“You two lads may be able to take part in the charge; but Rufus and I have no longer horses, therefore must we follow on foot, and I am questioning whether, if the work be cut out as sharply as it was last night, we shall be able to arrive very early in the encounter.” Now, strange as it may seem, until this moment I had not thought of how sadly Gabriel and I would be handicapped in the coming battle, for I believed of a verity there would be a battle, because it was not reasonable to suppose so many men could be put to flight by so small a number as ours, and straightway my hopes, which had been growing, faded away almost to despair, for at that time it seemed as if nothing could be done toward effecting Archie’s release unless I myself had a hand in the matter. It was while I was thus mentally raging against fortune because our little party did not have with them led horses which might be pressed into service, that I chanced to remember, as if my memory was going back to seek out all of mischief and all of ill luck it could find, that Gabriel had unwittingly revealed to Seth Hastings the number of our force, and immediately I reminded the lad of his slip of tongue, suggesting that, perhaps, if General Marion knew how much of information the enemy might have concerning us, he would be less eager to take the chances of making an attack. The blood left Gabriel’s face as he remembered, on thus being reminded, those unfortunate words, and he said with a tremor as of fear: “In playing the braggart with such as Seth Hastings I may have compassed the death of these brave fellows! Come quickly, Rufus, and let me confess my fault!” Then, running at full speed as if every second was precious, he went to where the general and Captain Horry were in consultation, breaking in upon them with a hurried recital of what he had said to Seth. If I had expected to see Francis Marion give way to anger because his brother had been so injudicious, then was I grievously mistaken, for instead of displaying any impatience, the general said in a quiet tone to Captain Horry: “As everything has turned, we have good reason to believe that victory will not be gained as easily in Barfield’s camp as at Gainey’s. The enemy must know that these lads were sent out as scouts, and with the knowledge of our strength it is not to be supposed we can make much of a fist at frightening them.” “It will not displease me overly much if they stand up against us for awhile,” Captain Horry replied, as one would who speaks of matters which are going entirely to his liking. “We cannot get any especial credit for such work as last night’s; but if we can hold our own, or more, against an enemy as strong as we shall encounter this night, then much of the fear which the weak-kneed of our people are suffering because of the disaster at Camden will be overcome.”