of men who really felt a pride, unmixed with jealousy,
in the conduct of their fellows; and so cool and excellent
had been the manner in which Captain Erskine had
accomplished his object, that it had claimed the undivided
admiration of all who had been spectators of the affair,
and had, with the aid of their telescopes, been enabled
to follow the minutest movements of the detachment.

"By heaven!" he at length replied, his chest swelling
with gratified pride at the warm and generous approval
of his companions, "this more than repays me for every
risk. Yet, to be sincere, the credit is not mine, but
Wentworth's. But for you, my dear fellow," grasping and
shaking the hand of that officer, "we should have rendered
but a Flemish account of ourselves. How beautifully those
guns covered our retreat! and the first mortar that sent
the howling devils flying in air like so many
Will-o'the-wisps, who placed that, Wentworth?"

"I did," replied the officer, with a quickness that
denoted a natural feeling of exultation; "but Bombardier
Kitson's was the most effective. It was his shell that
drove the Indians finally out of the bomb-proof, and left
the coast clear for your retreat."

"Then Kitson, and his gunners also, merit our best thanks,"
pursued Captain Erskine, whose spirits, now that his
detachment was in safety, were more than usually exhilarated
by the exciting events of the last hour; "and what will
be more acceptable, perhaps, they shall each have a glass