"DEY SAY YO' HAB HAWNS"
In his dilemma Noel turned once more to the colored man and hastily said, "Where are you going?"
"Noware. Noware, suh."
"But the rebel soldiers are ahead of you."
"Dey's mo' o' 'em behind me," declared Long John promptly.
"Do you know the way out of this swamp?"
For a moment the tall negro gazed intently down at Noel. In spite of his indifference, Long John was possessed of more intelligence than a first impression warranted. Noel was made somewhat uneasy by the intentness of the negro's inspection.
Apparently satisfied by what he had discovered in his own way, Long John said, "Yas, suh! I reckon I knows dis yeah swamp."
"Do you know where this corduroy road leads?" Noel inquired, as he pointed in the direction from which the negro had come.
"Yas, suh!"
"How long is it? How far shall we have to go before we can be out on the firm road again?"
"I reckon it's a right sma't way," replied Long John slowly. "And if dere's some ob the rebel sojers up ahead, dere's certainly mo' ob dem back yonder," he added, nodding his head to emphasize the strength of his conviction as he spoke.
"Have you seen any?" inquired Noel, as he once more glanced behind him to discover whether or not there were any signs of continued pursuit.
"Yas, suh! I'se done seen some."
"How many are there?"
"I recken dere's a right sma't lot ob dem."
"Are they infantry or cavalry?"
"Yas, suh."
"Which are they?" demanded Noel.
"Dere's some sojers on horseback. I see Massa Little Ben Fowler—"
"Are there twenty of them?" broke in Noel impatiently.
"Yas, suh."
"Where are they?"
"Dey's right by de end on de cord'roy road. I recken dey was goin' toe follow me, but dey all des' shouted and laughed. Dey say I can beat de Yanks at runnin'."
"Dennis," said Noel, turning to his companion, "don't you believe that these men have been stationed there to cut off anybody who might come through here on this road?"
"That's it, me lad! Yis, sor! That's it," replied Dennis.
"Then we can't go ahead and we can't turn back. We're caught right here between these two bodies. What can we do, Dennis?"
"I recken I know what yo' all 'll have to do," spoke up Long John in a whisper, as he spoke peering intently in the direction from which the two young soldiers had recently come.
Noel glanced in the direction indicated by the negro and in a brief time he, too, was convinced that some men were approaching. Even Long John was alarmed, and for a moment appeared to be on the point of darting into the swamp.