bly enough, swallowed my tale whole, and was so
obliging as to give me the password for the night to help me through the
inner sentry lines.

Thus fortified, I rode on boldly, and having the countersign the
difficulties vanished. When I was come to town it was well past
candle-lighting; and the patrol was out in force. But by dint of using
the password freely I made my way unhindered to the house of the
gentleman to whom Colonel Davie's letter accredited me.

Here, however, the difficulties began. Though the camp of the army lay
just without the town to the southward, the officers were quartered in
every house, and that of Colonel Davie's friend was full to
overflowing. What was to be done we knew not, but at the last moment my
friend's friend thought of an expedient and wrote a note for me whilst I
waited, half in hiding, in the outer hall.

"'Tis a desperate chance, but these are desperate times," said my
would-be helper. "I am sending you to the town house of one of our
plantation seigneurs--a man who is fish, flesh or fowl, as his interest
demands. I hear he came in to-day to take protection, and there is a
chance that he will shelter you for the sake of your red coat and a gold
piece or two. But I warn you, you must be what you appear to be--a
soldier of the king--and not what this note of Colonel Davie's says you
are."

Seeing a wide field of danger-chances in this haphazarding, I would have
asked more about this trimming gentleman to whom I was to be handed on;
but at that moment there came a thundering at the door, and my anxious
host was fain to hustle me out through the kitchen as he could, catching
up a black boy on the way to be my guide.

"God speed you," he said at parting. "Make your footing good for the
night, if you can, and we'll see what can be done to-morrow. I'll send
your portmanteau around in the morning, if so be Mr. Pettigrew has it."

With that I was out in the night again, turning and doubling after my
guide, who seemed to be greatly afeard lest I should come nigh enough to
cast an evil eye upon him.

'Twas but a little distance we had to go, and I had no word out of my
black rascal till we reached the door-stone of a familiar mansion but
one remove from the corner of the court house green. Here, with a
stuttering "D-d-dis de house, Massa," he fled and left me to enter as I
could.

Since the street was busily astir with redcoat officers and men coming
and going, and any squad of thes