latter of a couple of horses near his
hiding-place. He obtained a view of these men, and they wore blue
uniforms.

"All right!" exclaimed Life. "They wear the blue."

He waited no longer, but darted into the road, followed by Milton. The
two men, who were scouting in advance of the company, brought their
carbines to the shoulder.

"I reckon you needn't shoot, Keene," said the sergeant quietly.

"Sergeant Knox!" cried the chief scout. "How came you here? Where is
your company?"

"They ain't fur from here. Are you piloting the second company of the
Riverlawn Cavalry, Keene?"

"Fox and me are treading down the mud for the company."

"All right; we uns will fall back and report to Major Lyon," said Life,
and he galloped back to the main body of the company.

The commander of the squadron was riding at the head of the second
company, and appeared to be absorbed in his own thoughts. He had
learned a great deal about the situation in Pulaski, Russell, and Adair
Counties, where the Confederate foragers had raided to secure supplies
for the main army, and where, as in many other parts of the State, the
independent partisan bands had conducted operations on their own
responsibility. A spur of the Cumberland Mountains extended through the
eastern part of the first-named county, and most of the region between
this range and Virginia was mountainous. It was not so rich in supplies
for an army as the territory to the west of it, to which the raiders
had confined their depredations.

Major Lyon, like a good soldier, occasionally cast his eyes around him
to take in the condition and topography of the country through which he
was passing; and he discovered the two scouts as they approached the
head of the company. His first supposition was that the first company
had fallen into trouble, and that the two scouts had been sent forward
to hurry up the other company; for the two, as it had been arranged by
the major, were to come together at Harrison, twenty-five miles from
Millersville.

Life Knox rode forward in advance of Milton, and the commander of the
squadron promptly recognized the tall, gaunt form of the sergeant; and
his thoughts dwelt upon the occasion that had brought him this visit.
Life approached the major to within a rod of him, when he stopped his
horse, and saluted him with his usual deference to his superiors.

"Good-morning, Life," said the commander. "I hope no misfortune has
brought you in this direction.