"I am not."
"And if I help you to get away, you will try to get back to the Union lines without delaying to pick up information."
"I will go as straight back as I can make it—I'll give you my word of honor, Derwiddie."
"Then I won't be acting wrong in giving you a free rein. Now to my plan—it's been in my head this last half hour. First, take my pistol."
"Yes, but you—"
"Now let me untie that rope on your hands," interrupted Derwiddie, cutting the prisoner short. "We haven't a moment to spare. They may come back at any moment. Remember, you are to take all three horses."
"Yes, all three. So that they will have a job to follow you."
"But yourself?"
"I will fall into the road, knocked out by you."