nquired Deck, as though he
had some scheme in his head.

"Plenty of them; enough to supply half of your platoon."

"Can you get back to your house without being seen, Colonel?"

"Easily; back of my house is an avenue, planted with trees, by which I
once made my escape while they were looking for me. You can see it on
the south side of the hill; and it extends down to the river, the last
part of it on the tongue of land, so that it has the stream on each
side of it," the old soldier explained.

"If you have such a quantity of arms, where do you keep them?"

"In the spring-house, the brick building on the brook, which you cannot
see from here. I have five sons and one daughter; two of the boys are
in the army, and three are past the military age, though they belong to
the Millersville Home Guards, and were called out for duty three days
ago. I expect them home soon; but they have been gone four days now. My
overseer, his assistant, and two mechanics, went over to see the fight
yesterday afternoon, and they have not yet returned."

"Dar dey is, Mars'r Cun'l!" shouted Cuffy, pointing to the Harrison
road, down which three mounted riflemen were riding.

"I am glad to see them," added the planter, as the men came up the
hill.

The father greeted them heartily, and they began to tell what service
they had rendered during the preceding day on the right flank of the
field of battle. One of them happened to turn his head, and saw Deck;
and, interrupting the conversation that was going on, he shouted,--

"Lieutenant Lyon!"

The other two, who had also been with the riflemen under command of
Captain Ripley, repeated the exclamation.

"We fought under the command of Lieutenant Lyon most of the day
yesterday, and he is one of the ablest and bravest officers in the
service," said one of the sons. "He is"--

"We will hear that another time, Mr. Hickman; and you may have a chance
to fight under me to-day, for your father's mansion is beset by a band
of ruffians, who threaten to hang him," interposed Deck. "We muster six
men now, and I propose to clean them out."

It was talked over for a little while, and the party soon rode off to
one of the openings of the avenue by the river.

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE FIGHT BEGINS AT GROVE-HILL MANSION

Colonel Hickman led the way; and, like most Kentuckians of good estate,
he rode an excellent horse. He hurried the animal beyond the capacity
of the two cavalry horses which had