n-mouthed at the apparently dead man
and nearly exhausted spy I dare not venture to say. Neither of us
thought we had any part to play now that the battle was at an end; but
not so with Pierre Laurens. He, dear lad, ever on watch and ever ready
to take advantage of the first opportunity, understood that Abel Hunt
had only been choked into unconsciousness, and that it was necessary we
set about so fettering him that the battle could not be continued when
his senses returned.

Pierre seized upon the blanket which had fallen from Uncle 'Rasmus's
knees when he set about making his way toward the door to offer his body
as a living barricade, and tore it into strips until he had an apology
for a rope sufficient to have tied two men, and began dextrously binding
Hunt's feet and arms.

His action caused me to bestir myself, and I began to fashion a gag for
the fellow's mouth, knowing full well that we could not frighten him
into silence as we had frightened Horry Sims.

The Jerseyman recovered from his exertions before little Frenchie and I
had finished our task, and then he took from my hand the stout billet of
wood which I was wrapping with strips torn from the blanket, as he said:

"I am not minded to have the blood of this fellow on my head, yet
perhaps it would be better for all concerned if we shut off his wind for
so long a time that it could never be recovered again, for he is like to
be a millstone around your neck, lad, and may yet succeed in working his
purpose. Killing one in cold blood, even though it be for the Cause, is
more than I am willing to undertake."

"But he must be gagged," I cried, thinking that Master Morgan was
growing soft-hearted and might waste too much time in mourning over his
victim.

"Let not your heart be troubled as to that, lad," the Jerseyman said
grimly. "To thrust this gag into the fellow's mouth just now would be
indeed the same as cutting his throat. We must wait until he is well
nigh conscious of his surroundings, and then bind it in place so
securely that he cannot work loose from it."

Then it was, while Morgan knelt by Abel Hunt's side awaiting the proper
moment to deprive him of all power of speech, that I realized what we
had done. I speedily understood that this victory of ours was the same
as a disaster, for how could we, unable to procure food or water save at
great risk, care for two prisoners, and at the same time the thought
came into my mind like a red light of warn