"Then I'll report the case without delay. I thought he was something of a sneak the first time I saw him."
"If the South would hang him as a spy it would be a good job done."
"Would you be willing to appear against him?" asked St. John anxiously.
"Well—er—no, but I can bring two other men to appear."
"Then I'll surely have him arrested."
"And what about those things?"
"I will get them, if I possibly can."
A loud clap of thunder interrupted the conversation at this point, and when it was renewed the topic was not of special interest to Jack.
But our hero had heard enough to make him very thoughtful. Why had Dr. Mackey been so startled to learn that Colonel Stanton was at the Ruthven plantation, and why had he been so anxious to know if he and the colonel had met?
"Here's a fresh mystery," he told himself. "I must unravel it if I can."