touched the man lying next me, unable to tell one dark form
from another.

"Who are you?"

"Wilson, sir."

"Where is the guide?"

"Right yere, sah," and the speaker wriggled toward me on his face. "Dis
yere is de place."

"I supposed so, but it is all a mere blur out there to me. What are
these buildings just ahead of us?"

"De slave quarters, sah; dey's all deserted, 'cept maybe dat first one
yonder," pointing. "I reckon Aunt Mandy an' her ol' man are dar yet,
but de field hands dey all done cleared out long time ago. De stable was
ober dar toward de right, whar dat lantern was dodgin' 'round. Yo' creep
'long yere, an' I'll point out de house--see, it's back o' de bunch o'
trees, whar de yaller light shows in de winder. I reckon dar's some of
'em up yet."

From his description I received a fair impression of the surroundings,
questioning briefly as I stared out at the inanimate objects faintly
revealed, and endeavoring to plan some feasible course of action. The
stable was a hundred yards to the rear of the house, a fenced-off garden
between, the driveway circling to the right. Between the slave quarters
and the mansion extended an orchard, the trees of good size and
affording ample cover. We were to the left of the house, and the light
seen evidently streamed through one of the windows of the front room.
Where the guard was stationed no one of us could guess, yet this had to
be determined first of all. I called for Miles, and the sergeant, still
holding his position at the rear, crept forward.

"I am going in closer to discover what I can," I said quietly. "I may be
gone for half an hour. Advance your men carefully into the shadow of
that cabin there, and wait orders. Don't let them straggle, for I want
to know where they are." I bent lower and whispered in his ear, "Don't
let that negro out of your sight; but no shooting--rap him with a butt
if necessary. You understand?"

"Sure; I'll keep a grip on his leg."

I paused an instant thinking.

"If luck helps me to get inside, and I find the way clear, I'll draw
that shade up and down twice--this way--and you can come on. Move
quickly, but without noise, and wait outside for orders, unless you are
certain I am in trouble."

"Yes, sir; we'll be there."

"Have one man watch that light all the time; don't let him take his eyes
off it. Be careful no prowling trooper stumbles on you; keep the
men still."

I saw the dim movement as he saluted and felt no d