“If yer honour was going anywhere near the county Leitrim,” he said, in answer to Willoughby’s offer to keep him near himself, “I might travel in company; seein’ that a man likes to look on ould faces, now and then.  Many thanks for this bag of gold, which will sarve to buy scalps wid’; for divil bur-r-n me, if I don’t carry on that trade, for some time to come.  T’ree cuts wid a knife, half a dozen pokes in the side, and a bullet scraping; the head, makes a man mindful of what has happened; to say nothing of the captain, and Madam Willoughby, and Miss Beuly—­God for ever bless and presarve ’em all t’ree—­and, if there was such a thing as a bit of a church in this counthry, wouldn’t I use this gould for masses?—­dat I would, and let the scalps go to the divil!”

This was an epitome of the views of Michael O’Hearn.  No arguments of Willoughby’s could change his resolution; but he set forth, determined to illustrate his career by procuring as many Indian scalps, as an atonement for the wrongs done “Madam Willoughby and Miss Beuly,” as came within his reach.

“And you, Joyce,” said the major, in an interview he had with the serjeant, shortly after reaching Albany; “I trust we are not to part.  Thanks to Colonel Beekman’s influence and zeal, I am already exchanged, and shall repair to New York next week.  You are a soldier; and these are times in which a good soldier is of some account.  I think I can safely promise you a commission in one of the new provincial regiments, about to be raised.”

“I thank your honour, but do not feel at liberty to accept the offer.  I took service with Captain Willoughby for life; had he lived, I would have followed wherever he led.  But that enlistment has expired; and I am now like a recruit before he takes the bounty.  In such cases, a man has always a right to pick his corps.  Politics I do not much understand; but when the question comes up of pulling a trigger for or against his country, an unengaged man has a right to choose.  Between the two, meaning no reproach to yourself, Major Willoughby, who had regularly taken service with the other side, before the war began—­but, between the two, I would rather fight an Englishman, than an American.”

“You may possibly be right, Joyce; though, as you say, my service is taken.  I hope you follow the dictates of conscience, as I am certain I do myself.  We shall never meet in arms, however, if I can prevent it.  There is a negotiation for a lieutenant-colonelcy going on, which, if it succeed, will carry me to England.  I shall never serve an hour longer against these colonies, if it be in my power to avoid it.”

“States, with your permission, Major Willoughby,” answered the serjeant, a little stiffly.  “I am glad to hear it, sir; for, though I wish my enemies good soldiers, I would rather not have the son of my old captain among them.  Colonel Beekman has offered to make me serjeant-major of his own regiment; and we both of us join next week.”