this? Oh, it's you, young Bruton. No alarm, is there?"

It was Colonel Preston who spoke, and after telling him that all seemed
quiet I passed on, and in an uneasy way went from sentry to sentry to
say a word or two to each, as I inquired whether my father had been by.

He had not, so I went on till I came to the corner of the enclosure
farthest from the forest, where I could dimly see the man on duty
straining himself over the great fence; and so occupied was he in gazing
into the distance that he did not notice my presence till I spoke.
"You, Master George?"

"You, Morgan?"

"Why, I thought you'd ha' been asleep."

"No; I could not go," I said. "But why were you looking out there?"

"I don't know, my lad," he whispered. "This sort of work puts one all
on the screw and fidget. I do nothing else but fancy all sorts of
things, and keep finding out I'm wrong."

"But the Indians are not likely to come this way," I said. "It is too
far from the forest."

"Then the more likely, my lad. But speak lower. Now look straight out
there, and try if you can see anything."

I looked out in the gloom in the direction indicated, and said softly--

"Yes, I am looking."

"Well, what can you see?"

"A house."

"Yes, that's right; just dimly showing against the sky."

"Well, what of it? It is Colonel Preston's."

"I didn't know for certain, but I thought it was his. Well, look again;
can you see anything about it?"

I looked, making a telescope of my hands, and then laughed to myself.

"As I watched it, Master George, it seemed to me as if there was some
one moving about it. I'm sure I saw men against the sky."

"Why, Morgan," I said, "what you see is those tall, thin cypress trees
standing up at the ends. They do look something like people, but they
would be folks twenty feet high."

"Nonsense, sir! Look again."

I did look again, and, very dimly-seen against the sky, I fancied I
could see something moving, and I had no doubt now about its being the
colonel's house, for it was the only one standing on raised ground.

"Well," whispered Morgan, "what do you make of it now?"

"Nothing. One's eyes get dizzy and misty with looking so long. I
believe it is only fancy."

Morgan gazed long and eagerly for quite a minute before he said in a
low, excited whisper--

"Then fancy's precious busy to-night, Master George. I got to be
wonderful powerful in the sight during the wars, being out on vidette
dut