"Yes, sir."
"An' tell her I'm gwine take good keer o' Hugh an' the Cunnel. Good-bye!—now run along!"
"All right, sir,—good-bye."
"An' ef you hear anybody say Tim Mills is a d'serter, tell 'em it's a lie, an' you know it. Good-bye." He turned away as if relieved.
The boys said good-bye to all three, and started in the direction of home.
CHAPTER XVI.
After crossing the gully, and walking on through the woods for what they thought a safe distance, they turned into the path.
They were talking very merrily about the General and Hugh and their friend Mills, and were discussing some romantic plan for the recapture of their horses from the enemy, when they came out of the path into the road, and found themselves within twenty yards of a group of Federal soldiers, quietly sitting on their horses, evidently guarding the road.
The sight of the blue-coats made the boys jump. They would have crept back, but it was too late—they caught the eye of the man nearest them. They ceased talking as suddenly as birds in the trees stop chirruping when the hawk sails over; and when one Yankee called to them, in a stern tone, "Halt there!" and started to come toward them, their hearts were in their mouths.