“Not so but that they have been able to surround the fort,” the officer replied. “We are hemmed in at last.”
“Then there will be a battle here?” the boy continued.
“It looks like it.”
“You must have a banner, captain!” exclaimed Joe, sitting up.
“What do you mean?” the officer asked.
Eagerly the scout told him of the Act of Congress, and, describing the appearance of the miniature flag he had seen, he continued:
“Can’t we have one made, Captain Swartwout, to float from the highest bastion?”
“We will,” the commander replied. “I have a tailor in the fort. He shall make it to-night under your directions, and we’ll unfurl it at sunrise.”
A few moments later the tailor was at work. Sheets were cut for the white stripes, bits of scarlet cloth joined to form the red, and the blue ground for the stars was made from a cloak belonging to the captain. At sunrise, amid the cheers of the men and a salute of thirteen cannon, it was swung to the breeze from the highest staff.
Colonel St. Leger saw and gazed in wonder at it for some time. Then he sent for a prisoner whom some of his Indians had captured the previous day.