"Who comes there?" called a voice from the grove that surrounded the hill.
"Friends," replied Deck.
"Advance, friends, and give the countersign."
"Riverlawn," answered Deck, giving the word that had been selected the day before. "We have a message for Captain Truman from Major Lyon. Where is he?"
"Not far from here," replied Blenks, who was in charge of the picket line. "I will conduct you to him."
They found the captain seated on his horse, apart from his command, eating his breakfast from his haversack. The men were all mounted, and in readiness for immediate service, though they were standing at ease, some of them taking their morning meal.
"Good-morning, Deck," said Captain Truman, as he recognized his early visitors. "You left your bunk in good time this morning."
"We are the bearers of orders from Major Lyon," replied Deck, who was in the habit of doing most of the talking, though Artie had a tongue of his own; and he repeated all the orders and all the information with which they had been charged.
"Captain Titus a prisoner!" exclaimed the captain, when he had finished. "Then it remains to be proved whether or not Lieutenant Buck Lagger will execute the orders received by Captain Titus."
"We heard them down the road as we came along," said Artie.