ong legs would carry him. He soon
discovered his lieutenant riding at the head of his platoon. Deck, as
soon as he saw the sergeant, gave the order to walk the horses; for he
desired to ascertain the nature of the situation before he reached the
scene of the coming action.

[Illustration: "HE SOON DISCOVERED HIS LIEUTENANT RIDING AT THE HEAD OF
HIS PLATOON." _Page 210._]

"None o' my business, Leftenant; but I reckon you'd better halt, and
take a look at things ahead," said the sergeant in a very low tone to
the commander of the force, which consisted of nearly, or quite, eighty
men, or more than three-fourths of the strength of the Confederate
company, allowing it to be full, as it appeared to be.

Deck promptly accepted the suggestion, and gave the command; for he had
only the meagre information conveyed to him by Milton, and he knew
nothing whatever of any changes in the situation since he left his
companion; and in the space of an hour it was possible that the
condition of things on the meadow was entirely altered.

In the same low tone the sergeant suggested that he had better
dismount, and go with him to the boundary line of the forest, where he
could see for himself the position of the wagon-train and that of the
enemy. This was just what the lieutenant wanted to know, and he at once
complied with the suggestion of his faithful friend. They went to the
point indicated, keeping behind the trees; for Deck did not wish the
Confederates to draw any inference from his appearance so near the
scene of action.

It required but a glance for the young officer to take in the field of
action, while Life was explaining all that he had seen, and especially
the taking to the water, like so many ducks, of the enemy. The escort
of the train were still laboriously using their shoulders at the wheels
of the wagons; while the mules, six attached to each vehicle, were
struggling in the mud, and were most unmercifully beaten by their negro
drivers. A snail or a turtle would have beaten in a race with the
train.

"They can never get out of that mire," said Deck.

"Never while they travel the way they are going now," replied Life.
"They are headed for the Jamestown Road, for I cal'late they don't know
nothin' about this road we come by."

"That's a lieutenant in command of the escort," said the commander of
the re-enforcement. "I don't think he shows good judgment, for he ought
to get out of that mire on hard ground the shorte