For an instant I stood irresolute, looking about me as I tried to guess what could have prevented Saul from keeping his word. During those few seconds it did not come into my mind that aught of evil might have happened; I only questioned what friend he could have met who thus delayed him, or what pleasure he found which would keep him away. Then like a flash of light came the thought that neither friend nor pleasure could have prevented Saul from returning to his duty, and I understood that one of two things must have happened: He had either been arrested on some charge or another by the red-coated soldiers, or had through his ill temper got into a brawl, when he had been so grievously wounded that it was impossible for him to come back unaided. I wheeled about suddenly, like one bereft of his senses, and clambered up the shaky ladder as if my very life depended on my gaining the loft within the shortest possible space of time. There, where by reaching out his hand he could touch that Tory sneak whom I longed to crush beneath my heel because he was causing us so much trouble, having the same as thrust himself into our keeping as a prisoner, sat little Frenchie, patient but nervous, as I could guess by his movements. "Where is Saul?" I demanded fiercely, as if through some carelessness or inadvertence of Pierre my cousin had come to grief, and the little lad replied mournfully, having lost so much of his spirit during the weary time of waiting that he could seemingly neither shrug his shoulders nor wave his hands: "I wish I knew, Fitz; but certain it is something serious must have happened to the boy, else he would have been back, as he agreed upon, within two hours from the time of leaving." "Why did you not waken me that I might go out in search?" I demanded angrily, as if still believing he was at fault. "It seemed to me necessary you should regain all your strength, that you might be able to meet the disaster which I feel is near upon us. There have been times when I was tempted to call for Uncle 'Rasmus, insisting he send you out at once; but I was checked by the thought that you had already endured much of labor and should be allowed the slumber which was needed." "Nothing could be necessary at such a time as this, save that I went out in search of my cousin!" I cried, almost beside myself with grief and apprehension, for there was no longer any doubt in my mind but that Saul was either a prisoner in the hands of the red-coated soldiers, or else lay somewhere in the village wounded grievously, perhaps unto death. "Now that you have come I will search throughout this entire town," and Pierre sprang to his feet as if to descend the ladder, whereupon I caught him frantically by the coat, for at that instant a horrible dread seized upon me, lest I be left alone with that Tory villain and have so much of temptation that it would be impossible to keep my hands from him.