"He says he came direct from Warsaw where you had sent him." "Strange!" said Price, musing. "Tell him I will be at the guard-house in an hour. Stay. Bring him to my tent at ten o'clock." The sergeant departed. "Will you excuse me a moment?" said Price, turning to Hayward. "I have letters to write." "Certainly!" said Hayward as he left the tent. Hayward walked leisurely along, until he reached the outer guard-house. He was here challenged and giving the countersign, passed out. He proceeded rapidly to the place where his friends awaited him, and found them all ready for orders, and for action. CHAPTER VI. _The Escape--The Pursuit--The Capture._ Charge--charge, boys, for "God and for liberty!" See! Their traitorous banner is hurled to the ground. And up go our colors, the "Flag of the Free," While our bands strike "Columbia," oh! glorious sound. _Col. Weeks._ "Darn my buttons if the captain ain't got back all safe!" shouted Nettleton, as he fairly danced with delight. "Yes, all safe," replied Hayward "But how have you passed the day, Adjutant Hinton?" "Not at all pleasantly!" replied the adjutant. "We have had serious anxiety on your account, and I suppose we came very near being discovered!" "Indeed! Why so?" "You had been absent just long enough to reach camp, when we heard the firing of guns. In a short time a party of horsemen rode past at a furious rate, cursing and speaking of a spy. We feared you had been discovered, were making your escape, and that they were in pursuit." "What did you do?" "Of course I advised our friends to remain quiet. I thought if we were to appear and fight, you would reach us in some way, or give us some signal. But it was very difficult to restrain Nettleton. He determined to rush upon the pursuers, and once had his gun raised to fire upon them, but I prevented him from doing so." "I am very much obliged to you for your good feeling, and admire your courage. But, you must not be rash. If you had fired a gun, it would have brought certain destruction upon us all." "Well, captain, you see I wouldn't have done it, but I was feared that black rascal there would expose us all. The curse began to _cry_ just as soon as he heerd the guns shootin', and when they let off that volley up at that rock there, the darned sneak's bones rattled so, I was sure they would hear them." "But, how have you succeeded, captain?" asked the adjutant.