honor of a command, though I should be ready to go on and assist, if I
really believed that military forces would be needed."

"Military forces needed for what?" asked Haviland, in some surprise.

"Why, have you not heard, Squire Haviland," said the sheriff, "that
threats have been thrown out, that our coming court would not be
suffered to sit?"

"Yes, something of the kind, perhaps," replied Haviland,
contemptuously; "but I looked upon them only as the silly vaporings of
a few disaffected creatures, who, having heard of the rebellious
movements in the Bay State, have thrown out these idle threats with
the hope of intimidating our authorities, and so prevent the holding
of a court, which they fear might bring too many of them to justice."

"So I viewed the case for a while," rejoined Patterson; "but a few
days ago, I received secret information, on which I could rely, that
these disorganizing rascals were actually combining, in considerable
numbers, with the intention of attempting to drive us from the
Court-House."

"Impossible! impossible! Patterson," said the squire; "they will never
be so audacious as to attempt to assail the king's court."

"They are making a movement for that purpose, nevertheless," returned
the former; "for, in addition to the information I have named, I
received a letter from Judge Chandler, just as I was leaving my house
in Brattleborough, yesterday morning, in which the judge stated, that
about forty men, from Rockingham, came to him in a body, at his house