Quickly as possible, Dan had the horses brought up, and he and his men joined in the pursuit. For two miles it was kept up; then Lawrence ordered a halt. He saw that Major Powell had succeeded in rallying some of his men, and taken a position that could not be carried without loss. All along the road lay dead and wounded men and horses, and where the first volley was fired the road was filled with the dead and dying. It was a sight that made Lawrence's heart ache; but he could not stop even to give relief, for Harry and Jack came back with the startling news that there was a large force in front, not more than three miles away. Lawrence rallied his men, and, to his intense relief, found he had only three men slightly wounded. It was almost a bloodless victory. The question was, what to do now. While debating, one of the men suddenly exclaimed, "Look, there!" On a rock on the mountain-side, some three hundred yards away, stood the figure of an old man. A long white beard swept his breast, and he was bent with age. He stood leaning on a staff, as if weary. [Illustration: An old man leaning on a staff.] When he saw he was seen, he beckoned for some one to come to him. Two or three of the soldiers started, but he peremptorily waved them back. Lawrence then started, and the old man stood still. "Don't go, Captain," cried the men. "It may be a trap." "I will be careful," replied Lawrence. "Shoot at the first sign of treachery." A dozen carbines covered the old man, but he did not seem to notice it. When Lawrence was within about fifty yards of him, he motioned for him to stop; then, in a high, cracked voice, exclaimed: "There is danger ahead." "I know it," replied Lawrence. "A little ahead, close to that large tree, you will find a faint trail. Take it. It will lead you over the mountain into another valley, where you can go on your way in safety. Delay twenty minutes, and all will be lost. Farewell." The old man stepped from the rock and disappeared. Lawrence rushed to where he had been standing. Nothing was to be seen. It was as if the earth had swallowed him. He returned and told what had happened, and the wonderment was great. "No time to lose," exclaimed Lawrence. "I shall take his advice." In single file, the men turned into the trail. The way was steep, but not impassable, and soon the forest swallowed them up. Not until they were over the mountain, was there any opportunity of discussing the strange warning they had received. "Can it be that old man has been our guardian angel all the time?" asked Lawrence. "Impossible," said Dan. "We received the first warning when we had hardly left the valley of La Belle. We have come fast. How could that old man have come over the mountains and got ahead of us?" "And where did he go when he disappeared so suddenly?" asked one. "And who shot the guerrilla?" questioned another. "It's a secret only the mountains can tell. I have heard they were haunted," said Dan.