"I reckon I might as well," answered the officer, as his men got upon their feet, aroused the slumbering hounds by snapping their fingers at them, and hastened to obey the command. "I did think of taking in those woods on my way to Mooreville, but don't suppose it would be of any use. If the Yanks were there you two would have been likely to see them, wouldn't you?" he added, nodding at Rodney.
"I am quite sure we would," was the reply; but after all he was not so sure of it. The timber was thick; and, unless accompanied by dogs, a whole regiment might have walked through it without seeing any signs of a fugitive who took the least pains to conceal himself.
"That's what I thought," continued the lieutenant, "and as my men and animals are somewhat worn with travel, I think I will give it up and go home. I would have captured those men yesterday if the Mooreville Home Guards had been worth their salt. I may have something to say to my colonel about it."
While the lieutenant talked he shook hands with the planter and the two boys, lifted his cap to Mrs. Turnbull, and thanked her for the excellent dinner she had given his hungry men, and walked toward the place where he had hitched his horse, accompanied by their host. The latter's wife remained behind; and when she saw the officer swing himself into his saddle she made some slight apology to Dick, and motioned Rodney to follow her into the house.
"What's down there in the woods behind our plantation?" were the first words she said to him when they were alone.
"Why, Mrs. Turnbull," began Rodney, "how should I know? I assure you I am at a loss——"
"You know what I mean, Rodney Gray, and you can't deceive me," interrupted the lady with so much earnestness that Rodney saw it was useless to argue with her. "You never in your life before came to this house on foot; you were frightened when you found the soldiers here; you became angry the moment Mr. Biglin spoke of Yankees; you were frightened again when the boy Bill intimated that he had a word to say to his master in private; and all through—— Aha! You do know what I mean, don't you?"
"Mrs. Turnbull," replied Rodney in a husky voice. "They are the men I promised to help if I could. You'll not betray them?"
"I ought to scold you for speaking such words to me, and some day I will," said the lady hastily. "But just now I want to warn you against Mr. Biglin. I am sorry to say that he is not trustworthy."
When she ceased speaking she stepped to the window and looked out. She stood there a moment and beckoned Rodney to her side. The Confederate soldiers had disappeared up the road in a cloud of dust, and Mr. Biglin was just riding by the house. It was plain that he was in a hurry, for he did not stop to pick up his hat, which flew off just as Rodney caught sight of him, but dug his heels into his mule's sides in the effort to make him go faster.