Andy did not stop to look back upon the catastrophe. Tightening the reins again, he spoke to Firefly, who understood his young master, and horse and rider turned to the right and entered a thin belt of timber running off in the direction of the Chickahominy. At first those left behind tried to pursue him, but soon their footsteps faded away in the distance, and he found himself utterly alone. To get back to his own lines was now the one consideration. He had a fair idea where the Confederate troops could be found, but how many of the enemy lay between, there was no telling. He resolved to go forward slowly and with great caution, and retreat out of sight at the first intimation of danger. “Perhaps it might be best to wait until darkness sets in,” he mused, but continued to go on until the edge of a swamp was reached. Soon Firefly sank up to his knees in the mud and ooze. Andy tried to turn him out, only to sink the horse still deeper. “Here’s a go!” he muttered. “Firefly, old boy, we must get out of this somehow. Back, boy, back!” Firefly backed, and gradually withdrew to a fringe of brush and more solid ground. “Well done, boy!” sang out a voice, close by. “Where are you bound?” and a tall down-east fellow not much older than himself appeared directly in front of the young Confederate. The tall Unionist was speedily followed by another, and both soldiers, who were raw recruits just from their New Hampshire farms, gaped openly at the enemy. “Gracious, I’m glad to meet somebody,” answered Andy. “Say, you are true blue, aren’t you?” he went on, in almost a whisper. “Air we?” cried the second recruit. “O’ cos we be. Ain’t thet so, Josiah?” “Thet’s so, Hiram.” “Then I am sure you will befriend me,” went on Andy. “I--” “You’re a rebel, ain’t you?” asked Hiram, cutting Andy short. “A rebel? Goodness gracious, no! I am a--don’t tell anybody”--he leaned forward with a show of great secrecy--“I am Paul Hammer, General McClellan’s secret service spy. The general wants me to get some information for him from Richmond at once. I thought I could get through the lines here without trouble. Have you seen any rebs about?” Andy added suddenly, before the others had time to think twice. “Ain’t no rebels nigh here, Mister Hammer,” and Josiah touched his cap, thinking it a great honor to be taken into the confidence of the commander-in-chief’s private spy. “You’re on the picket line, aren’t you?” “We be,” came promptly from both recruits. “Then show me the nearest way to the rebel line. Of course, I don’t want them to see me go over on their side, for that would give me away. And I don’t want any of our men to see me and mistake me for a reb, for that would mean a shot sure.”