Our dinner, which was shared by every one on the island, consisted of the provisions which we had brought from General Marion’s home, and when the meal was come to an end there was not sufficient left of our store to provide us lads with supper. But at that time we did not look very far into the future. Our situation was so desperate--this little handful of men and boys who were setting themselves to combat a victorious enemy--that beyond the present hour we gave little or no heed, trusting to the fortunes of war, and the charity of the planters, when put to for sufficient in the way of food, to keep us alive. I am tempted to dwell upon the trifling incidents of this day at the rendezvous where there was little semblance of military authority, save that all recognized General Marion as the one who should map out the operations; but to do so would require more of space than can be given it, if I am to relate all which we Minute Boys of South Carolina succeeded in doing before the tyrant’s forces were driven beyond the border. Therefore it is I must go straight on with such as we did which had a bearing upon the struggle our people were making for liberty, rather than indulge in reminiscences most pleasing to myself. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when Captain Horry and his companion returned, and there was that written upon their faces which told that they were well satisfied with the information gained. “It is as it should be,” the captain said to General Marion as he came up from the bank of the stream to where the little company gathered immediately he was seen in the distance. “The force of which the lads gave warning number no more than forty, and are under command of Major Gainey. As nearly as can be told, from twenty to twenty-five of them are Tories, the remainder soldiers from Gainey’s own regiment. They have gone into camp at Britain’s Neck, I should guess in order to wait for reinforcements, fancying that we are too strong for them.” “Britain’s Neck,” the general said half to himself. “Then we have no need to start off until sunset.” Although I knew full well he would strike a blow however great the odds might be against him, it was with a certain sense of relief and satisfaction that I heard the words which gave the same meaning as if he had said he was determined to attack. Then Captain Horry described the situation of the enemy’s camp, which had been chosen near the river-bank and was backed by a small hill. If it had been the major’s purpose to give us good opportunity to make reprisals, he could not have disposed of his men to better advantage for us, because even I, who knew so little of the art of war, understood that if it should be possible for us to gain the brow of the hill, we had the foe at our mercy. It was when Captain Horry had come to the end of his recital, that Archie Gordon asked eagerly: “Did you see anything of Seth Hastings, sir, while you were spying upon the camp?”