They were ready in about an hour and a half, or two hours, and then having said good-by to the settlers of Peaceful Valley, they marched away toward the west. They continued onward steadily during that day, stopping an hour at noon for luncheon and to rest, and when evening came they went into camp at a point perhaps thirty miles east of Ninety-Six. They stationed sentinels, so as to prevent a surprise by Indians or redcoats and the night passed quietly, no enemy appearing. They were up and away again early in the morning, and by marching hard, managed to reach the vicinity of Ninety-Six by evening, They went into camp only about two miles from the fort. Ben Foster was eager to take a look at the fort, for he feared that possibly Dick and Tom were prisoners there. He went to General Greene and asked permission to go on a reconnoitering expedition, and the permission was granted. “I shall be glad to have you go and secure all the information possible regarding Fort Ninety-Six, my boy,” said the general. “But, be careful and don’t let them capture you.” “I will be careful, sir,” and then saluting, Ben took his departure. He made his way cautiously through the timber, for he did not know but there might be redcoats or redskins in the vicinity, and he did not want to fall into their hands. On he went, pausing frequently to listen, but hearing no suspicious sounds, he drew nearer and nearer to the fort, and at the end of an hour he arrived at the open space in the center of which the fort stood. It was a moonlight night, and Ben could see the fort with tolerable distinctness, and he stood there for some time, looking at the building and wondering if Dick and Tom were there. Ben stood there for perhaps half an hour, looking at the fort and the lay of the land with critical eyes. He was sizing the fort and surroundings up, and trying to figure out what chance for success the patriot army would have, if an attack was made. “It is impossible to judge of the strength of the fort at a distance,” thought Ben. “I believe that I will try to reach the wall around the fort and see how strongly-constructed it is. General Greene will be glad to secure all the information I can get.” Ben felt that he would be running considerable risk in advancing across the open ground on an evening when the moon was shining, but he was brave, and decided to take a closer view, anyhow. Having decided, he at once set to work. He advanced from among the trees, and just before getting out where the light would encompass him, Ben dropped on his hands and knees, and began slowly crawling along, after the fashion of an Indian. He was not quite as expert at this kind of work as an Indian, but he did very well, advancing slowly, and keeping his body close to the ground, thus not being so likely to attract the attention of a sentinel at the fort.