The young captain recommenced his digging, and presently the hole was sufficiently large to admit the passage of his body, for Artie was of slender build, and advancement in the army had not puffed him up with pride. Undaunted by the rain, which covered the passageway with mud, he crawled forth, on to the mansion lawn. A hasty look around convinced him that his egress had not been discovered. He was on a side lawn, and to get to the gateway of the road, must pass to the front of the house. But wishing to remain unnoticed, he did not take the direct course, but backed away with all speed for the nearest grove of trees. Once these were reached, he made a long detour, coming out near the spot where he had left his animal tied to a tree. The horse was gone, and as the equine was one not in the habit of either breaking or straying away, he rightfully concluded that Colonel Dick Bradner had had him taken to the plantation stables, directly after the surrender in the sitting room. "I've got to have the horse, that is all there is to it," he muttered. "I wonder if I can't get him without arousing the whole household?" It must be remembered that Artie was unarmed, and he knew that if discovered, it would go hard with him. But he was full of grit, and after a moment's consideration, started on another detour, this time in the direction of the quarters for horses, visible through a grove of walnut trees. The larger of the barns reached, Artie found the doors wide open, for the day was now fairly warm despite the rain, and he slipped inside. As he did so, a negro voice broke on his ear:-- "De Yankees da hab got ter run, Da cannot fight no mo', We'll knock 'em wid de sword an' gun, An' da'll surrender suah!" It was the negro Sam who was doing the singing, while cleaning up Artie's horse, that had been tied up in a large box stall. The colored man was taking his time at the job, thinking he had the whole day before him. Ere Artie caught sight of either Sam or the horse, he espied something else which made his heart bound with satisfaction. On a feed-box lay the gun Sam had handled while on guard in the sitting room. It was double-barrelled and loaded ready for use. Making certain that the negro was the only person about the stables, the captain advanced cautiously and secured the firearm. He had it well in hand, when Sam swung around and discovered him. "Who--wha--what--" began the slave, staring at him as though he were a ghost. "Silence!" whispered Artie, and pointed the gun at the negro's head. "Please don't go fo' to shoot me, Cap'n!" "I won't, if you will remain quiet and answer my questions truthfully. If you attempt to cry out--" "I won't cry out--'deed I won't!" was the trembling answer. "All right. Now tell me the truth. Where is Major Gossley?" "Went out, sah, 'bout quarter of an hour ago." "On horseback?" "Yes, sah." "Do you know where he went?" "I ain't suah, sah, but t'ink he went to Rover."