“Well, Jack,” said I, “this is rare weather for Colonel Tarleton’s fox hunting.”

“They say he hunts an ass, sir, too,” said Jack Mount under his breath.  “And I think it must be so, for there be five score of Colonel Sheldon’s dragoons in yonder barns, drawing at jack-straws or conning their thumbs—­ and not a vidette out—­ not so much as a militia picket, save for the minute men which Colonel Thomas and Major Lockwood have sent out afoot.”

There was a certain freedom in our corps, but it never warranted such impudent presumption as this; and I sharply rebuked the huge fellow for his implied disrespect toward Colonel Sheldon.

“Very well, sir.  I will bite off this unmilitary tongue o’ mine and feed it to your horse.  Then, sir, if you but ask him, he will tell you very plainly that none of his four-footed comrades in the barn have carried a single vidette on their backs even as far as Poundridge village, let alone Mile-Square.”

I could scarcely avoid smiling.

“Do you then, for one, believe that Colonel Tarleton will venture abroad on such a night?”

“I believe as you do,” said the rifleman coolly, “—­ being some three years or more a soldier of my country.”

“Oh!  And what do I believe, Jack?”

“Being an officer who commands as good a soldier as I am, you, sir, believe as I do.”

I was obliged to laugh.

“Well, Jack—­ so you agree with me that the Legion Cavalry is out?”

“It is as sure that nested snake’s eggs never hatched out rattlers as it is certain that this wild night will hatch out Tarleton!”

“And why is it so certain in your mind, Jack Mount?”

“Lord, Mr. Loskiel,” he said with a lazy laugh, “you know how Mr. Boyd would conduct were he this same Major Tarleton!  You know what Major Parr would do—­ and what you and I and every officer and every man of Morgan’s corps would do on such a night to men of Sheldon’s kidney!”

“You mean the unexpected.”

“Yes, sir.  And this red fox on horseback, Tarleton, has ever done the same, and will continue till we stop his loping with a bit o’ lead.”

I nodded and looked out into the rain-swept darkness.  And I knew that our videttes should long since have been set far out on every road twixt here and Bedford village.

Captain Fancher passed with a lantern, and I ventured to accost him and mention very modestly my present misgivings concerning our present situation.

“Sir,” said the Captain, dryly, “I am more concerned in this matter than are you; and I have taken it upon myself to protest to Major Tallmadge, who is at this moment gone once more to Colonel Sheldon with very serious representations.”

“Lieutenant Boyd and I have volunteered as a scout of three,” I said, “but Colonel Sheldon has declined our services with scant politeness.”

Fancher stood far a moment, his rain-smeared lantern hanging motionless at his side.