flung open the door of the prison,
a picturesque little hut built of rough gray stone, and covered with
Virginia creepers and wild honeysuckles. The others pushed Tom in, and
Peter, dashing forward, slammed the door on him with a bang. Snap! went
the bolt, and now nothing earthly could open it again but a Bramah key
or a gunpowder explosion. Young Secession was fast, and the North
triumphant. Hurrah!

CHAPTER II.

BULL RUN.

THEIR first excitement over, the gallant Zouaves couldn't help looking
at each other in rather a comical way. To be sure, it was very
aggravating to have their country run down, and themselves assailed
without leave or license; but they were by no means certain, now they
came to think of it, that they had acted rightly in doing justice to the
little rebel in such a summary manner. Peter especially, who had
proposed the court martial, had an instinctive feeling that if his
father were to learn the action they had taken, he would scarcely
consider it to tally with the exercise of strict politeness to company.
In short, without a word said, there was a tacit understanding in the
corps that this was an affair to be kept profoundly secret.

While they were still silently revolving this delicate question, little
Louie Hamilton suddenly started violently, exclaiming, "Only listen a
moment, felloth! what a strange noithe! It sounds like thome wild
beast!"

"Noise? I don't hear any," said Freddy; "yes I do, though--like
something trampling the bushes!"

"There's nothing worse than four cows and a house dog about our place,"
said Peter; "but what that is I don't know--hush!"

The boys listened with all their ears and elbows, and nearly stared
themselves blind looking around to see what was the matter. They had not
long to wait, however, for the trampling increased in the wood, a
curious, low growling was heard, which presently swelled to a roar, and
in a moment more, an immense brindled bull was seen dashing through the
locusts, his head down and heels in the air, looking not unlike a great
wheel-barrow, bellowing at a prodigious rate, and making straight toward
the place where they stood!

"Murder, what _shall_ we do?" cried Louie, turning deadly pale with
terror, while the Zouaves, for an instant, appeared perfectly paralyzed.

"Why run! run for your lives!" shouted George, who was the first to
recover himself. "Peter, you lead the way; take us the shortest cut to
the house, and--oh!"