d Virginia arrived. Penn ran eagerly for his
musket. At the same time, looking about the cave, he was surprised to
see only the old clergyman sitting by the fire, and Prometheus reclining
by his rock.

"Where is Salina? Where is Toby?"

"Toby has just left his charge to see what discovery Salina has made
outside. She went out previously and thought she saw soldiers."

At that moment Toby came running in.

"Dar's some men way down by the ravine! O, sar! I's bery glad you's
come, sar!"

Having announced the discovery, and greeted Penn and Virginia, he went
to look at his prisoner. He had been absent from him but a minute: he
found him lying as he had left him, and did not reflect, simple old
soul, how much may be secretly accomplished by a desperate villain in
that brief space of time.

Penn took Pomp's glass, climbed along the rocky shelf, peered over the
thickets, and saw on the bank of the ravine, where Salina pointed them
out to him, several men. They were some distance below Gad's Leap (as he
named the place where the spy met his death), and seemed to be occupied
in extinguishing a fire. He levelled the glass. The recent burning of
the trees and undergrowth had cleared the field for its operation. His
eye sparkled as he lowered it.

"I recognize one of our friends in a new uniform!"--handing the glass to
Salina.

Returning to the cave, he added, in Virginia's ear,--

"Augustus Bythewood!"

The bright young brow contracted: "Not coming here?"

"I trust not. Yet his proximity means mischief. Pomp will be
interested!"

He took his torch and gun. There was no time for adieus. In a moment he
was gone. There was one who had been waiting with anxious eyes and
handcuffed hands to see him go.

Meanwhile Mr. Villars had called Toby to him, and said, in a low
voice,--

"Is all right with your prisoner?"

"O, yes; he am bery quiet, 'pears like."

"You must look out for him. He is crafty. I feel that all is not right.
When you were out, I thought I heard something like the sawing or
tearing of a cord. Look to him, Toby."

"O, yes, sar, I shall!" And the confident old negro approached the rock.

There lay the rope about the base of it, still firmly tied on the side
opposite the prisoner. And there crouched he, in the same posture of
durance as before, except that now he had his legs well under him. His
handcuffed hands lay on the rope.

"Right glad ter see ye convanescent, sar!"

Toby was bending over,