THE AMERICANS AND THE ABORIGINES. 389 



militia, preparing for the approaching conflict. If, 

 as I hope, you go down-stream to-morrow, we shall 

 have the pleasure of accompanying you." 



" Very kind," replied the general 



" Not bashful," added the squire. 



" We also are come," continued the stranger in the 

 same free-and-easy tone, "to lay our humble offering 

 upon the altar of the land of liberty, the happy 

 asylum of the persecuted and oppressed. Who would 

 not risk his best blood for the greatest of earth's 

 blessings ? " 



" You are very liberal with your best blood," 

 replied the general, drily. "How is it that, being 

 already wounded, you come so far to seek fresh 

 wounds in a foreign service?" 



" Our wounds were received from a party of Osages 

 who attacked us on the road, and paid dearly for 

 their temerity. We are not quite strangers here; 

 we have for many years had connections in !N"ew 

 Orleans, and some of the produce of our plantations 

 will follow us in a few days." 



" And this gentleman," said Colonel Parker, who, 

 after staring for some time at one of the adventurers, 

 now seized him by the collar, and in spite of his 

 struggles dragged him forward ; " does he also come 

 to make an offering upon liberty's altar 1 " 



With a blow of his hand he knocked off the man's 

 cap, and with it a bandage covering part of his face. 



" By Jingo ! dat our Pompey, Avhat run from Massa 



