Where the natural defenses of the place seemed to require strengthening he labored upon them; by cutting down bridges and obstructing the ordinary pathways with timber he contrived almost perfectly to isolate the section of country under his command. From this fortress his scouting parties were sent forth nightly in all directions to report on the doings of the British at Nelson’s Ferry and Scott’s Lake. Here Marion and his men lived like the Robin Hood of old, and his generous outlaws of Sherwood forest. Nature herself seemed to be with them; the dense woods and interminable growth screened them from the enemy; the vine and briar guarded the passes; the swamp was their moat; their bulwarks were the deep ravines, which, watched by sleepless riflemen, were quite as impregnable as the castles of the Rhine. Tom Deering and Cole were kept busy those first days at Snow’s Island; for General Greene, a soldier of great firmness, prudence and forethought had some time before assumed command of the army of the South, and the young scout carried all the despatches between the two camps. One day at the Continental camp Tom was summoned to the tent of the commanding officer. The sentry passed him in, and he stood at the flap of the tent, his hand at the salute, waiting to be addressed. A number of officers were with General Greene, and they seemed to be deeply interested in some maps which lay upon the table before them. General Greene at length looked up. “Deering,” said he, “I have sent for you because you are well acquainted with this country in every direction and because you are very well spoken of by General Marion,” for the American leader had now attained that rank. “Yes, general,” answered Tom, wondering what was to come. “As you have probably heard,” continued the officer, “General Morgan is operating in the western section of the state; it is positively necessary that I, in person, reach his force without delay.” “I can guide you, general,” said Tom promptly. “I have been over the ground many times.” “Very well,” said Greene, briefly. “See that your mount is rubbed down, fed and well rested; and get some sleep yourself. We start in the morning at daylight.” Tom saluted and left the tent to communicate the intelligence to Cole. The General Morgan of whom Greene had spoken was in command of a corps of light infantry, of the Maryland line, numbering over three hundred men, two hundred Virginia militia, and the cavalry force that had, under Lieutenant-Colonel Washington, just beaten the British at Clermont. Sumpter had been wounded in the fight at Blackstock and was, as yet, unable to leave his bed, so his force, also, joined itself to Morgan’s.