Godfrey Shew emerged from the edge of the forest on my left and stood knee deep in last year's wild grass, one hand shading his eyes.
"What troops are those?" I shouted to him. "They look like the Continental Line!"
"It's a reg'lar rig'ment," he bawled, "but whose I know not!"
The clanking of their armament came clearly to my ears; the timing tap of their drum sounded nearer still.
"There can be no mistake," I called out to Godfrey; "yonder marches a regiment of the New York line! We're at war!"
We moved out across the pasture. I examined my flint and priming, and, finding all tight and bright, waded forward waist high, through last year's ghostly golden-rod, ready for a quick shot if necessary.
The sun had gone down; a lilac-tinted dusk veiled the fields, through which the gay evening chirruping of the robins rang incessantly.
"There go our people!" shouted Godfrey.
I had already caught sight of the Fonda's Bush Company filing between some cattle-bars to the left of us; and knew they must be making straight for Johnson Hall.
We shouldered our pieces and ran through the dead weeds to intercept them; but there was no need for haste, because they halted presently in some disorder; and I saw Joe Scott walking to and fro along the files, gesticulating.