“We’ll meet him,” said Bolderwood; “but I’m reck’ning that he’ll be as glad to see the Colonel as the Colonel is ter see him. I know that somebody was over there in the fort to find out how the land lies and what sort o’ shape them red-coats is in, an’ ’twouldn’t s’prise me if this was the chap.”
They all followed ’Siah down to the cove–even Enoch–and met the stranger as he came ashore. The latter seemed in nowise troubled by seeing so many armed men and after mooring his canoe came at once to the group of Americans. “Friends, I presume, sirs?” he asked, glancing keenly from man to man.
“Reckon so,” admitted Bolderwood.
“Where is Colonel Allen?”
“If you don’t mind waitin’ with us I shouldn’t be s’prised if ye see him ’fore long,” declared the long-legged scout. “Wanter see him pertic’lar?”
“I do,” the stranger admitted. “You are the advance guard of our boys, I presume?”
“Well, as you don’t know us, an’ we don’t know you, we’d better not discuss private matters till we’re interduced, as ye might say. I sh’dn’t be astonished ter see the Colonel come along here ’most any time now.”
“Very well, sir. I am at your service,” was the response, and the newcomer walked back to the camp with them. But Enoch had gone on ahead, remembering that the captive had been left alone for nearly half an hour. Suddenly his voice rose in a shout of anger and surprise. “He has escaped!” cried Bolderwood, the instant he heard his young friend, and plunged at once into the wood toward the spot where Halpen had been tied. Truly, the spy was gone.
“The rascal was sharper than I thought,” gasped the ranger. “And–and what will Colonel Allen say?”
“That isn’t the worst of it,” declared the youth.