swung him about in a large circle, letting go his hold only
when they were riding away from the enemy.

Washington offered no resistance, and rode the hundred
yards to where the rest of his staff were standing, with bowed
head. Nothing was said as he rejoined the group, and Blueskin,
disappointed in the charge for which he had shown as
much eagerness as his rider, let his mind recur to thoughts of
oats; finding no control in the hand that held his bridle, he
set out at an easy trot toward headquarters.

They had not ridden many yards ere Washington lifted his
head, the expression of hopelessness, which had taken the
place of that of animation, in turn succeeded by one of stern
repose. He issued three orders to as many of the riders,
showing that his mind had not been dwelling idly on the
disaster, slipped his sword into its scabbard, and gathered up
his reins again.

"There!" thought Blueskin, as a new direction was indicated
by his bit, "I'm going to have another spell of it
riding all ways of a Sunday, just as we did last night. And
it 's coming on to rain."

Rain it did very quickly; but from post to post the horsemen
passed, the sternly silent commander speaking only when
giving the necessary orders to remedy so far as possible the
disaster of the afternoon. Not till eleven, and then in a
thoroughly drenched condition, did they reach the Morris
House on Haarlem Heights. It was to no rest, however,