But there was one thing in his favor: the soldiers who had made him their prisoner were looking away from the island instead of towards the interior. Consequently, no matter how he turned, he was sure to come upon the guards from the rear. His mind was soon made up as to what course to pursue. He would move to the lower end of the island with Firefly and trust to good luck to reach the water, where the swift current might carry him and his animal out of the reach of the enemy’s firearms. Had it been quiet he would never have proposed to take Firefly along, much as he would have regretted leaving the beast behind. But the rattle of the musketry drowned out all ordinary sounds, so the hoof-strokes through the brush and over the rocks counted for nothing. In a few minutes he found himself within sight of the rushing and rolling river. Down near the water’s edge was a fringe of bushes, and here he saw two soldiers at one point and a single soldier at another. He had picked up a stout club as he moved along, and with this ready for use, he made a short detour and came close to the shore of the island and less than a dozen feet from where the single guard was standing, his body bent forward and his eyes taking in the doings on the bluff beyond. At that moment Firefly, with his nostrils still trickling from his bath, let out a warlike snort, as though ready to do battle. Instantly the guard straightened up, to see what had caused the disturbance. But before he could turn Andy was upon him. There was a quick shove, the start of an exclamation, and then a heavy splash, as the Union soldier fell headlong into the stream. As he went down he let fall his gun and this the young Confederate saved and appropriated. Having disposed of the guard thus readily, Andy did not lose a fraction of time. Long before the Union soldier had regained the surface of the river, the young Confederate was in the saddle and urging Firefly again into the stream. The brave horse shied at first and Andy’s heart leaped into his throat. “Go, Firefly, go!” he cried, and Firefly went with a leap and a splurge which carried him twenty feet from the shore. As they descended into the water Andy remembered the other guards he had seen and instinctively withdrew behind Firefly that they might not discover him. He heard two shouts. “What’s up, Markham?” “Hang me if the horse hasn’t run away!” came in reply. “But I heard two splashes.” “So did I, come to think of it. Hello, Graves!” To this there was no answer, for Graves was floundering in the water, too bewildered to save himself. He came up with a great splutter. “Save me!” he gasped, as soon as he could speak. “Save me! I can’t swim!” “Can’t you wade ashore?” queried one of his companions. “No, it’s too deep. Save me, Markham! Don’t let me drown!” “I will,” was the ready answer, and without hesitation the Union soldier plunged into the cold water and started after his companion.