ch
might indicate the presence of an enemy. All was still; silence deep and
profound reigned through the solitudes of the mountains. Tom returned to
his place of concealment, and after eating the remainder of the food he
had brought with him, he stretched himself upon the ground, and went to
sleep again. He had nothing else to do, and he needed all the rest he
could obtain. It was fortunate for him that he had self-possession enough
to sleep--to banish his nervous doubts and fears, and thus secure the
repose which was indispensable to the success of his arduous enterprise.

It was after sundown when he finished his second nap. He had slept nearly
all day,--at least ten hours,--and he was entirely refreshed and restored.
He was rather stiff in some of his limbs when he got up; but he knew this
would wear off after a little exercise. He had no supper with which to
brace himself for the night's work; so he took a drink from the mountain
stream, and made his way back to the railroad. But it was too early then
to commence the passage of the Gap, and he sat for a couple of hours by
the side of the road, before he ventured to resume his journey.

While he was passing through the narrow gorge in the mountains, he met
several persons, on foot and on horseback; but as he was armed with a
pistol, he did not turn out for them; but when a party of soldiers
approached, he sought a hiding place by the side of the road until they
were out of hearing. When he had passed through the Gap, he came to a road
crossing the track, and after debating the question thoroughly, he decided
to abandon the railroad, and pursued his course by the common highway
towards the North.

Continuing his journey diligently for a time longer, he came to another
road, branching off to the left from the one he had chosen, which required
further consideration. But his conclusion was satisfactory, and he
continued on the same road, which soon brought him to a more thickly
settled country than that through which he had been travelling.

By this time Tom's stomach began to be rebellious again, and the question
of rations began to assume a serious aspect. He was not suffering for
food, but it was so much more comfortable to travel upon a full stomach
than an empty one, that he could not pass a dwelling house without
thinking of the contents of the cellar and closets. It was perfectly
proper to forage on the enemy; but he could not eat raw chicken and geese,
or the