"Thank the good Lord that the military have come at last!" exclaimed Mr. Elbroon, as he crossed his arms on his breast, and looked up to heaven in earnest prayer. "But we are wasting time, Colonel; and I am afraid we shall see your beautiful mansion in flames before we can get there." "If we do, it will go up in a good cause," replied the magnate, with a smile on his dignified face. "I can afford to lose it better than some of the poor people of the village could their houses. But cool off, Joseph; you are still all in a flutter." "I will try to do so," replied the clerical soldier, "I saw them coming when I was on the top of the mountain. I hurried my poor horse till he broke down under me; and I had to run on foot the rest of the way." "Rest yourself, Joseph. If you saw the guerillas from the top of the mountain, there is no hurry; for they will not reach my house this half-hour," added the colonel. "You shall have another horse, my reverend friend," interposed the commander, as he ordered the sentinel to send for a spare steed. "Now, Joseph, where were the guerillas when you saw them?" inquired the magnate. "They were on the Cliff Road, just coming around the bend." "That is four miles from my house, and five from here," continued the colonel. "But I have been a long time coming here," suggested Mr. Elbroon. "Excuse me, Colonel Coffee; I should like a little more definite information in regard to the road by which these guerillas will approach the village," interposed the commander. "I don't think they will approach the village at all, Major Lyon. I have not the remotest doubt that my mansion is their objective point; and they will first plunder that." "We will take care that they don't do anything of the sort. Have you any idea how many there were in the company you saw, Mr. Elbroon?" "I could see them marching along under the cliff; I should say there were not less than fifty of them," replied the clergyman. "I did not wait to count them, but hurried to the village, where I inquired of everybody for Colonel Coffee. The barber told me he was here." "Company formed," reported the sentinel at the door. "We are ready now, gentlemen," said the major, as he passed out of the tent, followed by the others. "The spare horse ordered, Major," said the sentinel, as he led him up. The clerical gentleman was invited to mount this animal, which had been ridden by one of the men killed; and the colonel mounted his own steed. The commander took his horse, which was led by Deck, while Artie had brought up the spare steed. The animal was a higher-spirited beast than the parson had been in the habit of riding, and Artie had to take him by the head to prevent him from running away; for he was one of the colts of the Riverlawn planter's stock.