do for you. Here, take this key, which unlocks the
door of my barn, and crawl up into the hayloft where you can spend the
night. If you are there, however, when I come to feed the horse, at seven
o'clock to-morrow morning, I will not consider it necessary to keep silent
to my neighbors."

"Never fear," said Watson, in genial tones; "we'll be away by daylight.
Good-bye, and God bless you. You have done something to-night that will
earn our everlasting gratitude, little as that means. Some day this
wretched war will be over--and then I hope to have the honor of shaking
you by the hand, and calling you my friend."

Watson and George were soon safely ensconced for the night in the
minister's hayloft, with Waggie slumbering peacefully on top of a mound of
straw.

"I think we are more comfortable than our pursuers who are running around
the country," said George. He was stretched out next to Watson on the hay,
and over him was an old horse-blanket.

"Thanks to dear old Buckley," answered Watson. "He is a real
Southerner--generous and kind of heart. Ah, George, it's a shame that the
Americans of one section can't be friends with the Americans of the other
section."

Then they went to sleep, and passed as dreamless and refreshing a night as
if there were no dangers for the morrow. At the break of day they were up
again, and out of the barn, after leaving the key in the door.

"I feel like a general who has no plan of campaign whatever," observed
Watson, as he gazed at the minister's residence, in the uncanny morning
light, and saw that no one had as yet arisen.

"I guess the campaign will have to develop itself," answered George. The
night's rest, and the good supper before it, had made a new boy of him.
Twelve hours previously he had been exhausted; now he felt in the mood to
undergo anything.

The two walked out of the garden, accompanied by Waggie, and so on until
they reached an open field. Here they sat down, on the limb of a dead and
stricken tree, and discussed what they were to do.

"We don't know," mused Watson, "whether any of our party have been caught
or not. But one thing is as certain as sunrise. Just as soon as the
morning is well advanced the pursuers will begin their work again, and
they will have all the advantage--you and I all the disadvantage."

"The men will be on horseback, too," added George, "while we will be on
foot. We must remember that."

"Jove," cried Watson, giving his knee a vigorous