Major Colfax glanced at Colonel Clark.

"You see!" he said a little triumphantly.

I could hold my tongue no longer.

"Major Colfax is unjust, sir," I cried. "'Twas Tom saved the man from
hanging."

"Eh?" says Colonel Clark, turning to me sharply. "So you had a hand in
this, Davy. I might have guessed as much."

"Who the devil is this?" says Mr. Colfax.

"A sort of ward of mine," answers the Colonel. "Drummer boy, financier,
strategist, in my Illinois campaign. Allow me to present to you, Major,
Mr. David Ritchie. When my men objected to marching through ice-skimmed
water up to their necks, Mr. Ritchie showed them how."

"God bless my soul!" exclaimed the Major, staring at me from under his
black eyebrows, "he was but a child."

"With an old head on his shoulders," said the Colonel, and his banter
made me flush.

The negro boy arriving with the toddy, Colonel Clark served out three
generous gourdfuls, a smaller one for me. "Your health, my friends, and
I drink to a peaceful settlement."