It was now growing dark, and the distant firing had almost ceased. Deeming it improbable that any of the Union force would come to that immediate neighborhood, Andy proceeded to make himself as comfortable as possible before the fire, which soon blazed up red hot from the extra chunks of hickory thrown upon it. In an hour he was fairly dry, and by that time he was served with tea, corn dodgers and some baked sweet potatoes. The old woman also offered him a drink of whisky, probably of the “moonshine” variety, but this he declined. “Tom is a Virginia nigger, isn’t he?” asked Andy, during the process of the meal. “I reckon he is--” began the old woman, and suddenly stopped. Andy waited for her to go on, but she would say no more. The young Confederate, however, felt that his surmise was correct. Tom was a runaway slave, bound North. Andy had taken a position near a window overlooking the shed in which Firefly had been placed, that he might make sure his horse was not tampered with, for he did not intend to trust the negro too far. He saw Tom working away vigorously, with the shed door open. Presently he turned away for a moment, and when he looked again the shed door was closed. He thought nothing of this just then, but soon a dim suspicion that all was not as it should be crossed his mind. He had just been counting out some money for the old woman. Throwing the scrip upon the table, he caught up his hat and darted out of the house. In a minute more he was at the shed door and kicked it open. A groan of dismay escaped him. There was another door on the opposite side of the shed. This door stood wide open, and Firefly and the negro were gone! CHAPTER XIV A CHASE AND A CAPTURE “That negro has outwitted me!” Such were the bitter words which arose to Andy’s lips as he burst into the shed. He did not remain in the rickety building long. A single bound took him to the opposite doorway, and looking along the woody trail beyond, he discerned the shadowy forms of horse and rider not a hundred yards distant. Andy was a fair runner, and feeling that he must regain his steed at any cost, he ran forth at the top of his speed along the trail, which sloped gradually upward into the State of Maryland. He forgot all about being in the enemy’s territory. He was going to have Firefly back, or know the reason why. At first he had thought to yell to the negro to halt, but prudently remained silent, feeling the thief would only endeavor to increase his speed on discovering that he was being followed. On he went over sticks and stones, until, his foot catching in the exposed root of a pine-tree, he fell headlong, with a crash. The noise reached the negro’s ears and he swung around in the saddle. Catching sight of Andy, he began to urge Firefly on by words and blows, new to the horse, and which the gentle beast hardly comprehended. In the meantime, Andy scrambled up as quickly as possible.