as if a small body of cavalry was making
its way through the bushes, and a minute afterward Rodney could look
through the open door and see half a dozen men dismounting from their
horses. He saw Jeff exchange a few hasty words with the tall,
black-whiskered man who was the first to touch the ground, and heard the
exclamations of surprise which the latter uttered as he listened to
them. He could not understand what the man said, but the woodcutter near
the door did, for he called out:

"He's come back sure's you live, and Nels has got his watch to prove it.
He knowed him the minute he seed the chain that's fast to it."

"Well, if that is the case, whom have we got here?" said the
black-whiskered man; and this time Rodney heard the words very plainly.
"Where is he? Let me have a look at him."

Jeff waved his hand toward the door and the man stepped in and faced
Rodney, who arose to his feet and met his gaze without flinching. One
glance brought from him a sigh of relief. He had an intelligent man to
talk to now--one who could be reasoned with.

"There's the watch that has brought suspicion upon me in a way I cannot
understand," said Rodney, nodding toward Nels, who promptly handed it
over. "Will you be kind enough to open it and read the inscription you
will find on the inside of the case."

The man took the watch, and while he was opening it kept his eyes
fastened upon Rodney's face. He seemed both amused and angry.

"Jeff," he exclaimed at length. "I never knew before that you were such
a blockhead. There is about as much resemblance between this young
gentleman and that horse-thief outside as there is between you and me."

"But Mr. Westall, just look at the chain," protested Jeff.

"But, Mr. West-all, just look at the chain," protested Jeff.

"Well, look at the chain. You're a Jackson man, I suppose?" he added,
nodding at Rodney.

"Every day in the week," replied the boy. "And that's what brought me up
here from Louisiana. I belong to a company of partisans; but our
Governor wouldn't take us the way we wanted to go, and here I am. I want
to find Price as soon as I can. Run your eye over that telegram, if you
please, and then read this letter."

While the man, who had been addressed as Mr. Westall, was reading the
documents Rodney passed over to him, his four companions came into the
cabin bringing with them a fifth, at the sight of whom Rodney Gray
started as if he had been shot.