"You know the place, and perhaps you can tell from the direction where the fire is located," added the commander.
"It appears to be right in the square."
"And what and where is the square?"
"The village is just the counterpart of Greeltop; for Hasbrook and I laid it out together. You can see his mansion on the top of the hill. The square is on the level in front of it, with the houses all around it."
"Then perhaps they are burning these houses," suggested the major.
"I think not. There is not volume enough in the blaze for a burning house, much less for several of them."
"And where is the road by which the guerillas will or have arrived at the place?"
"It comes in on the east end of Plain Hill, behind Hasbrook's house. I think they would burn his mansion first; but they cannot approach it in the rear with horses. There are about thirty men in the Home Guard here, and there will be a fight before any houses are burned," said the colonel very decidedly.
The column descended the hill from which the light of the fire had been seen, and dashed up another, which brought them into the village. Then it was ascertained that a bonfire was blazing in the square, and that the houses were all safe.
"Who comes there?" demanded a man with a musket in his hand, as the company reached a broad avenue which appeared to be the principal street of the village.