rs
had restored the board he had removed; and he could distinctly hear all
that they said.

"Of course he did," said one of them. "He slipped round the corner of the
house when we came out."

"If he did, where is he? It's open ground round here; and he couldn't
have gone ten rods before we missed him."

"The captain will give it to me," replied the other, whose voice the
fugitive recognized to be that of the sergeant.

"We shall find him," added the other. "He can't be twenty rods from here
now."

"I did not think of the young fellow running off, but kept both eyes on
the other all the time; for I thought he wasn't telling all those stories
for nothing."

"Maybe he is in the house," suggested the other.

Somers thought that was a very bad suggestion of the rebel soldier; and,
if there had been any hope of their believing him, he would himself have
informed them that he was not in the house, and reconciled his conscience
as best he could to the falsehood.

"Can't yer find 'em?" demanded a third person, which Somers saw, through
the aperture he had left between the board and the window, was the
farmer.

"We haven't lost but one."

"He can't be fur from this yere."

"Isn't he in the house?" demanded the sergeant anxiously.

"No; I saw them both foller yer out."

"So did I," added the farmer's wife, who had come out to learn the cause
of the excitement.

"Well, then, we must beat about here, and find him;" and the party
beneath the window moved away in the rear of the house.

Thus far, the project was hopeful; but it was apparent to Somers that the
rebels would not leave the place without searching the house, after they
had satisfied themselves that the fugitive was not hidden in any of the
out-buildings of the farm. If they did so, his situation would at once
become hopeless, if he remained where he was. The remembrance of his
former experience in a chimney, in another part of Virginia, caused him
to cast a wistful eye at the great stone structure which adorned the end
of the building. At that time, he had occupied his smoky quarters with
the knowledge and consent of the lady of the house. But now his secret
was lodged in his own breast alone; not even Captain de Banyan knew where
he was, or what he proposed to do.

When the party beneath the window left the place, he carefully removed
the board, and thrust out his head to reconnoiter the position. The only
way by which he could enter the chimney, whi