presents. Lossing tells us that she would sometimes pass along their
lines and get her cocked hat full of crowns. He also says the widow of
General Hamilton told him she had often seen 'Captain Molly,' as she was
called, and described her as a red-haired, freckle-faced young Irish
woman, with a handsome piercing eye."

"Papa, did she wear a man's hat?" asked Grace.

"Yes, and also an artilleryman's coat over her woman's petticoats. She
had done a brave deed about nine months before the battle of Monmouth,
when Fort Clinton was taken by the British. She was there with her
husband when the fort was attacked, and when the Americans retreated
from the fort, and the enemy were scaling the ramparts, her husband
dropped his match and fled, but Molly picked it up and fired the gun,
then scampered off after him. That was the last gun fired in the fort by
the Americans."

"And this battle of Monmouth was a great victory for us--for the
Americans, I mean?" Walter said inquiringly.

"Yes, in spite of the shameful retreat of Lee and the unaccountable
detention of Morgan and his brave riflemen, who were within sound of the
fearful tumult of the battle and eager to take part in it, Morgan
striding to and fro in an agony of suspense, and desire to participate
in the struggle, yet unaccountably detained where he was."

"And that was some of that traitor Lee's doings, I suspect," exclaimed
Lulu hotly. "Wasn't it, papa?"

"My dear child, I do not know," returned the captain, "but it seems