able that, notwithstanding what he
said, he was cognisant of the whereabouts of the truants.

Uncle Jeff and the lieutenant examined and cross-examined all the men;
but no satisfactory information could be got out of them.

"Whether they come back or not, I must be on my way to-morrow morning
with Sperry; while I leave my sergeant under your care, if you will take
charge of him," said the lieutenant.

Uncle Jeff willingly undertook to do this.

"As you are unacquainted with the way, and Pat is not likely to be of
much assistance, if Uncle Jeff will allow me I will act as your guide to
the mouth of the pass, after which you will have no great difficulty in
finding your way to Fort Harwood," I said to the lieutenant.

He gladly accepted my offer.

"But what about the possibility of the farm being attacked by the
Indians? You would not like in that case to be absent, and I should be
unwilling to deprive your friends of your aid," he observed. "If you
accompany me, I must leave Sperry to attend on Sergeant Custis, and to
come on with him when he is well enough. Although I do not compare the
Irishman to you, yet, should the farm be attacked, I can answer for his
firing away as long as he has a bullet left in his pouch."

Uncle Jeff, much to my satisfaction, allowed me to accompany the
lieutenant. I had a good horse, too, and had no fears about making my
way back safely, even should the country be swarming with Indians.

When the lieutenant spoke of the possibility of the farm being attacked
by the Redskins, Uncle Jeff laughed. "They will not venture thus far,"
he observed. "But even if they do come, we will give a good account of
them. Not to speak of my rifle, Bartle's and Gideon's are each worth
fifty muskets in the hands of the Indians; our other four fellows, with
your trooper, will keep the rest at bay, however many there may be of
them. The sergeant, too, will be able to handle a rifle before long, I
hope; while Clarice and Rachel will load the arms, and look after any of
us who may be hurt. But we need not talk about that; the varmints will
not trouble us, you may depend upon it."

When Bartle Won heard of the disappearance of the troopers, and that we
had examined our men, but had been unable to elicit any information from
them as to what had become of the truants, he observed,--"Leave that to
me. If they know anything about the matter, I will get it out of them
before long. As to the fellows havi