“I do, Mr. Dowling--especially after such a spread.” Louis smiled at the lady of the house, who smiled back. “This beats rations on the peninsula.” “I dare say it does. But now the question is, Having escaped from prison, what are you going to do?” “Get back to camp--if I can.” “Precisely--if you can. It is going to be difficult, Rockford, tremendously difficult. Getting through the lines is no light work.” “I believe you, sir. But I don’t want to remain here, so I’ll make the attempt, if you’ll give me a little aid.” “I’ll give you all the aid I can. You had better not try to start now. It will be daylight soon. Wait until four o’clock this afternoon. Then you can go down near the picket lines and break through--if you can--when it grows dark.” “The trouble is, this uniform is against me.” “Not so much as you may think. Some of the boys down here are wearing cast-off Union suits of clothing. All you must do is to rip off your numbers and letters and dirty the suit a little more and it will pass, combined with a Confederate cap of gray which I will furnish to you.” “And what will be my best route out of Richmond?” “That must lie with yourself, since what is best is difficult to state. During the day I will take you to the top of the house and through my field glass you can get some idea of how the land lies.” After this the talk became general. But Robert Dowling was sleepy and soon he excused himself and retired, leaving Louis to be entertained by his wife. The young soldier learned that the family had moved to Richmond from Boston ten years before, the head of the house being in business in both places. The war had ruined Mr. Dowling’s trade, and being a Northern sympathizer he was using his leisure in giving the Federalists all the aid within his power. Having taken a wash after eating, Louis was conducted to an upper chamber, where he lay down, but not to sleep, for his mind was in too much of a tumult for that. He was about to start on a dangerous mission. Would he succeed or fail? Then his mind traveled back to the parting with Hornsby. Was the old soldier safe, or had he been retaken? And then Louis thought of Andy. Where was the daring young cavalryman now? From the window of the bed-chamber he could look down two of the streets of Richmond. Occasionally he saw an ambulance pass along, and in the middle of the afternoon a regiment of Confederate infantry passed with colors flying and drums beating gaily, on their way to the front. “Maybe I’ll have to fight my way through those fellows to-night,” he thought, as he turned away to avoid even the possibility of being seen. It was three o’clock when Robert Dowling called him, and both went up to the roof of the house, but did not step outside. The man had brought a pair of powerful field glasses with him, and through these he pointed out to Louis the various roads leading to the north and east.