Somers said nothing to the captain about the letter he had written. If anything was done, he wished to have his friend surprised as he had been. But he had only slight hopes that anything would be accomplished by his application. Though Captain de Banyan had always behaved well in battle, and had always faithfully discharged his duties in the camp and on the march, there was something like a mystery hanging about him, which had a tendency to prejudice the officers against him. While they admired his bravery, and enjoyed his society, there was a certain lack of confidence, resulting from a want of knowledge of his antecedents. De Banyan always evaded any allusion to his former residence or occupation. He desired to be regarded as a soldier of fortune, who had fought with every nation that had a quarrel with its neighbors. Where he was born, where he had lived, or how he obtained his commission, were secrets locked up in his own breast. Somers had some doubts in regard to him, and was constantly afraid that he should hear more of the captain than it would be pleasant to know. Captain Somers reported his arrangements in due form to the general, and they were approved. About nine o'clock in the evening, he, with his little party, embarked on the river, and the rowers pulled towards the opposite shore. Of course, it was necessary to use the utmost caution; for a rebel picket on the opposite bank of the river might suddenly put an end to the career of some of the party. "I think we are making a mistake, Captain Somers," said De Banyan in a whisper, when they had gone about half way across the river. "So do I; but it is not too late to correct the error," replied Somers, as he turned the bow of the boat down the river. "I believe you are my double, Somers; for you know my thoughts before I utter them." "I was just thinking, when you spoke, that we were running into a nest of the enemy." "Just before the battle of the Alma, I went on just such an expedition as this; but we went down the river beyond the enemy's lines, and doubled up in the rear of them; thus finding out all we wanted to know." "That is what I propose to do." "Captain Brickfield and myself landed, and walked sixty-four miles between nine o'clock in the evening and four o'clock in the morning," added Captain de Banyan. "How far?" "Sixty-four miles." "Good!" exclaimed Somers. "Did you walk all the way?" "Every step." "It was tip-top walking, De Banyan--a little more than nine miles an hour." "Do you doubt the story?" "I don't doubt that it is a story." "Now, that isn't kind of you, Somers, to be perpetually throwing discredit upon everything I say," replied the captain, apparently much hurt. "You mustn't say such things, then. You don't expect any man in his senses to believe that you walked over nine miles an hour, and followed it for seven hours?" "I was tougher then than I am now." "And you can tell a tougher story now than you could then, I'll warrant."