"Not exactly; for the land laws o' Virginna, passed the year I come out, made it rayther difficult gitting hold o' land, about which thar war a great deal o' disputing; and which war kept up till the commissioners came out and settled the matter; and so while this war agitating, I took my family to Boonesborough, whar they remained, excepting Isaac, who went along with me, until we'd got all matters fixed for moving 'em here. But as you've axed considerable many questions, pray may I know ef you're from the east?--And ef so, what news thar is with respect to this here war with the Britishers?" "Why," replied the other, hesitatingly, "though not strictly speaking from the east, yet I've been eastward the past season, and have some news of the war; and, as far as I am able to judge, think it will result in the total subjugation of the colonies." "Heaven forbid!" exclaimed Younker. "Heaven forefend!" said Reynolds, with a start. "Lord presarve us!--marsy on us!" cried Mrs. Younker, with vehemence. "What on yarth shall we do, ef them plaguy Britishers git uppermost? They'll take away all our lands, for sartin!--and Ben's bin and bought four hundred acres, poor man, at forty cents a acre, under the new laws of Varginna[4]--which comes to one hundred and sixty dollars, hard money; and now maybe he'll have to lose it all, and not git nothing for it; and then what in the name o' the whole univarsal creation will become on us?" "Well, well, Dorothy--don't fret about it till it happens--thar'll be plenty o' time then," said Younker, gravely; "and perhaps it won't happen at all." "Don't talk to me about fretting, Mr. Younker!" rejoined the now irritated dame, a la Caudle: "I reckon I don't fret no easier nor you do, nor half so much nother; but I'd like to know who wouldn't fret, when they know they're going to lose all thar property by them thar good for nothing red-coated Britishers, who I do believe is jest as mean as Injens, and they're too mean to live, that's sartin. Fret, indeed! I reckon it wouldn't do for you to be letting Preacher Allprayer hear ye say so; for he said one time with his own mouth--and to me too, mind that!--that I'd got the bestest disposition in the whole universal yarth o' creation under the sun!" and the voluble old lady paused to take breath. "It's my opine, that ef Preacher Allprayer had lived with you as long as I have, he wouldn't repeat that thar sentence under oath," returned Younker, quietly. Then perceiving that a storm was brewing, he hastened to change the conversation, by addressing the stranger: "What cause have you, Mr. Williams, for speaking so discourageous o' the war?" "The failure of the American arms in battle, the weakness of their resources, and the strength of their opponents," replied the other. "I presume you have heard of the battles of Guilford and Camden, in both of which General Greene was defeated?" "General _Gates_ commanded at Camden, sir!" interposed Reynolds somewhat haughtily.