ad of the invalid and the physician appeared two
decidedly military-looking gentlemen.

The coach and its occupants had lumbered out of sight for some time, and
the young officer still remained lounging near the door of Mistress
Hanson's house, when an orderly, splashed with mud from galloping over
yesterday's battle-field, clattered up to the group.

"Which is Major Fortescue?" he asked, in his sharp military voice.

"I am," answered the young Irish officer.

"Order for you, sir;" and he reached the Major a folded paper, sealed
with a blotch of wax as red as blood. He opened it, and read:

"You will immediately arrest two men, officers in the rebel army,
known respectively as Colonel Tilton and Captain Bellach.
Information has been lodged at head-quarters that they are now
lying concealed at Mistress Elizabeth Hanson's in Wilmington town.
You will report answer at once. By order of

Colonel ROBERT WYCHERLY, R. A.,
Com. 5th Div. H. M. A.
in the Province of Pennsylvania.

To Major ALLAN FORTESCUE,
Commander at Wilmington,
in the Lower County of Newcastle."[2]

"Stop them!" roared Major Fortescue, as soon as he could catch his
breath. He gave a sharp order to the soldiers lounging near; they seized
their arms, and the whole party started at double quick for the ford of
the Christiana River, half a mile away, whither the coach had directed
its course.

* * * * *

Meanwhile the fugitives had arrived at the bank of the river, where they
found that the ferryman was at the other side, and his boat with him. He
was lying on the stern seat, in the sun, and an empty whiskey bottle
beside him sufficiently denoted the reason of his inertia. When the
Colonel called to him, he answered in endearing terms, but moved not;
and when the officer swore, the ferryman reproved him solemnly. Affairs
were looking gloomy, when Captain Bellach, who had been running up and
down the embankment that kept the river from overflowing the marsh-lands
that lay between it and the hill on which the town stood, gave a shout
which called the Colonel and Nancy to him. They found that he had
discovered an old scow half hidden among the reeds; it was stuck fast in
the mud, and it was only by great exertions that the two gentlemen
pushed it off the ooze into the water. The Colonel then took Nancy in
his arms, and carried her across the muddy shore to the boat, where he
deposited h