Dr. Tam smiled grimly. "When I was a lad at college, Major Haslem, we had an awful way of initiating freshmen. We ought to have been expelled for it. We stripped the victim to his waist, and tied him, while we heated irons red-hot before his eyes, and told him we were going to do some fancy marking on his back with them. Then we blindfolded him, and brought out some raw meat and sealing wax. We dug the iron into the meat holding it at his back, for him to smell, and hear too, the flesh scorching under them, while we touched his skin with the hot wax--and I've known strong lads to faint away. Suggestion, just suggestion." "Doctor," cried Percy, irritably, "what are you telling me this for?" "Because Sells must have learnt some college hazing tricks. That's what he did to our man in there. Vere Haslem has a couple of skin burns that usually he wouldn't have sworn at for more than a minute. I kicked him, and told him to get up and put on his clothes." Vere was on his feet, dressed, and just fastening on his sword when Percy came in. "Give that to me," the older man said. "When it is known you were not captured by the enemy," he continued, "you will be marked 'missing', and inquiries will be made. You must stop here, and I will bring you plain clothes and money. Then you can cross the river, and get to France as soon as you can. You must take another name there, and I will see you are provided with funds. Kawque and Dr. Tam will tell all that happened here, and I will ask that the Court which condemned Ned Edgar at Kingston re-open the case, and consider what your word as a witness is worth." So the cup Vere had filled once for another, came back to him. Leaning against the side of the hut he saw the world of military trappings and music that his soul loved, slip away from him forever. * * * That evening, Edgar with Tahata, the Mohawk chief, and a dozen Indians, went recklessly out to seek for his son, and his one-time ward, Bee Goode. At midnight they were challenged by an American picket, and Edgar went forward with a white handkerchief tied on his sword. "I am looking for a girl whom Sells' gang has stolen," he said. "If you will let us pass, I give you my word, to return and surrender as your prisoner, as soon as I have found her--Bee Goode." "Major Edgar," said Eli's voice in the darkness, "I think we can both forget the war for a little while--till we find Bee Goode. I shall be very glad of your help, and we can go on together."