“It’s lucky that I thought to tell the Porcupine to hold himself ready to carry a message,” he said as he hurried along.
Rounding the far end of the barracks, he heard a door close, then he caught a quick, sure tread upon some wooden steps; turning his head the least bit, he got a glimpse of the newcomer out of the tail of his eye.
HE GOT A GLIMPSE OF THE NEWCOMER
“Ezra!” almost cried Nat, in dismay. But he choked back the exclamation, lowered his head and walked steadily on. Even though his back was now squarely toward the other, Nat knew that the boy had halted and was watching him. But it was only for a moment, then the same light footstep resumed, now upon the plank walk; and Nat, with a keen, quick glance over his shoulder, saw him hurrying away toward the group of officers who were still gathered, awaiting the command to mount.
As luck would have it, there was a sharp turn around some buildings for Nat to make in order to reach the place where he had told the dwarf to await him. As he rounded this he was screened from view and broke into a run.
With set face he sped forward, not knowing what another moment would develop. And, as it happened, the very moment that he caught sight of the grinning face of the Porcupine, he also heard the roar of hoofs upon the planks of the barracks road. In a flash he tossed the dwarf the pine block.
“To Dr. Warren—and get out of sight quickly!” he said, hastily.
The keen perceptions of the dwarf grasped the situation instantly. Clutching the block, he vanished between two buildings; and Nat, his head bent, as though totally unconscious of everything but his own private affairs, continued on up the street. Nearer and nearer sounded the hoof beats; then two horsemen drew up beside him.