"My friends, I am grateful for your support and promise of protection to me and my boys," said Noah Lyon, who had descended from the platform to the floor, where the boys had joined him. "It appears from what the messenger of the ruffians has said that I am the sole object of their vengeance. I have the means here of taking good care of myself and my boys, and I need not involve you all in a fight to protect me." To a few of the prominent men near him he stated in a low tone, so that he need not be heard by any ruffian lingering near the door, that his boat was under the south window, and he could escape without confronting the mob in the road. This course would save a fight, and the planter's friends decided to adopt it. The door was closed, and the boys passed out of the window first. They ordered the crew to be silent, and after Noah Lyon had shaken hands with the principal men, he followed them. The Magnolia was shoved out into the river. Deck headed it across the stream, so as to keep the schoolhouse between it and the ruffians. Under the lead of Colonel Belthorpe, with his revolver ready for use, the Union men marched out of the building, forming four deep when they reached the foot of the steps. The ruffians had placed themselves so that the column passed through them, and they all scrutinized the faces by the light of a fire they had kindled at the side of the road. They did not see the victims for whom they were looking, and when the last of the procession had passed them they set up a furious howl. "We have been fooled!" shouted Buck Lagger, as he started after the column. "Where is Major Lyon?" he demanded. "He is not here," replied some one in the ranks. "Where is he?" "I don't know;" and he told the truth, for he had not heard the planter's statement about the boat, and had not been near the window. "Where is Major Lyon?" demanded Buck Lagger when he reached the head of the procession. "He came in his boat, and he has returned by it," replied Colonel Belthorpe, with something like a chuckle at the discomfiture of the ruffian. "This is treachery!" howled Buck. "You were to give him up to us." "No, we were not," returned the doughty colonel. "Didn't you hear us say we would protect him to the last drop of our blood?" "We will soon find him and his cubs!" growled the present leader, as he fell back into the grove, followed by the rest of the mob. The Magnolia reached the boat-pier, and Levi Bedford was there to welcome the party. CHAPTER XIX THE CONFERENCE IN FORT BEDFORD The two windows in the rear of the schoolhouse had been wide open all the evening, and the negroes of the boat's crew could not help hearing the excited speeches, and the thunders of applause in the meeting of the Unionists; but not one of them spoke a word about them to the planter and the boys. They pulled with all their might, and made a quick run to the boat-pier.