When we rode forward once more, General Marion and Captain Horry leading the way, it was whispered from one to another that our destination was the Black Mingo Swamp. It seemed incredible to me that we were to go into North Carolina, leaving our native State absolutely unprotected; but such proved to be the case, for after riding four and twenty hours with no more than three halts by the way, we were come to the place which had been decided upon as our refuge. It was by no means to be despised as an encampment by those who feared an attack. To come upon it one was forced to traverse a narrow trail, where a misstep on one side or the other would plunge horse and rider into mire and water, for a distance of two and a half miles, when the traveller came upon a slight elevation of not more than four or five acres of solid ground, on which grew perhaps twenty gigantic oaks. It was old Peter who guided us to this place, and truly had he led us to a safe refuge, for none might come upon our company save he who was perfectly familiar with the devious windings of the blind trail. Had we been closely pursued by the enemy, then was this a welcome spot, but since our success had been so great, and the redcoats, when we left Sinclair’s plantation, yet some distance in the rear, I failed to understand, as did all the Minute Boys, why we were thus hiding when it might have been possible to save many of our people from cruel treatment. It was a question which puzzled us not a little, as may be supposed, and we turned the matter over and over among ourselves during the first night in the new camp, until it was as if our curiosity could no longer be restrained. Therefore when Archie Gordon suggested what seemed a simple plan by which we might learn what we were so eager to know, without being accused of unsoldierly conduct, all the lads insisted it should be carried out. Archie had argued that, because Gabriel was the general’s brother, there was no good reason why he might not ask for an explanation of our movements, doing so wholly on the plea of kinship, and not that we as a company had any right to question the movements of the commander. Gabriel was not averse to doing what he might toward gratifying our curiosity, and at the earliest possible moment sought an interview with the general, leaving the remainder of us Minute Boys to put up a hut similar to the one we had built at the last encampment.