"Major Gainey's force has lost an outfit, since our people took possession of it, and must, therefore, seek another encampment. Do you believe they will be content to remain in the swamp, knowin' their friends are near at hand?"
"It would be reasonable that they rode in the direction of the Ferry," Percy said, an expression of deepest seriousness chasing away the smile which had been upon his lips.
"Very well. Since you allow that, there is no need for me to say more. It is the general belief that Gainey had near to two thousand men with him, an' think you they will not fight, however much cowardice may be in their hearts, when next we ride upon them? If these two forces of Tories come together—and by this time I venture to say the men we routed in the early dawn have begun to understand how few we are in numbers—I look to see hot work. Therefore it is I predict that before arrivin' at Dubose Ferry we shall meet with many of those who so lately fled before us."
I now realized why the old man looked upon the situation as being grave in the extreme, and there was no further inclination in my mind to make sport of his forebodings.
Having learned what it might, perhaps, have been better we did not know, Percy and I became quite as solemn as was Gavin Witherspoon, and we three rode on again as if certain some evil fortune was about to overtake us, neither so much as speaking until half an hour or more had passed, when we came to a sudden halt.
Our road at this time lay through the bottom-lands, which were covered with a growth of scrub oaks, and we had heard a noise as of horsemen forcing their way through the foliage.
This it was which had caused us to halt so suddenly, and I was looking to my rifle to make certain it was loaded, when Sam Lee came into view.
He was riding a heavily-built iron-gray horse, the very animal I could have sworn to seeing during the brush with Major Gainey's force. Upon his face was an expression of deepest satisfaction and joy, which did not change materially when he saw us.
Percy, quicker than I at such times, cried out for the Tory to halt, and he wisely obeyed the command, knowing full well his steed would have no show in a race with such animals as we bestrode, even though our rifles might not have brought him to a halt.
"Well," he asked, with an evil look upon his face. "Since when have you begun to stop peaceful travelers?"