waited patiently until they
finished their work, and climbed up out of the ravine; then we climbed
up after them. We thought their main object must be to find the cave,
and Pomp strongly suspected Pepperill of treachery. We found a large
number of soldiers lying under some bushes, and crept near enough to
hear what they were saying. They were going to take the cave by
surprise, and an order had just come for them to move farther up the
mountain. They set off with scarcely any noise, reminding me of the
'Forty Thieves,' as they filed away in the moonlight, and disappeared
among the bushes and shadows. Pomp is on their trail now; he has his
rifle with him, and it may be heard from if he sees them change their
course and approach too near the cave."

Penn had come in for his musket. It was the same that had fallen from
the hands of the man Griffin at the moment when that unhappy rebel was
in the act of charging bayonet at his breast. Assuring Virginia--who
could not conceal her alarm at seeing him take it from its corner--that
he was merely going out to reconnoitre, he left the cave.

He was gone several hours. At length he and Pomp returned together. The
moon had long since set, but it was beautiful starlight; and, themselves
unseen, they had watched carefully the movements of the soldiers.

"You would have laughed to have been in my place, Carl!" said Penn,
laying his hand affectionately on the shoulder of his beloved pupil.
"They besieged the ledge where your imaginary cave is for full two hours
after I went out, apparently without daring to go very near it."

"I suppose," replied Carl, "they vas vaiting for me and the captain. It
vas really too pad now for us to make them lose so much waluable time!
But they vill excuse Mishter Shprowl; his absence is unawoidable." And
lifting his brows with a commiserating expression, he gave a comical
side-glance from under them at the languishing Lysander.

All laughed at the lad's humor except the captain himself--and Salina.

After besieging the imaginary cave as Penn had described, several of the
confederates, he said, at last ventured with extreme caution to approach
it.

"And found," added Carl, "they had been made the wictims of von leetle
stratagem!"

"I suppose so," said Penn; "for immediately an unusual stir took place
amongst them."

"In searching for the entrance," laughed Pomp, leaning on his rifle,
"they came close under a juniper-tree I had climbed into, and