"Yes, come," said Dr. Tam, "even if you are a Methodist. Lots of them take their glass, its only their preachers and saints that set up to be so extra good. Come, you'll never be a man till you drink." "You're no Methodist," roared Edgar, as Ned sat down unwillingly. "What do you mean by writing to them? Give me that letter that you got from one of them to-day, or I'll break your neck." Ned obeyed, though his eyes flashed. Edgar read the letter, then burst into a torrent of oaths. "The canting coward," he shouted, "to take the king's pay and dare to talk of loving his enemies! And what's this gibberish about picking grapes in a Canadian forest in mid-winter? See here, you'll give me your word right now to drop this Methodism, or I'll flog it out of you to-night." Ned sprang to his feet. "You can do what you like to me, sir," he said sternly, "for you are my father, but if you do touch me, I shall leave your house and never enter it again." CHAPTER V How the Americans Came to York, April 27, 1813. "Steady, man," said Dr. Tam, with his hand on Edgar's arm. "The laddie's threatening to disinherit you, instead of waiting for you to do it to him. Now, listen, I'm an officer in Ferguson's regiment, and no matter what he puts in private letters, which are none of my business, I want to tell you something. Down at Lake Champlain the Governor-General, Prevost, visited us. We were to make an attack on the Yankee camp, and the night before I heard Ferguson preaching to the men. He told them that being ready to die made a man more fit to live. A Christian soldier can do his duty more calmly and bravely and be more true to the king and obedient to his officers. "He was standing on a box by a camp fire, with the men all 'round him listening in deep silence. I saw the colonel come up with Governor Prevost, who seemed surprised at a soldier's preaching. The colonel said to Captain Haslem, who was there--'What kind of man is Ferguson? Does he do his duty?'. The captain said--'He is always ready for any call; all I ever heard against him is his preaching, and reproving the men for swearing.' The Governor said--'I think we will let him go on then. The army needs some chaplains.' "The Yankees were gone when we went the next day. Our men plundered the farms quite a bit. I kept my eye on Ferguson, and saw that he not only never touched a thing, but kept the men near him better behaved than they would have been. Now, you let the lad be till the lake opens. There'll be stiff fighting then, and if he does his duty let him have what religion he likes." Edgar nodded grumpily, and as Ned left the room, he added, "If he fails I'll send him off. I've worked too hard to make a name here to have it disgraced by a Methodist coward."