Ned wriggled, but finding that Philip held him in too resolved a
grasp, gave up.

"Is it you, brother Phil?" he gasped. "Why, then, you lied; you said
you came from New York, about Falconer's business. I'd never have
thought _you'd_ stoop to a mean deception!"

"I think I'd better take you to hang," continued Philip. "If I kill
you now, we sha'n't get the names of the other traitors."

"You wouldn't do such an unbrotherly act, Phil! I know you wouldn't.
You've too good a heart. Think of your wife, my sister--"

"Ay, the traitress!"

"Then think of my father; think of the mouth that fed you--I mean the
hand that fed you! You'll let me go, Phil--sure you'll let me go.
Remember how we played together when we were boys. I'll give you the
names of the other traitors. I'm not so much to blame: I was lured
into this--lured by your wife--so help me God, I was--and you're
responsible for her, you know. _You_ ought to be the last man in the
world--"

Philip's mood had changed at thought of Ned's father; the old man's
pride of the name, his secret and perilous devotion to the rebel
cause: he deserved better of that cause than that his son should die
branded as a traitor to it; and better of Phil than that by his hand
that son should be slain.

"How can you let me have the names without loss of time, if I let you
go, on condition of your giving our army a wide berth the rest of your
days?" Philip asked, turning the captive over upon his back.

"I can do it in a minute, I swear," cried Ned. "Will you let me go if
I do?"

"If I'm convinced they're the right names and all the names; but if
so, and I let you go, remember I'll see you hanged if you ever show
your face in our army again."

"Rest easy on that. I take you at your word. The names are all writ
down in my pocketbook, with the share of money each man was to get. If
I was caught, I was bound the rest should suffer, too. The book is in
my waistcoat lining--there; do you feel it? Rip it out."

Philip did so, and, sitting on Ned's chest, with a heel ready to beat
in his skull at a treacherous movement, contrived to strike a light
and verify by the brief flame of the tow the existence of a list of
names. As time was now of ever-increasing value, Philip took it for
granted that the list was really what Ned declared it. He then
possessed himself of Ned's pistol, and rose, intending to conduct him
as far as to the edge of the camp, and to release him only when Philip