The wood, indeed, at that part was full of soldiers. The Louisiana men were well forward, but unfortunately the boys had no suspicion that their own men were so close at hand, and only reckoned that they had to deal with their enemies, the Federals, who now appeared to be surrounding them. Far away, but rapidly drawing nearer, they could hear the tramp of stealthy footsteps, and now and again the low hum of subdued voices. Nearer and nearer came the terrifying sounds, and lower and lower they crouched, scarcely daring to breathe. ‘It’s no use trying to skirt it, Luce,’ whispered Ephraim, his mouth close to the boy’s ear. ‘They seem ter be all about us. They’ll crowd us out before we know. We must make a dash across the open before they git up, and try and reach thet other belt er wood. We’ll be safer thar.’ ‘There may be more on the other side,’ answered Lucius. ‘I know. We can’t help thet. We’ve got ter make a break fer freedom, and chance the rest.’ They crawled to the edge of the clearing, and after one moment of anxious listening, rose to their feet and stole swiftly into the open. But no sooner had they broken cover than Ephraim, who was leading, pulled up short, and with a sharp exclamation of surprise dashed back again. ‘What is it?’ cried Lucius, following his friend’s example. ‘Look! look!’ whispered Ephraim excitedly. ‘Look over thar up in the left angle er the clearing.’ ‘Where?’ asked Lucius, peering out. ‘Oh!’ as his eyes encountered an all too familiar object. ‘That horrible balloon.’ ‘Bullee!’ exclaimed Ephraim excitedly. ‘This is whar we came down yesterday, and thar’s old Blue Bag ready and willin’ ter carry us out er this pesky difficulty. Bullee!’ However willing Blue Bag might be, it was a question whether she would be able to aid her enthusiastic inventor, for what between her travels and the time which had elapsed since she had been hauled down and fastened to the log, a considerable quantity of gas had leaked out of her, not to speak of that which Ephraim had deliberately set free in order to bring about the descent. Still, she floated with a certain amount of buoyancy, and Ephraim believed and hoped that when lightened of every remaining scrap of ballast, she would be capable of rising to a certain height, and of floating them out of the dangerous proximity of the contending forces. ‘She wobbles a bit,’ said Ephraim, eyeing the balloon critically; ‘but I reckon she’s good enuff yit ter take us past the Yanks, and thet’s all we want. It don’t matter whether we come down in Staunton or in Winchester, s’ long ez we git cl’ar er Lewiston. Come on, Luce. Thar couldn’t be a better way than this. We’ve all the luck this mornin’.’ He had forgotten Luce’s little peculiarity in the matter of balloons, and with another joyous ‘Come on!’ darted again into the open. The next instant, finding himself alone, he stopped and looked back.