e's omniscient, right enough."

"Are they gaining?"

"Not yet. But they will, as fresh pursuers come up on the flank.
Some of us must fall or be taken, but then at least one of us must get
back to Old Jack with the news. So we're bound to scatter. When we
reach that patch of woods on the left running down to the road, you're
to leave us, gallop into it and make your way back through the gorge.
I'll throw off the other messengers as we go on."

"Must I be the first to go?"

"Yes, you're under my orders now, and I think you the most trustworthy.
Now, Harry, off with you, and remember that luck is with him who tries
the hardest."

They were within the dark shade of the trees and Harry turned at a
gallop among them, guiding his horse between the trunks, pausing a
moment further on to hear the pursuit thunder by, and then resuming
his race for the gorge.

He continued to ride at a great pace, meeting no enemy, and at last
reached the creek. He was a good observer and he was confident that he
could ride back up it without trouble. He feared nothing but Shepard.
A single horseman in the darkness could throw off any pursuit by cavalry,
but the terrible spy might turn at once to the creek and the gorge.
He had the consolation, though, of knowing that Shepard could not follow
him and all the others at the same time.

Harry paused a moment at the water's edge and listened for the sounds
of pursuit. None came. Then he plunged boldly in and rode against
the stream, passing into the depths of the gorge. It was darker now,
being near to that darkest hour before the dawn, and the slit of sky
above was somber.

But he rode on at a good walk until he was about half way through the
gorge. Then he heard sounds above, and drawing his horse in by the
cliff he stopped and waited. Voices came down to him, and once or twice
he caught the partial silhouette of a horse against the dark sky.

He felt quite sure that it was a body of Union cavalry riding
practically at random--if they were led by Shepard they would have
come up the gorge itself.

Presently something splashed heavily in the water near him. A stone had
been rolled over the brink. He drew his horse and himself more closely
against the wall. Another stone fell near and a laugh came from above.
Evidently the lads in blue had pushed the stones over merely to hear the
splash, because Harry ceased to hear the voices and he was quite sure
that they had ridden away.