"He took the young man's place at the peril of his life," answered the schoolmaster. "Now say nothing more."
"But he is about to escape!" exclaimed the young Lieutenant.
It was the schoolmaster's time to start. "He is?" he inquired, half faltering.
"Ay," said William. "The iron bars are almost filed in two."
"Well, well," remarked Mr. Anderson. "That will never do. We will have to change that. Sure enough. He must be moved, but his safety is the first thing to be thought of. You agree with me?"
"I am going to make myself known to him," exclaimed William, turning as if to retrace his steps toward the prison.
"I pray that you will do nothing of the kind," broke in the old schoolmaster. "It is only by great good fortune that his identity has not been established. Any attention attracted to him might be the means of accomplishing just what we wish to avoid."
"I will leave it all to you then, Mr. Anderson. Only we cannot connive at the escape of a rebel spy, even if he is my brother."
"Your family is not the only one that is divided on this sad subject," said the schoolmaster, shaking his head. "Just look about you everywhere."
After this there was but little said, and the two parted further down the street, William depressed and sorrowed by the discovery and the secret that bore upon his mind.