"Ay, if he has not been released. We left him safely enough."
Nathan believed that he and Evan would be roughly treated so soon as that which they had done was made known; but the troopers appeared to think it a laughing matter, and even the colonel who was in charge of the detachment did not look upon it with any great degree of severity, for he said after a brief pause:
"Ephraim must remain where he is until our return, and perhaps after this night he will be more careful when he puts himself into the power of his enemies. You who have taken the prisoners shall guard them until we have finished our work, and then it is likely we will have more to keep them company. Mount, and see to it that the rebels do not make their escape again."
The troopers obeyed, pulling the two lads after them into the saddle, with many a threat as to what would be the result if there was any resistance, until Nathan said, but without show of temper or impatience:
"We are willing to ride, and shall not be so foolish as to resist when the odds are so strongly against us."
"We are not in the humor to put up with any more rebel tricks this night, and at the first show of an attempt to escape I shall use my knife in a way that won't be pleasant," the trooper replied as he put spurs to his horse, and the detachment rode three or four miles further before slackening pace.
Then they were come in the vicinity of Greene's Spring, and the boys who had already braved so much in the hope of being able to warn their friends in danger, believed that the time was very near at hand when they must perforce see Colonel Clarke's men ruthlessly cut down or captured.
CHAPTER VI.
GREENE'S SPRING.
Many wild plans came into Nathan's mind during the short time the main body of the detachment were halted while skirmishers went ahead to ascertain if Ephraim had correctly described the situation of affairs.
It seemed to him at this moment as if he must do something toward warning the friends of freedom of the danger which menaced, and was ready to act, whatever might be the cost to him.