“How so? Have you discovered the suspected rendezvous?”
“Der yes; and more too.”
“Indeed! where is it?”
“Ditter deep in the thickets, on the west side of the pond nearest the great road over the mountains.”
“Ah, ha! but their numbers? any more, probably, than the small club we supposed?”
“Der double, and then the ditter double of that, if it don't make more than twenty.”
“You surprise me, Dunning. Are you sure?”
“Sure as that I am der talking to Captain Woodburn.”
“Impossible! It must be some secret meeting of the disaffected in this quarter.”
“Der not that, but a regularly armed force, and, with the ditter exception of two or three about-home tories, may be, all strange faces, including a sprinkling of red skins, brought along with them for ditter decency's sake, I suppose.”