the young sergeant. "Fall out, but don't scatter."

Then Overton stepped to the edge of the woods, waving his hat. In the
distance Lieutenant Prescott, with his own hat, returned the signal.
Then Hal, using one arm in place of a signal flag, wig-wagged the
information:

"We have thoroughly scouted all about your position, and find no sign of
an enemy."

From the lieutenant came the answer, wig-wagged by arm:

"Good! March your men in."

"I have allowed men to fall out and rest," Hal answered. "They are tired
after their hike."

"Rest your men five minutes, then march them in," replied Lieutenant
Prescott.

"Very good, sir," Hal signaled.

Exactly five minutes later, Overton commanded:

"Fall in! By twos right, march!"

Within the hour several of the former Moro laborers on the plantation
returned. They reported that the Datto Hakkut and some three hundred men
were on the march, miles away and evidently headed for the mountains.

"These men are honest and loyal, Lieutenant," explained Mr. Seaforth.
"They are my regular laborers. Of course, when the attack came those who
could not reach the house took to their heels. But these natives, like
many Moros, are dependable. They are not to be classed with the idle,
vicious cut-throats that follow the datto."

"Hm!" replied Lieutenant Prescott, politely, but he scanned all of these
returned natives, keenly. None of them, however, showed any wounds, or
bore any other signs of having seen recent military service with the
datto.

"Mr. Seaforth," said the young officer, presently, "I am going to follow
the course laid down by Captain Cortland, and return to Bantoc with the
greater part of my command. I shall, however, leave Sergeant Dinsmore
and a dozen men here. I urge that all the white people of the plantation
return with me to town."

"You can take the women with you, Lieutenant, if you will," replied the
planter, "but we men feel that we should stay here and make every effort
to go on running the plantation."

"If you do not think it too dangerous, Mr. Seaforth."

"No; I can trust my laborers, and they tell me that Hakkut and his
rascals appear really bent on reaching the mountains."

"But if they go to the mountains, you know, they go only that they may
be more secure until they have recruited other brown rebels. If Hakkut
can get enough men together, he will attempt to carry fire and bloodshed
even into Bantoc."

"Let the women go with you, and we men