“That is what we would do, William Rufus, if we three had come here on our own affairs; but I am asking if we have the right to consider Archie at all in this matter?” “Why should we not consider him?” I cried passionately. “For the reason that we shall be untrue to the Cause if, in order to save the life of one, we sacrifice twenty or more, as will be the case if we spend our time searching for poor Archie when we know my brother and his men are riding in this direction depending upon the information which we should give them.” “But would you leave a comrade to be killed, perhaps, for who can say what Seth Hastings will not do, when it may be possible for you to save him?” “Hark ye, lad,” and now Gabriel Marion spoke as a man twice his age might have spoken. “All our efforts are to be for the benefit of the Cause, and it is the same as if we had solemnly sworn it. Now tell me, with Archie on one side, and all our people who have rendezvoused at Snow’s Island on the other, which are we to sacrifice? It comes exceedingly near being in our power to say that the troops shall be allowed to tempt death, but at the same time we are not positive any assistance can be given the lad.” “But, Gabriel!” I cried entreatingly, for it cut me to the heart that he should set our comrade aside as he might an entire stranger. “Are we not bound to do all we may toward aiding one of our company, and you know Archie ventured here only that he might be counted as a member of the Minute Boys? Are we to turn our backs upon him, raising no hand in his behalf?” “Rufus, you and I have been warm friends since first we could remember, and if you, instead of Archie, had been taken prisoner, and he argued with me as you are doing, I should then say as I say now: Our duty lies in that direction where we may best aid the Cause. The lives of a few boys are not to be compared with those of thirty men. You yourself must admit that the Carolinas can lose us three lads without suffering an irreparable loss, whereas if my brother--and I’m not saying this because he _is_ my brother--and those who are gathered around him should be cut off now, then must all hope of resistance to the king’s forces in this section of the country be abandoned, at least for a certain time.” “But they may continue on without information from us, and attack the camp with the same result as when they charged down on Major Gainey’s force,” I cried, and Gabriel answered with a tone of reproof in his voice: “Now, lad, you know full well that your words are empty ones. We have seen the force here, and I ask what in your opinion would be the result if our people charged this camp as they did the one last night?”