"Well, that is almost like the crossing of the Red Sea," said the Doctor.
"Oh, weren't the British furious!" cried Bill.
"Yes, they did fire away at the boats, and one straggling boat they hit and forced the men to return; but it turned out only three vagabonds that had come to plunder."
It was after the nine o'clock bell had dismissed the Colonel and his lady that the Doctor noticed the wide and radiant eyes of little Dolly and his boys.
"My children," he said, "to use the name of the great God solemnly and earnestly for a great and noble purpose is not to 'swear.' Swearing is taking God's holy name in vain, in a trifling way, for a trivial purpose—a thing which our great and good general never did. But this story I would rather you would never repeat. It might not be understood."
"Certainly," said Bill, with proud gravity; "common boys wouldn't understand—and, Dolly, don't you tell."
"Of course I shouldn't," said Dolly. "I never shall tell even Nabby, nor Bessie, nor anybody."
And afterwards, in the family circle, when General Washington was spoken of, the children looked on one another with grave importance, as the trusted depositaries of a state secret.