a dozen aimed
up the staircase. It was easy enough then to bring the affair to a
conclusion."

"What are you going to do with your prisoners, Lieutenant?" asked
Captain Gordon.

"I turn them over to my superior officer, of course; for I have ceased
to be in command now. Mr. Milton informed me that there is a Union Home
Guard at Millersville that might take charge of the guerillas," replied
Deck, glad to be rid of this responsibility.

"Who is this Mr. Milton?" asked the commander; and Deck told him all he
knew about him, and especially that he had been very useful to him as a
guide.

"Where is he now?" inquired the captain, as they continued to eat the
dinner of hardtack and herring, washed down with hot coffee.

"There he is near the hospital; he has just sat down to lunch with the
sergeants," replied Deck, pointing to the group.

"Ask him to join us, Lieutenant," said the captain.

Deck obeyed; and Milton immediately responded to the summons. The
lieutenant apologized to him for his want of attention, for he had been
very busy every moment of the time. He was introduced to the commander
and Lieutenant Belthorpe; and the former thanked him warmly for the
service he had rendered, and invited him to join them in the simple
repast before them. He freely answered all the questions put to him. He
declared that Millersville contained a majority of loyal people, many
of whom had enlisted in the Kentucky regiments, while others had formed
a Union Home Guard, and were ready to fight to keep the State in the
Union.

"I judge that your time has not been wasted this forenoon," said Deck.

"It has not, indeed," replied the commander of the company; and he
proceeded to detail his experience with the enemy at Breedings.

He found on his arrival at that place that the marauders were a
foraging-party of regular Confederate cavalry, and not guerillas. It
consisted of at least a platoon, or half a company. They were coming
across the field from the Millersville Road. As soon as they discovered
the Riverlawn force, the enemy retreated, as the captain understood it;
but they were only hastening to a small fortification of earthworks
thrown up by the Confederate Home Guards of the place, who were in the
majority in that locality, although there were several rich planters in
the district who were Union men.

The fort had been armed with two rusty iron cannons, which had been
used for salutes in the time when the Fourth of July