Before those who were nearest could make reply, even if they had been able to do so, Archie Gordon came running toward us at full speed, anger written on every feature of his face as he cried: “Now we can understand why the general was so eager to prevent us from serving out that miserable traitor as he deserved! I was a blind fool for not having understood it all!” “What has gone wrong, Archie?” Gabriel asked, as he rose to his feet, and the angry lad replied: “Gone wrong? Everything, when men who claim to be soldiers turn their hands to aid one who would betray us to the Britishers! He was our prisoner, and no one, not even the general, had the right to set him free!” “What do you mean? Who has been set free?” I asked impatiently, and Archie cried, his voice hoarse with rage: “That cur--Seth Hastings, who would have been hanged long ere this had we not listened to your soft words!” It can readily be understood that I was on my feet by this time, and when Gabriel set off at full speed toward where the prisoners had been last seen, I was close at his heels. When we arrived it was to find fifteen or twenty of the troopers moving about uneasily, as if having suddenly discovered there was a traitor in their midst, and the two men on duty as sentinels were endeavoring to explain that there had been no change in the situation since they went on guard. “I did not think it necessary to count the prisoners,” one of them said in a tone which carried conviction with it, “but I’ll go bail that the mischief hasn’t been done since three o’clock this morning. Perhaps those who had a grudge against the fellow have taken him away for purposes of their own,” and he looked meaningly at Archie Gordon. It was a full minute before I could get a view of the prisoners, and then I saw six men, who were striving unsuccessfully to prevent any sign of concern from appearing on their faces, each securely bound as on the evening previous; but the seventh--Seth Hastings--had disappeared, leaving behind him only the leather belt with which his arms had been pinioned. “How does it come that the young traitor got away, while all the others are yet secure?” I cried, and one of the troopers replied with a meaning look at us lads: “I reckon the Minute Boys have no need to ask questions. They had a score to settle with the lad who’s missin’, an’ it stands to reason the account has been closed by this time.” There was no need to ask Archie Gordon if he had had any hand in the disappearance of Seth Hastings. He could not have simulated such anger as he had displayed since the escape was discovered, and I felt positive the other members of the company would not have committed what had the look of a crime, more particularly after it had been agreed between us all that the Tory traitor be left in charge of our commander. These thoughts had just formed themselves in my mind when General Marion came up, and it was possible to see that he had been seriously disturbed.