said Peleg.

"Gosh!" exclaimed Abner, his rough features softening with a pensive
cast, "I rekullec jess zif 'twar yes'dy, that rainy mornin wen we
fellers set orf long with Squire Woodbridge fer Bennington. Thar wuz
me, 'n Perez, an Reub, an Abe Konkapot, 'n lessee, yew went afore,
didn't ye, Peleg?"

"Yas, I went with Cap'n Stoddard," replied that individual.

"Thar we wuz; all a stannin in line," pursued Abner, gazing right
through the ceiling, as if he could see just the other side of it the
scene which he so vividly recalled, "an Parson West a prayin, an the
wimmin a whimperin, an we nigh ontew it; fer we wuz green, an the
mothers' milk warn't aouter us. But I bet we tho't we wuz big
pertaters, agoin to fight fer lib'ty. Wall, we licked the redcoats,
and we got lib'ty, I s'pose; lib'ty ter starve, that is ef we don'
happin to git sent tew jail fus," and Abner's voice fell, and his chin
dropped on his breast, in a sudden reaction of dejection at the
thought of the bitter disappointment of all the hopes which that day
had made their hearts so strong, even in the hour of parting.

"I callate we wuz a dern sight better orf every way under the King, 'n
we be naow. The Tories wuz right, arter all, I guess. We'd better a
let well nuff l'one, an not to a jumped aouter the fryin-pan intew the
fire," said Peleg, gloomily.

As he ended speaking, a medium sized man, with a pasty white, freckled
complexion, bristly red hair, a retreating forehead and small, sharp
eyes, came forward from the dark corner near the door. His thin lips