safety; a squadron of lancers would capture those guns with
ease."

"And we are going to capture them without," I said.

"Hist! what was that?"

"Haynes giving an order to march," I said.

"No; some one coming this way! Well, what is it?" he cried to a man who
came on at the double, and saluted.

"The lieutenant, sir," replied the man. "Will you come at once?"

"Something wrong," I heard Brace mutter, as he strode back through the
trees to where the men were drawn up with Haynes in front.

"Now, what is it?" said Brace, sharply. "Why are you not gone, sir?"

"I thought it my duty to stop and see if you would change your plans,"
replied Haynes. "The prisoners have escaped."

"What?" cried Brace, excitedly, as he ran his eyes along the men. "Who
were on duty?"

"The men were _all_ ordered to fall in," said Haynes.

"Yes; quite right. Oh, what a blunder!" added Brace, excitedly, beneath
his breath. Then turning to me--"Gil," he murmured, "our plan is
thwarted."

"Don't give up yet," I whispered.

"But they will have gone to the town and given warning of our presence."

"They may have fled in another direction."

Brace was silent for a few moments, and then he said quickly--

"Well, it need not interfere; we should be obliged to move off, but must
alter our plans a little."

He spoke to Haynes, who gave the orders for four men to fall out. The
litter was seized, Sergeant Craig carefully lifted upon it, the doctor
looking on wonderingly; and then, as the men raised the handles, Brace
spoke again.

"Dobbs," he said sharply, "fall out and take charge of the horses."

The lad stepped back, and as he did so a gleam of sunshine through the
trees made his trumpet flash for a moment. The next he was standing by
the beautiful animals which were impatiently champing their bits and
pawing the ground.

Then Brace made Haynes a sign, and the men turned right face, and with
Haynes at their head, filed off, the bearers falling in with their load,
and the doctor looking undecided.

"Follow the wounded man, sir," said Brace, and the doctor immediately
took his place at the end of the little column, while we stood watching
them till they had disappeared among the trees.

"We may succeed even now, Gil," said my companion; "but once more, while
there is time, speak out frankly to me as if I were your brother; the
trumpeter cannot hear. Do you feel--well, to be plain--frightened?"

"I suppose so," I said.