“You, in America, who have never given up your allegiance to the supreme nation, nor to the emperor, must do your share. Although war is to be declared the day after 69 tomorrow, it will be a matter of a few more days before we are at war with England; possibly it will be more than a week. I understand you are ready.”
Another voice spoke. “We are prepared. We will announce picnics at certain places; it is for you to tell us the locations.”
“I am ready to tell you that now,” replied the captain. “Concentrate on your picnic grounds near Detroit for the taking of Windsor. Herr Winckel has the plans. I have given him three sets—Windsor, Toronto, Winnipeg. He also has the charts which show how to move and what railroads to occupy. Our friends in Canada are to see that there are available cars, engines and even motors. Of course, all of you will know just what picnic grounds are to be selected, so we need waste no time on that.”
“How many men have you, Herr Winckel?” Captain Knabe wanted to know.
“Will you tell us, Schoen?” Herr Winckel asked.
“Approximately, armed and ready for the call, one hundred and twenty-five thousand men. There are also forty thousand Irishmen. O’Reilly has them equally prepared 70 and ready. Pfeffer reports thirty thousand men in Canada, eager for the call. They are so stationed that we can throw one hundred and fifty thousand men on Windsor and Toronto or such other points as are within one half day’s ordinary travel. For Montreal we would need eighteen hours’ additional notice. For Quebec we would need thirty. We figure that thirty thousand men will be enough for Winnipeg, although we shall have more.”
“The fool Englishmen,” sneered a voice.
“Not such fools, Schmidt. Do not underestimate them.” The voice was Winckel’s.
“Everything looks so easy,” said another voice.
“Aye,” said Captain Knabe, “we cannot help but win. But the Englishman fights best with his back to the wall.”