It pleased the old man's whim, and he sat down on the door-step.
"Now, I suppose," said Ralph, "that General Winfield Scott always looked into things a little before he went into a fight.

Didn't he ?" "_To_ be sure," assented the old man.
"Well," said Ralph.

"What is the condition of the enemy?
I suppose the whole neighborhood's against us." "_To_ be sure," said the old man.

The rest were silent, but all felt the statement to be about true.
"Next," said Ralph, "I suppose General Winfield Scott would always inquire into the condition of his own troops.

Now let us see.