he house.
There was a light shining in the window, and Frank determined to
reconnoiter the premises, and, if possible, learn who were in the
house, before asking admittance. With this intention he shouldered
his rifle, and was about to move forward, when he was startled by the
sound of horses' hoofs behind him, and a voice exclaimed:

"Hullo, my friend! Have you an extra bed in the house, for a soldier?"

Frank turned, and found that the horseman was so close to him that
flight was impossible. His first impulse was to shoot him where he
sat; but he was still ignorant of the number of persons there might be
in the house. Perhaps it was filled with soldiers. The report of
his gun would certainly alarm them, and might lead to his capture.
Besides, the man had addressed him as though he were the proprietor of
the plantation; perhaps he might be able to obtain some information.
So he answered, with some hesitation:

"Yes, I suppose there is an extra bed in the house; but I should
really like to know who and what you are, before I agree to
accommodate you."

"I am Lieutenant Somers," answered the rebel; "and I belong to the
Seventeenth Georgia Infantry. You belong to the army too, do you not?"
he continued, noticing the brass buttons on Frank's coat.

It was a lucky circumstance for the young hero that the night was so
dark, or he would certainly have been discovered.

"Yes," he answered, in reply to the rebel's question, "I am in the
service. But what are you doing around here this time of night?"

"I have been hunting after an escaped Yankee prisoner--a gun-boat
officer."

"Did you catch him?" inquired Frank.

"No; but I caught two others. I chased this gun-boat fellow with
blood-hounds; but when I overtook him, I found that he had been
reinforced by half a dozen others, and I was obliged to retreat. The
scoundrels killed Colonel Acklen and one of his men, and the best
blood-hound in Louisiana."

"Where are the prisoners you captured?" inquired Frank, hardly able
to suppress his exultation at finding himself face to face with one of
the men who had hunted him with blood-hounds.

"Oh, I left them at the back of the plantation, one of my men is
keeping guard over them; but there is scarcely any need of that, for
the Yankees are securely bound."

"They are, eh!" exclaimed Frank, who could restrain himself no longer.
"Well, here is a Yankee who is not bound, and never intends to be;"
and he raised his rifle to h