When the time should come that they might make known his true character among those who had befriended the lad, then would they remember him to some purpose; but while they were pressing forward through the thicket at full speed, now catching a glimpse of the footprints of Sarah Dillard's horse, and again being convinced that he had left the trail, it was as if Ephraim had no existence.
Many times before the first three miles of distance had been traversed did they speculate as to the probable time when Major Ferguson would send forward those men who were to butcher or capture the little band of Americans at the Spring; but without arriving at any definite conclusion.
From the Dillard plantation to the encampment concerning which Ephraim had given information, was no less than twenty miles, and in case the horsemen should be selected to do the bloody work, about three hours would be required for the journey.
If the foot-soldiers were chosen for the task, then six hours would be none too long; but neither of the boys believed the infantry would take part in the proposed maneuver, otherwise the men would most likely have set out before dark.
"We can hold certain that the horsemen will make the attack, and I am guessing they will not start before eleven o'clock to-night. They may then fall upon our men between two and three in the morning, when it is said sleep weighs heaviest upon the eyelids, and if neither Sarah Dillard nor we succeed in getting through to give the alarm, there is little doubt but that all under Colonel Clarke's command will fall victims."
"We must get through," Evan cried with energy, and Nathan added:
"We shall do it, lad; never you fear, for there is like to be nothing that can stop us, unless by some unfortunate chance the troopers begin their journey before we have reckoned on."
Then once more the boys trudged on in silence until, perhaps ten minutes later, they were brought to a sudden standstill by sounds in the distance which seemed to proclaim the movement of some heavy body through the underbrush.
Unarmed as they were, flight was their only defence, and the two bent forward in the attitude of listeners, keenly on the alert for the first indication as to the character of this noisy traveler.
At one moment Nathan would announce positively that the disturbance was caused by some animal, and again he felt equally certain he could hear in the distance the sound of human voices.