the cleared space beyond it, in the direction of the west
and south, was large, any assailants would be compelled to quit the cover of the
woods, before they could make an approach sufficiently near to render them
dangerous.
    Although the regular arms of the regiment were muskets, some fifty rifles
were produced on the present occasion. Every officer had one, as a part of his
private provision for amusement, many belonged to the scouts and friendly
Indians, of whom more or less were always hanging about the post, and there was
a public provision of them, for the use of those who followed the game with the
express object of obtaining supplies. Among those who carried the weapon were
some five or six, who had reputations for knowing how to use it particularly
well - so well indeed as to have given them a celebrity on the frontier - twice
that number who were believed to be much better than common, and many who would
have been thought expert, in almost any situation, but the precise one in which
they now happened to be placed.
    The distance was a hundred yards, and the weapon was to be used without a
rest. The target a board, with the customary circular lines in white paint,
having the bull's eye in the centre. The first trials in skill commenced with
challenges among the more ignoble of the competitors, to display their
steadiness and dexterity in idle competition. None but the common men, engaged
in this strife, which had little to interest the spectators, among whom no
officer had yet appeared.
    Most of the soldiers were Scotch, the regiment having been raised at
Stirling and its vicinity, not many years before, though, as in the case of
Serjeant Dunham, many Americans had joined it since its arrival in the colonies.
As a matter of course, the provincials were generally the most expert marksmen,
and after a desultory trial of half an hour, it was necessarily conceded that a
youth, who had been born in the colony of New York, and who, coming of Dutch
extraction, bore the euphonious name of Van Valtenburg, but was familiarly
called Follock, was the most expert of all who had yet tried their skill. It was
just as this opinion prevailed, that the oldest captain, accompanied by most of
the gentlemen and ladies of the fort, appeared on the parade. A train of some
twenty females of humbler condition followed, among whom was seen the well
turned form, intelligent, blooming, animated countenance, and neat, becoming
attire of Mabel Dunham.
    Of females who were officially recognised as belonging to the class