at his
lips. But the watchful mountaineer had noted his surprise.

"I guess you know 'em, Harry," he said.

"Yes," replied the boy. "See the one in the center with the drooping
mustaches and the splendid figure. People have called him the
handsomest man in the United States. He was a guest at my father's
house last year when he was running for the presidency. It is the man
who received more popular votes than Lincoln, but fewer in the Electoral
College."

"Breckinridge?"

"Yes, John C. Breckinridge."

"Why, he's younger than I expected. He don't look more'n forty."

"Just about forty, I should say. The other tall man is named Morgan,
John H. Morgan. I saw him in Lexington once. He's a great horseman.
The third, the slender man who looks as if he were all fire, is named
Duke, Basil Duke. I think that he and Morgan are related. I fancy they
are going south, or maybe to Virginia."

"Harry, these are your people."

"Yes, Sam, they are my people."

The mountaineer glanced at the tall youth who had found so warm a place
in his heart, and hesitated, but only for a moment. Then he spoke in a
decided whisper.

"Since they are your people an' are goin' on the same business that you
are, though mebbe not by the same road, now is your time to join 'em,
'stead o' workin' your way 'cross the hills with two ignorant
mountaineers like me an' that lunkhead, Ike, my nephew."

"No, Sam. I'll confess to you that it's a temptation, but it's likely
that they're not going where I mean to go, and where I should go.
I'm going to keep on with you unless you and Ike throw me out of the
boat."

"Well spoke, boy," said Jarvis.

He did not tell Harry that Colonel Kenton had asked him to watch over
his son until he should leave him in the mountains, and that he had
given him his sacred promise. He understood what a powerful pull the
sight of Breckinridge, Morgan and Duke had given to Harry, and he knew
that if the boy were resolved to go with them he could not stop him.

All the horses were now across. The three leaders took their places in
the boat, reached the farther shore and the whole company rode away in
the darkness. Despite his resolution Harry felt a pang when the last
figure disappeared.

"Our curiosity bein' gratified, I think we'd better go back to sleep,"
said Jarvis.

"The anchor's weighed, farewell, farewell!"

"We're seein' 'em goin' south, Harry. I dream ahead sometimes, an' I
dream with m