"Are these your orders, or do you repeat some other's words?"
"Don't stop to talk; but lay hold of these two rebels, lest by sheer boldness they succeed in making off."
"Best keep a quiet and civil tongue in your head, youngster, for I am not minded to take orders from one who does such dirty work as you," the soldier said surlily, and passed on, leaving Ephraim crimson with rage.
Near by where the boys had been halted was a stack of muskets, and running quickly up to them the Tory seized one, regardless of the fact that by so doing he allowed all the others to fall to the ground.
Then, turning suddenly, he aimed the weapon full at the two lads, crying as he did so:
"Wheel about, and march back to the house, or I shall shoot. Don't think you can get the upperhand of me as readily as you did last night, for I am not minded to deal gently with you now."
"Ho, there! Guard!" a voice cried. "Seize that lad and let him be deprived of his liberty until he has sense enough to keep in his own station."
The soldier who had refused to obey Ephraim wheeled about suddenly upon receiving this command from Captain Depuyster, who had just come from the dwelling, and before the young Tory was well aware of the change in the position of affairs, he was being marched toward the stables, the trooper's hand clutching his collar so tightly as to render breathing a difficult operation.
"You can go on now, and see to it that you do not loiter, until you have repeated Major Ferguson's words to the rebels round about."
Once more the boys set their faces toward Greene's Spring, and as they marched rapidly away the captain followed them until they were past the line of sentinels.