dition, and a reasonable horror of ague and
rheumatism, would have induced him to do it, even at the risk of losing a
Federal prisoner, or a rebel deserter, as the case might be. At any rate,
if Tom had known the cause of the delay, he would freely have forgiven him
for wasting his time in healthful precautions.

The fugitive retraced his steps to the river by the same route he had
taken in approaching the hospitable roof of the farmer. As nearly as he
could judge by the sounds that reached him from the distance, the officer
and his father were gathering up a force to hunt down the fugitive. Tom
jumped into the bateau, and pushed off. Keeping under the shadow of the
bank of the river, he plied his paddle vigorously, and by the time his
pursuers arrived at the river, he was a couple of miles from the spot. He
could hear a shout occasionally in the deep silence of the night, but with
the distance between him and the enemy, he felt entirely secure. The
danger had passed, and he floated leisurely on his voyage, buoyant as his
light bark, and hopeful as the dream of youth.

Hour after hour, in the gloom of the solemn night, he was borne by the
swift tide towards the lines of the loyal army. The day was dawning, and
he was on the lookout for a suitable place to conceal himself, until the
friendly shades of night should again favor his movements. After the
experience of the former night near the ford, he was very cautious in the
selection of a hiding place. It is not always safe to be fastidious; for
while Tom was rejecting one location, and waiting for another to appear,
the river bore him into a tract of very open country, which was less
favorable than that through which he had just been passing.

The prospect began to make him nervous; and while he was bitterly
regretting that he had not moored the boat before, he was startled to hear
a sharp, commanding voice on the bank at his left.

"Who comes there? Halt!"

Tom looked up, and discovered a grayback, standing on the shore, very
deliberately pointing his musket at him.

"Who comes there?" demanded the picket; for at this point were stationed
the outposts of the rebel force in the Shenandoah valley.

"Friend!" replied Tom.

"Halt, then!"

"I would, if I could," answered Tom, as hastily as possible.

"Halt, or I'll fire!"

"I tell you I can't halt," replied Tom, using his paddle vigorously, as
though he was trying to urge the bateau to the shore. "Don't fire! For