"The General has no authority over me. I'm not one of his soldiers. And as to my father, it's all right with him."
Yet she felt very desolate when the ship which was to have carried them had gone with its companion vessel, and from the door of one of the hospital tents she stood watching the white sails in the distance. But it was not that resolution had failed her; for she would have made the same decision over again if she had been called upon at the moment.
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE NIGHT ATTACK.
As Elizabeth stood at the door of the hospital tent looking after the Smithhurst, General Pepperell came along, alone, in a brown study, his brows knit and his face troubled. For though the French ship-of-war, "Vigilant" had been captured, Louisburg had not, and every day was adding to the list of soldiers in the hospitals. But when he saw her, he stopped, and his expression, at first of surprise, changed to anger.
"What does this mean?" he said abruptly. "The ship has sailed. I sent you word in time."
"Yes," she answered.
"Then what does it mean?" he reiterated, "Why are you here?"
"It means," she returned, resenting the authority of his tone, "that when New England men are fighting and suffering and dying for their country, New England women have not learned how to leave them in their need, and sail away to happy homes. That's what it means, General Pepperell." As she spoke she saw Archdale behind the General; he had come up hastily as Pepperell stood there.