It seems that within five minutes after we left him in charge of the horses, four men came through the woods directly upon him and his prisoner. Even at the very instant he was about to cry out a warning to us, one of the troopers caught him by the throat. Seth Hastings was set free, as a matter of course, and when he told these men that we had gone to spy out the camp, one of them was sent to the rear with Archie and the horses, while the others followed us. The poor lad felt positive we would be captured, for escape seemed impossible, but as the moments went by and no more prisoners were brought in, his hopes grew high. “I knew that I should not remain long with those troopers if you lads were at liberty,” he said confidently, “and therefore counted on a speedy deliverance, unless peradventure Seth Hastings shot me offhand, as I make no question the cur would have done had he dared. Even while I was being led by a roundabout way to the encampment he would have struck me, but that the soldier threatened direst punishment if he dared lift his hand against a prisoner, and the villain was too much of a coward to do other than obey.” Once in the encampment, Archie was taken before Captain Barfield, who did not think it necessary to spend overly much time on him after asking for what purpose he had come. The lad could do no less than tell the truth, for Seth Hastings had already been made aware of the strength of our people, and also knew that Gabriel and I had crept forward for the sole purpose of learning the strength and position of the enemy. “I was triced up to a tree, but not in any barbarous fashion,” Archie continued, as he made a fresh attack upon the redcoats’ bacon, “and if it had not been for Seth Hastings I should have considered myself exceedingly fortunate; but that miserable whelp, who was aching to maltreat me but not daring to raise a hand, spent his time picturing what would be the fate of our people once they were so foolish to make an attack upon such a large force of well-drilled soldiers. It was not that I believed the fellow, or that he frightened me, but you well know how annoying the buzz of a mosquito is, and how disquieting the rattle of a snake. Therefore you can understand that the time was not passed pleasantly by me. I firmly believed you fellows would come shortly after night had set in, but must confess that I had little faith in the ability of our people to overcome so strong a company.” [Illustration: “IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR SETH HASTINGS, I SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED MYSELF EXCEEDINGLY FORTUNATE.”] “Then you were not gagged all this while?” I asked, and he replied: