"Well, why don't they burn it, then?"
"Dey done got oder business at de mansion-house, sar."
"What other business have they got there?"
"I reckon de story's as long as Uncle Zeke's sarmints; but de fust thing is, dey's gwine to hang Mars'r Barkland to one ob dem trees, if he don't tell whar he hide his money," answered Cato, as he gave a hurried glance at the fire.
"How many men are there at the house, or near it, Cato?" asked Knox with deep interest.
"I done count six on 'em."
"Then we won't allow a Union man to be hung to a tree. Scouts, attention, march!" called the sergeant hurriedly.
With this order, Life dashed into the cornfield, closely followed by Deck and the others. The harvest had been gathered in the field, and there was nothing but the stalks that remained to obstruct the passage of the squad. The fire was at the edge of a grove, on ground slightly elevated, and not far in the rear of the mansion, which could now be distinctly seen. In approaching it, the cavalrymen came to a spot less elevated than the grove, where Knox halted to reconnoitre.
"There's a lot of the villains coming from the house!" exclaimed the sergeant, as he brought his horse to a full stop all at once.
"They have about finished hanging Union men in our county," said Deck, "and I don't believe they will hang this one here."