"It would have pleased you better had we made the attempt to get into the fort?"
"Ay, ten times over, for then instead of roaming these woods, taking a fool's chances of bein' shot down, we might be comfortable and in safety."
"An' remained there so long as pleased Colonel Gansevoort, for once inside that fort we placed ourselves under his command."
"Well, and why not?" I asked, in surprise.
"Because it does not please me to linger when there is other work to be done."
"But there was no real need of undertakin' this task," I said, with irritation.
"Yet it gave us an excuse to which he would listen for leavin', when, had we told the truth, I question if he had not tried to stop us."
"Well, what is the truth?" I cried, sharply.
"Is there nothin' in your mind that we are bound to do, now the message has been delivered?"
"Do you mean to aid Jacob?" I asked, as a sudden light began to dawn on me.