"No, sir; Fronklyn and I came down to this bend in a boat, of which the ferryman has taken possession, as I told him to do, for he had lost his own. But you will soon come to a swollen stream that flows into the river; and you cannot get across that, for the banks are very high and steep," replied Deck. The captain continued on his way at a slow walk, for the horses mired in the soft soil, keeping his gaze fixed on the opposite shore. At the end of half an hour they came to a little hill, at the foot of which the tributary stream discharged itself into the Cumberland. The staff-officer directed his glass to the other shore, and there was nothing to obstruct his vision. "As I supposed," said he, turning his horse, and starting on the return to the ferry. "It is pleasant to have your supposition confirmed," Deck ventured to remark. "My supposition was that the Confederate army would march to the south at once, and I have seen the column moving in that direction on the road that leads to Oak Forest," said Captain Woodbine, revealing his object for the first time, though he said nothing about his purpose in marching the Riverlawns to the river. Deck asked no questions, but when they had gone half-way to the ferry the sound of several bugles was heard ahead of them. "Our squadron appears to have arrived," said he. "Perhaps it has," replied the captain with a smile. "That is an artillery call!" exclaimed the lieutenant, as he recognized the sounds; and he was not a little astonished. "I should judge that it was," added the captain. His companion was not communicative; and Deck said no more, for ten minutes would explain the mystery that bothered him. In less time than he thought he obtained a view of the ground near the ferry; and the first thing that confronted him was a battery of four guns. In the field were plainly to be seen two companies of cavalry, dressed in United States uniform; but they were not the Riverlawn Squadron. "That is not our battalion, Captain Woodbine," said he, amazed at the appearance of this strange force. "It certainly is not," answered the staff-officer. "Two more companies of cavalry comin' down de road, Mars'r," Cuffy volunteered to inform them. "Those must be the Riverlawns, as you call them, Lieutenant." The two companies of cavalry near the river and the battery were taking their rations from their haversacks, and Captain Woodbine did not disturb them. By this time Major Lyon's command had halted in the road, the head of the column near Cuffy's house. A trooper, running his horse, was approaching; and Deck saw that it was his brother Artie, who rode up to the staff-officer, saluted him, and reported the arrival of the squadron by order of his father.