"But they won't pass the place by," urged Macgreggor. "If they know it to be deserted by a tenant this is the very reason for their looking in to see if we are hiding here. And when it comes to defending ourselves, how can we put up any sort of barricade?" "When you can't use force, or hide yourself, try a little strategy," answered the soldier. "Can either of you fellows talk like a darky?" "Not I," said Macgreggor. Had he been asked if he could speak Hebrew, he would not have been more surprised. "Can you, George?" asked Watson, as he shut the door. "I might," whispered George. "When I was up in Cincinnati we boys used----" "Never mind what you boys did--only do as I tell you, and if you can give a good imitation you may save us from arrest, and worse!" The horsemen now seemed to be within a few yards of the cabin. They had evidently halted for consultation. Meanwhile Watson was whispering some instructions to George. After he had finished he leaned against the door with his whole weight, and indicated to Macgreggor that he was to do the same thing. The latter obeyed in silence. The horsemen without made a great deal of clatter. If they were pursuing the fugitives they did not seem to think secrecy of movement very necessary. "Whose cabin is this?" demanded one of them. "It did belong to old Sam Curtis, but he's moved away, down to Alabama," some one answered. "Some darky may live in it now, eh?" said the first voice. "Perhaps it's empty, and these tarnation spies are in it," was the rejoinder in a lower tone. The men moved their horses closer to the house, which they quickly surrounded. No chance now for any one to escape; it seemed as if the three men in the cabin must inevitably be caught like rats in a trap. Yet they waited courageously, breathlessly. It was a tense moment. Another minute would decide their fate. Would they remain free men, or would they fall into the hands of their pursuers, with all the consequences that such a capture implied? Already one of the Vigilants, evidently the leader, had dismounted. Approaching the door of the cabin, he gave it a push as if he expected it would open at once. But there was no yielding; Watson and Macgreggor were still leaning firmly against the other side. The leader began to knock on the door with a revolver. "Here, here," he shouted; "if there's any one in this cabin, come out--or we'll have you out!" At first there was no response, save a bark from Waggie. The leader rattled savagely at the door. "Let's break in," he cried to his companions, "and see if the place has any one in it!" The Vigilants were about to follow the example of their leader, and dismount when there came a wheedling voice--apparently the voice of a negress--from within the cabin. "What you gemmen want dis time o' night wid poor Aunty Dinah?" "A nigger's living here," muttered the leader, in surprise. "What for you gwyne to disturb an ole niggah at dis hour?" asked the voice from within.