"Heigh, sir general! don't you know where our parts is?
I thought everybody knowed where daddy lives."
"No, my son, I don't; but, I've a notion he lives somewhere on Pedee; perhaps a good way up."
"Yes, by jing, does he live a good way up! a matter of seventy miles; clean away up there, up on Little Pedee."
"Very well, my son, I thank your daddy, and you too, for letting me know it.
And, I believe, I must try to meet the tories there."
"O la, sir general, try to meet 'em indeed! yes, to be sure! dear me, sirs, hearts alive, that you must, sir general! for daddy says, as how, he is quite sartin, if you'll be there to-morrow night, you may make a proper smash among the tories; for they'll be there thick and threefold. They have heard, so they say, of your doings, and are going to hold this great meeting, on purpose to come all the way down here after YOU."
"After me?"
"Yes, indeed are they, sir general! and you had better keep a sharp look out, I tell you now; for they have just been down to the British, there at Georgetown, and brought up a matter of two wagon loads of guns; great big English muskets! I can turn my thumb in them easy enough! And, besides them plaguy guns, they have got a tarnal nation sight of pistols! and bagonets! and swords! and saddles! and bridles! and the dear knows what else besides! so they are in a mighty good fix, you may depend, sir general."
"Well, perhaps you and I may have some of them fine things to-morrow night.
What say you to it, my son?"
"By jing, I should like it proper well! But, to be sure, now, sir general, you look like a mighty small man to fight them great big tories there, on Pedee. But daddy says as how the heart is all: and he says, too, that though you are but a little man, you have a monstrous great heart."
Marion smiled, and went out among his men, to whom he related the boy's errand; and desired them to question him, so that there might be no trick in the matter. But every scruple of that sort was quickly removed; for several of our party were well acquainted with the lad's father, and knew him to be an excellent whig.