‘I didn’t know what had become of you,’ whispered Lucius back; ‘but I imagined that if you had got away you would make for the cabin. It seemed the most likely place. Oh, I’m so glad! I’m so glad!’
‘I’m glad too; but I’m sorry ez well, fer I thought ye would be well within our lines. Ugh! Ah!’
‘What is the matter?’ asked Lucius in alarm, as at another friendly hug Ephraim uttered a low cry of pain.
‘It’s nuthin’, bub. On’y I got it in the shoulder, and ye gripped me thar. Come into the cabin. We’ll be safer thet way.’
‘What! Are you wounded?’ inquired Lucius anxiously, as he followed Ephraim in through the window.
‘Jest a scrape on the shoulder. Never mind it. Tell me what happened after ye left me. I reckon ye ran back the way ye had come. I heard ye shoutin’.’
‘No, I didn’t,’ answered Lucius. ‘At least, only for a few steps, and then I made a break clean away. And I got through,’ he added proudly.
‘Through the ring thet was round ye?’ queried Ephraim, not understanding.
‘No,’ replied Lucius; ‘through their lines and into ours.’
‘What! Ye—got—through—inter—our—lines?’