenty-four hours. For our part in it D'ri got the rank of
corporal and I was raised from lieutenant to captain. We made our
way to Sackett's Harbor, where I went into hospital for a month.

Then came a galling time of idleness. In June we went with General
Brown--D'ri and I and Thurst Miles and Seth Alexander and half a
dozen others--down the river to the scene of our first fighting at
Ogdensburg, camping well back in the woods. It was the evening of
the 27th of June that the general sent for me. He was at the
mansion of Mr. Parish, where he had been dining. He was sitting in
his dress-suit. His dark side-whiskers and hair were brushed
carefully forward. His handsome face turned toward me with a
kindly look.

"Bell," said he, "I wish to send you on very important business.
You have all the qualities of a good scout. You know the woods.
You have courage and skill and tact. I wish you to start
immediately, go along the river to Morristown, then cut over into
the Black River country and deliver this letter to the Comte de