or the slumbers of the provost. I got into
the street, and went to the depot. There I told the corporal of the guard
a very interesting story about the prisoner who had been brought up in
the afternoon, meaning myself; and that the man I wanted was needed
immediately as a witness. You know the rest, my dear fellow; and here we
are."

"And here we are likely to remain, I'm afraid," added Somers.

"Not a bit of it. I haven't exhausted half my expedients yet. On the
night before the attack on the Redan, at Sebastopol, I went all over that
city, and spent the evening at the house of one of the most distinguished
citizens--a gentleman who had a government contract for rations. Of
course, he didn't know me."

"Hush! There is some one coming into the stable below," said Somers, as
he heard a door opened on the floor below.

It was impossible to move then without making noise enough to excite the
attention of the person who had entered; for the stable was old and
rickety, and the boards creaked at every step they took. The fugitives
listened with breathless interest to the movements of the unwelcome
visitor. The horse whinnied again; and the person entered the stall, and
spoke to him. The sound of his voice filled the occupants of the loft
with consternation; for evidently the speaker was not a negro servant, as
they had hoped and expected to find him, but a white man, and one who
used the English language well.

"Come, Jenny, there's a job on hand for us; and you must postpone your
breakfast till we catch the Yankee prisoners," said the person, who, the
fugitives were now satisfied, was an officer of the cavalry service.

While De Banyan was telling his story, they had heard some noise at the
house; and they now concluded that the party which had ridden up the
street had come to call this officer for duty. They hoped that nothing
would require him to pay a visit to the loft, and that, like a good
officer, he would be as expeditious as possible in his preparations.

"You are my prisoner, if he comes up-stairs," whispered De Banyan.

Somers pressed the hand of his companion to assure him that he understood
his plan; and they held their breath, in the intense anxiety of the
moment, for further developments. The present seemed to be the turning
point in the career of the adventurers; and, if they could once escape
from the horns of this dilemma, skill and prudence would conduct them in
safety to the Union lines.

The off