riend he could have met who thus
delayed him, or what pleasure he found which would keep him away.

Then like a flash of light came the thought that neither friend nor
pleasure could have prevented Saul from returning to his duty, and I
understood that one of two things must have happened: He had either been
arrested on some charge or another by the red-coated soldiers, or had
through his ill temper got into a brawl, when he had been so grievously
wounded that it was impossible for him to come back unaided.

I wheeled about suddenly, like one bereft of his senses, and clambered
up the shaky ladder as if my very life depended on my gaining the loft
within the shortest possible space of time. There, where by reaching out
his hand he could touch that Tory sneak whom I longed to crush beneath
my heel because he was causing us so much trouble, having the same as
thrust himself into our keeping as a prisoner, sat little Frenchie,
patient but nervous, as I could guess by his movements.

"Where is Saul?" I demanded fiercely, as if through some carelessness or
inadvertence of Pierre my cousin had come to grief, and the little lad
replied mournfully, having lost so much of his spirit during the weary
time of waiting that he could seemingly neither shrug his shoulders nor
wave his hands:

"I wish I knew, Fitz; but certain it is something serious must have
happened to the boy, else he would have been back, as he agreed upon,
within two hours from the time of leaving."

"Why did you not waken me that I might go out in search?" I demanded
angrily, as if still believing he was at fault.

"It seemed to me necessary you should regain all your strength, that you
might be able to meet the disaster which I feel is near upon us. There
have been times when I was tempted to call for Uncle 'Rasmus, insisting
he send you out at once; but I was checked by the thought that you had
already endured much of labor and should be allowed the slumber which
was needed."

"Nothing could be necessary at such a time as this, save that I went out
in search of my cousin!" I cried, almost beside myself with grief and
apprehension, for there was no longer any doubt in my mind but that Saul
was either a prisoner in the hands of the red-coated soldiers, or else
lay somewhere in the village wounded grievously, perhaps unto death.

"Now that you have come I will search throughout this entire town," and
Pierre sprang to his feet as if to descend the ladder,