After that no one made objections to our station. It was seemingly the place where death would come quickly, and that was evidently what had been intended for us. After thus taking station there was nothing to do save await the signal, and we assembled on the firm ground within shelter of the foliage, every fellow gripping his musket tightly, I fancied, even as I did mine. As the minutes wore away we began to believe that we had gotten into position sooner than the commander had anticipated, and I sorrowed because of such fact. To charge the camp, to feel the intoxication born of powder fumes, to struggle desperately to best the enemy and fall while so doing, was far easier than standing there idle with ample time in which to think of what must be the end. Perhaps some such idea was in Gabriel’s mind, for after a time he said, speaking in a low tone as he laid his hand affectionately on my shoulder: “Perhaps it will never again be our good fortune to have such an opportunity of proving our mettle as is given this night. Now I am in no wise eager for death, but in my mind there is little fear that the end be near at hand. Even if the odds are so strong against us, we shall take this post of Georgetown, as I firmly believe. My brother is a careful, prudent soldier, never taking upon himself a task which is without hope, although there are many times when it has seemed so to be. We shall capture Georgetown, lads, and if either of us fails to come out alive, we have the proud satisfaction of knowing that, whatsoever befalls the Cause, our names must live among those who gave up everything for freedom.” “Ay, lad, but this is not the time for such speeches,” Archie Gordon said nervously, and had I not known the boy so well I might have believed he was afraid. “It is no proof that his courage is greatest who speaks very much regarding the future.” “Meaning by such speech that I had best hold my tongue?” Gabriel said with a laugh. “Perhaps you are right, yet there is upon me the inclination to speak of what we have ventured, in order that I may be the better able to appreciate life after it has been offered as a sacrifice and refused.” “I guarantee once we are come out from this expedition you will not need anything of the past to make you understand that we ventured into the very shadow of death. I realize without being told that ours is as desperate an undertaking as a man can well imagine--” “Now your words are more ill-timed than Gabriel’s!” I interrupted, for between the two of them the cold chill of fear was beginning to run up and down my spine. Gabriel, heedless of this interruption, continued to speak of the future as if we had no part in the present, and while he talked, even though his hand was still upon my shoulder, I ceased to hear, for my thoughts were gone out to that which lay directly before us.