LITMIR.BIZ

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comrade this morning; but – "

      "Yet he knows that you and your mother are guests at the Hamilton plantation," Saul added sharply.

      "My mother and I are French, who have lately come from New Orleans, and he can not point us out as having said a word of disrespect against the king."

      For my part it was needless for Pierre to argue. I had come to understand before he was done with speaking that it would be better for him to reconnoitre the ground; that he could learn as much, if not more, than the three of us, meanwhile running comparatively no risk, and when Saul would have argued I cried out impatiently:

      "Can you not see that it is better Pierre go alone? Do you not realize that, however eager we may be, it is not possible we could gain possession of the horses within any very short time, and all we are needing now is to know where they are quartered? Let Pierre do as he suggests, and learn so much as he can. Then, when we are minded to venture our heads within the lion's jaws, it will seemingly be the first visit to the town of York instead of the second. Thereby shall we stand less risk of being suspected of an intent to do harm."

      Saul soon gave way, although he was burning to venture so far as might be possible inside the British lines, because running into real danger was as a balm to his heart while he yet smarted under the loss of his mare.

      Therefore it was I told little Frenchie to go his way, taking due care to his own safety, and endeavor to find out where the stolen horses had been quartered, pressing upon him, although there was no necessity of so doing, that we were more eager to learn where Silver Heels and Saul's mare were, than to know the whereabouts of the other horses.

      "And do you poor lads believe it may be possible for you to wrest from the grasp of these red-coated soldiers that which they have laid hands upon?" Pierre asked in a tone of sadness, and I replied, striving in vain to repress the tone of irritation:

      "We shall at least make an attempt, Pierre Laurens, even though there is little hope of success. I could not find it in my heart to remain idle while Silver Heels is in the possession of a Britisher, no matter how much of danger I might be sticking my nose into. Now go, and if so be your visit is vain, then will I take the chances myself, although I have come to believe with you, that Saul and I should not be seen loitering around the village this morning of all others, because it would easily be guessed why we had come."

      Pierre made as if to speak, and then, most like realizing the uselessness of attempting, while we were in such angry frame of mind, to combat any plans we had formed, he turned on his heel and strode off in the direction of the town from whence we could hear now and then the beating of drums, the hum of voices, and noises which betokened the digging up of earth.

      Saul had thrown himself face downward amid the bushes, striving, as I understood from the pain in my own heart, to prevent giving noisy token to his grief, and I was in no mood to exchange words with him, therefore we two lads lay concealed by the side of the road, giving no heed to what might happen to our disadvantage; but dwelling only upon the loss which had come to us.

      To some it may seem veriest folly that we should so mourn over the loss of our horses; but let him who laughs once have companionship with such a colt as Silver Heels, as I have had, and then if he can have mirth in his heart when she has been taken away from him, most like to be abused as are horses in the army, then will I say that he has not within him the instincts of a true man.

      Silver Heels had come to know me as I knew her; at my faintest call she would gallop to my side however tempting the grass when she was hungry, and no dumb animal could have given greater proof of joy at being with me, than did she time and time again when we scampered here or there, bent only on pleasure.

      I could not have said how long little Frenchie remained absent, for neither Saul nor I took heed to the passage of time as we lay there amid the foliage eating our hearts out with sorrow.

      Certain it is, however, that the afternoon was well spent before we saw him coming up the road, and our surprise can well be imagined when we learned that he had with him as companion none other than Horry Sims.

      "He has taken up with that snake of a Tory brood simply because of believing that those on the Sims plantation stand higher in favor with the red-coated soldiers than do we of the Hamilton plantation!" Saul cried angrily, and so incautiously loud that I pressed my hand over his mouth as I whispered in reproof:

      "You have no right, Saul Ogden, to cast aught of discredit upon Pierre, even though you have known him so short a time. He has shown himself a good friend, and, to my satisfaction at least, has proved that he would not turn traitor, more especially when it might be simply to his own advantage."

      Now little Frenchie knew full well where he had left us by the roadside, for I saw him mark the dead cottonwood tree 'neath the foot of which we were lying, and yet he went on his way past us, giving no heed, but talking busily, and, as it seemed, interestedly with Horry Sims.

      I must admit that just for the instant there came into my heart a great fear lest that which Saul had said might be true, and then I thrust it from me, saying in my mind that I would not so wrong a lad who had all the marks of gentlemanly breeding. Surely, even though he might at some other time be willing to play us false, he would not do so while we were in such deep sorrow.

      "If he is playing fair with us, why should he at this minute be hand in glove with that Tory scoundrel?" Saul whispered hoarsely, as he sat up to gaze after the two who were walking rapidly down the road in the direction of our home. "Why did he not have speech with us? Surely he knows where we are."

      "To have spoken when he passed would have been to tell Horry Sims that we were lying in hiding while he went into York Town to pick up such information as might be possible. The chances are the lad met the young Tory – came across him by accident, of course, and could do no less than show a friendly front, unless he was minded to much the same as tell him we were counting on making reprisals because of the loss of our horses."

      Although this was the reasonable, and, to my mind, the only explanation of little Frenchie's behavior, Saul would not at first admit it; but insisted that there must be treachery somewhere else than in Horry Sims's heart, and thus he argued until I verily believe he convinced himself that our little comrade from New Orleans could have done no different. Then came the question as to whether we should remain where we were, or start homeward, for now it was too late for us to make any venture into the town of York even though we had been so minded.

      Saul was for pushing on hurriedly, and, overtaking the young Tory, flog him within an inch of his life. It was all I could do to hold him back sufficiently long to repeat again and again that a flogging was all too poor a punishment for the crime he had committed, and that if we should lay hand against him now we might, and very likely would, put a stumbling block in our way, for until the moment came when we could repay the debt in full, it was absolutely necessary we seem to hold ourselves friendly with this fellow who had dealt us such a cruel blow.

      I forced Saul to listen to me so long that it would have been useless to set out in pursuit, and after that again came the question as to whether we ought to go on our way homeward, or wait where we were.

      It was fortunate we spent so much time in such discussion; fortunate that Saul differed from me as to what we had best do, for while we lay there disputing we heard a crashing of the underbrush where the growth was thick, and a moment later little Frenchie, looking heated and so nearly breathless that for a full minute he could not speak so we might understand, came into view.

      Panting, and with the perspiration streaming down his face, he threw himself headlong on the ground beside me, breathing like one who had been running a race, until it was possible to have control over his voice, when he said hurriedly, as if eager we should understand all the reasons for his movements without loss of time:

      "I was forced to go a certain distance with that young villain, else would he have mistrusted that you might be near about."

      "How did you get rid of him?" I asked. "Why might he not suspect something when you broke away instead of continuing on so far as his home, which lay directly in your path, if you were heading for the Hamilton plantation?"

      "I made out that I knew of a short way through the woods, which would take me directly out

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