Habershaw now directed his men to alight, accompanying the order with a caution that the prisoner was not to be allowed to enter the house. "The d----d rascal," he added, "shall not play the trick of his rebel associate: no more privilege of going into bar-rooms, and lounging about doors! See the man stowed away in the barn; and tell the sentinels never to take their eyes off of him--do you hear, lieutenant?" "You may depend upon my look-out," replied the lieutenant, with a flourish of a hacked and rusty sword. "Men, march your prisoner straight to the barn. Have a relief, Corporal, every two hours, and towards night, set four on the watch at a time." "Look to it, Lieutenant!" shouted Habershaw. "No words, sir: do your duty!" And having thus given vent to his own high opinion of himself the bulky captain withdrew into the house. Butler was now marched into a large log barn, in one corner of which an armful of fodder, or dried blades of Indian corn, were shaken out for his bed; and this, he was told, was to be his prison until other orders awaited him. The guard, consisting of two sentinels, were stationed on the inner side of the door, having the prisoner immediately under their eye; and, this disposition being completed, the officer commanding the detachment retired to mingle with the troopers in the farm-house. Half an hour had scarcely elapsed after the arrival of the troopers at Blackstocks, before James Curry had refreshed himself with a hasty meal, and had his horse brought to the door. He seemed bound upon some urgent mission. "Captain St. Jermyn, you say, left this at sunrise this morning?" said the dragoon, addressing the lieutenant of the militia. "He did. He was here all day yesterday, and thought he should hear from you last night." "What route did he take?" "To Turnbull, at Ninety-Six." "Is Turnbull there now, think you?" "He is," replied the lieutenant. "They say orders have gone up from Cornwallis to the post for four light companies, and it is expected that Captain Campbell is now on his way with them towards Camden; neither Turnbull nor Cruger would leave the post." "I have heard that this corps was marching to head-quarters Are you sure St. Jermyn is not with Campbell?" "He said nothing about it yesterday, but I think he wishes to join Colonel Innis with the loyalist cavalry." "Where is Innis?" inquired Curry. "Over on Ennoree, about two miles from Musgrove's mill." "Humph!" said Curry, thoughtfully, "I must ride to the garrison at Ninety-Six. The devil take this cantering about the country! I have had more than enough of it." And saying this, the dragoon mounted his horse, and clapping spurs to the restive animal, was soon out of sight.