"I am of the mind, lad, that the odds are strongly against it, and yet must the venture be made. I have the hope that if death comes to me you may have knowledge regarding it, so that that which I have failed in may be carried on by one of you. It is not a time to think of taking precautions to save our own lives; but rather to try how we may so sacrifice them that by our dying we shall have benefitted the Cause." Even while he was speaking in such a strain as to bring tears to the eyes of us all, little Frenchie, ever realizing what should be done, was unbarring the door, and when he had finished the task the Jerseyman went out without so much as turning to look at us. Never a word did he speak, but went quickly into the open air as if eager to rid himself of our company. Only those who have been in a like situation can understand our feelings at this moment when we were left alone, and knew that the man who stood our friend, had gone most like to his death. We remained silent and motionless, not daring to gaze at each other, much like a band of mourners who have gathered around the lifeless body of a dear friend, and so we would have stood there until all the courage oozed out from our hearts, had it not been for dear little Frenchie, himself quite as brave a man and as good a patriot as the one who had just left us. Regardless of the sorrow in his own heart, and of the forebodings which I knew must be his, he put on a cheerful face, saying as he righted Uncle 'Rasmus's chair which had been overturned during the struggle: "There is no good reason why we should stand around here like a company of sore-heads, for there is work in abundance to be done. We must have food, and now would seem to be the time to procure it, when the Britishers have all on their hands to which they can attend." "For my part I have no desire for food," I cried, almost irritated because he had brought up the matter at such a time, when it was as if we had taken leave of an old friend. "It seems to me as if I should never be hungry again." "But yet you will be, Fitz Hamilton, and that before this night-fall. Even though we were inclined to starve ourselves, thinking it might benefit the Cause, we have two prisoners to look after, and now that we have no longer reason to fear a meeting with Abel Hunt, what prevents us from going through the encampment?" "It seems to me that at such a time the Britishers would be over-cautious, and insist on knowing why we lads roamed around instead of offering our services to those in the entrenchments," Saul said gloomily, and I was much of his mind; but when little Frenchie has once set out on a road it is most difficult to turn him back, and now in answer to our suggestions, he insisted that we must make an effort to procure provisions whatever short of actual death might stand in the way.