and down the bank, now and then looking toward the opposite
shore, and uttering their bays, which sounded in Frank's ears like the
knell of death.

"I pelieve I shoots one of them dorgs, ain't it?" said the captain;
and he thrust his rifle cautiously through the bushes.

"No, no," commanded the major, "save your ammunition. The men will be
here in a minute. Here they come now." And, as he spoke, there was a
loud crashing in the bushes, and four horsemen came in sight.

"Thunder!" exclaimed one of them, who wore the uniform of a colonel,
"I was in hopes we should catch the rascal before he reached this
place. Here, Tige," he continued, addressing a powerful white hound,
"hunt 'em up, hunt 'em up!"

The hound ran down to the edge of the stream, and barked and whined
furiously, but still hesitated to enter; for hounds are always averse
to going into water.

"Hunt 'em up, sir!" shouted the colonel, angrily.

The dog, evidently, feared his master more than the water, for he
plunged in, and commenced swimming toward the place where Frank
and his companions were concealed; and the others, after a little
hesitation, followed him.

"Ready, now, boys," whispered the major. "Captain, you shoot that
white hound. Frank, you take the colonel, and I'll attend to the man
just behind him. Don't waste your lead now."

The three rifles cracked in rapid succession, and the colonel and one
of his men fell heavily from their saddles. The white hound gave one
short howl of pain, and sank out of sight. Every shot had reached its
mark.

The remaining rebels stood aghast at this sudden repulse; and the
smoke of the rifles had scarcely cleared away, when they wheeled their
horses, and disappeared in the woods.

The death of the white hound produced no less consternation among his
canine assistants, for they each gave a short yelp, and turned and
made for the shore.

CHAPTER XV.

The Rescue.

"Now's our time, boys," exclaimed the major; "come on, and load your
guns as you run;" and he started rapidly down the path.

All sounds of the rebels were soon left behind; but our party kept on
their way, until they emerged from the woods, and found themselves in
full view of a plantation.

"I pelieve somebody lives in that house," exclaimed the captain,
drawing back in the bushes.

"No doubt of it," answered the major.

"Let's move back into the woods a little further, and eat some
dinner," said Frank; and he turned to walk