d nature of affairs,
he found the barrel of the weapon pointed straight for his breast.

"Hands up there, and keep your mouth shut," was the low but determined
command. "I imagine I am master of the situation."

"Who are you?" asked Deck, as calmly as he could, at the same time
revolving in his mind the chances of turning the tables in his favor.

"I am only asking questions, not answering them," replied the man in
black, and Deck now noted that his cleanly shaven face was a truly
intelligent one. "Can you see that other fellow?"

"No."

"Then step into the water."

"Into the water?" queried Deck, in perplexity.

"Yes, and do not make any noise if you value your life, Major."

There was no help for it, and the major stepped from the brushwood into
the stream. He was up to his knees.

"Come a little closer, but not too close," went on the man in black.
"Can you swim?"

"Why do you ask that question?"

"I told you before, Major, that I was simply asking questions, not
answering them," said the Confederate spy, for such the fellow really
was. "I repeat, can you swim?"

"A little."

"Can you swim across this stream?"

"Perhaps I can."

"I am going to give you an opportunity to try. Wade out ahead of me, and
toward that point where three trees appear to shoot from one trunk,"
directed the spy, with a wave of his unoccupied hand forward.

"So you expect to take me along with you," said Deck, steadily. "I may
flatly refuse."

"If you refuse, you'll never tell anybody, Major, for I will take your
life where you stand," answered the spy, as coolly as though he was
speaking of the weather or some equally commonplace topic.

The young major did not doubt but that he would keep his word. The
fellow evidently knew his business, and in coming into the Union camp he
had taken his life into his hands. Probably he had before this shed
human life in the same cold-blooded manner. To him the game of war was a
science, and the end justified any means.

"Do you think I will make a valuable prisoner?"

"I see you are bound to ask questions. I am equally determined not to
answer them. Will you swim or not?"

"I will swim," answered Deck, but his heart sank as he uttered the
words. Oh, if only Artie was at hand to put a bullet through this
enemy's head. He wanted to look back, but that steady gaze from the
spy's keen black eyes deterred him.

In two minutes the little cove was left behind, and Unionist and
Confeder