Our company of Minute Boys were gathered in the camp we had built, discussing the matter, when Captain Horry came over to have a talk with us, and after he had gone we remained there until, considerably to our surprise, General Marion appeared. He shook his head when we arose to our feet expecting he would enter, and said in a tone more grave than I had ever heard him use: “I have no time to waste, lads, for it may be the situation demands immediate change of camp. It is of the highest importance that I know beyond a peradventure whether any of you Minute Boys, believing it your right to inflict punishment upon your own prisoner, have taken Seth Hastings away. I will not ask what you may have done with him; but this it is necessary for the safety of all I should know: Are any of you responsible for his absence? Do not answer now,” he said, holding up his hand as half a dozen of us rose to speak. “Discuss the matter among yourselves until you are thoroughly well convinced of the gravity of the situation, and then tell the truth like honest men. The question simply is if one of you know how the lad escaped? I shall expect an answer within half an hour.” With that the general walked away, and we remained silent and motionless, staring at each other, for already had we come to realize how dangerous was the position of this handful of men who yet remained true to the Cause if the scoundrel was at liberty, and I hoped sincerely that some of our fellows would be able to declare with truth that they had had a hand in his escape, for then would our position be far less perilous. Gabriel put the question to all in such a way that I understood he had much the same thoughts as mine, and I fancied he, like me, was hoping, even though it would have been to the discredit of our company, that some of the lads had taken it upon themselves to punish the cur regardless of the pledge we had much the same as made. Not a lad spoke in reply to the question as to whether any one could give information concerning Seth Hastings, and Gabriel said, pleading with the members of our company for the truth: “The general has told us that he will put no other question than the one I have just asked, which is: ‘Does any lad among us know how Seth Hastings got away?’ We will drop all inquiry if one or more of you acknowledge having had a hand in his disappearance, and, so far as I am concerned, gain most intense relief of mind, because then there can be no question that any of those who have pledged their services to the Cause under General Marion did so with traitorous intent.” No lad spoke, and Archie cried passionately: “Put the question to each in turn, asking every lad to say on his oath as a Minute Boy, and as a native of the Carolinas, whether he knows aught concerning him.”