Three weeks passed.

James kept his men steadily at work, and even the scouts allowed that they made great progress.

Sometimes they went out in two parties, with an officer and a scout to each, and their pouches filled with blank cartridge.

Each would do its best to surprise the other; and, when they met, a mimic fight would take place, the men sheltering behind trees, and firing only when they obtained a glimpse of an adversary.
"I did not think that these pipe-clayed soldiers could have been so spry," Nat said to James.

"They have picked up wonderfully, and I wouldn't mind going into an Indian fight with them.