Arnold started again, and smiled somewhat grimly. “Dick Ford, eh? What kind of looking young fellow is he? Describe him.” Sprowl did so as best he could, and Arnold nodded, and said: “I’ll wager anything that the young fellow in question is the rebel spy, Dick Dare.” “Do you think so?” said one of the officers. “I’m almost sure of it. And I’m going to know for sure. Colonel Riggs, get about a dozen men and we will go to Mr. Sprawl’s home with him, surround the house, so that the young fellow cannot escape, and then we will enter and confront him. And if he is Dick Dare, as I feel confident is the case, I shall be very glad. I owe him a debt for trying to capture me up in New York City two or three months ago, and we both owe him something for trying to make prisoners of us last evening. Come, let us hasten, for he may take the alarm and take refuge in flight.” They went out, and Colonel Riggs ordered a squad of the soldiers to go with them to Sprowl’s house, which they surrounded, and then Arnold and Riggs followed Sprowl into the house, where, sure enough, they saw Dick Dare sitting in the room, quietly awaiting the return of Sprowl. Arnold and the colonel confronted the youth, and the general said, sarcastically: “So you wanted Mr. Sprowl to secure some information regarding my intentions, did you, Dick Dare? Very good. I have come to give you the information in person.” CHAPTER XXI—Tom Reconnoiters Herbert Miller left the patriot encampment about the middle of the afternoon, and went to the Santon home, where he was given a cordial greeting by Mr. and Mrs. Santon and Lizzie. “You are not teaching school, now, Mr. Miller?” said Mr. Santon, with a smile. “No,” was the reply, “I guess that I won’t teach any more for a while. I have joined the patriot army.” “I am glad to hear that.” “You will be safe from the hands of the Tories of the settlement, anyway,” said Lizzie. “Yes,” said Miller, “but I don’t believe you folks had better stay here. There will be a battle between the British and our army, possibly to-morrow, and it may take place right in this vicinity. So I have come to have you folks return with me to the patriot settlement, where you will be safe.” “Do you really think we would be in danger here?” asked Mrs. Santon. “Yes I do,” replied the young man. “When the battle begins, bullets will fly pretty thick, and as our army has two or three field-pieces, there may be a few cannon-balls flying through the air, and if the battle was to take place near here, the house might be riddled. You folks would doubtless be injured and would stand a chance, I fear, even to lose your lives.” “Then let us go to the settlement with Mr. Miller,” said Mrs. Santon, who was of a somewhat nervous disposition. “Very well,” said Mr. Santon. And then they gathered together such of the household effects as they might require, and set out for the settlement.