To SIR WILLIAM HOWE, _Commander-in-chief of His Britannic
Majesty's forces in Philadelphia_:--
I beg to present to you my compliments, and to notify you
that I shall pay a visit to the City of Philadelphia one
night this week, in order that you may prepare a reception
worthy of yourself and me.
Yours faithfully,
WILLIAM WILDFOOT,
_Captain in the Continental Army_.
"It is said that over twenty of these have been found in the city
to-day," said Waters, "all exactly alike, and written in the same hand."
The penmanship was large, rough, and angular, evidently that of a man
more accustomed to grasping the sword than the goose quill.
Catron swore a tremendous oath.
"Well, of all unmitigated impertinences this is the greatest!" he
exclaimed.
"It's mere bravado," said Vivian. "Of course the man will not think of
venturing into Philadelphia."
"They say that he surely will come," said Waters; "it is the gossip of
the city."
"If he does," added Vivian, scornfully, "he will come only to be
hanged."
I was not so sure, but I said nothing. I remembered our former encounter
with Wildfoot, and the singular words that he shouted to me as he dashed
past. The others discussed the insolent placards with some degree of
heat.
"Have you heard what Sir William says about this piece of presumption?"
asked Vivian of Waters, letting his curiosity overcome his dignity.
"I have heard only, sir, that he was extremely angry," replied Waters.
"An entirely natural emotion under the circumstances," added Marcel.
Then we returned to the discussion of my own affair, and shortly after
the important letter was finished, notifying Belfort that I accepted
Schwarzfelder's challenge, naming pistols as the weapons, and stating
that Captain Montague would call upon him as soon as possible to make
arrangements as to time and place.
"There," said Marcel, his face flushing with satisfaction, as he looked
at the completed letter, "I think that's as pretty a piece of work as
any one of us has done in many a day. I don't want you to kill that
Hessian fellow, Melville; but if you could let a lot of blood from him
with a bullet, say in his shoulder, it would improve both his appearance
and his manners."
Waters was deputed to bear the letter to Belfort, and then we went out
to enjoy the small portion of the day and the sunshine that was left to
us. This was Tuesday, and Marcel and Moore began to calculate when they
could have the duel, the two undertaking to manage it, just as they had
managed my abortive affair with Belfort. Marcel was of the opinion that
the meeting could be held within two or three days, the time to be just
at dawn, and the place to be a spot in the Northern suburbs, barely
within the line of the British pickets, but where they could not see us.
We were not permitted to think long of the proposed duel. Wildfoot's
placard was making a great buzz in the city, and many of the British
officers who believed that he would keep his promise thought that the
time to catch him had come.