saw that the man had a thin, clean-shaven face with a strong nose
and chin.

"I 'low you're runnin' away from the Yankees," said Lankford to
Sherburne.

Sherburne flushed, but no anger showed in his voice as he replied:

"You're right, but we run for two reasons. They're five to our one,
and we have business elsewhere that mustn't be interrupted by fighting."

"First reason is enough. A man who fights five to one is five times
a fool. I'm a good Johnny Reb myself, though I keep off the fightin'
lines. I live back there in a house among the trees, just off the road.
You'd have seen it when you passed by, if you hadn't been in such a
hurry. Just settin' down to take a smoke when Mandy, my wife, tells me
she hears the feet of many horses thunderin' on the road. In a moment
I hear 'em, too. Run to the front porch, and see Confederate cavalry
coming at a gallop, followed by a big Yankee force. Mandy and me didn't
like the sight, and we agree that I take a hand. Now I'm takin' it."

"How do you intend to help us?"

"I'm gettin' to that. I saddled my big horse quick as lightnin',
and takin' a runnin' jump out of the woods, landed beside you. Now,
listen, Captain; I reckon you're on some sort of scoutin' trip, and
want to go on toward the river."

"You reckon right."

"About a mile further on we dip into a little valley. A creek, wide but
shallow and with a bed all rocks, takes up most of the width of that
valley. It goes nearly to the north, and at last reaches the Potomac.
A half mile from the crossin' ahead it runs through steep, high banks
that come right down to its edges, but the creek bottom is smooth enough
for the horses. I 'low I make myself plain enough, don't I, Mr. Captain?"

"You do, Mr. Lankford, and you're an angel in homespun. Without you we
could never do what we want to do. Lead the way to that blessed creek.
We don't want any of the Yankee vanguard to see us when we turn and
follow its stream."

"We can make it easy. They might guess that we're ridin' in the water
to hide our tracks, but the bottom is so rocky they won't know whether
we've gone up or down the stream. And if they guessed the right way,
and followed it, they'd be likely to turn back at the cliffs, anyhow."

They urged their horses now to the uttermost, and Harry soon saw the
waters of the creek shining through the darkness. Everything was
falling out as Lankford had said. The pursuit was unseen and unheard
beh