that the general arrived; for, as he dismounted, Major Gibbs
of his life guards informed him that the council of war he had
called was gathered and only awaited his attendance.

"Get you some supper, gentlemen," he ordered, to such of
his aides as were still of the party, "for 't is likely that you
will have more riding when the council have deliberated."

"'T is advice he might take himself to proper advantage,"
said one of the juniors, while they were stripping off their wet
coverings in a side room.

"Ay," asserted Brereton. "The general uses us hard,
Tilghman, but he uses himself harder." Then aloud he
called, "Billy!"

"Yis, sah!"

"Make a glass of rum punch and take it in to his
Excellency."

"Foh de Lord, sah, I doan dar go in, an' yar know marse
neber drink no spirits till de day's work dun."

"Make a dish of tea, then, you old coward, and I'll take
it to him so soon as I get these slops off me. 'Fore George!
How small-clothes stick when they 're wet!"

"You mean when a man 's so foppish that he will have
them made tight enough to display the goodness of his thighs,"