Chapter 33

Green be the turf above thee,
Friend of my better days;
None knew thee but to love thee,
None named thee but to praise.
--HALLECK.

While the scenes and events that we have recorded were occurring,
Captain Lawton led his small party, by slow and wary marches, from the
Four Corners to the front of a body of the enemy; where he so
successfully maneuvered, for a short time, as completely to elude all
their efforts to entrap him, and yet so disguised his own force as to
excite the constant apprehension of an attack from the Americans. This
forbearing policy, on the side of the partisan, was owing to positive
orders received from his commander. When Dunwoodie left his detachment,
the enemy were known to be slowly advancing, and he directed Lawton to
hover around them, until his own return, and the arrival of a body of
foot, might enable him to intercept their retreat.

The trooper discharged his duty to the letter but with no little of the
impatience that made part of his character when restrained from
the attack.

During these movements, Betty Flanagan guided her little cart with
indefatigable zeal among the rocks of Westchester, now discussing with
the sergeant the nature of evil spirits, and now combating with the
surgeon sundry points of practice that were hourly arising between them.
But the moment arrived that was to decide the temporary mastery of the
field. A detachment of the eastern militia moved out from their
fastnesses, and approached the enemy.

The junction between Lawton and his auxiliaries was made at midnight,
and an immediate consultation was held between him and the leader of the
foot soldiers. After listening to the statements of the partisan, who
rather despised the prowess of his enemy, the commandant of the party
determined to attack the British, the moment daylight enabled him to
reconnoiter their position, without waiting for the aid of Dunwoodie and
his horse. So soon as this decision was made, Lawton retired from the
building where the consultation was held, and rejoined his own
small command.

The few troopers who were with the captain had fastened their horses in
a spot adjacent to a haystack, and laid their own frames under its
shelter, to catch a few hours' sleep. But Dr. Sitgreaves, Sergeant
Hollister, and Betty Flanagan were congregated at a short distance by
themselves, having spread a few blankets upon the dry surface of a rock.
Lawton threw his huge frame by the side of the surgeon, and folding his
cloak about him, leaned his head upon one hand, and appeared deeply
engaged in contemplating the moon as it waded through the heavens. The
sergeant was sitting upright, in respectful deference to the surgeon,
and the washerwoman was now