outs by the name of Leroy was in great danger of capture. What
I did discover was that Miss Ryder had been captured." He laughed as he
said this, and gave me a peculiar look.

"As to Leroy," I asked, "was he at that house? I am very much
interested in knowing, for General Forrest detailed me to capture him."

"Under the circumstances, you acquitted yourself wonderfully well, and
General Forrest has no right to be displeased with you," remarked
Colonel Ryder.

"But you have not answered my question," I said.

"In the nature of things," he replied, enigmatically, "I prefer not to
tell you. Of one thing you may be sure--Leroy is not likely to bother
the rebels for some time to come. I think you have put him out of
business, as the boys say."

"Then Leroy must be the name of the man that tried to capture me at the
tavern. It was the negro that put him out of business."

"But Leroy is a very dear friend of mine," laughed the Colonel, "and
you may be sure I should not have left him there. You observed, of
course, that I was very attentive to the man your negro had whipped."
He was still laughing, and I could not imagine for the life of me why
he was tickled.

XIII

We rode along without adventure of any kind, though I momentarily
expected to hear the tramp of Forrest's outriders behind us. They never
came, and about ten o'clock--my stomach was my clock in this instance,
for I had had no breakfast--we suddenly turned off from the main road
and plunged into the shadows of the finest wood I had ever seen. There
were giant chestnuts, giant poplars, giant oaks, and giant pines. They
were so large that human beings seemed small and insignificant beside
them, and I realized that we were in the primeval forest.

The thought, however, did not satisfy my hunger, and I wondered when
and where a halt was to be called and rations parcelled out. It is a
vexatious feeling for the young to feel the pangs of hunger, and I was
not used to a long fast. My feelings were relieved by Whistling Jim,
who informed me that he had placed a very substantial ration in my
holsters; and I am free to say that, after Colonel Ryder, the negro was
the most thoughtful and considerate person I have ever seen. He had an
easy explanation for it, and spoke of it very lightly, remarking that
all he had to do was to think of himself first "an' de white folks
nex'."

In turning into the wood, we were following the lead of the little lady
in the to