Confident that he might rely upon the statement, Noel instantly returned to the corduroy road and approached the waiting black man. To Noel the eyes of the startled negro seemed almost to protrude like saucers. For an instant it was plain that he was tempted to flee from the spot, but as he glanced behind him, Noel suspected that he was in greater fear of what threatened from that direction than he was at the discovery of the strangers who had hailed him. "Who's yo'? Who is yo' all?" he asked, unable to prevent his teeth from chattering as he spoke. "We are a couple of Union soldiers, Long John, and we want your help." "Yas, suh! Yas, suh! Bress de Lor'! I'se heerd a heap 'bout yo' all. Dey say yo' hab hawns. Ole mass' done say dat yo' be'rd com' clar down to heer." As he spoke the negro placed one of his big hands upon his right hip. "Dey shorely is so feared o' yo' dat if dey heer yo' name er hundred miles away, dey's scared des' de same." [Illustration: "DEY SAY YO' HAB HAWNS"] In his dilemma Noel turned once more to the colored man and hastily said, "Where are you going?" "Noware. Noware, suh." "But the rebel soldiers are ahead of you." "Dey's mo' o' 'em behind me," declared Long John promptly. "Do you know the way out of this swamp?" For a moment the tall negro gazed intently down at Noel. In spite of his indifference, Long John was possessed of more intelligence than a first impression warranted. Noel was made somewhat uneasy by the intentness of the negro's inspection. Apparently satisfied by what he had discovered in his own way, Long John said, "Yas, suh! I reckon I knows dis yeah swamp." "Do you know where this corduroy road leads?" Noel inquired, as he pointed in the direction from which the negro had come. "Yas, suh!" "How long is it? How far shall we have to go before we can be out on the firm road again?" "I reckon it's a right sma't way," replied Long John slowly. "And if dere's some ob the rebel sojers up ahead, dere's certainly mo' ob dem back yonder," he added, nodding his head to emphasize the strength of his conviction as he spoke. "Have you seen any?" inquired Noel, as he once more glanced behind him to discover whether or not there were any signs of continued pursuit. "Yas, suh! I'se done seen some." "How many are there?" "I recken dere's a right sma't lot ob dem." "Are they infantry or cavalry?" "Yas, suh." "Which are they?" demanded Noel. "Dere's some sojers on horseback. I see Massa Little Ben Fowler--" "Are there twenty of them?" broke in Noel impatiently. "Yas, suh." "Where are they?" "Dey's right by de end on de cord'roy road. I recken dey was goin' toe follow me, but dey all des' shouted and laughed. Dey say I can beat de Yanks at runnin'." "Dennis," said Noel, turning to his companion, "don't you believe that these men have been stationed there to cut off anybody who might come through here on this road?" "That's it, me lad! Yis, sor! That's it," replied Dennis.