ough. But what shall I say for myself?"

"Say nothing, Somers--not a word. Don't commit yourself to anything."

"What have you told him?"

"Nothing; and I don't intend to tell him anything. He is a jolly old
fellow, who thinks he is very eccentric, and takes pride in being
considered so. When I was in the Crimea----"

"Never mind the Crimea now," interrupted Somers with a languid smile.

"I was only going to say that I understand the old doctor first-rate, and
can manage him as easily as I could an old plow-horse. Keep still,
Somers; don't let on, under any circumstances. Leave me to do all the
talking."

"But the cavalry are after us now."

"Never mind; the doctor will take care of them."

"They will recognize our horses, if they don't know us."

"No matter if they do."

Somers thought it was matter; and he could not see for the life of him
how De Banyan was to get out of such a scrape as this; for it was an
infinitely worse one than his own experience on the Williamsburg road. He
could only hope for the best, expecting nothing but disaster.

"Good! Bully for the doctor!" exclaimed De Banyan as the sounds of an
excited controversy at the side door reached the ears of the patient and
his friend. "He is doing just what I expected him to do."

"Pray, what did you expect him to do?" asked Somers, who could not see
what a rebel surgeon could be expected to do under the circumstances,
besides delivering them up to the military authorities.

"I expect him to protect us to the utmost of his ability; and, in my
opinion, he has quite as much influence as any other man in Petersburg.
When you see a man like Dr. Scoville, you may depend upon it he is a
power in the community where he lives. He knows it as well as any other
person. Let the doctor alone, and he will manage the matter as skilfully
as he dressed your wounded arm."

Whatever confidence Captain de Banyan had in the will and the ability of
Dr. Scoville to protect them, he was curious to hear what the soldiers
and what the doctor had to say. He was not quite willing to be seen by
the rebel soldiers; so he passed quickly into the entry, and took a
position where he could hear without being observed.

"Do you know who I am, you villain?" demanded the doctor, in tones so
full of rage, that the troopers ought to have been annihilated, though it
appears that they were not.

"I don't care who you are; I want the men that came here an hour ago,"
replied one of