t:

"Who goes there?"

"Is that your man?" inquired Frank, in a whisper, turning to his
prisoner.

"Yes," answered the rebel, gruffly.

"Then keep your mouth shut, and let me talk to him," commanded Frank.
Raising his voice, he answered to the hail, "Friend!"

"Is that you, Lieutenant Somers?" inquired the voice.

"Yes," answered Frank. "Come here; I've got a supply of provisions,
and another prisoner."

"Another Yank, eh!" said the man; and Frank heard him coming through
the woods toward him.

"Well, we've one less to catch, then. Where is he? Let's have a squint
at him."

"Never mind the prisoner," exclaimed Frank, "but come and take these
provisions; they're heavy."

The rebel, who could not discover that any thing was wrong, reached
out his hand, and took the traveling-bag from Frank, when the latter
suddenly seized him by the collar, and exclaimed, as he pressed the
muzzle of his revolver against his head:

"You're my prisoner!"

For an instant the rebel appeared utterly dumfounded; then, suddenly
recovering himself, he struck up Frank's arm, and, with a quick
movement, tore himself away from his grasp, and drew his Bowie-knife.

"Kill him, Jake! kill him!" shouted the lieutenant, who, of course,
was unable to assist his man, as his hands were securely bound behind
his back.

But Frank was too quick for him, for, before the rebel could make a
thrust with his knife, the sharp report of the revolver echoed through
the woods, and the man sank to the ground like a log.

"Now," exclaimed Frank, turning to his prisoner, "I've a good notion
to shoot you, also. But I will try you once more; and I tell you now,
once for all, don't open your head again to-night, unless you are
spoken to. Now, show me where you left your prisoners."

"Here we are!" exclaimed a voice from the bushes.

Frank soon found them, and, when he had cut the ropes with which they
were bound, and set them at liberty, they each seized his hands, and
wrung them in silent gratitude.

"Thank heaven, we're free men once more!" exclaimed one of the poor
fellows. "But where is that lieutenant that captured us?"

"He's my prisoner," answered Frank.

"Here you are, you thunderin', low-lived secesh!" exclaimed the man,
who had not yet spoken, as he walked up to the rebel, and laid his
hand on his shoulder. "I've a mind to stop your wind for you, you
mean"--

"Easy, easy, boys," exclaimed Frank; "he's a prisoner, you know, and
we've no