“I declare, Egan,” said he, “we’re cornered.”
“O, no,” said the latter, who was making all haste to get out of his wet uniform. “Mack doesn’t know that we are here, and even if he suspected it, he has no right to search the house.”
Having placed his best suits of clothes in orderly array upon the bed (the deep sighs he uttered while he was thus engaged proved that Sally was not yet wholly forgotten), Asa seated himself on his trunk and looked out of the window, while Don and his companion proceeded to put on their disguises. And disguises they proved to be in every sense of the word. It is doubtful if even the sharp eyes of Corporal Mack could have penetrated them. The boys looked for all the world like a couple of green country fellows who were out for a holiday; and when Don, after disarranging his hair, and assuming an expression of countenance that would have done credit to Mark Twain’s “Inspired Idiot,” walked across the floor after the manner of a plantation darkey, Egan, who never could control himself when he wanted to laugh, rolled on the bed convulsed with merriment. Nothing but the near approach of Corporal Mack and his men kept him from shouting at the top of his voice.
“Look here, Gordon,” said he, as soon as he could speak. “No more of that. You will give us away, sure. Mack is a Southern boy, and he knows the negro style of progression as well as you do. So mind what you are about.”
Just then the clear tones of Corporal Mack sounded under the window. “Hallo, Asa,” said he. “Seen any of our boys around here lately?”
“Wal, yes,” drawled Asa, in reply. “I seed a power of ’em yesterday.”
“Have you seen any of them to-day?”
“Wal, yes; but I seed a right smart sprinklin’ of ’em yesterday.”
“Don’t say that again, Asa,” whispered Egan, excitedly. “If you do you will let the cat out of the bag, sure. That boy is sharper than a steel trap, and you must be careful how you talk to him.[him.]”
“You say you have seen some of our boys to-day,” continued the corporal. “Were their names Egan and Gordon? I thought so. Well, where are they now?”