"It is strange that women should put such a value on such things as affections," said Harrison, smiling at me, "but self esteem is to be commended in the sex." Barron laughed heartily, as he always did when jokes were made at his expense. He always laughed at, and took a light view of, everything, and it was this that made him so popular with the young people, for he was, physically, the ugliest man on the river. He refused to wear any hair except his own, which consisted of two little red tufts just over his ears. These latter stuck out from the sides of his head like a pair of fans. His face was full, bronzed and rugged featured, and absolutely hairless, and his mouth curled up at the corners in a perpetual smile. His great, red nose was almost purple, and its color, he claimed, had cost him much time and money to develop. He was short and stout, but always wore the baggiest of brown homespun breeches. "Women are not the only persons who like comfort," said he, and the Major, very thoughtfully, passed him the bottle. "No, no," he cried, motioning away the liquor, "I never drink at this time of day, and very little now at all. Only a bracer or two when I rise, then another before eating, along with two or three in the late afternoon--and a couple before dinner--and--well, I'll take just one, if you insist." "Its easy to see that Barron's heart lies in his stomach," said the Major. "There's an old woman's saying that 'to win a man's esteem, you must feed the brute.'" "And, likewise, to win a woman's, 'dress the animal,'" laughed Barron. "But what was the news, Major, from Boston? I thought I overheard you say something about a fight," asked Harrison. "He did," said Will. "Gage's men carried Bunker Hill by assault, last week. But he says the Virginia boys fought well and gave the reddies all they wanted." "They did that, and Woodford's men will give Dunmore about the same, if he doesn't bear a hand and leave," interrupted the Major sententiously. "You don't say!" laughed Barron, raising his glass. "Well, here's to the army of Virginia, and may it reap much benefit from the Major and his combination of Christian men." "And have reason to give thanks that they'll be in no worse condition than that which they find themselves," muttered Harrison, putting down his untouched glass. "They'll be damned lucky if they're not." "Oh, well, it is hardly necessary to be profane about it," said the Major, quietly. Barron smacked his huge lips and smiled blandly, then murmured softly-- "And when they pawned and damned their souls They were but prisoners on paroles." "An apt quotation," snapped Harrison ill-humoredly. "You don't look as if you were much given to poetry, especially Butler's." "An angel is sometimes disguised as a devil," laughed Barron. "But never as a soldier," said Harrison, dryly.