Part 2 (1/2)

”Red Coat's best was very good,” said Tayoga in his grave, precise manner. ”Few who have been in the forest as little as he could have done as much and have borne as much.”

”Do you really think so, Tayoga? You're not merely flattering me?”

”Our wisest sachem would tell you so, Red Coat.”

”Thanks, my friend. You make me feel better. I was lucky enough to go through the great battle with little hurt. It was a most ghastly slaughter, and I still dream of it. I stood up all right until we got back to Albany, and then I collapsed. But to-morrow I'll be on my feet again. Your friends, Colden, Wilton and Carson are all here. They showed great courage and they have some slight wounds, but not enough to trouble 'em.”

Robert found the Philadelphians a little later, and they all went back to Grosvenor's tent, where they were joined in a half hour by the Virginians, Walter Stuart and James Cabell, who had been with them in Braddock's defeat and whom Robert had known at Williamsburg. It was a tight squeeze for them all in the tent, but there was another and joyous reunion. Youth responded to youth and hope was high.

”Stuart and I did not arrive in time for Ticonderoga,” said Cabell, ”but we mean to be in the next great battle.”

”So we do!” exclaimed Cabell. ”The Old Dominion had a taste of defeat at Fort Duquesne and you've had the like here. Now we'll all wait and see how victory agrees with us.”

”Some of us have been in at both defeats,” said Grosvenor rather sadly.

But the presence of so many friends and the cheerful talk made him feel so much better that he averred his ability to go anywhere and do anything at once.

”You've leave of absence if you wish it?” asked Cabell.

”For several days more,” replied Grosvenor.

”Then let's all go into the town. I haven't had a good look at Albany yet. I want to see if it's as fine a place as Williamsburg.”

”It's larger,” said Robert.

”But size is not everything. That's where you northern people make your mistake.”

”But you'll admit that Philadelphia's a fine city, won't you?” said Colden, ”and you know it's the largest in the colonies.”

”But it's comparatively near to Virginia,” said Cabell briskly, ”and our influence works wonders.”

”We've our own conceit in Philadelphia,” said Wilton, ”but conceit and Virginia are just the same words, though they may have a different sound.”

”Come on to the George Inn,” said Grosvenor, ”and you can argue it out there. Old England likes to see this healthy rivalry among her children.

She doesn't mind your being b.u.mptious.”

”We're b.u.mptious, because we're like our parent,” said Cabell. ”It's a matter of inheritance.”

”Let the George Inn settle it. Come on, lads.”

Grosvenor was feeling better and better. He was adaptable and this was a sprightly group, full of kindred spirits. The Virginians were as English as he was, and the others nearly as much so. He had acquitted himself well in the New World, in fields with which he was unfamiliar, and these lads were friends. Danger and hards.h.i.+ps faded quite away into a forgotten past. He was strong and well once more.

”You shall all be my guests at the George Inn!” he exclaimed. ”We shall have refreshment and talk, plenty of both.”

”As we Virginians are the oldest people in the colonies, it's the right of Stuart and myself to be the hosts,” said Cabell.

”Aye, so 'tis,” said Stuart.

”As we're from Philadelphia, the greatest and finest city in the country, it's the right of Wilton, Carson and myself,” said Colden.