"Indeed, I do!" said Noel, somewhat defiantly. "He and I both belong to the sharpshooters of the --th. You ask Colonel Crawford about us and he'll tell you all you want to know. 'Deserters'! Why, man, we 're no more deserters than you are. We have been trying ever since we left Harper's Ferry--" "You don't seem to have made very good time even if you did try," sneered the officer again. "Your story sounds fine, but when the colonel listens to what you have to say and then compares your story with the one Levi has to tell, he may have something to say about it himself." Apparently it was useless longer to try to persuade the captain. When Noel saw the expression on the face of Dennis and was aware that the young Irishman also had failed to plead his cause successfully, he was somewhat heavy-hearted. "I'll go with you," he said quietly. "That's mighty good of you," laughed the officer. "You might take your place in there with the other deserter and we'll try to see to it that you don't get very far away again. My advice to you is not to try any more of your tricks." For a moment Noel looked steadily into the eyes of the sneering young officer. He was furiously angry, and withal was more seriously troubled than he was willing to acknowledge even to himself. Because the men under whom he had served were not now in the vicinity it would be difficult for him to find any one who could recognize him. His father had once met General Hooker, a fact which Mr. Curtis frequently enlarged upon in talks with his boys, but even if admittance could be had into the presence of the general, which was not at all probable, it would not identify the young soldier who was charged with deserting. Obediently Noel advanced to take the place which had been assigned to him, and as he did so he glanced back at the house, and saw Eliza Jane standing in the doorway and watching with manifest interest the activities of the soldiers whom she professed to hate. Noel was quite certain that he had a momentary glimpse of Levi standing behind the woman, but of this he could not be positive, as the face speedily vanished and did not again appear. At all events, the treacherous little sutler was not to accompany the men on their way back to camp and, fearful alike of his absence and presence, Noel was in dire straits when at last the command to advance was given and by the side of Dennis he obediently fell into step and marched with the men. A sound like distant thunder caused Noel to look up hastily. He had heard the sound several times, but as the sky was clear and there were no thunder clouds anywhere to be seen, he had been somewhat puzzled by the rumbling in the distance. "I guess the boys are up and at it ag'in," suggested Dennis in one of his hoarse whispers. Startled by the suggestion, Noel glanced sharply at his companion and said, "Fighting?" "That's what it sounds like."