Chilluns, chilluns, I 'low to goodness you'se done gone crazy! Whar's
Saul? Wha's become ob de chile?"

I explained to Uncle 'Rasmus where my cousin was, and what he was doing,
after which Pierre gave him a brief outline of his plans, and when both
of us had come to an end of our speech, there was no need for the old
man to exert himself very strenuously in order to play the part of
invalid.

His wrinkled face went ashy pale as the facts of the situation were
borne in upon him, and he sank back in the chair with both hands
uplifted as if in supplication.

"You chilluns hab done gone crazy! Gone crazy!" he repeated again and
again, and I stood helplessly by not knowing what to do; but little
Frenchie set about soothing the old man's fears by explaining how it
might be possible for us to do this, or do that, and declaring we could
keep Horry a prisoner in the loft so long as one of us stood close by to
insure his silence, until Uncle 'Rasmus recovered a goodly measure of
his former serenity.

"I 'clar for it, chillun, it beats de snakes how much trubble you'se got
us all into; but I reckon we'se boun' to hol' our backs stiff agin it,
else dese yere Britishers am gwine ter make mighty short work ob us."

"That's just it, Uncle 'Rasmus, that's just it," Pierre cried cheerily.
"We've got into the muss, and it stands us in hand to hold our own so
long as we can. We're no worse off if Horry Sims gives us the slip after
we've brought him here, than we would have been had we allowed him to go
free after Saul was so foolish as to let the fellow understand we knew
of all his knavery. Now it's a case of keeping our backs stiff, trying
to get possession of the horses, and doing all we can toward carrying to
the Americans news of what's being done in this town."

"Sure, honey, you ain' countin' on doin' nuffin 'cept holdin' Horry Sims
quiet?" and again Uncle 'Rasmus showed signs of terror.

"Now look here, Uncle," and Pierre knelt by his side, looking up into
the wrinkled black face with a cheery smile as if there was nothing in
all this wide world to trouble him. "We are not going to waste our time
on one Tory--that is to say, all of us are not, for one must remain on
guard. After what has happened Saul should do more than his fair share
of playing the jailor. Now you wouldn't have Fitz and me loafing around
this town doing nothing, would you?"

"Sure enuf, honey, sure enuf."

"You believe if we could carry any word of imp