licker."

They passed on, and when I had given Alf the opportunity to speak he
said: "Good. They are going over to a negro's house and we'll get there
about the time they do, and if we can't get anybody but the deputy to
help us we'll have to kill one or two of them. Now keep up with me."

Off through the woods he went at a trot, leaping logs and splashing
through a brook where it was broad; and I kept well up with him. Already
my mind had ceased to dwell upon the narrowness of our escape; I was
thinking of Guinea as she had stood, shielding the light with her hand.

CHAPTER VIII.

We were not long in reaching the house of the deputy sheriff. A loud
call brought him out to the fence. And when we had quickly told him what
was wanted, he whistled to express his gratification or his surprise and
I fancied that I saw his hair bristling in the moonlight, for he had
come out bareheaded.

"Now let me think a minute, boys," said he. "I have been an officer long
enough to know that it ain't much credit to take a fellow after he's
dead--most anybody can do that. What we want is to capture them and to
do that we've got to have more men. Alf, I tell you what you do. You and
your friend slip over to old Josh's and keep watch to see that they
don't get away, and I'll ride as fast as I can and get General Lundsford
and your daddy. What do you say?"

"I say it's a first-rate plan," Alf answered. "I don't think the General
would like to be left out and I know that father wouldn't. Come on,
Bill."

The negro's house was not far away, and hastening silently through the
woods we soon came within sight of it, on the side of a hill, at the
edge of a worn-out field. We softened our foot-steps as we drew near
unto the cabin, and we could hear the ruffians within, singing,
swearing, dancing. We halted at the edge of the woods, within ten feet
of the door, and listened. "Let us slip up and take a peep at them,"
said Alf; and carefully we climbed over the old fence, taking care not
to break any of the rotting rails lest we might sound an alarm. We made
not the slightest noise, but just as we were within touching distance of
the cabin, a dog sprang from behind a box in the chimney corner. I don't
know how much noise it might have been his intention to make or whether
he belonged to the stealthy breed of curs whose delight it is to make a
silent lunge at the legs of a visitor, but I do know that he made not a
sound, for I grabbed h