e an' go, only they wasn't dressed alike."

One thing was sufficiently certain--we could gain little information
remaining where we were.

"Sergeant," I said, determining swiftly on a course of action, "take your
men, dismounted, across the ravine, and into the orchard. Keep under
cover, but get as close to the house as you can safely. Picket your
horses back there beside the road."

"And you, sir?"

"I'll take Tom with me, and we'll circle that horse herd, and come up to
the house from the rear. I want to discover where those fellows are, and
what they are up to. See this whistle, sergeant?"

"Yes, sir."

"It gives a sharp, shrill blast. If I blow it twice, get your men inside
the house instantly. I'll not sound it unless I need you at once. We'll
wait here until you get across."

They disappeared into the black depths of the ravine, moving cautiously
and with little noise, Conroy leading, the others stringing along behind
in single file. Tom led back the horses while I watched, until convinced
they had attained the opposite bank, and the shelter of the orchard.
There was no sound of movement anywhere, yet it was not long until
daybreak, and any further delay was dangerous. As soon as the Dragoon
returned, I gave him a few words of instruction, and the two of us
plunged down the steep slope, feeling our way through the darkness, but
moving to the right, toward where the scouts had indicated the horses
were being herded. We skirted these, creeping along the opposite bank
behind a fringe of bushes, certain that the darkness concealed our
movements from the two men on guard. Fearful of frightening the animals
we dare not approach close enough to count them, but they stood head to
head to a picket rope nearly across the narrow ravine. We crossed fifty
feet above, gained the top of the bank, and crawled down, sheltered from
observation, until we were directly above the two guards. Peering
cautiously over we could easily distinguish the black outlines on the
hillside below.

One man was standing up, leaning against the trunk of a small tree, while
the other was sitting on the ground, his head bent forward, and his hat
drawn low over his eyes. Neither uttered a sound, but as my eyes strained
through the darkness I began to perceive details which awakened a new
suspicion. The fellow standing up wore a cap and no coat, and his hands
were clasped about a short, sawed-off gun. He had none of the appearance
of a soldier,