"Glad to hear it! glad to hear it! Well, sir, I started right
off--right straight off, and tried my best to overtake you, but, bless
me, I might as well have tried to run away from my own shadow, as to
catch up with a young chap when he is in love. I got to the settlement
yesterday, toward night, and the first thing I heard was that my house
had been burned, and my sweet little darling Mary there, either killed
or carried off a prisoner. I felt bad about that," added the Captain,
wiping his eyes with his handkerchief, but smiling all the while, "yes,
I won't deny I felt a little bad about that. They had all seen the
light from the settlement, and knowing the direction of my house, were
pretty sure it was that. But, to be certain, one of the men came out
here yesterday, and found there was no mistake about it. But the
queerest part of the matter was, that all the people, the garrison
especially, appeared to feel bad about it too--actually felt bad about
it. And when I asked for volunteers, they all sprung forward and
insisted that they would go--insisted that they would go. I picked out
those twelve there--because they had all been in Indian fights and
understood the country through which we would be compelled to go. They
are all good fellows, and perfect phenomena, if you may believe all
they say--perfect phenomena. You see that chap there, with the big
mouth and crossed eyes. Well, sir, he informs me that he has dined off
a live Indian every morning for the last seventeen years, and is
certain that he should pine away and die, if he should be deprived of
his usual meal.
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