But Captain Peters held his ground like a man, and ventured on another protest.
‘One of them is a mere boy, colonel,’ he said.
‘Boy or no boy,’ returned the colonel sullenly, ‘take him out, and shoot him along with that hairy-faced baboon there. He knew what he was doing when he turned spy, I’ll be bound.’
‘But I don’t see’——began Captain Peters.
‘Never mind what you see, or what you don’t see, sir,’ vociferated the colonel. ‘I tell you that they are a couple of rascally spies. I had the proof of it in my hand.’
‘Thet’s a lie,’ interjected Ephraim most injudiciously at this point. ‘We came down here because we couldn’t help it, not because we wanted ter. He didn’t find any proof.’
Captain Peters looked hesitatingly at the colonel, who hastened to say: ‘From the pocket of that fellow was taken a paper covered with details of our movements. That of itself is proof enough.’
‘Thet’s another,’ cried Ephraim. ‘Thar warn’t nuthin’ but stale news on thet paper. Don’t ye listen ter him, captain. Ye take the resk. We han’t had any trial. He dassn’t shoot us ’thout’n a trial.’
‘Silence!’ commanded the colonel.—‘It may satisfy you, Captain Peters, since you require so much satisfying, that I have General Shields’s express orders to deal summarily with these persons, when and wherever I might find them. Now will you do your duty? I don’t choose to be kept waiting here all the morning.’
This was decisive, and though the captain turned a sympathetic eye upon the prisoners, he had no further objections to advance. ‘Company! Attention!’ he shouted; but Lucius broke from the men who were standing on either side of him, and rushed forward.