until he was come into the fireplace."

All this, as a matter of course, Pierre had noticed, and he also must
have seen, as did I, that our hope of showing ourselves to Saul had been
vain, for, as I have said, the windows were closed with planks.
Whosoever was held prisoner inside could not get a glimpse of the outer
world; but must remain in darkness all the while.

We walked by this apology for a guard-house slowly, not daring to halt
lest some red-coat take heed that we were noting the place more
carefully than lads of the village would be likely to do. When we were
come nearly to the river front we wheeled about, retracing our steps so
far as to be able to pass the building on the other side; but at no
point could we see an opportunity for warning my cousin that we were
near at hand.

"We might as well have staid inside the cabin," I said in a tone of
despondency as we turned our faces toward where we knew Uncle 'Rasmus
awaited us. "This is the first time, Pierre, that one of your plans has
come to naught, and both you and I should have had wit enough to realize
that if the building had been turned into a guard-house, the windows
would be barricaded in some way to prevent the escape of prisoners."

"The plan has not come to naught. Before we left the cabin I had no idea
where the house was located; but now you have pointed it out I would be
able, if the time was ripe and you not with me, to find the place. I am
counting--"

Pierre did not finish the sentence, for at that moment we came face to
face with Abel Hunt, a dissolute fellow seventeen or eighteen years old,
who lived in a mean hovel with his meaner parents near to Horry Sims's
home, and one who would follow in the footsteps of Horry Sims's father
so far as having a Tory leaning was concerned.

It was so dark that I did not see the fellow until we were close upon
him, otherwise would I have made every effort to avoid a meeting, for I
had no doubt that he, seeing us in York, would immediately ask himself
why we who favored the Cause were there. Then might he straightway set
about striving to learn what was our business in the village.

Again, and this came into my mind like a flash of light, he might be
there searching for Horry. When the lad failed to return home his
parents would, as a matter of course, send here, there and everywhere in
search of him, and this fellow Abel Hunt would have been one of the
first whom Master Sims would have called on, b