To bound over the trunk was the work of a moment, and the two deserters, greatly to their astonishment and dismay, found themselves in our power, without any hope of escape.
"Where were you going, you rascals?" exclaimed the lieutenant.
"Sure, your honour, a military life disagreed intirely wid me health, and I thought it best to take Frinch leave, to save me comrades the trouble of burying, me," answered Barney. "Sure, I niver dreamed of deserting."
"And you, Mr. Klitz, what have you to say?" asked the lieutenant.
"Dat I could not let dis fellow, like one big baby, go alone," answered the German; "so I went to take care of him."
There was no use in bandying words just then, so the lieutenant ordering Klitz to take up the muskets, and Gillooly, as before, to trundle the wheel-barrow, we set off, guided by Maysotta, for the Indian camp.
We found but few persons in the camp, and these chiefly women and children,—the men having accompanied their chief. From the assurances Maysotta again gave us, we were convinced of the danger to which our friends were exposed. The lieutenant accordingly at once decided to leave the baggage-mules behind, and, as the Indians could supply us with a couple of horses, to mount our two men, and return at full speed to the farm.