the man?

Deck did not doubt but that Life and himself were more than a match for
the half-starved upholder of a mistaken cause. They could easily compel
him to surrender at the point of the pistol, or they might throw him
down and gag him before he had any chance to make an outcry.

But would this be doing just the right thing, all circumstances
considered? Might not the loss of one of their number frighten off the
two others, and if the cases of ammunition and the field-piece were
hidden away, could Life and himself find the things in that woods,
filled as it was with rocks and brush? More than likely the articles had
been hidden away with care, especially the boxes of ammunition.

To Deck's way of thinking, the only thing to do was to escape the
observation of the fellow called Bolder, and then follow him up to where
the army stores and the gun were hidden. After this it would be time
enough to close in on the enemy, bring them to terms, and confiscate all
they were in charge of that was of value.

Doubtless Captain Knox's thoughts were similar to those of Deck's, for
as the Confederate artillerist advanced, he looked inquiringly at his
companion, and uttered the monosyllable, "Well?"

"We must not be discovered," whispered the major. "Turn to the left.
Easy, Ceph, easy!"

The horse understood the words of caution and moved off as silently as a
shadow of the night, to another clump of bushes. Life followed, and his
steed, also well trained, made no more noise than did Ceph. The course
of the pair took them out of the semicircle Bolder had started to make
around the patch of woods, and the Confederate passed fifty or sixty
feet to their left.

"Now we will follow him," whispered Deck, when Bolder's back was partly
turned upon them. "Be on your guard against a surprise, Life; there may
be more Confederates in this vicinity."

"I'm always on my guard," was the laconic reply, as both horses moved
off with care.

The course around the woods was a rugged one, and the journey took the
best part of twenty minutes. At times they lost sight of Bolder, but
never more than for half a minute at a time. Once they caught the
Confederate looking behind him and promptly disappeared from view into a
ditch, where flowed several inches of water.

The detour on the part of the enemy having come to an end, Bolder struck
out for the centre of the thicket. Here it was impossible to ride
without making considerable noise, and the