"Come, Jenny, there's a job on hand for us; and you must postpone your breakfast till we catch the Yankee prisoners," said the person, who, the fugitives were now satisfied, was an officer of the cavalry service. While De Banyan was telling his story, they had heard some noise at the house; and they now concluded that the party which had ridden up the street had come to call this officer for duty. They hoped that nothing would require him to pay a visit to the loft, and that, like a good officer, he would be as expeditious as possible in his preparations. "You are my prisoner, if he comes up-stairs," whispered De Banyan. Somers pressed the hand of his companion to assure him that he understood his plan; and they held their breath, in the intense anxiety of the moment, for further developments. The present seemed to be the turning point in the career of the adventurers; and, if they could once escape from the horns of this dilemma, skill and prudence would conduct them in safety to the Union lines. The officer below, after he had politely informed "Jenny" of the early movement, seemed to be in no hurry to get into the saddle. He went out at the door of the stable, and all was silent again, except the voice of Jenny, who seemed to be protesting against any movement before she had received her customary feed of corn. "Peters!" shouted the officer from the door, "hurry up! The Yankees will get to the James River before you get the saddle on my horse. Where have you been?" "I was looking for my boots." "An orderly ought to wear his boots to bed with him, if he can't put them where he can find them," replied the officer, as the heavy step of another man was heard in the stable below. "What news did you hear?" asked the officer, as the orderly led the horse from the stall. "The sergeant said some officer that had been took as a deserter done runned away," replied Peters, as the fugitives heard the rattle of the saddle-gear. "Hurry up, then!" "He done took a Yankee prisoner from the depot with him," added Peters, who, if he had not been called an orderly, the listeners would have taken for a negro. "You may take a peck of corn in a bag for Jenny, Peters. We may have a long ride of it," added the officer, as he left the stable. A peck of corn! De Banyan and Somers were sitting on the grain chest! It was impossible to avoid discovery; and De Banyan threw off his cloak, ready for the emergency. "Somers, my boy, we must change our tactics. They have heard the whole story, and we can't blind them. We must make the best of it. Have you a pistol?" whispered the captain. "No; all I had was taken from me," replied Somers. "I have only one. No matter; it would never do to fire up here," added De Banyan, as he picked up a short pitch-fork which lay near him. "Are you going to kill him?" asked Somers. "It's life or death for you and me! We can't stop for trifles," answered the captain in hurried tones, but still in a whisper.