"How many were there of them?"
"We looked at them as they came down the hill, and Wilder and I reckoned there were about fifty of them. They had a wagon train behind them."
"Very well, Beck. What have you to say, Layder?" asked Captain Gordon, turning to the scout from the north.
"My report is just about the same as Beck's; though the detachment comes from the other way. But they didn't have no baggage-train."
"Did you make out how many there were, Layder?"
"We made out about forty of 'em, Captain; we could not see very well, and there may have been more of 'em."
"Return to your mates, and ascertain, if you can, who and what they are," added Captain Gordon.
Deck Lyon had something to say, but he did not feel like saying it. He was perfectly satisfied that there would be no fighting with the approaching detachments. He had been reasoning over the situation, and he had formed a decided opinion. He had heard the train on the railroad, both when it went down and when it returned about dark; but he knew nothing about the events which had transpired at the camp by the bridge. The only fact that bothered him was that the detachment from the south had a baggage-train.
"Well, Deck, what do you make of it?" asked Captain Gordon, as he halted in front of the sentinel.
"The two detachments are the second company of Riverlawn Cavalry," replied Deck without any hesitation; for this was the decided opinion he had reached.