One after another the weapons of the Confederates were cast away. "Keep them well covered, boys," said Deck, and going forward he gathered the pistols up, also the captain's sword. "Now march down the hillside in that direction," went on the major; "and no treachery, or you'll be dead men inside of ten seconds." He raised his voice. "Forward, boys! Captain Knox, take command!" "All right, Major," answered Knox, gruffly. He turned around. "Forward, boys, and keep them covered," and then as the Confederates moved off, he also moved, making as much noise as a dozen men. The ruse was completely successful, even more so than it had been at the time the cannon on the raft was captured. At the foot of the hill Clefton, the sharpshooter, was called up, and sent to notify the others. Soon the detachment of seven was assembled, and then all surrounded the prisoners. "You don't mean to say this is all the men you have?" demanded the leader of the signalmen. "I haven't any others very near," said Deck. "Well, that's the time I was fooled for fair. I thought you had a full company stuck up there among the trees." "Are you prepared to go along peaceably?" asked Deck, to change the subject. "Being unarmed, how can we help ourselves?" "I see you have a large stock of common sense, even if you were captured," said Deck, with a laugh. "All right, you shall ride, but your animals must be chained to our own, or they might run away with you in the darkness." "Which means that we might try to run away on them." "I didn't put it quite so pointedly, Captain." "But you meant it, nevertheless. Well, it's all right,--'fortune of war,' so to speak, and I shan't complain. Who are you?" "Major Deck Lyon, of the Riverlawn Cavalry of Kentucky." "And I am Captain Vallingham, of the South Carolina volunteers,--now on detached duty." "You seem to have been running a sort of a signal station up there, Captain Vallingham." "Oh, we have been amusing ourselves." "Do you think the persons who were signalled to were likewise amused?" "How do you know we were signalling to anybody?" "I take it for granted you didn't wave those pine knots to the stars. You are too intelligent a man to believe in negro voodooism." "Perhaps I am not as intelligent as you imagine, Major. Remember, I surrendered when I should have fought. We were three to two, and it would have been a pretty fair contest." "But we had the drop on you." "True, but it was pretty dark." "Yes, and it is too dark now to suit me, Captain. Life, let us light up a bit." "Here is an opening in the brush, Major," answered the Kentuckian, who imagined he understood what the young commander had in mind. Evidently the leader of the signalmen also understood, or thought he did, for as the group turned into the clearing Life had mentioned, he was observed by the watchful major to throw a small note-book over the bushes. "Halt!" cried Deck. "Brady, let me have that lantern you brought along."