he
stones,--Lysander placing his hand, to steady himself, on the edge of
the butment within an inch of Penn's leg.

Darkness, however, favored the fugitive; and they passed out from the
shadow of the bridge without suspecting that they had held confidential
discourse within arms' length of the man they were seeking to destroy.
They ascended the bank, mounted their horses, and took leave of each
other,--Bythewood and his black man riding north, while Sprowl hastened
to rejoin his companions in the search for the schoolmaster.

XXI.

_THE RETURN INTO DANGER._

Trembling with excitement Penn got down from the butment, and peering
over the bank, saw his enemies in the distance.

What was to be done? Had he thought only of his own safety, his way
would have been clear. But could he abandon his friends? forsake
Virginia and her father when the toils of villany were tightening around
them? leave Stackridge and his compatriots to their fate, when it might
be in his power to forewarn and save them?

How he, alone, suspected, pursued, and sorely in need of assistance
himself, was to render assistance to others, he did not know. He did not
pause to consider. He put his faith in the overruling providence of God.

"With God's aid," he said, "I will save them or sacrifice myself."

As for fighting, should fighting prove necessary, his mind was made up.
The conversation of the villains under the bridge had settled that
question.

Instead, therefore, of waiting for the friend who was to help him on his
journey, he leaped up from under the bridge, and set out at a fast walk
to follow his pursuers back to town.

He had travelled but a mile or two when he saw the farmer driving
towards him in a wagon.

"Are you lost? are you crazy?" cried the astonished old man. "You are
going in the wrong direction! The men have been to my house, searched
it, and passed on. Get in! get in!"

"I will," said Penn; "but, Mr. Ellerton, you must turn back."

He briefly related his adventure under the bridge. The old man listened
with increasing amazement.

"You are right! you are right!" he said. "We must get word to
Stackridge, somehow!" And turning his wagon about, he drove back over
the road as fast as his horse could carry them.

It was sunset when they reached his house. There they unharnessed his
horse and saddled him. The old man mounted.

"I'll do my best," he said, "to see Stackridge, or some of them, in
season. If I fail