ld pursue, for instead of lagging ever so slightly to
learn in which direction we would go, he led us straight as an arrow
might be driven, toward our destination, and, having come to the cabin
door, pushed it open and himself entered, leaving us to follow or to
flee as might be our inclination.

I am free to confess that when he thus left me at liberty there was but
one thought in my mind, and that to seek my own safety in flight,
regardless of my comrades, or of the old negro whose life might be in
danger if I thus deserted him. I was cowardly enough for an instant to
think only of myself, to look forward only to the possibility of saving
my own skin; but, fortunately, even before I could have turned to flee
like a poltroon, I realized that it was my duty as a lad of Virginia,
even though I had seemingly thrown aside the name of Minute Boy, to
remain with my comrades whom I had thus counselled into peril.

Even at that supreme moment, when as I believed death stood facing me,
there came into my heart a feeling of shame that I should have even
thought of doing such a dastardly thing as to seek my own safety by
deserting my comrades, and I went into the cabin, following the
footsteps of our captor, hoping that no one, not even that red-coated
soldier, might suspect what had been in my mind a few seconds before.

Pierre and Saul must have understood that they could do no less than
enter this place of shelter, for it was the only one open to them in the
town of York, even though we were led by an enemy, and so thrust Horry
Sims forward on my heels until Uncle 'Rasmus closed the door behind us.

I stood there enveloped in a darkness so dense that one might, as is
said, almost feel it, wondering what strange turn of affairs had come,
and why it was that this British soldier should be so harmless--why he
should have allowed us to come into the cabin when most like he counted
on taking us to the nearest guard-house.

We remained there in silence, and, so far as I was concerned, in most
abject terror, while one might have counted ten, and then the stranger,
throwing himself down on the floor at one side of the fireplace in which
a few half-dead coals yet glimmered faintly, as if he was a welcome
visitor, said in a low whisper, yet in a tone which carried distinctly
through the room:

"You lads are from the Hamilton plantation?"

No one made reply. I was yet too much confused to have answered such a
simple question, and,