despatch?"

"Yes, the biggest kind. It's of the utmost importance, and time is
every thing. A single hour lost may lose Mobile or a battle."

"Then maybe Sid an' me'd both better go,--Sid to do the fast running
an' me to show him the way."

"There's no use of both of you going," replied Sam, "but if you had
had a couple of days rest I would send you instead of Sid, because you
know the way, and I don't believe anybody can make the distance any
quicker than you have done it."

"I know a feller that kin," replied Bob.

"Who is it?" asked Sam.

"Me."

"You? How do you mean?"

"I mean that I kin go to Mobile most a day quicker 'n I dun it before.
I got into a lot o' tangles before that I know how to keep out of
now."

"Yes, but you can't start back again without at least a day's rest."

"Can't I though? I'm as fresh as an Irish potato without salt, an' if
you just say the word, I'll be off the minute you git your papers
ready. The boys have got somethin' cooked I reckon."

Sam complimented Bob upon his vigor and readiness, and accepted his
offer. Ten minutes sufficed for all necessary preparations, and Bob
was about starting with his prisoner, when Sid Russell spoke.

"I say, Sam, did you say this 'ere feller's a deserter?"

"Yes. What of it?"

"Nothing only there's a camp o' British an' Injuns back there a little
ways, an' if Bob don't look out he'll run right into it."

"A camp? Where?" asked Sam.

"Right in rear of us, not three hundred yards away."

"When was it established there?"

"To-night, just after you went away in the boat."

"All right," replied Sam. "Jump into the boat, Bob, and we'll sail
down below and you can start from there."

It was easy enough to carry Bob and the deserter down to a point below
the camp, but Sam was not at all pleased to find the British so near
him. He feared already that he was suspected, and he was not sure that
this placing of troops near him was not a preparation for something
else. At all events, it was very embarrassing, for the reason that it
would prevent him from withdrawing his party suddenly to the woods on
their retreat, if anything should happen, and this made Sam uneasy. He
returned to camp, after parting with Bob and the deserter, and sat for
an hour revolving matters in his mind.

At first he was disposed to wake the boys and quietly withdraw by
water to a point lower down, but upon reflection he was convinced that
his removal by night immedi