It was an hour or more after dark when our compact little body of horsemen rode down a gully into a broad creek bottom, and then advanced through a fringe of trees to the edge of the stream. There was a young moon in the sky yielding a spectral light, barely making those faces nearest me visible. At the summit of the clay bank, shadowed by the forest growth encircling them, were the others who had gathered at this war rendezvous, the majority dismounted, holding their horses in readiness for action. As we rode in among them neighbors clasped hands silently, but the words exchanged were few. Farrell forced his horse through the press toward where a tall figure sat stiff in the saddle, and my own horse followed unguided.
"A goodly turn-out, Duval," he commented briefly. "What was the number before we came?"
"Forty-seven rifles," the Lieutenant's voice nasal, and high pitched. "The men from Orchard and Springdale are not in yet. How many arrived with you?"
"Twenty; ample for our purpose, even if the others fail us. This is Major Lawrence of the Maryland Line."
I shook his long, thin hand, marking the iron grip of the fingers.
"We'll introduce you to some typical Jersey fighting to-night, Major," he said genially. "We have a style all our own."
"I had supposed I had witnessed all styles."
"We'll see; the difference is that every man among us has some outrage to revenge. Our quarrel is a personal one against thieves and murderers. What is the programme, Farrell?"
"To intercept Delavan's raiders. They will be along the main road within the hour from all reports. He has a wagon train loaded with stuff gathered up between Medford an' Mount Holly, together with a considerable drove of cattle and some horses."
"About fifty men originally, but reinforced this afternoon with as many more to help guard the train into Philadelphia."
"The reinforcements were, but the original foragers were afoot; they were Hessians; the others Grant's company of Queen's Rangers."
"Glory be to God!" exclaimed a voice near at hand. "Did ye hear that, lads? It's Dutchmen and Tories we're against to-night. Be Gorry! I wouldn't have missed the chance of this shindy fer the best farm in Camden."
There was a low growl from the cluster of men, and an ominous movement of bodies pressing closer. Duval laughed mirthlessly.