"Watching the Yanks. We're on our way to report to Jerry. Hicks, the Yanks are camped on your place."
"What's that? The Yanks camped on my place!" cried Hicks.
"Sure. Reckon you'll be short on fodder and pork and sweet 'taters by morning."
"The ole woman and children?" gasped Hicks.
"Reckon they're all right, seeing their natural protector is not at home. The Yanks won't hurt them. Git your hosses and come on. We've been gone too long now. Jerry will give us the devil for not reporting before."
As he was speaking horsemen were heard approaching from the other direction, and in a moment Jerry and Billy rode up.
"Is that you, Stevens?" Jerry demanded angrily.
"Yes," was the hesitating reply.
"I have a notion to have you cashiered for dawdling along the road. You know everything depends on your report. I've been waiting an hour."
Stevens was Jerry's lieutenant and he did not relish the idea of losing his office.