“Are you a recruit?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Do you belong to the soldiers here?”
“Do you call these soldiers?” the stranger asked almost contemptuously.
“Well, if they ain’t, what do you call them?”
“They look to me like a crowd of folks what was goin’ to have a fight pretty soon.”
“That’s jest what I’m afraid of. Say, do you live near here?”
“No, I came from Shoreham. We heard there was a crowd comin’ to take Fort Ticonderoga, an’ seein’s how they didn’t get along very fast, I thought I’d come an’ hunt ’em up. Do you count yourself a soldier?”
“I did when I left Pittsfield; but I’ve kind’er got over that feelin’ now. What’s your name?”
“Nathan Beman.”