These instructions were obeyed implicitly, and soon the camp was buried in apparent slumber. To make sure they were right, the guerrillas had inquired at the first house they passed, and were told that a small party of men had passed but a short time before. "We are on the right track, boys," exclaimed Duncan, gleefully, "and if they don't take the alarm and dodge us in the dark, they are ours. We must not press them too closely. Let them go into camp, and we will get them when they are asleep." Just as darkness began to fall, Duncan became fearful that the scouts would not halt, but keep on for Mexico, and he gave orders to gallop, but concluded to stop at the first house and inquire. He did so, and an old man came to the door, and in answer to his inquiry replied that a party whom he supposed to be guerrillas passed just before dark. "Confound them!" he exclaimed, "they stopped at my cornfield and gathered a good feed for their horses, and never said even 'Thank you.' They are camped in the woods about half a mile ahead, for I saw the gleam of the campfire. I am going down in the morning, and see if I can't collect for that corn." "We will collect it for you," chuckled Duncan, "and while we are about it we will collect enough to pay for a feed for our horses. There are sixty or seventy of us. Them fellers are not our men; they are Yanks." "Good land!" exclaimed the old fellow. "Don't worry--we'll collect for that corn, all right," said Duncan. The guerrillas waited until ten o'clock, then approached the wood as near as they dared, and Duncan sent two of his men ahead to spy upon the camp. They were gone so long that Duncan began to be impatient, but at last they returned, and their report was all that could be wished. "We almost crept on them before we discovered them," said one. "The fools do not seem suspicious of any danger. They have but one man on guard, and sure as shooting he is leaning against a tree, sound asleep. It will be no trick to send them to the devil as they sleep." "And to the devil we will send them," growled Duncan. "Understand, no quarter." "The dawg? Didn't you see the dawg?" asked Hicks, anxiously. "That dawg seems to trouble you, Hicks," sneered one of the men. "He would trouble yo' un if yo' un had had the experience I have," retorted Hicks. "I tell you I don't like it. Them Yanks seem too blame careless. It ain't like them. An' that dawg--didn't he make no fuss when yo' un crept up?" "Not a bit. If thar was any dawg, he must have been asleep, too." "I tell yo' un I don't like it. Thar is something wrong. That dawg----" "Shut up," commanded Duncan. "Josh, if you are afraid of a dawg, stay with the hosses. Some of the boys will have to stay, and there is not one, unless it is you, but wants a hand in this job." "Yes, stay, Josh, stay!" jeered the men. "Josh is getting skeery. He is afraid of a dawg."