And he _did_ shoot, and Archie heard the bullet as it sung through the air behind him. The rebel, without stopping to load his gun, started in pursuit; but Archie, who was running for his life, soon left him behind. As the latter ran he heard shots fired on all sides of him, showing that he was completely surrounded. Escape seemed utterly impossible; and fearing that he might run into the very midst of the guerrillas when he least expected it, he threw himself behind a log in the edge of the woods, and awaited the issue of events with feelings that can not be described. He now had little hope of being able to elude his pursuers, who, he was certain, would keep the river closely guarded until daylight, when they would soon discover his hiding-place. He could not go on without fear of running against some of his enemies, in the dark, and to remain where he was, appeared equally dangerous. But of one thing he was certain--and as the thought passed through his mind, he clutched his revolvers desperately--and that was, if he was captured, it would require more than one man to do it. Presently he heard footsteps approaching, and two rebels came up. One of them he knew, by his voice, was the very man who had just fired at him. "I know he went this yere way," said he. "Wal, hold on a minit," said the other, panting loudly; "let's rest a leetle--I'm nigh gin out;" and he seated himself so close to Archie that, had it been daylight, he would certainly have been discovered. "I'll be dog-gone," said the one who had first spoken, "ef this 'ere night's work don't beat all natur'. Them ar Yanks ain't no fools, dog ef they ar!" "Who'd a thought it?" returned his companion. "Them ar two fellers come out here an' burn a house with more'n three hundred men in it? Dog-gone! But how did that other feller get away?" "Oh, he had a boat," answered the other, "an he got thar afore we could ketch him. He's on board his gun-boat afore this time. I jest ketched a glimpse of him as he was goin' down the bank. He had Damon by the neck, an' he was makin' him walk turkey, now I tell yer." "Damon ketched!" ejaculated his companion. "An' what's come on the kernel's mail?" "Gone up--the hul on it! Damon's got the bracelets on by this time. But come, let's go on." All this while the rebels had been coming up, and Archie could hear them in the woods, on all sides of him, yelling and swearing, like demons. He had one source of consolation, however--his cousin was safe; and, judging by the rebels' conversation, he had not gone back to the vessel empty-handed.