But Christy did not appear, and it was getting darker and darker every minute. Something must have attracted the attention of the skipper on shore, and he had doubtless landed. But while Corny was waiting for his cousin, he saw two men making their way through the grove on the other side of the fence towards the river. One of them he recognized, and gave a peculiar whistle, which drew the two men in the direction from which it came. "Is that you, major?" asked Corny, in a low tone. "Hush! You are a simpleton, Corny!" exclaimed one of the men, as he came up to the palisades of the fence. "Didn't I tell you not to call me by name?" "I didn't call you by name," replied Corny, smartly. "You called me major, and that is about the same thing," added the speaker on the other side of the fence. "The woods are full of majors now, both in the North and the South, and no one knows you especially by that name. But I will remember in future, Mr. Mulgate," replied Corny. "That sounds better, Neal. If we lose the game it will be by your blundering," continued the major, or Mulgate, as he preferred to be called on the present occasion. "I suppose you have no talent for blundering, Mulgate; and that is the reason why you happen to be here at the present moment," retorted Corny, not at all pleased with the speech of the other. "None of your impudence, Neal!" said Mulgate, sharply. "If you lose the game, you say that it will be by my blundering, Mulgate," continued Corny. "That makes it seem as though I was to bear the responsibility of a failure; and I don't like the looks of things. If I am to be responsible for a failure, I ought to have something to say about the manner of conducting the enterprise." "Shut up, Neal! We have no time to talk nonsense of that sort. I am to conduct the enterprise, and you are to obey my orders. That is the whole of it," replied Mulgate, impatient at the position taken by the young man. "You are still under my command, and you will obey me or take the consequences. Now to business: what have you learned?" "Nothing at all," answered Corny, rather sullenly. "What have you been about? Haven't you discovered anything?" "Nothing at all; I have but just arrived here. I took supper with my uncle, and told him the fish story you invented for me." "Did he believe it?" "I don't know whether he did or not; but he and the rest of the family treated me very handsomely, which made me feel meaner than a dead catfish." "Never mind your feelings; you are here to assist in a great enterprise, and you are expected to do your duty to your country without regard to your own notions. Report what you have done." "I haven't done anything but introduce myself into the house, and explain how I happen to be here," replied Corny, as he proceeded to give the details of his meeting with his uncle. "Is Miss Florry at home?" asked Mulgate, in a more gentle tone, as though he had a deeper interest in the direction he had indicated.