Page:Tales of my landlord (Volume 3).djvu/140

 her way, impeded by a thousand obstacles, and found the old gentleman, in the midst of his natural military element, commanding, rebuking, encouraging, instructing, and exercising all the numerous duties of a good governor.

"In the name of God, what is the matter, uncle?" exclaimed Edith.

"The matter, my love?" answered the Major coolly, as, with spectacles on his he examined the position of a gun—"the matter?—Why—raise her breech a thought more, John Gudyill—the matter? Why, Claver'se is routed, my dear, and the whigs are coming down upon us in force, that's all the matter."

"Gracious powers!" said Edith, whose eye at that instant caught a glance of the road which ran up the river, "and yonder they come."

"Yonder? where?" said the veteran, and, his eyes taking the same direction, beheld a large body of horsemen coming down the path. "Stand to your guns, my