Chapter 17 - Page 2

wounded to the rear."

"And what did you do with them?" asked a youth, who regarded the
serjeant as another Cæsar--Napoleon not having come into notice in
1776.

"We let them lie where they fell. Young man, war teaches us all the
wholesome lesson that impossibilities are impossible to be done. War is
the great schoolmaster of the human race; and a learned man is he who
has made nineteen or twenty campaigns."

"If he live to turn his lessons to account"--remarked the first
speaker, with a sneer.

"If a man is to die in battle, sir, he had better die with his mind
stored with knowledge, than be shot like a dog that has outlived his
usefulness. Every pitched battle carries out of the world learning upon
learning that has been got in the field. Here comes his honour, who
will confirm all I tell you, men. I was letting these men, sir,
understand that the army and the field are the best schools on earth.
Every old soldier will stick to that, your honour."

"We are apt to think so, Joyce--have the arms been inspected this
morning?"

"As soon as it was light, I did that myself, sir."

"Flints, cartridge-boxes and bayonets, I hope?"

"Each and all, sir. Does your honour remember the morning we had the
affair near Fort du Quesne?"

"You mean Braddock's defeat, I suppose, Joyce?"

"I call nothing a defeat, captain Willoughby. We were roughly handled
that day, sir; but I am not satisfied it was a defeat. It is true, we
fell back, and lost some arms and stores; but, in the main, we stuck to
our colours, considering it was in the woods. No, sir; I do not call
that a defeat, by any means."

"You will at least own we were hard pressed, and might have fared worse
than we did, had it not been for a certain colonial corps, that
manfully withstood the savages?"

"Yes, sir; that I allow. I remember the corps, and its commander, a
colonel Washington, with your honour's permission."

"It was, indeed, Joyce. And do you happen to know what has became of
this same colonel Washington?"

"It never crossed my mind to inquire, sir, as he was a provincial. I
dare say he may have a regiment--or even a brigade by this time; and
good use would he make of either."

"You have fallen far behind his fortunes, Joyce. The man is a
commander-in-chief--a captain-general."

"Your honour is jesting--since many of his seniors are still living."

"This is the man who leads the American armies, in the war with
England."

"Well, sir, in _that_ way, he may indeed get a quick step,