e's betrayed us!" whispered Hugh.

The General merely said, "Hush," and laid his hand firmly on the
nearest boy to keep him still. Lucy Ann led the soldiers into the
various chambers one after another. At last she opened the next room,
and, through the wall, the men in hiding heard the soldiers go in and
walk about.

They estimated that there were at least half-a-dozen.

"Isn't there a garret?" asked one of the searching party.

"Nor, sir, 'tain't no garret, jes' a loft; but they ain't up there,"
said Lucy Ann's voice.

"We'll look for ourselves." They came out of the room. "Show us the
way."

"Look here, if you tell us a lie, we'll hang you!"

The voice of the officer was very stern.

"I ain' gwine tell you no lie, Mister. What you reckon I wan' tell you
lie for? Dey ain' in the garret, I know,----Mister, please don't
p'int dem things at me. I's 'feared o' dem things," said the girl in a
slightly whimpering voice; "I gwine show you."

She came straight down the passage toward the recess where the
fugitives were huddled, the men after her, their heavy steps echoing
through the house. The boys were trembling violently. The light, as
the searchers came nearer, fell on the wall, crept along it, until it
lighted up the whole alcove, except where they lay. The boys held
their breath. They could hear their hearts thumping.

Lucy Ann stepped into the recess with her candle, and looked straight
at them.

"They ain't in here," she exclaimed, suddenly putting her hand up
before the flame, as if to prevent it flaring, thus throwing the
alcove once more into darkness. "The trap-door to the garret's 'roun'
that a-way," she said to the soldiers, still keeping her position at
the narrow entrance, as if to let them pass. When they had all passed,
she followed them.

The boys began to wriggle with delight, but the General's strong hand
kept them still.

Naturally, the search in the garret proved fruitless, and the
hiding-party heard the squad swearing over their ill-luck as they came
back; while Lucy Ann loudly lamented not having sent some one to
follow the fugitives, and made a number of suggestions as to where
they had gone, and the probability of catching them if the soldiers
went at once in pursuit.

"Did you look in here?" asked a soldier, approaching the alcove.

"Yes, sir; they ain't in there." She snuffed the candle out suddenly
with her fingers. "Oh, oh!--my light done gone out! Mind! Let me go in
front an