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.
CHAPTER VII
CAUGHT
Sharply bidding the black man remain where he was Noel again peered into the road behind him and listened intently. There was no disguising the fact that men were approaching. Doubtless a part of the force which had been stationed in the road were aware of the corduroy way and had ventured to follow the fugitives, confident that they could find no escape from the place.
The venture on the part of the Confederate soldiers was one that tested their courage. The darkness had deepened, and it was well-nigh impossible to distinguish the body of a motionless man from the trunk of one of the near-by trees. There were strange noises in the swamp, too. There was the flapping of unseen wings and the scurrying and calls of unseen birds, but in spite of all these things there was no doubt now in the mind of Noel Curtis that some men were approaching from the rear.
"Dat's de only way," whispered Long John excitedly. "Dere's no oder way outen de swamp. We des' got toe go back. Maybe Massa Little Ben Fowler isn't dere any mo' now."
Influenced by the positive manner of the grotesque negro, without a protest both Noel and Dennis followed him as he led the way in the direction from which he himself recently had come.
Striving to move noiselessly, at the same time the young soldiers did their utmost to advance rapidly. Occasionally some decayed log broke under their feet, but there was no other sound to reveal their presence.
Repeatedly the three fugitives glanced behind them, and then fearful of what might be before them glanced frequently in that direction. Long John was the only member of the band who apparently was unmoved by the excitement, a fact which was difficult for Noel to understand, inasmuch as when first he had seen the tall, awkward slave, it was the terror of the black man at his unexpected presence that had most impressed him. The flight had continued not more than ten minutes before the young soldiers arrived at the end of the road.