he silent night. The bullet
grazed the boy's arm, and crashed through the rail. In a second Bob
was on his feet. The picket was almost on him. Seizing his bundle, he
dived into the thicket as a half-dozen shots were sent ringing after
him, the bullets hissing and whistling over his head. Several men
dashed into the woods after him in hot pursuit, and a couple more
galloped up the road to intercept him; but Bob's feet were winged, and
he slipped through briers and brush like a scared hare. They scratched
his face and threw him down, but he was up again. Now and then a shot
crashed behind him, but he did not care for that; he thought only of
being caught.

A few hundred yards up the stream he plunged into the water, and wading
across, was soon safe from his pursuers. Breathless, he climbed the
hill, made his way through the woods, and emerged into the open fields.
Across these he sped like a deer. He had almost given out. What if
they should have caught his father, and he should be too late! A sob
escaped him at the bare thought, and he broke again into a fast run,
wiping off with his sleeve the tears that would come. The wind cut him
like a knife, but he did not mind that.

As he neared the house he feared that he might be stopped again and the
clothes taken from him, so he paused for a moment, and slipped them on
once more, rolling up the sleeves and legs as well as he could. He
crossed the yard undisturbed. He went around to the same door by which
he had come out, for he thought this his best chance. The same
sentinel was there, walking up and down, blowing his cold hands. Had
his father been arrested? Bob's teeth chattered, but it was with
suppressed excitement.

"Your clothes seem to 'a' grown a mite since you went out?" said the
sentry, quizzically.

"Yes, I was co-co-cold," stammered Bob.

"'Tis pretty cold," said the sentry.

"Ye--es," gasped Bob.

"Your mother's been out here, looking for you, I guess," said the
soldier, with much friendliness.

"I rec--reckon so," panted Bob, moving toward the door. Did that mean
that his father was caught? He opened the door, and slipped quietly
into the corridor.

General Denby still sat silent before the hall-fire. Bob listened at
the chamber-door. His mother was weeping; his father stood calm and
resolute before the fire. He had determined to give himself up.

"If you only did not have on those clothes!" sobbed Mrs. Stafford. "If
I only h