At length, one of his brothers drew his chair to his side, and said:
"Excuse me, sir; but I believe I've seen you before."
"I shouldn't be surprised if you had, sir," answered George, steadily meeting the rebel's gaze. "I know I've seen you before."
His brother started back in his chair, and a gleam of triumph shot across his face as he exclaimed:
"George, I know you."
"And you will have cause to know me better before this war is over," answered George, forgetting, in his excitement, all the precautions he had before adopted to escape being recognized.
Had a thunderbolt fallen into the room, the astonishment of the general and his wife could not have been greater. They sat in their chairs as motionless as if they had been suddenly turned into stone, gazing at their son as though they could scarcely believe their eyes, while the fugitives sat with their hands on their weapons, wondering what would be the result of George's imprudence. At length the general, who was the first to recover from his astonishment, vociferated:
"You here, you rascal—you young traitor! I thought you were safe in the prison at Tyler again by this time."
"No doubt you did," answered George, bitterly. "But I'm a free man now, and intend to remain so."
"You are free!" repeated the general; "that's a capital joke.
Lieutenant Somers, I charge you with his safe delivery at Tyler."