s into the
forest. Taking a road which led into the wood, he soon overtook the
rest of the party.

Richard was very curious to find out what his captors intended to do
with him; for he could not even yet believe that any thing more serious
than a practical joke was intended. He was not conscious that he had an
enemy in the battalion, with the exception of Nevers, who, though he
had bestowed a great many sneers and looks of hatred upon him during
the week that had elapsed since the fight, had betrayed no intention to
seek revenge for his defeat in fair fight. He knew that Nevers hated
him, but he could not believe that he would resort to such underhand
measures as the conspirators had adopted.

"What are you going to do?" asked he, after Kennedy had joined them.

"Shut up! You will find out soon enough."

Richard tried to open a conversation with them, but they were too wary
to talk, and no one spoke except Dobbin and Kennedy. They conducted
their prisoner half a mile, as he judged, from the camp, when they
halted, and fastened Richard to a tree, seating themselves upon logs
and stumps. The captive waited impatiently for the proceedings to
commence.

CHAPTER XV.

RICHARD FINDS HIMSELF IN THE HANDS OF THE REGULATORS.

"Come, fellows, we have no time to spare," said Kennedy, when the party
were seated, and Richard fastened to the tree. "We must finish this
business at once."

"We are all ready," replied Dobbin.

"Ready for what?" demanded Richard.

"Ready to settle your case. We are going to give you the biggest
licking you ever had in your life."

The prisoner thought this was rather doubtful; but as they could not be
supposed to have any knowledge of the thrashing inflicted upon him by
"Old Batterbones," he was willing to excuse any exaggerations of which
they might be guilty. When the young ruffian spoke of flogging him,
Richard could not help recalling the incident at the barn of the farmer
on the Hudson. Then he was guilty, now he was innocent; and his
feelings on the present occasion were as different from those of the
former one as light is from darkness.

He had been captured while in the discharge of his duty, and was not
conscious that he had given his assailants any cause of offence. He
could not explain how it happened that he was not angry. He did not
chafe in the bonds that confined him. The consciousness of being
innocent of all offence before his comrades, sustained and supported
hi