"I suppose that means I am to be sent back to the main army," Enoch said just a trifle petulantly when they were so far away from General Dickinson that he could not overhear the remark. "I had begun to hope I might be allowed to stay with you fellows."
"It is better to be an aid on the commander-in-chief's staff than running around the country with the risk of being caught again as we were last night," Jacob replied, and once more he was showing unmistakable signs of envy.
"I had rather be with you, and have a chance to earn the sword you are always talking about. Just think how I shall feel if I am sent riding back and forth over the country when a battle is going on."
Seth put an end to the conversation by insisting that they find a comfortable place in which to spend the night, and after he had seen to it that his horse was not suffering from lack of care, Enoch was ready and willing to take advantage of the opportunity to sleep.
The troops were awakened an hour before daylight next morning, and as the boys obeyed the summons to "turn out," they heard the more experienced soldiers talking about the fight which was imminent.
"Is there to be a battle?" Enoch asked of a veteran.
"Hardly that yet awhile, lad; but we've been sent down here to harass the enemy, an' this 'ere early call looks as if we was about to begin our work. I reckon we can count mighty sartin on swappin' shots with the Britishers before nightfall."
"And I am to go back just when it is possible I might do something!" Enoch exclaimed to his comrades, "You will have a chance to distinguish yourselves, while all I can do is to ride where there is no danger."
"Wait till you've seen as much service as I have, lad, an' then you'll bless your lucky stars that you're to be out of the scrimmage. It's well enough to talk 'bout the glory to be won on a battlefield while there's no enemy near; but when you see fifteen thousand or more agin your five or six hundred, the glory don't seem so great."
Master Ludwick looked as if he agreed perfectly with this remark of the veteran's.