The one who leads troops to war should be like a watch-dog, quick to see and to hear all that goes on, and to be on guard at all times.
Each day he had the guns drawn out and dragged through the town, just to make a stir and have the band out. But when the Ma-jor told him that he should have earth-works thrown up on which to place the guns he said, "Pooh! pooh! Let the foe come on! We'll charge on them with the bay-o-net!"
"But Herr Col-o-nel," said the old Ma-jor, "it costs not much, and if it does not help it will not harm."
But Rahl laughed as if he thought it a good joke, turned on his heel and went off, and the works were not thrown up.
On this night, too, there was a great stir in the camp at Tren-ton, for the men did their best to keep Christ-mas, and their thoughts were of home and the dear ones there. They made what cheer they could, and did not dream that the foe was so near.
A storm of hail and snow set in as soon as our troops took up their march. They could scarce see their way through the sleet they had to face. The night was so cold that two of the men froze to death. At dawn of day some of the men came to a halt at a cross-road, where they did their best to dry their guns. But some were past use, and word was sent to Wash-ing-ton of the state of their arms. They were in doubt what to do.
Wash-ing-ton in a burst of rage bade the man go back to his chief at once, and tell him to push on and charge if he could not fire.
At eight o'clock Wash-ing-ton drew near the town at the head of his troops. He went up to a man who had come out to chop wood by the road-side and asked him where the guard was who stood at the out-post of Rahl's camp.
The man said in a harsh voice, "I don't know."
"You may tell him," said one of our men who stood near, "for that is Gen-er-al Wash-ing-ton."