en!" I cried savagely, and Pierre
added, again caressing my arm:

"Don't forget that you succeeded in carrying a message which Morgan
could not have delivered save at the cost of destroying his usefulness
as a spy."

"And yet that had nothing to do with Saul's arrest, if so be he is a
prisoner."

"Now you are unreasonable. Let us go back to the cabin and there wait
until the Jerseyman comes. Whether the time be long or short, we by
fretting and fuming cannot cut off a single minute. If remaining idle
seems hard, remember, Fitz Hamilton, that by going ahead blindly we may
make matters worse than they are now."

Of course I realized that all Pierre had said was true. No fellow could
listen to the little lad when he was talking so earnestly and
imploringly, without understanding how much of sound sense was in that
tiny body of his, and for at least the tenth time since we set out from
the Hamilton plantation counting to call ourselves Minute Boys, did I
resolve that in the future I would never make protest at any command he
might give, but would fall in readily and cheerfully with every
suggestion of his.

He led me back to old Mary's cabin much as a nurse leads a petulant
child, and when we neared the door I was like to have forgotten Saul's
possible plight as the fear came over me that here might we have met
with fresh disaster.

It was a wondrous relief to enter the rude cabin and find Uncle 'Rasmus
still seated in his invalid's chair, with Horry Sims lying at his feet,
and in my joy and relief I clasped both the old negro's wrinkled hands
so tightly that he cried out with pain.

There was little need he should ask whether we had been successful in
our search, because we had returned as we departed; but I could not
refrain from acquainting him with our ill fortune by saying in a
sorrowful tone:

"We have neither heard nor seen anything of the dear lad, and it must be
that the Britishers are holding him prisoner."

"De Lawd's will be done, honey! De Lawd's will be done! Ef dat po' chile
Saul hab fell inter de han's ob de Britishers, we'se boun' to set here
sorrowin' widout liftin' a han' to help him."

"Uncle 'Rasmus is saying much the same as I did, Fitz dear," Pierre
interrupted. "It is the fortune of war, and whatsoever comes to us while
we are striving to play our part, must be borne. There is no reason why
we should not hope for the best, at least until the Jerseyman comes, as
I feel positive he will a