"I say, me 'earty, I've about enough o' this dirty country. I'd like to put me two legs across the back of a fine 'orse, an' I'd ask no questions of the owner." "Right ye are, Bill. At the speed we're walkin' we'll git to Occoquan about midsummer, I'm thinkin'." "They've 'orses in plenty 'ereabout to go with their muddy roads. They'd not miss a couple, though they think more of a 'orse than they do of a nigger, I'm told." "We'd have two an' ask no questions, but they've both dogs and niggers, an' one or both always sleeps in the stable." "I tell ye wot, d'ye mind the lad and girl go riding by when we was eatin' a bite beside the road, along back?" "I did an' thought ridin' would do me a sight more good than them." "They wouldn't 'ave no guns an' would be easy to scare. Suppose if we meet 'em we give 'em the 'int an' not wait for an answer?" "We'd have the whole country at our heels." "An' there wouldn't be a 'orse in the lot could overtake us or me eye knows not a good one." Rodney looked to the priming of his pistols, then mounted Nat and followed slowly after the men. CHAPTER XIX RODNEY TO THE RESCUE It would not be true to say that Rodney Allison was not nervous as he gripped the handle of the big pistol he drew from its holster, and cocked it. Whether the men were armed he did not know. If they failed to meet the two riders they sought they might conclude one horse would be better than none and attack him. Indeed, this seemed very probable; besides, if they should attack the other parties, the boy resolved he would take a hand in the affair. A little farther on, the road on which he was riding crossed the highway leading to Roscome's. The men probably were waiting at the corner. He decided to ride slowly and await developments. In event of attack he would spur Nat directly against them and use the pistol! The frogs were croaking in the nearby meadow. The sound jarred on his tense nerves. "I say, sir, be this the road to Occoquan?" They had met some one! Rodney stopped his horse and listened. A horse whinnied, and Nat lifted his head to reply when a touch from the spur changed his mind. A clear voice rang out, "Back, you knaves! Take your hands off that bridle!" A girl's scream and sounds of a struggle came to the lad's ears, and he spurred ahead. Near the corners of the roads, though now dusk had fallen, he discerned two riders on horses that were rearing and plunging. One of the riders, a man, was plying his whip over the head of the fellow who clung to his bridle; on the other horse was a girl struggling with a rascal who was trying to pull her from the animal's back. Rodney turned his attention to this one.