a smile; then continued her story.

"Washington selected Christmas night as the time for his contemplated
attack upon the British at Trenton. It was, as he well knew, the habit
of the Germans to celebrate that day with feasting and drinking, and
such being the case, he felt that he might reasonably expect to find
them under the influence of intoxicating drinks, therefore unfit for a
successful resistance.

"The river had been free from ice, but in the last twenty-four hours
before the time appointed for the expedition the weather changed,
growing very much colder, so that the water was filled with floating
ice, greatly increasing the difficulty and danger of crossing; a storm
of sleet and snow set in too, and the night was dark and gloomy.

"Still the little army was undaunted; they paraded at M'Conkey's Ferry
at dusk, expecting to reach Trenton by midnight; but so slow and
perilous was the crossing that it was nearly four o'clock when at last
they mustered on the Jersey shore.

"It was now too late to attack under cover of the darkness, as had been
Washington's plan."

"Excuse me, mamma, but surely it would be still dark at four o'clock in
the morning?" Walter said half inquiringly.

"Yes, my son, but you must remember they had crossed at M'Conkey's
Ferry, which is eight miles higher up the river than is Trenton, so that
they had that distance to march before they could make their attack.