the contrary, as the
preacher says, I went on my way rejoicing."

"You were very considerate, sergeant; I entirely approve of your
moderation. As you are a brave man, and have a natural liking for
danger, this was a night that, doubtless, afforded you great
satisfaction."

"When danger stares you in the face," replied Horse Shoe, "the best way
is not to see it. It is only in not seeing of it, that a brave man
differs from a coward: that's my opinion. Well, after that I had a hard
time of it. I was afraid to keep up the Neck road, upon account of the
sodgers that was upon it; so I determined to cross the Ashley, and make
for the Orangeburg district. When I came to the ferry, I was a little
dubious about taking one of the skiffs that was hauled up, for fear of
making a noise; so I slipped off my shoe that had your letter, and put
it betwixt my teeth and swum the river. I must have made some splashing
in the water--although I tried to muffle my oars, too, for first, I
heard a challenge from the ferry-house, and then the crack of a musket:
but it was so dark you couldn't see an egg on your own nose. There was a
little flustering of lights on the shore, and a turnout of the guard,
may be; but, I suppose, they thought it was a sturgeon, or some such
beast, and so made no more of it; and I got safe to the other bank."

"Faithfully and bravely, sergeant!"

"For the first three or four days the chances were all against me. The
whole country was full of tories, and it wasn't safe to meet a man on
the road: you couldn't tell whether he was friend or enemy. I durstn't
show my face in day-time at all, but lay close in the swamps; and when
it began to grow dark, I stole out, like a wolf, and travelled across
the fields, and along the by-ways."

"You had a good stomach to bear it, sergeant."

"A good stomach enough, but not much in it. I'll tell you another
observation I made; when a man travels all night long on an empty
stomach, he ought either to fill it next morning or make it smaller."

"And how is that to be managed, friend Horse Shoe?"

"Indian fashion," replied the sergeant. "Buckle your belt a little
tighter every two or three hours. A man may shrivel his guts up to the
size of a pipe stem. But I found a better way to get along than by
taking in my belt"----

"Now, for another stratagem!"

"I commonly, about dark, crept as near to a farm house as I mought
venture to go; and, putting on a poor mouth, told the folk