elling that the American forces were still advancing, and the
Britishers striving to hold them back. Ever present in my mind was the
knowledge that at any moment the guard might come up and take us into
custody.

[Illustration: THE RELEASE OF SAUL OGDEN.]

One can well understand in what a tumult was my brain, and how like a
flood in spring-time the blood leaped through my veins. I was like as
one held in the grip of a raging fever, until from out that aperture
which we had made in the flimsy chimney I saw Saul Ogden, looking
considerably the worse for his short imprisonment, come crawling until
it was possible for me to clasp him in my arms, where for an instant I
held him fast, tears of gratitude rolling down my cheeks because of
having been permitted thus to have taken some little part in the dear
lad's release.

There were other prisoners than Saul in the guard-house, and, as can be
supposed, they were not backward in taking advantage of the opportunity
to make their escape from imprisonment even though they were red-coats;
but as the first soldier came on the heels of Saul, Pierre, raising his
pick threateningly, ordered the man to stop.

"Remain where you are, or your death will pay the penalty," he cried,
and there was that in his tones which told it would not be safe to
disobey him.

"If you are willing to let one out, why not another?" the Britisher
asked, an expression of perplexity coming over his bloated red face,
which gave token that he had been brought into the guard-house through
drunkenness.

"Because I don't intend it shall be within your power to work us harm."

"Why should I work you harm?" the half-drunken soldier asked as he lay
on his belly in the aperture looking up at the small lad.

"You are a British soldier who has come here to work the king's will on
us of Virginia, and we are minded to make our escape before you can
atone for your misdeeds by making us prisoners," Pierre cried hotly.

"I have no mind to take anybody prisoner, be he rebel or whatsoe'er you
will, for now the fight is going on, and by joining my troop this little
slip of mine which landed me in the guard-house is like to be forgiven
if not forgotten."

"Stay where you are until we get well away, for we have been taught not
to put overly much faith in what you men who wear red coats may say,"
Pierre cried, and at the same time he motioned for Saul and me to go our
way, which we did without delay, knowing the lad wou