A bugle rang out in the woods just then, and the men made a hasty dive for their clothes, some of them not even stopping to dry perfectly. While they were rushing around, a group of officers appeared at the edge of the timber on their way to the beach. "Where are those other two?" suddenly queried the corporal, recalled to his sense of duty by the appearance of the officers. "Gone on up to the camp, I suppose," said Tim. "Sure, an' if they were as hungry as me they would be eating ye out of house and home by now." Tom felt that by this time the two sailors had gotten a fair start, and his spirits were rising proportionately, when of a sudden a shot, followed by several scattering reports, rang out. "Come along, you two!" shouted the corporal, and the two boys were hustled unceremoniously up the beach, donning their clothes as best they could while trotting along. The officers had turned and dashed back toward the encampment, and when the soldiers with their captives reached there the whole place was in confusion, with troops rushing in all directions, shouting and firing their muskets at random into the woods. "This cooks our goose," said Tom. "They are evidently disturbed at something, and I can see where we come in for our share of the trouble." "It must be the captain and the mate they are blazing at," suggested Tim. "Sure, and they will never hit a thing at all at the rate they are firin' and rushin' around." "I hope they don't," said Tom. "Come this way, ye rebels!" bellowed the excited corporal. "Don't pay any attention when he calls us rebels," said Tom. "Don't let him see that we recognize the name at all." At their apparent indifference to his commands, the corporal ran up and grasping them each by an arm, hurried up to the central tent. An officer in a major's uniform was talking to a young man as they were brought up, and gave no heed to their presence till he was finished. The boys listened eagerly, and were greatly astonished to hear what was going on between the two. "A piece of rank carelessness on the part of the men," the major was saying. "They were both securely guarded, and should never have escaped, but the minute our backs are turned these hired troops forget their duty, and everything else but themselves, and give those rascals a chance that they didn't overlook." "There'll be the dickens to pay when this gets to headquarters," said the young fellow in civilian's clothes. "We have got to get them again, or we will have to pay for it. I've followed those two for a full week or more, and had them almost secure three times, and every time they slip away when they seem safest. When we get them again we'll have to let nothing stand in the way of their safe return to Charleston." "Don't worry, we'll get them again," returned the major. "With this force at our disposal, two young fellows like that can never successfully escape us for long."