rming situation, and Deck was more than glad to hear the
hoof-strokes of horses approaching. He felt the horsemen must be
Confederate cavalrymen, but just now anybody was to be preferred to
nobody, to step between himself and the cold-blooded spy.

"Get up and pass behind yonder bushes!" ordered Captain Brentford,
hastily, for he, too, had heard the sounds on the road.

Deck arose, but did it very slowly. A long look up the narrow highway
brought to view eight cavalrymen, riding at top speed toward them.

"Did you hear what I said? Get behind yonder bushes!" cried the spy,
impatiently.

"I heard what you said," answered Deck, and all the while he was doing a
tremendous deal of thinking.

"Then why don't you obey me? Do you want to be shot?"

"Would you dare to shoot me, Captain Brentford?"

"I would, and I will, unless you get behind the bushes at once."

With slow steps the major moved toward the brush indicated. Nearer and
nearer came the horsemen, until the leader was less than a hundred and
fifty feet away. Then, without warning, Deck took to his heels, running
straight for the cavalry, who were strung along in a column of twos.

Almost overcome with rage and chagrin, Captain Brentford raised his
pistol. But the major had calculated well, and the spy did not dare to
fire for fear of missing his mark and striking one of the cavalrymen. In
less than half a minute the opportunity for shooting was gone, for the
cavalry halted with Deck in their midst, and the captain put up his
weapon and strode forward. As soon as he caught sight of the major, one
of the riders in the rear uttered an exclamation of astonishment, but
this failed to attract Deck's notice.

"Well, what does this mean?" demanded the leader of the cavalry, eying
Deck, sternly. "Are you a Union spy?"

"No, I am simply a prisoner of war, Major," answered Deck, noting the
shoulder straps of the other. "Here is a spy," and he indicated Captain
Brentford.

"Hullo! Captain Brentford!" exclaimed the Confederate major. "Are you on
business in this neighborhood?"

"I just came through the lines, Major Collins," answered the spy,
coldly, and Deck saw at once that for some reason there was no love lost
between the two Confederate officers.

"And what of this man here?"

"I could not escape without him very well, so I brought him along. I
reported to Major Dowlney, and he said I might turn the fellow over to
the officers of Breckinridge's command."