In the
harangue the two battle lines had their orders: to be steady; to aim
low; and above all to hold their fire till the enemy was within sure
killing distance.
"'Tis a brave old Daniel," said Dick, whilst the general was sawing the
air for the benefit of the South Carolinians. "'Twill not be his fault
if we fail. But you are older at this business than any of us, Jack;
what think you of our chances?"
I laughed, and the laugh was meant to be grim. I knew the temper of the
British regulars, and how, when well led, they could play the hammer to
anybody's anvil.
"Any raw recruit can prophesy before the fact," said I. "We have
Tarleton, his legion, the Seventh, a good third of the Seventy-first,
and two pieces of artillery in our front. If they do not give a good
account of themselves, 'twill be because Tarleton has marched them
leg-stiff to overtake us."
Dick fell silent for the moment, and when he spoke again some of Dan
Morgan's solemnity seemed to have got into his blood.
"I have a sort of coward inpricking that I sha'n't come out of this with
a whole skin, Jack; and there's a thing on my mind that mayhap you can
take off. You have had Madge to yourself a dozen times since that day
last autumn when I asked her for the hundredth time to put me out of
misery. As I have said, she would not hear me through; but she gave me a
look as I had struck her with a whip. Can you tell me why?"
The morning breeze heralding the sunrise was whispering to the leafless
branches overhead, and there was nothing in all Dame Nature's peaceful
setting of the scene to hint at the impending war-clash.
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