He knew he would not long be hidden from the view of the men, but every yard he gained not merely provided an additional incentive for effort, but increased his possibility of escaping.
Without once glancing behind him Noel ran at his utmost speed, leaping over the low rail fence as he came to the border of the field and then heading directly for a stack of straw which stood in the middle of the neighboring field.
As he drew near the weather-beaten pile of straw and glanced behind him, it seemed to him that some of the men had started in pursuit.
He was, however, not positive, but his fears were sufficient to cause him to run quickly to the opposite side of the stack and when he was once more beyond the vision of his enemies he hastily climbed the heap which was not more than fifteen feet in height.
The task was difficult because it was well-nigh impossible for him to gain any firm foothold, but at last he succeeded and did not cease his endeavors until he had gained the summit of the pile. Once there he hastily tore the straw apart, which to his surprise was somewhat loose, and burrowing into the depths soon made a hiding-place large enough to receive him.
Noel's next effort was to tear away the straw which prevented him from obtaining a view of the field over which he had fled, and when he had succeeded in obtaining a peep-hole he saw that his fears were confirmed and that some of the men were approaching from the road.
It was impossible for the troubled boy to know whether the approaching men were searching for him or were planning to pass his hiding-place without giving him any heed. The men were coming in an orderly manner, holding well together, and there were many things to make the excited young soldier hope that he was not the object of their search.
Tremblingly he watched the men as they came nearer and nearer, and when at last a part of the body halted and began an inspection of the straw-stack in which he was hiding, his alarm became great.
In the midst of these men he saw the little sutler, Levi, who was pointing excitedly, first, back toward the road from which they had come, and then toward the intervening distance between the place where he was standing and a house far away.
In response to his appeals a hasty search of the straw-stack was made, the soldiers moving in opposite directions until they had encircled the place. An investigation then was made around the bottom of the pile, apparently no one thinking of looking to the top where the young soldier was concealed. It was evident that the men were in haste and in spite of Noel's fear he was hopeful that they would not remain long.