"The Body-guard are upon us!"
"Quick!" yelled Branch. "String him up!"
"No, I be d——d if you do, you darn skunks!" cried Nettleton, as he sprang from among the thick branches of the tree, after having severed the rope.
"Spring, captain, for your life," cried Nettleton.
Hayward sprang from the scaffolding. At that moment there was an explosion just beneath it, which threw the masses in every direction, and caused such a dense smoke, that the soldiers surrounding the scaffold could not distinguish the rescuer, and consequently could not fire.
"Alibamo's brother and the Indian were under the scaffold and laid that plot, captain," said Nettleton. "But here comes Adjutant Harry Hinton!"
The adjutant dashed forward, and seeing the captain alive, he fairly yelled with delight He embraced his friend, and then remounting, cried:
"But come, boys, we have work to do," and off he dashed at a rapid rate.
"Come, Nettleton, I must seek my sister," said Hayward, as he started to the point where he had last seen her. He met the brother of Alibamo, and having been informed by Nettleton who he was, Hayward inquired:
"Where are our sisters?"